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Deuteronomy 33
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Deuteronomy 33
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Moses’ Blessings
33 This is the blessing that Moses, the man of God, gave the Israelites before his death.(A) 2 He said:
The Lord came from Sinai
and appeared to them from Seir;
He shone on them from Mount Paran
and came with ten thousand holy ones,[a]
with lightning[b] from His right hand[c] for them.(B)
3 Indeed He loves the people.[d](C)
All Your[e] holy ones[f] are in Your hand,
and they assemble[g] at Your feet.
Each receives Your words.
4 Moses gave us instruction,
a possession for the assembly of Jacob.
5 So He became King in Jeshurun[h]
when the leaders of the people gathered
with the tribes of Israel.
6 Let Reuben live and not die
though his people become few.(D)
7 He said this about Judah:
Lord, hear Judah’s cry and bring him to his people.
He fights for his cause[i] with his own hands,
but may You be a help against his foes.
8 He said about Levi:
Your Thummim and Urim belong to Your faithful one;[j]
You tested him at Massah
and contended with him at the waters of Meribah.(E)
9 He said about his father and mother,
“I do not regard them.”
He disregarded his brothers
and didn’t acknowledge his sons,
for they kept Your word
and maintained Your covenant.(F)
10 They will teach Your ordinances to Jacob
and Your instruction to Israel;(G)
they will set incense before You
and whole burnt offerings on Your altar.
11 Lord, bless his possessions,[k]
and accept the work of his hands.
Smash the loins of his adversaries and enemies,
so that they cannot rise again.
12 He said about Benjamin:
The Lord’s beloved rests[l] securely on Him.
He[m] shields him all day long,
and he rests on His shoulders.[n]
13 He said about Joseph:
May his land be blessed by the Lord
with the dew of heaven’s bounty
and the watery depths that lie beneath;(H)
14 with the bountiful harvest from the sun
and the abundant yield of the seasons;
15 with the best products of the ancient mountains
and the bounty of the eternal hills;
16 with the choice gifts of the land
and everything in it;
and with the favor of Him
who appeared[o] in the burning bush.(I)
May these rest on the head of Joseph,
on the crown of the prince of his brothers.(J)
17 His firstborn bull has[p] splendor,
and horns like[q] those of a wild ox;
he gores all the peoples with them
to the ends of the earth.
Such are the ten thousands of Ephraim,
and such are the thousands of Manasseh.
18 He said about Zebulun:
Rejoice, Zebulun, in your journeys,
and Issachar, in your tents.
19 They summon the peoples to a mountain;
there they offer acceptable sacrifices.
For they draw from the wealth of the seas
and the hidden treasures of the sand.(K)
20 He said about Gad:
The one who enlarges Gad’s territory
will be blessed.
He lies down like a lion
and tears off an arm or even a head.(L)
21 He chose the best part for himself,
because a ruler’s portion was assigned there for him.
He came with the leaders of the people;
he carried out the Lord’s justice
and His ordinances for Israel.(M)
22 He said about Dan:
Dan is a young lion,
leaping out of Bashan.(N)
23 He said about Naphtali:
Naphtali, enjoying approval,
full of the Lord’s blessing,
take[r] possession to the west and the south.
24 He said about Asher:
May Asher[s] be the most blessed of the sons;
may he be the most favored among his brothers
and dip his foot in olive oil.[t](O)
25 May the bolts of your gate be iron and bronze,
and your strength last as long as you live.
26 There is none like the God of Jeshurun,[u]
who rides the heavens to your aid,
the clouds in His majesty.(P)
27 The God of old is your dwelling place,(Q)
and underneath are the everlasting arms.
He drives out the enemy before you
and commands, “Destroy!”
28 So Israel dwells securely;
Jacob lives untroubled[v](R)
in a land of grain and new wine;
even his skies drip with dew.(S)
29 How happy you are, Israel!
Who is like you,
a people saved by the Lord?
He is the shield that protects you,
the sword you boast in.
Your enemies will cringe before you,(T)
and you will tread on their backs.[w](U)
Footnotes
- Deuteronomy 33:2 LXX reads Mount Paran with ten thousands from Kadesh
- Deuteronomy 33:2 Or fiery law; Hb obscure
- Deuteronomy 33:2 Or ones, from His southland to the mountain slopes
- Deuteronomy 33:3 Or peoples
- Deuteronomy 33:3 Lit His, or its
- Deuteronomy 33:3 Either the saints of Israel or angels
- Deuteronomy 33:3 Hb obscure
- Deuteronomy 33:5 = Upright One, referring to Israel
- Deuteronomy 33:7 Or He contends for them
- Deuteronomy 33:8 DSS, LXX read Give to Levi Your Thummim, Your Urim to Your favored one
- Deuteronomy 33:11 Or abilities
- Deuteronomy 33:12 Or Let the Lord’s beloved rest
- Deuteronomy 33:12 LXX reads The Most High
- Deuteronomy 33:12 Or and He dwells among his mountain slopes
- Deuteronomy 33:16 Lit dwelt
- Deuteronomy 33:17 Some DSS, Sam, LXX, Syr, Vg read A firstborn bull—he has
- Deuteronomy 33:17 Lit and his horns are
- Deuteronomy 33:23 Sam, LXX, Syr, Vg, Tg read he will take
- Deuteronomy 33:24 = Happy or Blessed; Gn 30:13
- Deuteronomy 33:24 A symbol for prosperity
- Deuteronomy 33:26 = Upright One, referring to Israel
- Deuteronomy 33:28 Text emended; MT reads Jacob’s fountain is alone
- Deuteronomy 33:29 Or high places
Deuteronomy 33
New International Version
Deuteronomy 33
New International Version
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. 2 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]
3 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,
4 the law that Moses gave us,(L)
the possession of the assembly of Jacob.(M)
5 He was king(N) over Jeshurun[c](O)
when the leaders of the people assembled,
along with the tribes of Israel.
7 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!”
8 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)
9 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
- Deuteronomy 33:2 Or from
- Deuteronomy 33:2 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
- Deuteronomy 33:5 Jeshurun means the upright one, that is, Israel; also in verse 26.
- Deuteronomy 33:6 Or but let
- Deuteronomy 33:16 Or of the one separated from
- Deuteronomy 33:28 Septuagint; Hebrew Jacob’s spring is
Deuteronomy 33
English Standard Version
Deuteronomy 33
English Standard Version
Moses' Final Blessing on Israel
33 This is the blessing with which Moses (A)the man of God blessed the people of Israel before his death. 2 He said,
(B)“The Lord came from Sinai
and dawned from Seir upon us;[a]
he shone forth from Mount Paran;
he came (C)from the ten thousands of holy ones,
with flaming fire[b] at his right hand.
3 Yes, (D)he loved his people,[c]
(E)all his holy ones were in his[d] hand;
(F)so they followed[e] in your steps,
receiving direction from you,
4 when (G)Moses commanded us a law,
as a possession for the assembly of Jacob.
5 Thus the Lord[f] (H)became king in (I)Jeshurun,
when the heads of the people were gathered,
all the tribes of Israel together.
6 (J)“Let Reuben live, and not die,
but let his men be few.”
7 And this he said of Judah:
“Hear, O Lord, the voice of Judah,
and bring him in to his people.
With your hands contend[g] for him,
and be a help against his adversaries.”
8 And (K)of Levi he said,
“Give to Levi[h] (L)your Thummim,
and your Urim to your godly one,
(M)whom you tested at Massah,
with whom you quarreled at the waters of Meribah;
9 who said of his father and mother,
‘I regard them not’;
(N)he disowned his brothers
and ignored his children.
For (O)they observed your word
and kept your covenant.
10 (P)They shall teach Jacob your rules
and Israel your law;
(Q)they shall put incense before you
and (R)whole burnt offerings on your altar.
11 Bless, O Lord, his substance,
and (S)accept the work of his hands;
crush the loins of his adversaries,
of those who hate him, that they rise not again.”
12 (T)Of Benjamin he said,
“The beloved of the Lord dwells in safety.
The High God[i] surrounds him all day long,
and dwells between his shoulders.”
13 And (U)of Joseph he said,
(V)“Blessed by the Lord be his land,
with the choicest gifts of heaven (W)above,[j]
and of the deep that crouches beneath,
14 with the choicest fruits of the sun
and the rich yield of the months,
15 with the finest produce of the ancient mountains
and the abundance of (X)the everlasting hills,
16 with the best gifts of the earth and (Y)its fullness
and the favor of (Z)him who dwells in the bush.
May these rest on the head of Joseph,
on the pate of him who is prince among his brothers.
17 (AA)A firstborn bull[k]—he has majesty,
and his horns are the horns of a (AB)wild ox;
with them (AC)he shall gore the peoples,
all of them, to the ends of the earth;
(AD)they are the ten thousands of Ephraim,
and they are the thousands of Manasseh.”
18 And of Zebulun he said,
(AE)“Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out,
and Issachar, in your tents.
19 They shall call peoples (AF)to their mountain;
there they offer (AG)right sacrifices;
for they draw from the abundance of the seas
and the hidden treasures of the sand.”
20 And (AH)of Gad he said,
“Blessed be he who enlarges Gad!
Gad crouches (AI)like a lion;
he tears off arm and scalp.
21 (AJ)He chose the best of the land for himself,
for there a commander's portion was reserved;
and (AK)he came with the heads of the people,
with Israel he executed the justice of the Lord,
and his judgments for Israel.”
22 And (AL)of Dan he said,
23 And (AO)of Naphtali he said,
“O Naphtali, sated with favor,
and full of the blessing of the Lord,
(AP)possess the lake[l] and the south.”
24 And (AQ)of Asher he said,
“Most blessed of sons be Asher;
let him be the favorite of his brothers,
and let him (AR)dip his foot in oil.
25 Your bars shall be iron and bronze,
and as your days, so shall your strength be.
26 (AS)“There is none like God, O (AT)Jeshurun,
(AU)who rides through the heavens to your help,
through the skies in his majesty.
27 The eternal God is your (AV)dwelling place,[m]
and underneath are the everlasting arms.[n]
And he thrust out the enemy before you
and said, ‘Destroy.’
28 So Israel lived in safety,
(AW)Jacob lived (AX)alone,[o]
in a land of grain and wine,
whose heavens drop down dew.
29 Happy are you, O Israel! (AY)Who is like you,
a people (AZ)saved by the Lord,
(BA)the shield of your help,
and the sword of your triumph!
Your enemies shall come fawning to you,
and you shall tread upon their backs.”
Footnotes
- Deuteronomy 33:2 Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate; Hebrew them
- Deuteronomy 33:2 The meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain
- Deuteronomy 33:3 Septuagint; Hebrew peoples
- Deuteronomy 33:3 Hebrew your
- Deuteronomy 33:3 The meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain
- Deuteronomy 33:5 Hebrew Thus he
- Deuteronomy 33:7 Probable reading; Hebrew With his hands he contended
- Deuteronomy 33:8 Dead Sea Scroll, Septuagint; Masoretic Text lacks Give to Levi
- Deuteronomy 33:12 Septuagint; Hebrew dwells in safety by him. He
- Deuteronomy 33:13 Two Hebrew manuscripts and Targum; Hebrew with the dew
- Deuteronomy 33:17 Dead Sea Scroll, Septuagint, Samaritan; Masoretic Text His firstborn bull
- Deuteronomy 33:23 Or west
- Deuteronomy 33:27 Or a dwelling place
- Deuteronomy 33:27 Revocalization of verse 27 yields He subdues the ancient gods, and shatters the forces of old
- Deuteronomy 33:28 Hebrew the abode of Jacob was alone
Deuteronomy 33
GOD’S WORD Translation
Deuteronomy 33
GOD’S WORD Translation
Moses Blesses the Twelve Tribes
33 Moses, the man of God, blessed the Israelites with this blessing before he died. 2 He said,
“The Lord came from Sinai.
For his people he rose from Seir ⌞like the sun⌟.
He appeared like sunshine from Mount Paran.
He came with tens of thousands of holy ones.
On his right was a raging fire for them.
3 You certainly love your people.
All your holy ones are in your hands.
They bow at your feet
to receive your instructions.
4 Moses gave us these teachings.
They belong to the assembly of Jacob.
5 The Lord was king of Jeshurun [a]
when the leaders of the people assembled
together with all the tribes of Israel.
6 “May the tribe of Reuben live and not die out,
though their people are few in number.”
7 This is what he said about the tribe of Judah:
“Hear the cry of Judah, O Lord,
and bring them to their people.
They must defend themselves.
Help them against their enemies.”
8 About the tribe of Levi he said,
“Your Thummim and Urim [b] belong to your faithful people.
You tested your people at Massah.
You quarreled with them at the oasis of Meribah.
9 They said that they didn’t know their father and mother.
They didn’t recognize their own brothers.
They didn’t acknowledge their own children.
But they obeyed your word
and were faithful to the terms of your promise.[c]
10 They teach Jacob your rules
and give Israel your teachings.
They burn incense for you to smell
and sacrifice burnt offerings on your altar.
11 Lord, bless them with strength
and be pleased with the work they do.
Break the backs of those who attack them and hate them
so that they can never get up again.”
12 About the tribe of Benjamin he said,
“The Lord’s beloved people will live securely with him.
The Lord will shelter them all day long,
since he, too, lives on the mountain slopes.”
13 About the tribes of Joseph he said,
“May the Lord bless their land with ⌞water,⌟
the best gift heaven can send,
with dew and deep springs below the ground.
14 May the Lord bless their land with crops,
the best gift the sun can give,
the best produce of each month,
15 the finest fruits from the oldest mountains,
the best from the ancient hills,
16 and the most plentiful crops of the earth.
May the Lord bless their land with the favor
of the one who was in the burning bush.
May these blessings come to the tribes of Joseph.
May they crown the people who are like princes in Israel.
17 They will be as majestic as a firstborn bull.
Their horns will be like the horns of a wild ox.
They will use them to push away nations
including those at the ends of the earth.
The tens of thousands from the tribe of Ephraim
and the thousands from the tribe of Manasseh will be like this.”
18 About the tribe of Zebulun he said,
“People of Zebulun, enjoy yourselves when you go to war,
and you people of Issachar, enjoy yourselves when you stay at home.
19 They will invite nations to their mountain,
and there they will offer the proper sacrifices.
They will be nourished by the abundance from the seas
and the treasures hidden in the sand.”
20 About the tribe of Gad he said,
“Blessed is the one who gives the people of Gad more land.
They wait there like a lion.
They can tear off an arm or a head.
21 They chose the best land for themselves.
Indeed, a commander’s piece of land was reserved for them.
They were leaders of the people
and did for Israel what the Lord considers fair and honorable.”
22 About the tribe of Dan he said,
“The people of Dan are a lion cub.
Out of Bashan they pounce ⌞on their enemies⌟.”
23 About the tribe of Naphtali he said,
“The people of Naphtali enjoy the Lord’s favor
and are filled with the Lord’s blessings.
They will take possession of the lake and the land south of it.”
24 About the tribe of Asher he said,
“The people of Asher are the most blessed of the sons of Israel.
May they be the Israelites’ favorite tribe
and wash their feet in olive oil.
25 May the locks and bolts of your gates be made of iron and copper.
May your strength last as long as you live.
26 “There’s no one like your God, Jeshurun!
He rides through the heavens to help you.
In majesty he rides through the clouds.
27 The eternal God is your shelter,
and his everlasting arms support you.
He will force your enemies out of your way
and tell you to destroy them.
28 So Israel will live securely.
Jacob’s spring will be ⌞left⌟ alone
in a land of grain and new wine.
Dew will drip from Israel’s skies.
29 You are blessed, Israel!
Who is like you,
a nation saved by the Lord?
He is a shield that helps you
and a sword that wins your victories.
Your enemies will come crawling to you,
and you will stomp on their backs.”
Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
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English Standard Version (ESV) 
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GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)
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