Deuteronomy 33
Legacy Standard Bible
The Blessing of Moses
33 Now this is the blessing with which Moses (A)the man of God blessed the sons of Israel before his death. 2 And he said,
“(B)Yahweh came from Sinai,
(C)And He [a]dawned on them from Seir;
(D)He shone forth from Mount Paran,
And He came from (E)the [b]midst of ten thousand holy ones;
(F)At His right hand there was [c]flashing lightning for them.
3 (G)Indeed, He loves [d]the people;
(H)All [e]Your holy ones are in Your hand,
(I)And they [f]followed in Your steps;
Everyone is bearing up Your words.
4 (J)Moses commanded us with a law,
(K)A possession for the assembly of Jacob.
5 (L)And He was king in Jeshurun,
When the heads of the people were gathered,
The tribes of Israel together.
6 “(M)May Reuben live and not die,
Nor his men be few.”
7 (N)And this regarding Judah; so he said,
“Hear, O Yahweh, the voice of Judah,
And bring him to his people.
With his hands he contended for [g]them,
And may You be a help against his adversaries.”
8 Of Levi he said,
“Let Your (O)Thummim and Your Urim belong to [h]Your (P)holy one,
(Q)Whom You tested at Massah,
[i]With whom You contended at the waters of Meribah;
9 (R)Who said of his father and his mother,
‘I did not consider them’;
And he did not recognize his brothers,
Nor did he know his own sons,
For (S)they kept Your word,
And they observed Your covenant.
10 (T)They shall [j]teach Your judgments to Jacob,
And Your law to Israel.
(U)They shall put incense [k]before You,
And (V)whole burnt offerings on Your altar.
11 O Yahweh, bless his substance,
And accept the work of his hands;
Crush the loins of those who rise up against him,
And those who hate him, so that they will not rise again.”
12 Of Benjamin he said,
“(W)May the beloved of Yahweh dwell in security by Him,
(X)Who shields him all the day,
(Y)And he dwells between His shoulders.”
13 Of Joseph he said,
“(Z)Blessed of Yahweh be his land,
With the choice things of heaven, with the dew,
And from the deep lying beneath,
14 And with the choice produce of the sun,
And with the choice yield of the months,
15 And with the [l]best things of (AA)the ancient mountains,
And with the choice things of the everlasting hills,
16 And with the choice things of the earth and its fullness,
And the favor (AB)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 distinguished among his brothers.
17 As the firstborn of his ox, splendor is his,
And his horns are the horns of (AC)the wild ox;
With them he will (AD)push the peoples,
All [m]at once, to the ends of the earth.
And those are the ten thousands of Ephraim,
And those are the thousands of Manasseh.”
18 (AE)Of Zebulun he said,
“Be glad, Zebulun, in your going forth,
And, Issachar, in your tents.
19 (AF)They will call peoples to the mountain;
There they will offer (AG)righteous sacrifices;
For they will [n]draw out (AH)the abundance of the seas,
And the hidden treasures of the sand.”
20 (AI)Of Gad he said,
“Blessed is the one who enlarges Gad;
He lies down (AJ)as a [o]lion,
And tears the arm, also the top of the head.
21 (AK)Then he [p]provided the first part for himself,
(AL)For there the ruler’s portion was [q]reserved;
(AM)And he came with the heads of the people;
(AN)He did the righteousness of Yahweh,
And His judgments with Israel.”
22 (AO)Of Dan he said,
“Dan is (AP)a lion’s whelp,
That leaps forth from Bashan.”
23 Of Naphtali he said,
“(AQ)O Naphtali, satisfied with favor,
And full of the blessing of Yahweh,
Take possession of the sea and the south.”
24 (AR)Of Asher he said,
“More blessed than sons is Asher;
May he be favored by his brothers,
(AS)And may he dip his foot in oil.
25 (AT)Your locks will be iron and bronze,
(AU)And according to your days, so your fortitude will be.
26 “(AV)There is none like the God of [r]Jeshurun,
(AW)Who rides the heavens [s]to your help,
And through the skies in His majesty.
27 (AX)The eternal God is a [t]dwelling place,
(AY)And underneath are the everlasting arms;
(AZ)And He drove out the enemy from before you,
(BA)And said, ‘Destroy!’
28 (BB)So Israel dwells in security,
(BC)The fountain of Jacob secluded,
(BD)In a land of grain and new wine;
(BE)His heavens also drop down dew.
29 (BF)Blessed are you, O Israel;
(BG)Who is like you, a people saved by Yahweh,
(BH)Who is the shield of your help
(BI)And the sword of your majesty!
(BJ)So your enemies will cower before you,
(BK)And you will tread upon their high places.”
Footnotes
- Deuteronomy 33:2 Lit rose to
- Deuteronomy 33:2 Lit myriads of holiness
- Deuteronomy 33:2 Or a fiery law
- Deuteronomy 33:3 Lit peoples
- Deuteronomy 33:3 Lit His
- Deuteronomy 33:3 Or lie down at Your feet
- Deuteronomy 33:7 Lit him
- Deuteronomy 33:8 Lit him
- Deuteronomy 33:8 Or For
- Deuteronomy 33:10 Or instruct
- Deuteronomy 33:10 Lit in Your nostrils
- Deuteronomy 33:15 Or chief
- Deuteronomy 33:17 Or together
- Deuteronomy 33:19 Lit suck
- Deuteronomy 33:20 Or lioness
- Deuteronomy 33:21 Lit saw
- Deuteronomy 33:21 Or covered up
- Deuteronomy 33:26 A poetic name for Israel, cf. 33:5, 26; Is 44:2
- Deuteronomy 33:26 Lit in
- Deuteronomy 33:27 Or refuge
Deuteronomy 33
International Standard Version
Moses Reviews the Tribes of Israel
33 This is the blessing with which Moses, the man of God, blessed the Israelis before his death. 2 He said:
“The Lord came from Sinai.
Rising from Seir upon us,[a]
he shone forth from Mount Paran,
accompanied[b] by a myriad[c] of his holy ones,
with flaming fire from his right hand for them.
3 Indeed, lover of people,
all of his holy ones are in your control.[d]
They gather at your feet
to do as you have instructed.[e]
4 Moses commanded with the Law,
an inheritance for the community of Jacob.
5 The Lord[f] was king of Jeshurun[g]
when the leaders of the people—
all the tribes of Israel—gathered together.”
Reuben
6 “May Reuben live and not die,
though his numbers are few.”
Judah
7 He declared this about Judah:
“Hear, Lord, the voice of Judah
and return him to his people.
With his own strength he fights for himself,
and you will be of assistance[h] against[i] his enemies.”
Levi
8 About Levi he said:
“Let your Thummim and Urim[j] be with the man
to whom you showed gracious love,
whom you tested at Massah
and with whom you struggled
at the waters of Meribah,
9 the one who told his mother and father,
‘I don’t know[k] them,’
and who would neither acknowledge his brothers
nor know his own children.
For they kept your word
and guarded your covenant.
10 They will teach your ordinances to Jacob,
and your Law to Israel.
They will offer incense as a pleasant aroma to you[l]
and a whole burnt offering upon your altar.
11 Lord, bless his substance
and approve the work that he undertakes.[m]
Shatter the legs[n] of those who oppose against him;
may those who hate him stand no more.”
Benjamin
12 About Benjamin he said:
“The beloved of the Lord will live confidently,
the Most High protecting[o] him all day long,
and resting in his bosom.[p]”
Joseph
13 About Joseph he said:
“May the blessing of the Lord be on his land:
dew from the choicest of the heavens,
and from the depths beneath;
14 from the choicest products of the sun,
the rich fruit of the harvest moon,[q]
15 the choicest portion[r] of the eternal mountains,
and the best of the everlasting hills;
16 from the choicest of the earth and its fullness,
and the favor of the one who lived in the burning[s] bush.
May blessing[t] rest on Joseph’s head,
and on the crown of the head
of the one set apart from his brothers.
17 May the firstborn of his bull be honorable to him,
and may his horns be those of a wild ox.
With them may he push people all together,
to the ends of the earth.
These are the myriads[u] of Ephraim
and the thousands of Manasseh.”
Zebulun and Issachar
18 About Zebulun he said:
“Zebulun, rejoice as you go out
and Issachar, in being inside your tents.
19 They will call the nations[v] to the mountain,
and there they will offer righteous sacrifices,
for they’ll draw from the abundance of the sea
and from the hidden treasures of the sand.”
Gad
20 About Gad he said:
“Blessed be the one who enlarges Gad!
Like a roaring lion, he crouches,
tearing arm and scalp.
21 He chose the best part for himself,
when the leader’s portion was assigned.
He came at the head of the people,
carrying out the Lord’s justice
and his ordinances concerning Israel.”
Dan
22 About Dan he said:
“Dan is a lion’s cub,
leaping forth from Bashan.”
Naphtali
23 About Naphtali he said:
“Naphtali, full of favor and the Lord’s blessing,
take possession of the west[w] and south.”
Asher
24 About Asher he said:
“May Asher be blessed, along with his descendants,
may his brothers be pleased with him,
may he dip his feet in oil,
25 may your bolts be made of iron and bronze,
and may your strength be sufficient for each day you live.”
Israel’s Defender
26 “There is no one like the God of Jeshurun,[x]
who rides through the heavens
with its lofty clouds to help you.
27 The God of old is a dwelling place,
with everlasting arms underneath.
He drove out your enemies before you
and said: ‘Destroy them!’
28 So Israel lives in confidence,
isolated as the fountain of Jacob
in a land of grain and new wine,
where the heavens rain down dew.
29 How blessed are you, Israel!
Who can be like you,
a people delivered by the Lord,
your shield of help and
your finely crafted sword.
May your enemies cower before you.
You will tread down their high places.”
Footnotes
- Deuteronomy 33:2 So LXX. MT reads them
- Deuteronomy 33:2 Lit. came or brought
- Deuteronomy 33:2 Or by countless; Lit. by ten thousands
- Deuteronomy 33:3 Lit. hand
- Deuteronomy 33:3 Lit. to do your word
- Deuteronomy 33:5 The Heb. lacks The Lord
- Deuteronomy 33:5 I.e. a poetic term for national Israel; the Heb. name means Upright One
- Deuteronomy 33:7 So LXX. MT reads be his helper
- Deuteronomy 33:7 Lit. from
- Deuteronomy 33:8 I.e. the jewel-encrusted breastplate worn by the high priest by which the will of God could be revealed; cf. Ezra 2:63, Neh 7:65
- Deuteronomy 33:9 Lit. see
- Deuteronomy 33:10 Lit. for your nose
- Deuteronomy 33:11 Lit. work of his hands
- Deuteronomy 33:11 Or loins
- Deuteronomy 33:12 Or shading
- Deuteronomy 33:12 Lit. between his shoulders
- Deuteronomy 33:14 Lit. the month
- Deuteronomy 33:15 The Heb. lacks portion
- Deuteronomy 33:16 The Heb. lacks burning
- Deuteronomy 33:16 Lit. it
- Deuteronomy 33:17 Or the countless ones; Lit. the ten thousands
- Deuteronomy 33:19 Lit. peoples
- Deuteronomy 33:23 Or sea
- Deuteronomy 33:26 I.e. a poetic term for national Israel; the Heb. name means Upright One
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
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
