Chapter 33
Moses Blesses the Tribes. 1 This is the blessing that Moses, the man of God, gave to the Israelites before his death. 2 [a]He said:
The Lord came from Sinai
and rose up over them from Seir;
he shone forth from Mount Paran.
He came for them with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones
with a flaming fire blazing in his right hand for them.
3 Truly, he loves the people;
all of his holy ones are in his hands.
They followed in your steps
and received your words.
4 Moses commanded a law,
an inheritance for the assembly of Jacob.
5 He was king in Jeshurun[b]
when he gathered the heads of the people,
brought together the tribes of Israel.
6 Let Reuben[c] live, and not die;
let his men be not a few.
7 This is the blessing for Judah, he said:
Hear, O Lord, the call of Judah,
and bring him onto his people;
let his hands be enough for him,
and be a help against his enemies.
8 Concerning Levi, he said:
Let your Thummim[d] and your Urim
be with your holy one
whom you tested at Massah,
and with whom you contended at the waters of Meribah,
9 who said of his father and his mother,
“I have not seen them,”
nor does he acknowledge his brother
or even know his own children.
They guarded the words of your covenant and observed it.
10 He teaches your decrees to Jacob
and your law to Israel.
He offers incense before your altar
and whole burnt offerings on it.
11 Bless his skills in his undertakings, O Lord.
Strike those who rise up against him,
so they might never rise up again.
12 Concerning Benjamin, he said:
O beloved of the Lord,
may he dwell in safety beside him;
may he shelter him the entire day long,
and may he dwell between his shoulders.[e]
13 Concerning Joseph, he said:
His land is blessed by the Lord
with choice things from the heavens,
and with what lies deep below,
14 with the precious fruits of the sun,
the rich produce of the moon,
15 with the finest produce of the ancient mountains,
and the abundance of the everlasting hills,
16 with the most precious gifts of the earth and its fullness,
with his pleasures that are found in the bushes.
May these blessings come upon the head of Joseph,
upon the crown of the head of the one who was different from his brothers.
17 As with the firstborn of his ox, majesty is his;
and his horns are like the horns of the wild ox;
with them he will push the peoples together to the ends of the earth.
They are the thousands upon thousands of Ephraim,
and the thousands of Manasseh.
18 Concerning Zebulun, he said:
Rejoice Zebulun, who lives outdoors,
and Issachar, who dwells in your tents.
19 You will summon the people to the mountain;
there they will offer righteous sacrifices.
They will feast on the abundance of the seas,
on the treasures hidden in the sands.
20 Concerning Gad, he said:
Blessed be he who expands Gad’s territory.
He lives like a lion, tearing at an arm or a head.
21 He chose the best portion for himself;
the ruler’s part was reserved for him.
He practiced the righteousness of the Lord,
and his judgments concerning Israel.
22 Concerning Dan, he said:
Dan is a lion’s cub springing forth from Bashan.
23 Concerning Naphtali, he said:
Naphtali abounds with favor;
he is filled with the blessing of the Lord.
He will take his inheritance in the south, toward the sea.[f]
24 Concerning Asher, he said:
Most blessed of sons is Asher,
may he be favored by his brothers,
may he bathe his feet in oil.
25 Your bolts will be iron and bronze,
your strength last as long as your days.
26 There is none like the God of Jeshurun,
who rides in the heavens to help you,
and on the clouds in majesty.
27 The eternal God is a refuge,
below are everlasting arms.[g]
He will drive out your enemy from before you,
and proclaim, “Destroy him!”
28 Israel dwells in safety,
and the spring of Jacob in security,
in a land of grain and wine,
where the heavens drop down dew.
29 Blessed are you, O Israel,
for who can be compared with you,
a people saved by the Lord,
who is the shield of your assistance
and the sword of your majesty.
Your enemies will cringe before you,
and you will walk upon their heights.
Footnotes
- Deuteronomy 33:2 This ancient war hymn, dating from the time of the conquest, exalts the Lord who has accompanied his people from Sinai to the Jordan; like all texts inspired by the idea of the holy war (Deut 7:17-26; 9:1-13), this one urges trust in the power of the Lord.
- Deuteronomy 33:5 Jeshurun: a term of endearment for Israel.
- Deuteronomy 33:6 Reuben was soon absorbed by Gad.
- Deuteronomy 33:8 Thummim . . . Urim: dice used for casting lots on the ephod of the high priest (Ex 28:30). The Levites had shown themselves outstanding in fidelity to God (Ex 32:26-29).
- Deuteronomy 33:12 The Ark had often stayed with the tribe of Benjamin.
- Deuteronomy 33:23 Toward the sea: most likely it is the Lake of Gennesaret; south refers to southern Galilee.
- Deuteronomy 33:27 Everlasting arms: words of comfort and protection for the Israelites as they settle in Canaan.