33 1 Moses before his death blesseth all the tribes of Israel. 26 There is no god like to the God of Israel: 29 Nor any people like unto his.

Now this is the [a]blessing wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death, and said,

The Lord came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them, and appeared clearly from mount Paran, and he came with ten [b]thousands of Saints, and at his right hand a fiery Law for them.

Though he love the people, yet [c]all thy Saints are in thine hands: and they are humbled at [d]thy feet, to receive thy words.

Moses commanded us a Law for an [e]inheritance of the Congregation of Jacob.

Then [f]he was among the [g]righteous people, as King, when the heads of the people, and the tribes of Israel were assembled.

¶ Let [h]Reuben live, and not die, though his men be a small number.

¶ And thus he blessed Judah, and said, Hear, O Lord, the voice of Judah, and bring him unto his people: his hands shall be [i]sufficient for him, if thou help him against his enemies.

¶ And of Levi he said, Let thy (A)Thummim and thine Urim be with thine Holy one, whom thou didst prove in Massah, and didst cause him to strive at the waters of Meribah.

Who said unto his father and to his mother, [j]I have not seen him, neither knew he his brethren, nor knew his own children: for they observed thy word, and kept thy Covenant.

10 They shall teach Jacob thy judgments, and Israel thy Law: they shall put incense before thy face, and the burnt offering upon thine Altar.

11 Bless, O Lord, his substance, and accept the work of his hands: [k]smite through the loins of them that rise against him, and of them that hate him, that they rise not again.

12 ¶ Of Benjamin he said, The beloved of the Lord shall [l]dwell in safety by him: the Lord shall cover him all the day long, and dwell between his shoulders.

13 ¶ And of Joseph he said, Blessed of the Lord is his land for the sweetness of heaven, for the dew, and for the [m]depth lying beneath,

14 And for the sweet increase of the Sun, and for the sweet increase of the Moon,

15 And for thy sweetness of the top of the ancient mountains, and for the sweetness of the old hills,

16 And for the sweetness of the earth, and abundance therefore: and the good will of him that dwelt in the [n]bush, shall come upon the head of Joseph, and upon the top of the head of him that was (B)separated from his brethren.

17 His beauty shall be like his firstborn bullock, and his [o]horns as the horns of an unicorn: with them he shall smite the people together, even the ends of the world: these are also the ten thousands of Ephraim, and these are the thousands of Manasseh.

18 ¶ And of Zebulun he said, Rejoice, Zebulun, in thy [p]going out, and thou Issachar in thy tents.

19 They shall call the people unto the [q]mountain: there they shall offer the sacrifices of righteousness: for [r]they shall suck of the abundance of the sea, and of the treasures hid in the sand.

20 ¶ Also of Gad he said, Blessed be he that enlargeth Gad: he dwelleth as a lion, that catcheth for his prey the arm with the head.

21 And he looked to himself at the beginning, because there was a portion of the [s]Law-giver hid: yet he shall come with the heads of the people, to execute the justice of the Lord, and his judgments with Israel.

22 ¶ And of Dan he said, Dan is a lion’s whelp: he shall leap from Bashan.

23 ¶ Also of Naphtali he said, O Naphtali, satisfied with favor, and filled with the blessing of the Lord, possess [t]the West and the South.

24 ¶ And of Asher he said, Asher shall be blessed with children: he shall be acceptable unto his brethren, and shall dip his foot in oil.

25 Thy shoes shall be [u]iron and brass, and thy strength shall continue as long as thou livest.

26 ¶ There is none like God, O righteous people, which rideth upon the heavens for thine help, and on the clouds in his glory.

27 The eternal God is thy refuge, and under his arms thou art forever: he shall cast out the enemy before thee, and will say, Destroy them.

28 Then Israel [v]the fountain of Jacob shall dwell alone in safety in a land of wheat and wine: also his heavens shall drop the dew.

29 Blessed art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the Lord, the shield of thine help, and which is the sword of thy glory? therefore [w]thine enemies shall be in subjection to thee, and thou shalt tread upon their high places.

Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 33:1 This blessing containeth not only a simple prayer, but an assurance of the effect thereof.
  2. Deuteronomy 33:2 Meaning, infinite Angels.
  3. Deuteronomy 33:3 Hebrew, his Saints, that is, the children of Israel.
  4. Deuteronomy 33:3 As thy disciples.
  5. Deuteronomy 33:4 To us and our successors.
  6. Deuteronomy 33:5 Or, Moses.
  7. Deuteronomy 33:5 Or, Israel.
  8. Deuteronomy 33:6 Reuben shall be one of the tribes of God’s people, though for his sin his honor be diminished, and his family but small.
  9. Deuteronomy 33:7 Signifying, that he should hardly obtain Jacob’s promises, Gen. 49:8.
  10. Deuteronomy 33:9 He preferred God’s glory to all natural affection, Exod. 32:29.
  11. Deuteronomy 33:11 He declareth that the ministers of God have many enemies, and therefore have need to be prayed for.
  12. Deuteronomy 33:12 Because the Temple should be built in Zion, which was in the tribe of Benjamin, he showeth that God should dwell with him there.
  13. Deuteronomy 33:13 Or, fountains.
  14. Deuteronomy 33:16 Which was God appearing unto Moses, Exod. 3:2.
  15. Deuteronomy 33:17 Or, strength.
  16. Deuteronomy 33:18 In thy prosperous voyages upon the Sea, Gen. 49:13.
  17. Deuteronomy 33:19 Or, mount Zion.
  18. Deuteronomy 33:19 The tribe of Zebulun.
  19. Deuteronomy 33:21 So the portion of the Gadites, and others on this side Jordan was God’s, though it was not so known.
  20. Deuteronomy 33:23 Meaning, near the sea.
  21. Deuteronomy 33:25 Thou shalt be strong, or thy country full of metal. It seemeth that Simeon is left out, because he was under Judah, and his portion of his inheritance, Josh. 19:9.
  22. Deuteronomy 33:28 Who was plentiful in issue as a fountain.
  23. Deuteronomy 33:29 Thine enemies for fear shall lie and fain to be in subjection.

Moses Blesses the Tribes(A)

33 This is the blessing(B) that Moses the man of God(C) pronounced on the Israelites before his death. He said:

“The Lord came from Sinai(D)
    and dawned over them from Seir;(E)
    he shone forth(F) from Mount Paran.(G)
He came with[a] myriads of holy ones(H)
    from the south, from his mountain slopes.[b]
Surely it is you who love(I) the people;
    all the holy ones are in your hand.(J)
At your feet they all bow down,(K)
    and from you receive instruction,
the law that Moses gave us,(L)
    the possession of the assembly of Jacob.(M)
He was king(N) over Jeshurun[c](O)
    when the leaders of the people assembled,
    along with the tribes of Israel.

“Let Reuben live and not die,
    nor[d] his people be few.”(P)

And this he said about Judah:(Q)

“Hear, Lord, the cry of Judah;
    bring him to his people.
With his own hands he defends his cause.
    Oh, be his help against his foes!”

About Levi(R) he said:

“Your Thummim and Urim(S) belong
    to your faithful servant.(T)
You tested(U) him at Massah;
    you contended with him at the waters of Meribah.(V)
He said of his father and mother,(W)
    ‘I have no regard for them.’
He did not recognize his brothers
    or acknowledge his own children,
but he watched over your word
    and guarded your covenant.(X)
10 He teaches(Y) your precepts to Jacob
    and your law to Israel.(Z)
He offers incense before you(AA)
    and whole burnt offerings on your altar.(AB)
11 Bless all his skills, Lord,
    and be pleased with the work of his hands.(AC)
Strike down those who rise against him,
    his foes till they rise no more.”

12 About Benjamin(AD) he said:

“Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in him,(AE)
    for he shields him all day long,(AF)
    and the one the Lord loves(AG) rests between his shoulders.(AH)

13 About Joseph(AI) he said:

“May the Lord bless his land
    with the precious dew from heaven above
    and with the deep waters that lie below;(AJ)
14 with the best the sun brings forth
    and the finest the moon can yield;
15 with the choicest gifts of the ancient mountains(AK)
    and the fruitfulness of the everlasting hills;
16 with the best gifts of the earth and its fullness
    and the favor of him who dwelt in the burning bush.(AL)
Let all these rest on the head of Joseph,
    on the brow of the prince among[e] his brothers.(AM)
17 In majesty he is like a firstborn bull;
    his horns(AN) are the horns of a wild ox.(AO)
With them he will gore(AP) the nations,
    even those at the ends of the earth.
Such are the ten thousands of Ephraim;(AQ)
    such are the thousands of Manasseh.(AR)

18 About Zebulun(AS) he said:

“Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out,
    and you, Issachar,(AT) in your tents.
19 They will summon peoples to the mountain(AU)
    and there offer the sacrifices of the righteous;(AV)
they will feast on the abundance of the seas,(AW)
    on the treasures hidden in the sand.”

20 About Gad(AX) he said:

“Blessed is he who enlarges Gad’s domain!(AY)
    Gad lives there like a lion,
    tearing at arm or head.
21 He chose the best land for himself;(AZ)
    the leader’s portion was kept for him.(BA)
When the heads of the people assembled,
    he carried out the Lord’s righteous will,(BB)
    and his judgments concerning Israel.”

22 About Dan(BC) he said:

“Dan is a lion’s cub,
    springing out of Bashan.”

23 About Naphtali(BD) he said:

“Naphtali is abounding with the favor of the Lord
    and is full of his blessing;
    he will inherit southward to the lake.”

24 About Asher(BE) he said:

“Most blessed of sons is Asher;
    let him be favored by his brothers,
    and let him bathe his feet in oil.(BF)
25 The bolts of your gates will be iron and bronze,(BG)
    and your strength will equal your days.(BH)

26 “There is no one like the God of Jeshurun,(BI)
    who rides(BJ) across the heavens to help you(BK)
    and on the clouds(BL) in his majesty.(BM)
27 The eternal(BN) God is your refuge,(BO)
    and underneath are the everlasting(BP) arms.
He will drive out your enemies before you,(BQ)
    saying, ‘Destroy them!’(BR)
28 So Israel will live in safety;(BS)
    Jacob will dwell[f] secure
in a land of grain and new wine,
    where the heavens drop dew.(BT)
29 Blessed are you, Israel!(BU)
    Who is like you,(BV)
    a people saved by the Lord?(BW)
He is your shield and helper(BX)
    and your glorious sword.
Your enemies will cower before you,
    and you will tread on their heights.(BY)

Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 33:2 Or from
  2. Deuteronomy 33:2 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
  3. Deuteronomy 33:5 Jeshurun means the upright one, that is, Israel; also in verse 26.
  4. Deuteronomy 33:6 Or but let
  5. Deuteronomy 33:16 Or of the one separated from
  6. Deuteronomy 33:28 Septuagint; Hebrew Jacob’s spring is