The Aaronic Benediction, also known as the Priestly Blessing, is a prayer recited by Kohanim, the descendants of Aaron, over the people of Israel. The text of the blessing is found in Numbers 6:23-27. The blessing emphasizes that it is the Lord who blesses the people and does for them what they cannot do for themselves. The Aaronic Benediction consists of three parts:

• "May the LORD bless you, and keep you"
• "May the LORD make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you"
• "May the LORD lift up His face to you, and give you peace"

The phrase “I will put my name on them” as well as earlier, “this is how you are to bless the Israelites” reminds us that this is not a typical invocation, as if the priest were merely asking God to do something, but a performative act, an act that produces the divine blessing in its being done, assuming, of course, faith and covenantal faithfulness on the part of the people who are being blessed. The Aaronic Benediction has been used for centuries and is also spoken over the congregation regularly in less liturgical services of many Protestant congregations.