Deuteronomy 33: Moses blesses the tribes of Israel
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What happens?
Before his death Moses, "the man of God", blesses the Israelites. He begins with Yahweh coming from Sinai, Seir, and Mount Paran, and then speaks a blessing for each tribe in turn: Reuben, Judah, Levi, Benjamin, Joseph (Ephraim and Manasseh), Zebulun and Issachar, Gad, Dan, Naphtali, and Asher. He ends by praising the God of Jeshurun, the eternal God whose everlasting arms are underneath, and calls Israel happy, a people saved by Yahweh.
Who is speaking?
The narrator speaks in verse 1 and opens most of the tribes' blessings ("About Levi he said"). Moses speaks the blessing in verses 2 to 29. Inside it he gives Levi's words in verse 9 and God's word "Destroy!" in verse 27; they are part of Moses' blessing, so nothing in this chapter is in gold. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1This is the blessing with which Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death.
In plain English: This is the blessing that Moses, the man of God, spoke over the Israelites before his death.
Good to know: In this Bible, this is the first verse to call anyone "the man of God". Moses is called this again in . Jacob also blessed his sons, tribe by tribe, before his death, in .
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2He 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.
In plain English: He said, "Yahweh came from Sinai and dawned on them from Seir. He shone out from Mount Paran. He came from (or: with) the ten thousands of holy ones (see the note). At his right hand was a fiery law for them (the Hebrew is unclear).
The Hebrew words: "Holy ones" is qodesh, which the dictionary gives as "a sacred place or thing". "A fiery law" is written in the Hebrew as one word, eshdat, found only in this verse, which the dictionary gives as "a fire-law". It can be read as two words, esh (fire) and dat (law).
What changes: Read as "holy ones", Yahweh comes with (or from among) countless holy ones. Read as a place name, Kadesh, he comes from there: the old Greek translation has "with the ten thousands of Cades". For the fiery law, the old Greek has instead "on his right hand were his angels with him". The text here is hard, and it can be read in different ways.
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3Yes, he loves the people. All his saints are in your hand. They sat down at your feet. Each receives your words.
In plain English: Yes, he loves the people (literally: the peoples). All his holy ones are in your hand. They sat down (or: camped) at your feet. Each one receives your words.
The Hebrew words: "Loves" is chabab, found only in this verse, which the dictionary gives as "to hide (as in the bosom), i.e. to cherish". "Sat down" is takah, also found only here, which the dictionary gives as "to strew, i.e. encamp".
Good to know: The Hebrew of this verse is hard, and the text does not make plain who "he" and "you" are or who the "holy ones" are. Readers take it in different ways.
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4Moses commanded us a law, an inheritance for the assembly of Jacob.
In plain English: Moses gave us a law, an inheritance for the assembly of Jacob.
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5He was king in Jeshurun, when the heads of the people were gathered, all the tribes of Israel together.
In plain English: He was king in Jeshurun when the heads of the people gathered, all the tribes of Israel together.
The Hebrew words: "He was king" is literally "and there was a king" (or: "and he was king"). The verse does not name the king.
What changes: Read as Yahweh, it says that Yahweh became king over his people when the tribes gathered, after he came from Sinai (). Read as Moses, who is named in , it speaks of Moses as the leader of the people. Readers differ.
Good to know: In verse 4 the blessing names Moses and speaks as the people ("us"). The text does not say who speaks these lines. On the name Jeshurun, see .
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6“Let Reuben live, and not die; Nor let his men be few.”
In plain English: "Let Reuben live and not die, and let his men not be few (or: but let his men be few)."
The Hebrew words: The second half is literally "and let his men be a number": few enough to be counted.
What changes: The Hebrew has no "not" in the second half. Read as this Bible does, "nor let his men be few", it asks that Reuben not become small. Read as "but let his men be few", the blessing keeps Reuben alive but small. The old Greek translation says "let him be many in number".
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7This 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.”
In plain English: This is for Judah. He said, "Hear, Yahweh, the voice of Judah, and bring him to his people. With his own hands he fought for himself. Be his help against his enemies."
Good to know: The blessing names no tribe of Simeon. Joseph's blessing covers both Ephraim and Manasseh ().
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8About 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.
In plain English: About Levi he said, "Your Thummim and your Urim belong to your faithful one, the one you tested at Massah, with whom you quarreled at the waters of Meribah.
Good to know: The Urim and Thummim were put in Aaron's breastplate (). Massah and Meribah are named for the quarrel about water in .
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9He 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.
In plain English: He said of his father and his mother, 'I have not seen him.' He did not recognize his brothers or take notice of his own children. For they kept your word and guarded your covenant.
Good to know: The verse does not say what event it has in mind. In to the sons of Levi stand with Moses after the golden calf and go against their own brothers.
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10They shall teach Jacob your ordinances, and Israel your law. They shall put incense before you, and whole burnt offering on your altar.
In plain English: They will teach Jacob your rules and Israel your law. They will put incense before you (literally: in your nose) and whole burnt offerings on your altar.
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11Yahweh, 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.”
In plain English: Yahweh, bless his strength (or: his wealth; this Bible: his skills), and accept the work of his hands. Strike through the hips (literally: loins) of those who rise up against him, of those who hate him, so that they do not rise again."
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12About Benjamin he said, “The beloved of Yahweh will dwell in safety by him. He covers him all day long. He dwells between his shoulders.”
In plain English: About Benjamin he said, "The one Yahweh loves will live safely beside him. He covers him all day long, and he lives between his shoulders (see the note)."
The Hebrew words: The last lines are literally "covering over him all the day, and between his shoulders he dwells". The Hebrew does not make plain who "he" is.
What changes: Read one way, Yahweh covers Benjamin and lives between Benjamin's shoulders. Read another way, Benjamin lives between Yahweh's shoulders, carried by him. The old Greek has "God overshadows him always, and he rested between his shoulders".
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13About 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,
In plain English: About Joseph he said, "His land is blessed by Yahweh with the precious gifts of the heavens, with the dew, and with the deep waters that lie below,
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14for the precious things of the fruits of the sun, for the precious things that the moon can yield,
In plain English: with the precious gifts that the sun brings out, with the precious gifts of each month (literally: the months; this Bible: the moon),
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15for the best things of the ancient mountains, for the precious things of the everlasting hills,
In plain English: with the best gifts of the ancient mountains, with the precious gifts of the everlasting hills,
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16for the precious things of the earth and its fullness, the good will of him who lived in the bush. Let this come on the head of Joseph, on the crown of the head of him who was separated from his brothers.
In plain English: with the precious gifts of the earth and all that fills it, and the favor of the one who lived in the bush. Let this come on the head of Joseph, on the crown of the head of the one set apart from his brothers.
Good to know: The Hebrew word for "bush" here is the word for the bush that burned and was not consumed. It is in only 4 verses of the Bible: here and to . Jacob's blessing of Joseph has almost the same words: "on the crown of the head of him who is separated from his brothers" ().
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17Majesty 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.”
In plain English: His firstborn bull has majesty. His horns are the horns of a wild ox. With them he will gore (this Bible: push) the peoples, all together, to the ends of the earth. They are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh."
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18About Zebulun he said, “Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out; and Issachar, in your tents.
In plain English: About Zebulun he said, "Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out, and Issachar, in your tents.
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19They 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.”
In plain English: They will call the peoples to the mountain. There they will offer right sacrifices (literally: sacrifices of righteousness), for they will draw out (literally: suck) the riches of the seas and the treasures hidden in the sand."
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20About Gad he said, “He who enlarges Gad is blessed. He dwells as a lioness, and tears the arm and the crown of the head.
In plain English: About Gad he said, "Blessed is the one who enlarges Gad. Gad lives like a lion (this Bible: a lioness) and tears off the arm and the top of the head.
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21He provided the first part for himself, for the lawgiver’s portion was reserved for him. He came with the heads of the people. He executed the righteousness of Yahweh, His ordinances with Israel.”
In plain English: He chose (literally: saw) the best part for himself, for there a leader's portion (or: a lawgiver's portion) was kept for him. He came with the heads of the people. He carried out the justice (literally: righteousness) of Yahweh, and his rules with Israel."
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22About Dan he said, “Dan is a lion’s cub that leaps out of Bashan.”
In plain English: About Dan he said, "Dan is a lion's cub that leaps out from Bashan."
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23About Naphtali he said, “Naphtali, satisfied with favor, full of Yahweh’s blessing, Possess the west and the south.”
In plain English: About Naphtali he said, "Naphtali, satisfied with favor and full of Yahweh's blessing, take possession of the west (literally: the sea) and the south."
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24About Asher he said, “Asher is blessed with children. Let him be acceptable to his brothers. Let him dip his foot in oil.
In plain English: About Asher he said, "Asher is blessed with sons (or: Most blessed of sons is Asher). Let him be the favorite of his brothers, and let him dip his foot in oil.
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25Your bars will be iron and bronze. As your days, so your strength will be.
In plain English: Your bolts will be iron and bronze. As your days are, so will your strength be (or: your rest; see the note).
The Hebrew word: "Strength" is dobe, found only in this verse. The dictionary gives it as "quiet".
What changes: Read as "so your strength will be", Asher will be strong all his life. Read as "so your rest will be", he will have peace as long as he lives. The text does not settle it.
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26“There is no one like God, Jeshurun, who rides on the heavens for your help, in his excellency on the skies.
In plain English: "There is no one like God, Jeshurun, who rides through the heavens to help you, and through the skies in his majesty.
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27The eternal God is your dwelling place. Underneath are the everlasting arms. He thrust out the enemy from before you, and said, ‘Destroy!’
In plain English: The eternal God is your home (or: your refuge). Underneath are the everlasting arms. He drove out the enemy before you and said, 'Destroy!'
The Hebrew word: "Dwelling place" is meonah, which the dictionary gives as "an abode, of God (the Tabernacle or the Temple), men (their home) or animals (their lair); hence, a retreat (asylum)".
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28Israel dwells in safety, the fountain of Jacob alone, In a land of grain and new wine. Yes, his heavens drop down dew.
In plain English: Israel lives in safety, the spring (literally: the eye) of Jacob alone, in a land of grain and new wine. Yes, his heavens drop down dew.
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29You 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.”
In plain English: You are happy, Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by Yahweh? He is the shield that helps you and the sword of your glory. Your enemies will come cringing to you, and you will walk on their high places."
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