EasyEnglish Bible 2018
Deuteronomy 33:17
17Joseph is as strong as a bull. He has horns like a wild ox. Those two horns are the armies of Ephraim and Manasseh! With them, he attacks other nations. He chases them to the edges of the world.
Deuteronomy 33:17 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)His glory is like the firstling of his bullock, and his horns are like the horns of unicorns: with them he shall push the people together to the ends of the earth: and they are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh.
- New International Version (NIV)In majesty he is like a firstborn bull; his horns are the horns of a wild ox. With them he will gore the nations, even those at the ends of the earth. Such are the ten thousands of Ephraim; such are the thousands of Manasseh.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)A firstborn bull—he has majesty, and his horns are the horns of a wild ox; with them he shall gore the peoples, all of them, to the ends of the earth; they are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh."
- New King James Version (NKJV)His glory is like a firstborn bull, And his horns like the horns of the wild ox; Together with them He shall push the peoples To the ends of the earth; They are the ten thousands of Ephraim, And they are the thousands of Manasseh.”
Context of Deuteronomy 33:17
15May they have a harvest of good fruits from the mountains and hills that have been there since long ago. 16Please fill their land with many good things. Lord who appeared in the burning bush, please be kind to them. Please bless Joseph's descendants. He became a leader, separate from his brothers. May this blessing be like a crown on his head! Joseph is as strong as a bull. He has horns like a wild ox. Those two horns are the armies of Ephraim and Manasseh! With them, he attacks other nations. He chases them to the edges of the world. 18I pray this for the tribes of Zebulun and Issachar: Be happy, Zebulun's people, as you travel far from home. Be happy, Issachar's people, as you live in your homes. 19They will call other people to come to their mountain. They will offer the right sacrifices there. They will become rich from their work on the seas, and from things that are hidden in the sand on the shore.
Read all of Deuteronomy 33Deuteronomy 33:17 word by word
בְּכ֨וֹר שׁוֹר֜וֹ הָדָ֣ר ל֗וֹ וְקַרְנֵ֤י רְאֵם֙ קַרְנָ֔יו בָּהֶ֗ם עַמִּ֛ים יְנַגַּ֥ח יַחְדָּ֖ו אַפְסֵי־אָ֑רֶץ וְהֵם֙ רִבְב֣וֹת אֶפְרַ֔יִם וְהֵ֖ם אַלְפֵ֥י מְנַשֶּֽׁה׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- His gloryהָדָרhâdâr · gloryH1926
- the firstlingבְּכוֹרbekôr · firstbornH1060
- of his bullockשׁוֹרshôr · cattleH7794
- and his hornsקֶ֫רֶןqeren · hornH7161
- of unicornsרְאֵםre'êm re'êym rêym rêm · wild oxH7214
- with them he shall pushנָגַחnâgach · to goreH5055
- the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- togetherיָחְדָּוyachad · togetherH3162
- to the endsאֶ֫פֶס'ephes · endH657
- of the earthאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- the ten thousandsרְבָבָהrebâbâh · myriadH7233
- of Ephraimאֶפְרַ֫יִם'ephrayim · EphraimH669
- the thousandsאֶ֫לֶף'eleph · thousandH505
- of Manassehמְנַשֶּׁהmenashsheh · ManassehH4519
Cross-references for Deuteronomy 33:17
- 1 Chronicles 5:1Reuben was Israel's firstborn son. That is, Reuben was born first. But he had sex with his father's slave wife. So his father took away the benefits that belong to a firstborn son. Instead, Israel gave those benefits to his son Joseph's sons. So Reuben does not have the first place in the list of Israel's sons.
- Numbers 23:22He brought them out of Egypt. He fights on their behalf, as strong as a wild bull.
- Numbers 24:8God brought them out of Egypt. God fights for them like a wild bull. He will destroy the nations who are their enemies. He will break their enemies' bones into pieces. He will shoot his arrows at them.
- Job 39:9Can you tell a wild ox to work for you? No! At night, it will not stay to feed at your farm.
- Psalms 22:21Do not let those lions eat me! Keep me safe from the horns of those wild bulls! I know that you have answered my prayer!
- Psalms 29:6He makes Lebanon jump like a calf. He causes Hermon mountain to shake like a young bull jumps.
- Psalms 92:10You have made me as strong as a wild bull. You have poured pure olive oil on me.
- Isaiah 34:7He will kill their wild oxen and their young bulls. Blood will pour over Edom's land. Fat will feed their soil.
- 1 Kings 22:11Kenaanah's son Zedekiah had used iron to make sharp points like a bull's horns. He said, ‘This is what the Lord says: “With these sharp horns you will attack Syria's army. You will destroy them all.” ’
- 2 Chronicles 18:10Kenaanah's son Zedekiah had used iron to make sharp points like a bull's horns. He said, ‘This is what the Lord says: “With these sharp horns you will attack Syria's army. You will destroy them all.” ’
- Psalms 44:5Because of your power, we can knock down our enemies. Because of your strength, we can beat them down.
- Genesis 48:19But Jacob refused to change. He said, ‘I know, my son. I know what I am doing. Manasseh will also have many descendants who become a great nation. But his younger brother, Ephraim, will become even greater. Ephraim's descendants will become many great nations.’
- Numbers 26:34There were 52,700 men in the clans of the tribe of Manasseh.
- Hosea 5:3I know what the people of Ephraim are like. The Israelites cannot hide their sins from me. You are no better than prostitutes! You can no longer serve me as my people.
- Hosea 6:4‘People of Ephraim and Judah, can I forgive you so easily? Your love for me soon disappears. It goes away as quickly as mist or dew in the morning.
- Hosea 7:1‘Yes, I want to make the people of Israel healthy again, but I see how great their sins are. Samaria's people do many evil things. They deceive one another, they take things from other people's homes, and they attack people in the streets to rob them.
Commentaries on Deuteronomy 33:17
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17His glory is like the firstling of his bullock - This similitude is very obscure. A bullock was the most excellent of animals among the Jews, not only because of its acceptableness in sacrifice to God, but because of its great usefulness in agriculture. There is something peculiarly noble and dignified in the appearance of the ox, and his greatest ornament are his fine horns; these the inspired penman has particularly in view, as the following clause…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13-17Verses 13-17 Comparing the words of Moses with those of Jacob, it will be seen that the patriarch dwells with emphasis on the severe conflicts which Joseph, i. e., Ephraim and Manasseh, would undergo (compare Genesis 49:23-24); while the lawgiver seems to look beyond, and to behold the two triumphant and established in their power. Deuteronomy 33:17 Rather: “The first-born of his” (i. e. Joseph‘s) “bullock is his glory”: the reference being to Ephraim…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-23Verses 6-23 The order in which the tribes are here blessed, is not the same as is observed elsewhere. The blessing of Judah may refer to the whole tribe in general, or to David as a type of Christ. Moses largely blesses the tribe of Levi. Acceptance with God is what we should all aim at, and desire, in all our devotions, whether men accept us or not, 2Co 5:9. This prayer is a prophecy, that God will keep up a ministry in his church to the end of time. The…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17Ephraim is listed first because he received the blessing of the firstborn instead of Manasseh (Genesis 48:8–22). Manasseh was the older son. Normally, the firstborn son received a double portion of the inheritance (compare Deuteronomy 21:17). However, Jacob gave this special blessing to Ephraim, Joseph’s younger son. The blessing of Moses follows the same pattern. He describes Ephraim as having myriads (literally tens of thousands) and Manasseh as having…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 13-1713-17. of Joseph he said--The territory of this tribe, diversified by hill and dale, wood and water, would be rich in all the productions--olives, grapes, figs, &c., which are reared in a mountainous region, as well as in the grain and herbs that grow in the level fields. "The firstling of the bullock and the horns of the unicorn" (rhinoceros), indicate glory and strength, and it is supposed that under these emblems were shadowed forth the triumphs of…Read the comment
Topics related to Deuteronomy 33:17
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Deuteronomy 33
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
EasyEnglish Bible 2018 — Copyright © MissionAssist 2018
Commentaries