Bible Strands
Leviticus 9:22
Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people and blessed them. And having made the sin offering, the burnt offering, and the peace offering, he stepped down.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Aaron addresses the Israelite assembly after completing the sin, burnt, and peace offerings. He raises his hands toward them to pronounce a blessing before descending from the altar area.
The words — וַיִּשָּׂא (va.yiśśāʾ) means "and he lifted up," and וַיְבָרֶכֶ/ם (va.yəḇārəḵeḵem) means "and he blessed them." These verbs record the physical gesture and the spoken act of imparting favor.
The thread — The gesture and priestly function reappear in Numbers 6:23 where God commands Aaron and his sons to bless Israel, and in Luke 24:50 where Jesus lifts his hands to bless his disciples. Deuteronomy 21:5 establishes the sons of Levi as chosen to serve and pronounce blessings without citing this specific verse.
Why it lands — The text records a completed ritual sequence followed by a direct blessing, requiring the reader to note the structural shift from sacrificial service to communal address. It asks the reader to observe how priestly mediation moves from altar work to spoken favor before the narrative transitions to divine manifestation.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And Aaron lifted up his hand toward the people, and blessed them, and came down from offering of the sin offering, and the burnt offering, and peace offerings.
Cross-references
- Deuteronomy 21:5 And the priests, the sons of Levi, shall come forward, for the LORD your God has chosen them to serve Him and pronounce blessings in His name and to give a ruling in every dispute and case of assault.
- Luke 24:50 When Jesus had led them out as far as Bethany, He lifted up His hands and blessed them.
- Numbers 6:23 “Tell Aaron and his sons: This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:
- Genesis 14:18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine—since he was priest of God Most High—
- Deuteronomy 10:8 At that time the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to serve Him, and to pronounce blessings in His name, as they do to this day.
- 1 Kings 8:55 And he stood and blessed the whole assembly of Israel in a loud voice, saying:
- 1 Chronicles 23:13 The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses. Aaron and his descendants were set apart forever to consecrate the most holy things, to burn incense before the LORD, to minister before Him, and to pronounce blessings in His name forever.
- 2 Chronicles 6:3 And as the whole assembly of Israel stood there, the king turned around and blessed them all
- Psalms 72:17 May his name endure forever; may his name continue as long as the sun shines. In him may all nations be blessed; may they call him blessed.
- Mark 10:16 And He took the children in His arms, placed His hands on them, and blessed them.