Texts in Conversation
The priestly blessing in Numbers 6 describes a confident declaration that God’s favor will be unmistakable, while the Greek Septuagint translation introduces an element of uncertainty, likely reflecting a distinct theological perspective.
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Numbers 6:25
Hebrew Bible
23 “Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is the way you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them: 24 “‘“The Lord bless you and protect you; 25 The Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; 26 The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.”’”
LXX Numbers 6:25
Septuagint
23 “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, ‘You will bless the sons of Israel like this, addressing them: 24 May the Lord bless and protect you, 25 and may the Lord cause his face to shine on you, and may he show mercy to you. 26 May the Lord lift up his face on you, and may he give you peace.’ ”
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Notes and References
"... In the blessing recorded in Numbers 6:25, however, the Masoretic reads “The Lord make His face shine upon you” whereas the Septuagint counterpart is “May the Lord show His face to you.” Perhaps once more what is at issue is whether or not God will decide to appear. The concept of “seeing God” perhaps reflects Egyptian influence inasmuch as it is reminiscent of the culmination of a rite important for the Egyptian king ..."
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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