(e.g. Jer. 42:17; see also Luke 9:51 where Jesus sets his face to Jerusalem as he prepares for that last week of his life before the crucifixion). Here the idiom is one of blessing someone. The Lord is called on to “bless” Israel, i.e. to give his good gifts of crops, herds, fertile seasons, children, general prosperity, and to “keep” Israel, i.e. to protect from bad harvests, enemies, child-lessness, etc. Some Rabbis have interpreted this as: may the Lord bless Israel with good possessions,