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33 This is the blessing with which Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death. He said,

“Yahweh came from Sinai,
    and rose from Seir to them.
He shone from Mount Paran.
    He came from the ten thousands of holy ones.
    At his right hand was a fiery law for them.[a]
Yes, he loves the people.
    All his saints are in your hand.
    They sat down at your feet.
    Each receives your words.
Moses commanded us a law,
    an inheritance for the assembly of Jacob.
He was king in Jeshurun,
    when the heads of the people were gathered,
    all the tribes of Israel together.

“Let Reuben live, and not die;
    Nor let his men be few.”

This is for Judah. He said,

“Hear, Yahweh, the voice of Judah.
    Bring him in to his people.
With his hands he contended for himself.
    You shall be a help against his adversaries.”

About Levi he said,

“Your Thummim and your Urim are with your godly one,
    whom you proved at Massah,
    with whom you contended at the waters of Meribah.
He said of his father, and of his mother, ‘I have not seen him.’
    He didn’t acknowledge his brothers,
    nor did he know his own children;
for they have observed your word,
    and keep your covenant.
10 They shall teach Jacob your ordinances,
    and Israel your law.
They shall put incense before you,
    and whole burnt offering on your altar.
11 Yahweh, bless his skills.
    Accept the work of his hands.
Strike through the hips of those who rise up against him,
    of those who hate him, that they not rise again.”

12 About Benjamin he said,

“The beloved of Yahweh will dwell in safety by him.
    He covers him all day long.
    He dwells between his shoulders.”

13 About Joseph he said,

“His land is blessed by Yahweh,
    for the precious things of the heavens, for the dew,
    for the deep that couches beneath,
14 for the precious things of the fruits of the sun,
    for the precious things that the moon can yield,
15 for the best things of the ancient mountains,
    for the precious things of the everlasting hills,
16 for the precious things of the earth and its fullness,
    the good will of him who lived in the bush.[b]
Let this come on the head of Joseph,
    on the crown of the head of him who was separated from his brothers.
17 Majesty belongs to the firstborn of his herd.
    His horns are the horns of the wild ox.
    With them he will push all the peoples to the ends of the earth.
They are the ten thousands of Ephraim.
    They are the thousands of Manasseh.”

18 About Zebulun he said,

“Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out;
    and Issachar, in your tents.
19 They will call the peoples to the mountain.
    There they will offer sacrifices of righteousness,
for they will draw out the abundance of the seas,
    the hidden treasures of the sand.”

20 About Gad he said,

“He who enlarges Gad is blessed.
    He dwells as a lioness,
    and tears the arm and the crown of the head.
21 He provided the first part for himself,
    for the lawgiver’s portion reserved was reserved for him.
He came with the heads of the people.
    He executed the righteousness of Yahweh,
    His ordinances with Israel.”

22 About Dan he said,

“Dan is a lion’s cub
    that leaps out of Bashan.”

23 About Naphtali he said,

“Naphtali, satisfied with favor,
    full of Yahweh’s blessing,
    Possess the west and the south.”

24 About Asher he said,

“Asher is blessed with children.
    Let him be acceptable to his brothers.
    Let him dip his foot in oil.
25 Your bars will be iron and bronze.
    As your days, so your strength will be.

26 “There is no one like God, Jeshurun,
    who rides on the heavens for your help,
    in his excellency on the skies.
27 The eternal God is your dwelling place.
    Underneath are the everlasting arms.
He thrust out the enemy from before you,
    and said, ‘Destroy!’
28 Israel dwells in safety,
    the fountain of Jacob alone,
In a land of grain and new wine.
    Yes, his heavens drop down dew.
29 You are happy, Israel!
    Who is like you, a people saved by Yahweh,
    the shield of your help,
    the sword of your excellency?
Your enemies will submit themselves to you.
    You will tread on their high places.”

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Footnotes

  1. 33:2 another manuscript reads “He came with myriads of holy ones from the south, from his mountain slopes.”
  2. 33:16 i.e., the burning bush of Exodus 3:3-4.

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. 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.
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.
(K)Moses [a]commanded a law for us,
(L)A heritage of the congregation of Jacob.
And He was (M)King in (N)Jeshurun,
When the leaders of the people were gathered,
All the tribes of Israel together.

“Let (O)Reuben live, and not die,
Nor let his men be few.”

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.”

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,
(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.”

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Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 33:4 charged us with
  2. Deuteronomy 33:8 Lit. Perfections and Your Lights
  3. Deuteronomy 33:29 Places for pagan worship