Berean Standard Bible

Deuteronomy 33

1This is the blessing that Moses the man of God pronounced upon the Israelites before his death. 2He said:

“The LORD came from Sinaiand dawned upon us1 from Seir;He shone forth from Mount Paranand came with myriads of holy ones,with flaming fire at His right hand.23Surely You love the people;all the holy ones are in Your hand,and they sit down at Your feet;3each receives Your words—4the law that Moses gave us,the possession of the assembly of Jacob.5So the LORD became King in Jeshurun4when the leaders of the people gathered,when the tribes of Israel came together.

6Let Reuben live and not die,nor5 his men be few.”

7And concerning Judah he said:

“O LORD, hear the cry of Judahand bring him to his people.With his own hands he defends his cause,but may You be a help against his foes.”

8Concerning Levi he said:

“Give Your Thummim to Leviand Your Urim to Your godly one,6whom You tested at Massah7and contested at the waters of Meribah.89He said of his father and mother,‘I do not consider them.’He disregarded his brothersand did not know his own sons,for he kept9 Your wordand maintained Your covenant.10He will teach Your ordinances to Jacoband Your law to Israel;he will set incense before Youand whole burnt offerings on Your altar.11Bless his substance, O LORD,and accept the work of his hands.Smash the loins of those who rise against him,and of his foes so they can rise no more.”

12Concerning Benjamin he said:

“May the beloved of the LORDrest secure in Him;God shields10 him all day long,and upon His shoulders he rests.”

13Concerning Joseph he said:

“May his land be blessed by the LORDwith the precious dew from heaven aboveand the deep waters that lie beneath,14with the bountiful harvest from the sunand the abundant yield of the seasons,15with the best of the ancient mountainsand the bounty of the everlasting hills,16with the choice gifts of the land and everything in it,and with the favor of Him who dwelt in the burning bush.May these rest on the head of Josephand crown the brow of the prince of his brothers.17His majesty is like a firstborn bull,and his horns are like those of a wild ox.With them he will gore the nations,even to the ends of the earth.Such are the myriads of Ephraim,and such are the thousands of Manasseh.”

18Concerning Zebulun he said:

“Rejoice, Zebulun, in your journeys,and Issachar, in your tents.19They will call the peoples to a mountain;there they will offer sacrifices of righteousness.For they will feast on the abundance of the seasand the hidden treasures of the sand.”

20Concerning Gad he said:

“Blessed is he who enlargesthe domain of Gad!He lies down like a lionand tears off an arm or a head.21He chose the best land for himself,because a ruler’s portion was reserved for him there.He came with the leaders of the people;he administered the LORD’s justiceand His ordinances for Israel.”

22Concerning Dan he said:

“Dan is a lion’s cub,leaping out of Bashan.”

23Concerning Naphtali he said:

“Naphtali is abounding with favor,full of the blessing of the LORD;he shall take possessionof the sea11 and the south.”

24And concerning Asher he said:

“May Asher be the most blessed of sons;may he be the most favored among his brothersand dip his foot in oil.25May the bolts of your gate be iron and bronze,and may your strength match your days.”

26“There is none like the God of Jeshurun,who rides the heavens to your aid,and the clouds in His majesty.27The eternal God is your dwelling place,and underneath are the everlasting arms.He drives out the enemy before you,giving the command, ‘Destroy him!’28So Israel dwells securely;the fountain of Jacob lives untroubledin a land of grain and new wine,where even the heavens drip with dew.29Blessed are you, O Israel!Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD?He is the shield that protects you,the sword in which you boast.Your enemies will cower before you,and you shall trample their high places.”

Notes

1. Deuteronomy 33:2 LXX, Syriac, and Vulgate; Hebrew upon them ↩
2. Deuteronomy 33:2 Or with myriads of holy ones from the south, from His mountain slopes ↩
3. Deuteronomy 33:3 Or they follow in Your steps ↩
4. Deuteronomy 33:5 Jeshurun means the upright one, a term of endearment for Israel; also in verse 26. ↩
5. Deuteronomy 33:6 Or but let ↩
6. Deuteronomy 33:8 DSS and LXX; MT does not include to Levi; literally Let Your Perfections and Your Lights be to Your godly one. ↩
7. Deuteronomy 33:8 Massah means testing; see Exodus 17:7. ↩
8. Deuteronomy 33:8 Meribah means quarreling; see Exodus 17:7. ↩
9. Deuteronomy 33:9 Hebrew they kept, most likely referring to Levi in the plural; similarly twice in verse 10 ↩
10. Deuteronomy 33:12 LXX; Hebrew He shields ↩
11. Deuteronomy 33:23 Or the west ↩

Notes

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 33