New English Translation
Deuteronomy 33:17
17May the firstborn of his bull bring him honor, and may his horns be those of a wild ox; with them may he gore all peoples, all the far reaches of the earth. They are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh.
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
15with the best of the ancient mountains and the harvest produced by the age-old hills; 16with the harvest of the earth and its fullness and the pleasure of him who resided in the burning bush. May blessing rest on Joseph’s head, and on the top of the head of the one set apart from his brothers. May the firstborn of his bull bring him honor, and may his horns be those of a wild ox; with them may he gore all peoples, all the far reaches of the earth. They are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh. 18Of Zebulun he said: Rejoice, Zebulun, when you go outside, and Issachar, when you are in your tents. 19They will summon peoples to the mountain, there they will sacrifice proper sacrifices; for they will enjoy the abundance of the seas, and the hidden treasures of the shores.
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 5:1The sons of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn – (Now he was the firstborn, but when he defiled his father’s bed, his rights as firstborn were given to the sons of Joseph, Israel’s son. So Reuben is not listed as firstborn in the genealogical records.
- Numbers 23:22God brought them out of Egypt. They have, as it were, the strength of a wild bull.
- Numbers 24:8God brought them out of Egypt. They have, as it were, the strength of a young bull; they will devour hostile people and will break their bones and will pierce them through with arrows.
- Job 39:9Is the wild ox willing to be your servant? Will it spend the night at your feeding trough?
- Psalms 22:21Rescue me from the mouth of the lion, and from the horns of the wild oxen! You have answered me!
- Psalms 29:6He makes Lebanon skip like a calf and Sirion like a young ox.
- Psalms 92:10You exalt my horn like that of a wild ox. I am covered with fresh oil.
- Isaiah 34:7Wild oxen will be slaughtered along with them, as well as strong bulls. Their land is drenched with blood, their soil is covered with fat.
- 1 Kings 22:11Zedekiah son of Kenaanah made iron horns and said, “This is what the Lord says, ‘With these you will gore Syria until they are destroyed.’”
- 2 Chronicles 18:10Zedekiah son of Kenaanah made iron horns and said, “This is what the Lord says, ‘With these you will gore Syria until they are destroyed!’”
- Psalms 44:5By your power we will drive back our enemies; by your strength we will trample down our foes!
- Genesis 48:19But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He too will become a nation and he too will become great. In spite of this, his younger brother will be even greater and his descendants will become a multitude of nations.”
- Numbers 26:34These were the families of Manasseh; those numbered of them were 52,700.
- Hosea 5:3I know Ephraim all too well; the evil of Israel is not hidden from me. For you have engaged in prostitution, O Ephraim; Israel has defiled itself.
- Hosea 6:4What am I going to do with you, O Ephraim? What am I going to do with you, O Judah? For your faithfulness is as fleeting as the morning mist; it disappears as quickly as dawn’s dew!
- Hosea 7:1whenever I want to heal Israel, the sin of Ephraim is revealed, and the evil deeds of Samaria are exposed. For they do what is wrong; thieves break into houses, and gangs rob people out in the streets.
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
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