Deuteronomy 33:6-8

Contemporary English Version

⁶Tribe of Reuben, you will live,
even though your tribe
will always be small.^[a]

⁷The Lord will listen to you,
tribe of Judah, as you beg
to come safely home.
You fought your enemies alone;^[b]
now the Lord will help you.

⁸^(A) At Massah and Meribah Spring,^[c]
the Lord tested you,
tribe of Levi.
You were faithful,^[d]
and so the priesthood^[e] belongs
to the Levi tribe.

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Footnotes

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.