Deuteronomy 33
Contemporary English Version
Moses Blesses the Tribes of Israel
33 Moses was a prophet, and before he died, he blessed the tribes of Israel by saying:
2 The Lord came from Mount Sinai.
From Edom, he gave light
to his people,
and his glory was shining
from Mount Paran.
Thousands of his warriors
were with him, and fire
was at his right hand.[a]
3 (A) The Lord loves the tribes
of Israel,[b]
and he protects his people.
They listen to his words
and worship at his feet.
* 4 I called a meeting
of the tribes of Israel[c]
and gave you God's Law.
5 Then you and your leaders
made the Lord your king.
6 Tribe of Reuben, you will live,
even though your tribe
will always be small.[d]
7 The Lord will listen to you,
tribe of Judah, as you beg
to come safely home.
You fought your enemies alone;[e]
now the Lord will help you.
8 (B) At Massah and Meribah Spring,[f]
the Lord tested you,
tribe of Levi.
You were faithful,[g]
and so the priesthood[h] belongs
to the Levi tribe.
9 Protecting Israel's agreement
with the Lord
was more important to you
than the life of your father
or mother,
or brothers or sisters,
or your own children.[i]
10 You teach God's laws to Israel,[j]
and at the place of worship
you offer sacrifices
and burn incense.
11 I pray that the Lord will bless
everything you do,
and make you strong enough
to crush your enemies.
12 The Lord Most High[k] loves you,
tribe of Benjamin.
He will live among your hills
and protect you.
13 Descendants of Joseph,
the Lord will bless you
with precious water
from deep wells
and with dew from the sky.
14 Month by month, your fruit
will ripen in the sunshine.
15 You will have a rich harvest
from the slopes
of the ancient hills.
16 The Lord who appeared
in the burning bush
wants to give you the best
the land can produce,
and it will be a princely crown
on Joseph's head.
17 The armies of Ephraim
and Manasseh
are majestic and fierce
like a bull or a wild ox.
They will run their spears
through faraway nations.
18 Be happy, Zebulun,
as your boats set sail;
be happy, Issachar,
in your tents.
19 The sea will make you wealthy,
and from the sandy beach
you will get treasure.[l]
So invite the other tribes[m]
to celebrate with you
and offer sacrifices to God.
20 Tribe of Gad,
the Lord will bless you
with more land.
So shout his praises!
Your tribe is like a lion
ripping up its victim.
21 Your leaders met together
and chose the best land
for your tribe,
but you obeyed the Lord
and helped the other tribes.[n]
22 Tribe of Dan,
you are like a lion cub,
startled by a snake.[o]
23 The Lord is pleased with you,
people of Naphtali.
He will bless you
and give you the land
to the west and the south.[p]
24 The Lord's greatest blessing
is for you, tribe of Asher.
You will be the favorite
of all the other tribes.
You will be rich with olive oil
25 and have strong town gates
with bronze and iron bolts.
Your people will be powerful
for as long as they live.
26 Israel,[q] no other god
is like ours—
the clouds are his chariot
as he rides across the skies
to come and help us.
27 The eternal God
is our hiding place;
he carries us in his arms.
When God tells you
to destroy your enemies,
he will make them run.
28 Israel, you will live in safety;
your enemies will be gone.[r]
The dew will fall from the sky,
and you will have plenty
of grain and wine.
29 The Lord has rescued you
and given you more blessings
than any other nation.
He protects you like a shield
and is your majestic sword.
Your enemies will bow in fear,
and you will trample
on their backs.
Footnotes
- 33.2 Thousands … right hand: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- 33.3 the tribes of Israel: Or “the nations.”
- 33.4 Israel: The Hebrew text also uses the name “Jeshurun,” a rare name for “Israel.”
- 33.6 even though … small: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- 33.7 beg … alone: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- 33.8 Massah and Meribah Spring: See Exodus 17.1-7; Numbers 20.1-13.
- 33.8 the Lord tested you, tribe of Levi. You were faithful: Or “the Lord tested me. I was faithful” or “the Lord tested Aaron and me. We were faithful.”
- 33.8 priesthood: The Hebrew text has “your thummim and your urim,” objects that were used by priests to get answers from God.
- 33.9 Protecting Israel's agreement … your own children: See Exodus 32.25-29.
- 33.10 Israel: See the note at 32.9.
- 33.12 Most High: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- 33.19 sandy beach … treasure: Possibly a reference to glass made from sand; glass was rare and very valuable.
- 33.19 other tribes: Or “nations.”
- 33.21 tribes: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 21. The Gad tribe asked for some of the land east of the Jordan River, but promised that their warriors would cross the Jordan and help the other tribes take over the land west of the Jordan (see Numbers 32.1-33; Joshua 4.10-13).
- 33.22 startled by a snake: Or “jumping out from the forest of Bashan.”
- 33.23 land to the west and the south: Or “land south as far as Lake Galilee.”
- 33.26 Israel: See the note at 33.4.
- 33.28 your enemies will be gone: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
Deuteronomy 33
Common English Bible
The fourth heading: Moses’ blessing
33 This is the blessing that Moses the man of God gave the Israelites before he died. 2 He said:
The Lord came from Sinai:
from Seir he shone like the dawn on us,[a]
from Paran Mountain he beamed down.
Thousands of holy ones were with him;[b]
his warriors were next to him, ready.[c]
3 Yes, those who love[d] the nations—
all his holy ones—were at your command;
they followed your footsteps;
they got moving when you said so.
4 Moses gave the Instruction to us—
it’s the prized possession of Jacob’s assembly.
5 A king came to rule in Jeshurun,
when the people’s leaders gathered together,
when Israel’s tribes were one.
6 “I pray that Reuben lives, doesn’t die,
though his numbers are so few.”
7 Moses said this to Judah:
“Lord, listen to Judah’s voice!
Bring him back to his own people,
strengthen his hands;[e]
be his help against every enemy.”
8 Then he told Levi:
“Give your Thummim to Levi,[f]
your Urim to your faithful one—
the one you tested at Massah,
the one you challenged by Meribah’s waters;
9 the one who said of his own mother and father:
‘I don’t consider them as such’;
of their siblings: ‘I don’t recognize them’;
of their own children, ‘I don’t know them’—
but who obeyed your words
and who guarded your covenant!
10 They teach your case laws to Jacob,
your Instruction to Israel.
They hold sweet incense to your nose;
put the entirely burned offering on your altar.
11 I pray that the Lord blesses Levi’s strength,
favors his hard work,
and crushes the insides of his enemies
so that those who hate him can’t fight anymore.”
12 He said to Benjamin:
“The Lord’s dearest one
rests safely on him.
The Lord always shields him;
he rests on God’s chest.”
13 Then he told Joseph:
“I pray that his land is blessed by God:
with heaven’s gifts from above,[g]
with the deep waters stretching out underneath;
14 with the gifts produced by the sun,
with the gifts generated by the moon;[h]
15 with the best fruit from ancient mountains,
with the gifts of eternal hills;
16 with the gifts of the earth and all that fills it,
and the favor of the one who lives on Sinai.[i]
I pray that all these rest on Joseph’s head,
on the crown of that prince among brothers.
17 A firstborn bull[j]—that’s how majestic he is!
A wild ox’s horns—those are his horns!
With them he gores all peoples
completely, to the far ends of the earth!
His horns[k] are Ephraim’s tens of thousands.
His horns are Manasseh’s thousands.”
18 Then he told Zebulun:
“Zebulun: celebrate when you are out and about;
Issachar: celebrate when you are at home in your tents!
19 They call all sorts of people to the mountain,
where they offer right sacrifices.
It’s true: They’re nourished on the sea’s abundance;
they are nourished on buried treasures in the sand.”
20 Then he told Gad:
“May Gad’s broad lands[l] be blessed!
He lives like a lion:
he rips an arm, even a head!
21 He chose the best part for himself
because there, where the commander’s portion was,
the leaders of the people gathered together.[m]
Gad executed the Lord’s justice
and the Lord’s judgments for Israel.”[n]
22 Then he told Dan:
“Dan is a lion cub.
He jumps up from Bashan.”
23 Then he told Naphtali:
“Naphtali—you are full of favor,
overflowing with the Lord’s blessing—
go possess the west and the south!”
24 Finally, he told Asher:
“Asher is the most blessed of sons.
I pray that he’s his brothers’ favorite—
one who dips his foot in fine oil.
25 I pray that your dead bolts are iron and copper,
and that your strength lasts all your days.”[o]
26 Jeshurun! No one compares to God!
He rides through heaven to help you,
rides majestically through the clouds.
27 The most ancient God is a place of safety;[p]
the eternal arms are a support.[q]
He drove out the enemy before you.
He commanded: “Destroy them!”
28 So Israel now lives in safety—
Jacob’s residence[r] is secure—
in a land full of grain and wine,
where the heavens drip dew.
29 Happy are you, Israel! Who is like you?
You are a people saved by the Lord!
He’s the shield that helps you,
your majestic sword!
Your enemies will come crawling on their knees to you,
but you will stomp on their backs![s]
Footnotes
- Deuteronomy 33:2 Correcting with LXX, Vulg, Syr, Tg Onkelos (see 33:4); MT and Sam on them
- Deuteronomy 33:2 Correction; cf LXX, Sam, Syr, Vulg; MT he came from Ribeboth-kodesh
- Deuteronomy 33:2 LXX angels; Heb uncertain
- Deuteronomy 33:3 Correction; MT lover of
- Deuteronomy 33:7 Or with his hands he contended
- Deuteronomy 33:8 DSS (4QDeuth, 4QTest) and LXX; MT lacks Give to Levi.
- Deuteronomy 33:13 Or from the dew
- Deuteronomy 33:14 Or moons or months
- Deuteronomy 33:16 Or lives in a bush
- Deuteronomy 33:17 Sam, LXX, Vulg; DSS (4QDeuth) and Heb the oldest offspring of his bull
- Deuteronomy 33:17 Or they; also in the next line
- Deuteronomy 33:20 Or the one who makes Gad large
- Deuteronomy 33:21 Cf LXX; MT there the commander’s portion was reserved; he came at the front of the people or there was the portion of the respected commander; the people’s leaders came.
- Deuteronomy 33:21 Heb uncertain
- Deuteronomy 33:25 Heb uncertain
- Deuteronomy 33:27 Or He humiliates the oldest gods.
- Deuteronomy 33:27 Or He shatters the most ancient forces.
- Deuteronomy 33:28 Or fountain
- Deuteronomy 33:29 Or their shrines
Deuteronomy 33
New Life Version
Moses’ Last Words to Israel
33 Moses the man of God prayed before his death that good would come to the people of Israel. 2 He said, “The Lord came from Sinai. He came upon us from Seir. He shined from Mount Paran. He came among 10,000 holy ones. He came with fire at His right hand. 3 Yes, He loves His people. All Your holy ones are in Your hand. They followed in Your steps. They receive Your Word. 4 Moses gave us the Law, which belongs to the people of Jacob. 5 The Lord was King in Jeshurun, when the leaders of the people were gathered, all the families of Israel together.
6 “May Reuben live and not die. Do not let his men be few.”
7 About Judah he said, “O Lord, hear the voice of Judah, and bring him to his people. He fought for them with his hands. Give him help against those who fight against him.”
8 About Levi he said, “Let Your Thummim and Your Urim belong to Your man of God. You proved him at Massah, and at the waters of Meribah. 9 He said of his father and mother, ‘I do not think of them.’ He kept himself apart from his brothers, and his own children. Yes, they obeyed Your Word and kept Your agreement. 10 They will teach Your Laws to Jacob. They will teach Your Laws to Israel. They will put special perfume before You, and whole burnt gifts on Your altar. 11 O Lord, give him good things. Receive the work of his hands. Crush those who go against him and those who hate him, so they may not get up again.”
12 About Benjamin he said, “May the one the Lord loves live by Him and be safe. The Lord covers him all the day long. And he lives between His shoulders.”
13 About Joseph he said, “May the Lord bring good to his land, with the best gifts from heaven above, with water on the grass in the early morning, and from the deep waters below, 14 with the best things from the sun, and the best foods of the months. 15 May the Lord bring good to his land with the best things of the old mountains, and the best things of the hills that last forever, 16 with the best things of the earth and all that is in it, and the favor of Him Who lived in the bush. Let these gifts come upon the head of Joseph, upon the crown of the head of the one who is ruler among his brothers. 17 His great power is like the first-born of his bull. His horns are like the horns of the wild bull. With them he will push all the nations to the ends of the earth. They are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and the thousands of Manasseh.”
18 About Zebulun he said, “Be full of joy, Zebulun, in your going out. Be full of joy, Issachar, in your tents. 19 They will call the people to the mountain. There they will give gifts that are right with God. For they will take out the riches of the seas and the hidden riches of the sand.”
20 About Gad he said, “Happy is the one who gives much land to Gad! He lies down like a lion, and tears the arm and the crown of the head. 21 He chose the best part for himself, for that was the ruler’s share. He came with the leaders of the people. He did what the Lord wanted him to do. And he obeyed His Law with Israel.”
22 About Dan he said, “Dan is a young lion, that jumps out from Bashan.”
23 About Naphtali he said, “O Naphtali, filled with favor, and full of the good things of the Lord, take the sea and the south for your own.”
24 About Asher he said, “May Asher be given more than the other sons. May he be favored by his brothers. Let him put his foot in oil. 25 Your locks will be iron and brass. And your strength will last like your days.
26 “There is none like the God of Jeshurun. He comes through the heavens to help you, through the sky in His great power. 27 The God Who lives forever is your safe place. His arms are always under you. He drove away from in front of you those who hate you, and said, ‘Destroy!’ 28 So Israel lives in a safe place, the well of Jacob is safe, in a land of grain and new wine. Rain falls from His heavens. 29 Happy are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a nation saved by the Lord! He is the battle-covering Who helps you. He is the sword of your great power. So those who hate you will be afraid in front of you. And you will walk upon their high places.”
Deuteronomy 33
Easy-to-Read Version
Moses Blesses the People
33 This is the blessing that Moses, the man of God, gave the Israelites before he died:
2 “The Lord came from Sinai,
like a light shining at dawn over Seir,
like a light shining from Mount Paran.
He came with 10,000 holy ones.[a]
God’s mighty soldiers were by his side.[b]
3 Yes, the Lord loves his people.
All his holy people are in his hand.
They sit at his feet
and learn his teachings!
4 Moses gave us the law.
These teachings are for Jacob’s people.
5 At that time the Israelites
and their leaders met together,
and the Lord became Jeshurun’s[c] king!
Reuben’s Blessing
6 “Let Reuben live, and not die!
But let there be only a few people in his tribe!”
Judah’s Blessing
7 Moses said this about Judah:
“Lord, listen to the leader from Judah when he calls for help.
Bring him to his people.
Make him strong,
and help him defeat his enemies!”
Levi’s Blessing
8 Moses said this about Levi:
“Levi is your true follower.
He keeps the Urim and Thummim.
At Massah you tested the people of Levi.
At the waters of Meribah,[d] you challenged them.
9 They were more loyal to you, Lord, than to their own families.
They ignored their fathers and mothers.
They did not recognize their brothers.
They did not pay attention to their children.
But they obeyed your commands.
They kept your agreement.
10 They will teach your rules to Jacob
and your Law to Israel.
They will burn incense before you.
They will offer burnt offerings on your altar.
11 “Lord, bless everything Levi has.
Accept what he does.
Destroy those who attack him!
Defeat his enemies so that they will never attack again.”
Benjamin’s Blessing
12 Moses said this about Benjamin:
“Benjamin is loved by the Lord
and lives close to him in safety.
The Lord protects him all the time
like a child at rest on its mother’s back.”[e]
Joseph’s Blessing
13 Moses said this about Joseph:
“May the Lord bless Joseph’s land
with rain from the skies above
and water from the ground below.
14 Let the sun give them good fruit.
Let each month bring its best fruit.
15 Let the hills and ancient mountains
produce their best fruit.
16 Let the earth give its best to Joseph.
He was separated from his brothers.
So may the Lord in the burning bush give his best to Joseph.
17 Joseph is like a powerful bull.
His two sons are like bull’s horns.
They will attack other people
and push them to the ends of the earth!
Yes, Manasseh has thousands of people,
and Ephraim has ten thousands.”
Zebulun and Issachar’s Blessing
18 Moses said this about Zebulun:
“Zebulun, be happy when you go out.
Issachar, be happy in your tents at home.
19 They will call the people to their mountain.
There they will offer good sacrifices.
They will take riches from the sea
and treasures from the shore.”
Gad’s Blessing
20 Moses said this about Gad:
“Praise God who gave Gad more land!
Gad is like a lion that lies down and waits.
Then he attacks and tears the animal in pieces.
21 He chose the best part for himself.
He took the king’s share.
The leaders of the people come to him.
He did what the Lord says is good.
He did what is right for the Israelites.”
Dan’s Blessing
22 Moses said this about Dan:
“Dan is a lion’s cub
that jumps out from Bashan.”
Naphtali’s Blessing
23 Moses said this about Naphtali:
“Naphtali, you will get all you want.
The Lord will really bless you.
You will get the land by Lake Galilee.”
Asher’s Blessing
24 Moses said this about Asher:
“Asher[f] is the most blessed of the sons.
Let him be the favorite of his brothers.
And let him wash his feet in olive oil.
25 Your gates will have locks made from iron and bronze.
You will be strong all your life.”
Moses Gives Praise to God
26 “There is no one like the God of Israel!
He rides on the clouds in his divine greatness.
He comes riding through the skies to help you.
27 God lives forever.
He is your place of safety.
His power continues forever!
He is protecting you.
He will force your enemies to leave your land.
He will say, ‘Destroy the enemy!’
28 So Israel will live in safety.
Jacob’s well belongs to them.
They will get a land of grain and wine.
And that land will get plenty of rain.
29 Israel, you are blessed.
No other nation is like you.
The Lord saved you.
He is like a strong shield protecting you.
He is like a powerful sword.
Your enemies will be afraid of you,
and you will put your foot on their backs![g]”
Footnotes
- Deuteronomy 33:2 holy one Here, this probably means an angel.
- Deuteronomy 33:2 He came … side Or “He came from 10,000 holy angels where his troops were by his right side.”
- Deuteronomy 33:5 Jeshurun Another name for the people of Israel. It means “good” or “honest.” Also in verse 26.
- Deuteronomy 33:8 Massah … Meribah See Num. 20:1-13 for the story.
- Deuteronomy 33:12 like a child … back Literally, “and he rests between his shoulders.” The metaphor may refer to the custom of a mother carrying her baby tied on her back as she works. See Ps. 131:2.
- Deuteronomy 33:24 Asher This name means “blessed” or “happy.”
- Deuteronomy 33:29 and you … backs Or “You will trample their holy places.”
Deuteronomy 33
New King James Version
Moses’ Final Blessing on Israel
33 Now this is (A)the blessing with which Moses (B)the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death. 2 And he said:
(C)“The Lord came from Sinai,
And dawned on them from (D)Seir;
He shone forth from (E)Mount Paran,
And He came with (F)ten thousands of saints;
From His right hand
Came a fiery law for them.
3 Yes, (G)He loves the people;
(H)All His saints are in Your hand;
They (I)sit down at Your feet;
Everyone (J)receives Your words.
4 (K)Moses [a]commanded a law for us,
(L)A heritage of the congregation of Jacob.
5 And He was (M)King in (N)Jeshurun,
When the leaders of the people were gathered,
All the tribes of Israel together.
6 “Let (O)Reuben live, and not die,
Nor let his men be few.”
7 And this he said of (P)Judah:
“Hear, Lord, the voice of Judah,
And bring him to his people;
(Q)Let his hands be sufficient for him,
And may You be (R)a help against his enemies.”
8 And of (S)Levi he said:
(T)“Let Your [b]Thummim and Your Urim be with Your holy one,
(U)Whom You tested at Massah,
And with whom You contended at the waters of Meribah,
9 (V)Who says of his father and mother,
‘I have not (W)seen them’;
(X)Nor did he acknowledge his brothers,
Or know his own children;
For (Y)they have observed Your word
And kept Your covenant.
10 (Z)They shall teach Jacob Your judgments,
And Israel Your law.
They shall put incense before You,
(AA)And a whole burnt sacrifice on Your altar.
11 Bless his substance, Lord,
And (AB)accept the work of his hands;
Strike the loins of those who rise against him,
And of those who hate him, that they rise not again.”
12 Of Benjamin he said:
“The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by Him,
Who shelters him all the day long;
And he shall dwell between His shoulders.”
13 And of Joseph he said:
(AC)“Blessed of the Lord is his land,
With the precious things of heaven, with the (AD)dew,
And the deep lying beneath,
14 With the precious fruits of the sun,
With the precious produce of the months,
15 With the best things of (AE)the ancient mountains,
With the precious things (AF)of the everlasting hills,
16 With the precious things of the earth and its fullness,
And the favor of (AG)Him who dwelt in the bush.
Let the blessing come (AH)‘on the head of Joseph,
And on the crown of the head of him who was separate from his brothers.’
17 His glory is like a (AI)firstborn bull,
And his horns like the (AJ)horns of the wild ox;
Together with them
(AK)He shall push the peoples
To the ends of the earth;
(AL)They are the ten thousands of Ephraim,
And they are the thousands of Manasseh.”
18 And of Zebulun he said:
(AM)“Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out,
And Issachar in your tents!
19 They shall (AN)call the peoples to the mountain;
There (AO)they shall offer sacrifices of righteousness;
For they shall partake of the abundance of the seas
And of treasures hidden in the sand.”
20 And of Gad he said:
“Blessed is he who (AP)enlarges Gad;
He dwells as a lion,
And tears the arm and the crown of his head.
21 (AQ)He provided the first part for himself,
Because a lawgiver’s portion was reserved there.
(AR)He came with the heads of the people;
He administered the justice of the Lord,
And His judgments with Israel.”
22 And of Dan he said:
“Dan is a lion’s whelp;
(AS)He shall leap from Bashan.”
23 And of Naphtali he said:
“O Naphtali, (AT)satisfied with favor,
And full of the blessing of the Lord,
(AU)Possess the west and the south.”
24 And of Asher he said:
(AV)“Asher is most blessed of sons;
Let him be favored by his brothers,
And let him (AW)dip his foot in oil.
25 Your sandals shall be (AX)iron and bronze;
As your days, so shall your strength be.
26 “There is (AY)no one like the God of (AZ)Jeshurun,
(BA)Who rides the heavens to help you,
And in His excellency on the clouds.
27 The eternal God is your (BB)refuge,
And underneath are the everlasting arms;
(BC)He will thrust out the enemy from before you,
And will say, ‘Destroy!’
28 Then (BD)Israel shall dwell in safety,
(BE)The fountain of Jacob (BF)alone,
In a land of grain and new wine;
His (BG)heavens shall also drop dew.
29 (BH)Happy are you, O Israel!
(BI)Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord,
(BJ)The shield of your help
And the sword of your majesty!
Your enemies (BK)shall submit to you,
And (BL)you shall tread down their [c]high places.”
Footnotes
- Deuteronomy 33:4 charged us with
- Deuteronomy 33:8 Lit. Perfections and Your Lights
- Deuteronomy 33:29 Places for pagan worship
Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society For more information about CEV, visit www.bibles.com and www.cev.bible.
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible
Copyright © 1969, 2003 by Barbour Publishing, Inc.
Copyright © 2006 by Bible League International
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
