Deuteronomy 33:20

Deuteronomy 33:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And of Gad he said, Blessed be he that enlargeth Gad: he dwelleth as a lion, and teareth the arm with the crown of the head.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And of Gad he said, "Blessed be he who enlarges Gad! Gad crouches like a lion; he tears off arm and scalp.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And of Gad he said: “Blessed is he who enlarges Gad; He dwells as a lion, And tears the arm and the crown of his head.
• New Living Translation (NLT)Moses said this about the tribe of Gad: “Blessed is the one who enlarges Gad’s territory! Gad is poised there like a lion to tear off an arm or a head.

Context of Deuteronomy 33:20

18About Zebulun he said: “Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out, and you, Issachar, in your tents. 19They will summon peoples to the mountain and there offer the sacrifices of the righteous; they will feast on the abundance of the seas, on the treasures hidden in the sand.” About Gad he said: “Blessed is he who enlarges Gad’s domain! Gad lives there like a lion, tearing at arm or head. 21He chose the best land for himself; the leader’s portion was kept for him. When the heads of the people assembled, he carried out the Lord’s righteous will, and his judgments concerning Israel.” 22About Dan he said: “Dan is a lion’s cub, springing out of Bashan.”

Deuteronomy 33:20 word by word

וּלְגָ֣ד אָמַ֔ר בָּר֖וּךְ מַרְחִ֣יב גָּ֑ד כְּלָבִ֣יא שָׁכֵ֔ן וְטָרַ֥ף זְר֖וֹעַ אַף־קָדְקֹֽד׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And of Gadגָּדgâd · GadH1410
• he saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Blessedבָּרַךְbârak · to blessH1288
• he that enlargethרָחַבrâchab · to enlargeH7337
• he dwellethשָׁכַןshâkan · to dwellH7931
• as a lionלָבִיאlâbîy' lebîyâ' lebâ'îym lebâ'ôth · lionH3833
• and tearethטָרַףţâraph · to tearH2963
• the armזְרוֹעַzerôa‛ zerôa‛ zerô‛âh zerô‛âh · armH2220
• withאַף'aph · alsoH637
• the crown of the headקׇדְקֹדqodqôd · crownH6936

Cross-references for Deuteronomy 33:20

• Genesis 9:26He also said, “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Shem! May Canaan be the slave of Shem.
• Joshua 13:8The other half of Manasseh, the Reubenites and the Gadites had received the inheritance that Moses had given them east of the Jordan, as he, the servant of the Lord, had assigned it to them.
• 1 Chronicles 4:10Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted his request.
• 1 Chronicles 12:8Some Gadites defected to David at his stronghold in the wilderness. They were brave warriors, ready for battle and able to handle the shield and spear. Their faces were the faces of lions, and they were as swift as gazelles in the mountains.
• Psalms 18:19He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.
• 1 Chronicles 5:18The Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh had 44,760 men ready for military service—able-bodied men who could handle shield and sword, who could use a bow, and who were trained for battle.

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 33:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Blessed be he that enlargeth Gad - As deliverance out of distress is termed enlarging, (see Psalm 4:1;), this may refer to God's deliverance of the tribe of Gad out of that distress mentioned Genesis 49:19, and to the enlargement obtained through means of Jephthah, Judges 11:33, and probably also to the victories obtained by Gad and Reuben over the Hagarites, 1 Chronicles 5:18-20. He dwelleth as a lion - Probably the epithet of lion or lion-like was…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20i. e., Blessed be God who shall grant to Gad a spacious territory. Compare the blessing of Shem Genesis 9:26. With the crown - Rather, yea, the crown. The warlike character of this tribe is shown by their leading the van in the long campaigns of Joshua (compare Joshua 4:12-13; Joshua 22:1-4). Compare also 1 Chronicles 5:18-22; 1 Chronicles 12:8 ff, and the acts of Jehu, the Gadite, in 2 Kings 9; 10.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. 20Gad was the older of two sons born to Jacob by Leah’s servant Zilpah (Genesis 30:10–11). His name means “good fortune.” However, the main idea is that the one who helps the tribe gain more land is the truly fortunate one. The tribe of Gad settled east of the Jordan River and the Sea of Galilee.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 20-2120-21. of Gad he said--Its possessions were larger than they would have been had they lain west of Jordan; and this tribe had the honor of being settled by Moses himself in the first portion of land conquered. In the forest region, south of the Jabbok, "he dwelt as a lion" (compare Ge 30:11; 49:19). Notwithstanding, they faithfully kept their engagement to join the "heads of the people" [De 33:21] in the invasion of Canaan.Read the comment

Topics related to Deuteronomy 33:20

• Death
• Gad

In the dictionaries

• Gad
• Abundance
• Accept
• Bless
• Blessing
• Couch
• Dip
• Drops
• Eternal
• Simeon, The tribe of

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