Deuteronomy33
New American Standard
1Now this is the blessing with which Moses the man of God blessed the sons of Israel before his death.
2He said, “The Lord came from Sinai, And dawned on them from Seir; He shone from Mount Paran, And He came from the midst of myriads of holy ones; At His right hand there was flashing lightning for them.
3Indeed, He loves the people; All Your holy ones are in Your hand, And they followed in Your steps; Everyone takes of Your words.
4Moses issued to us the Law, A possession for the assembly of Jacob.
5And He was king in Jeshurun, When the heads of the people gathered, The tribes of Israel together.
6“May Reuben live and not die, Nor may his people be few.”
7And this was regarding Judah; so he said: “Hear, Lord, the voice of Judah, And bring him to his people. With his hands he contended for them, And may You be a help against his adversaries.”
8Of Levi he said, “Let Your Thummim and Your Urim belong to Your godly man, Whom You tested at Massah, With whom You contended at the waters of Meribah;
9Who said of his father and his mother, ‘I did not consider them’; And he did not acknowledge his brothers, Nor did he regard his own sons, For they kept Your word, And complied with Your covenant.
10They will teach Your ordinances to Jacob, And Your Law to Israel. They shall put incense before You, And whole burnt offerings on Your altar.
11Lord, bless his strength, And accept the work of his hands; Smash the hips of those who rise up against him, And those who hate him, so that they do not rise again.”
12Of Benjamin he said, “May the beloved of the Lord live in security beside Him Who shields him all the day long, And he lives between His shoulders.”
13Of Joseph he said, “Blessed of the Lord be his land, With the choice things of heaven, with the dew, And from the deep waters lying beneath,
14And with the choice yield of the sun, And the choice produce of the months;
15And with the best things of the ancient mountains, With the choice things of the everlasting hills,
16And with the choice things of the earth and its fullness, And the favor of Him who dwelt in the bush. Let it come to the head of Joseph, And to the top of the head of the one who was prince among his brothers.
17As the firstborn of his ox, majesty is his, And his horns are the horns of the wild ox; With them he will gore the peoples All at once, to the ends of the earth. And those are the ten thousands of Ephraim, And those are the thousands of Manasseh.”
18Of Zebulun he said, “Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out, And, Issachar, in your tents.
19They will call peoples to the mountain; There they will offer righteous sacrifices; For they will draw out the abundance of the seas, And the hidden treasures of the sand.”
20Of Gad he said, “Blessed is the one who enlarges Gad; He lies down as a lion, And tears the arm, also the crown of the head.
21Then he selected the choicest part for himself, For there the ruler’s portion was reserved; And he came with the leaders of the people; He executed the justice of the Lord, And His ordinances with Israel.”
22Of Dan he said, “Dan is a lion’s cub; He leaps out from Bashan.”
23Of Naphtali he said, “Naphtali, satisfied with favor, And full of the blessing of the Lord, Take possession of the sea and the south.”
24Of Asher he said, “More blessed than sons is Asher; May he be favored by his brothers, And may he dip his foot in olive oil.
25Your bars will be iron and bronze, And as your days, so will your strength be.
26“There is no one like the God of Jeshurun, Who rides the heavens to your help, And the clouds in His majesty.
27The eternal God is a hiding place, And underneath are the everlasting arms; And He drove out the enemy from you, And said, ‘Destroy!’
28So Israel lives in security, The fountain of Jacob secluded, In a land of grain and new wine; His heavens also drip down dew.
29Blessed are you, Israel; Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord, The shield of your help, And He who is the sword of your majesty! So your enemies will cringe before you, And you will trample on their high places.”
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Deuteronomy 33.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The glorious majesty of God. (1–5). The blessings of the twelve tribes. (6–23). Strength to believers. (24, 25). The excellency of Israel. (26–29).
vv1-5
To all his precepts, warnings, and prophecies, Moses added a solemn blessing. He begins with a description of the glorious appearances of God, in giving the law. His law works like fire. If received, it is melting, warming, purifying, and burns up the dross of corruption; if rejected, it hardens, sears, pains, and destroys. The Holy Spirit came down in cloven tongues, as of fire; for the gospel also is a fiery law. The law of God written in the heart, is a certain proof of the love of God shed abroad there: we must reckon His law one of the gifts of his grace.
vv6-23
The order in which the tribes are here blessed, is not the same as is observed elsewhere. The blessing of Judah may refer to the whole tribe in general, or to David as a type of Christ. Moses largely blesses the tribe of Levi. Acceptance with God is what we should all aim at, and desire, in all our devotions, whether men accept us or not, 2Co 5:9. This prayer is a prophecy, that God will keep up a ministry in his church to the end of time. The tribe of Benjamin had their inheritance close to mount Zion. To be situated near the ordinances, is a precious gift from the Lord, a privilege not to be exchanged for any worldly advantage, or indulgence. We should thankfully receive the earthly blessings sent to us, through the successive seasons. But those good gifts which come down from the Father of lights, through the rising of the Sun of righteousness, and the pouring out of his Spirit like the rain which makes fruitful, are infinitely more precious, as the tokens of his special love. The precious things here prayed for, are figures of spiritual blessing in heavenly things by Christ, the gifts, graces, and comforts of the Spirit. When Moses prays for the good will of Him that dwelt in the bush, he refers to the covenant, on which all our hopes of God's favour must be founded. The providence of God appoints men's habitations, and wisely disposes men to different employments for the public good. Whatever our place and business are, it is our wisdom and duty to apply thereto; and it is happiness to be well pleased therewith. We should not only invite others to the service of God, but abound in it. The blessing of Naphtali. The favour of God is the only favour satisfying to the soul. Those are happy indeed, who have the favour of God; and those shall have it, who reckon that in having it they have enough, and desire no more.
vv24-25
All shall be sanctified to true believers; if their way be rough, their feet shall be shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. As thy days, so shall thy strength be. The “day” is often in Scripture put for the events of the day; it is a promise that God would graciously and constantly support under trials and troubles, whatever they were. It is a promise sure to all the spiritual seed of Abraham. Have they work allotted? They shall have strength to do it. Have they burdens appointed? They shall have strength, and never be tempted above what they are able to bear.
Key Words
בְּרָכָה: benediction; by implication prosperity
אֲשֶׁר: who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.
מֹשֶׁה: Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiver
אִישׁ: a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)
אֱלֹהִים: gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative
בָרַךְ: to kneel; by implication to bless God (as an act of adoration), and (vice-versa) man (as a benefit); also (by euphemism) to curse (God or the king, as treason)
בֵּן: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
יִשְׂרָאֵל: Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
פָּנִים: the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)
מָוֶת: death (natural or violent); concretely, the dead, their place or state (hades); figuratively, pestilence, ruin
Cross References
Deuteronomy 33Levi's zeal for God's covenant at the molten calf incident, disregarding family ties.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
Poetic parallel of God marching in majesty from the southern mountains of Teman/Paran.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Deborah's song celebrates God's glorious marching forth from Seir and Sinai.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The breastplate containing the Urim and Thummim, representing Levi's sacred priestly role.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Jacob's deathbed blessing of Joseph closely mirrors Moses' language of deep blessings.
Supported by John Calvin, JFB
Verbal echo to the 'good will of him that dwelt in the bush' at Sinai.
Supported by Matthew Henry, John Calvin
The law ordained by angels ('saints'/'holy ones') at Sinai.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Contrasts Sinai's ten thousands of angels with Mount Zion's innumerable company.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Urim used for inquiry before the Lord, entrusted to the priestly line.
Supported by JFB
Levites' duty to teach the statutes of Yahweh to the children of Israel.
Supported by John Calvin, JFB
Parallels Jacob's prophecy concerning the territories and callings of Zebulun and Issachar.
Supported by John Calvin
Moses allocating the first conquered Transjordan portion to Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Balaam's prophecy that Israel shall dwell safely alone, unique among nations.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The testing of Levi and Israel at Massah and Meribah.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Refers to God proving/testing His people in the wilderness.
Supported by JFB
Jacob's blessing of Benjamin, highlighting his fierce safety and protection.
Supported by JFB
Jacob's prediction of Gad's martial prowess, overcoming raiders.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Jacob's brief, favorable blessing of Naphtali as a hind let loose.
Supported by John Calvin
Jacob's blessing of Asher, predicting rich, oily bread fit for kings.
Supported by John Calvin
New Testament fulfillment of the promise that strength will match one's days.
Supported by Matthew Henry