Moses’ Final Blessing on Israel

33 Now this is (A)the blessing with which Moses (B)the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death.

Read full chapter

Moses Blesses the Tribes(A)

33 This is the blessing(B) that Moses the man of God(C) pronounced on the Israelites before his death.

Read full chapter

“Let (A)Reuben live, and not die,
Nor let his men be few.”

And this he said of (B)Judah:

“Hear, Lord, the voice of Judah,
And bring him to his people;
(C)Let his hands be sufficient for him,
And may You be (D)a help against his enemies.”

And of (E)Levi he said:

(F)Let Your [a]Thummim and Your Urim be with Your holy one,
(G)Whom You tested at Massah,
And with whom You contended at the waters of Meribah,
(H)Who says of his father and mother,
‘I have not (I)seen them’;
(J)Nor did he acknowledge his brothers,
Or know his own children;
For (K)they have observed Your word
And kept Your covenant.
10 (L)They shall teach Jacob Your judgments,
And Israel Your law.
They shall put incense before You,
(M)And a whole burnt sacrifice on Your altar.
11 Bless his substance, Lord,
And (N)accept the work of his hands;
Strike the loins of those who rise against him,
And of those who hate him, that they rise not again.”

12 Of Benjamin he said:

“The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by Him,
Who shelters him all the day long;
And he shall dwell between His shoulders.”

13 And of Joseph he said:

(O)“Blessed of the Lord is his land,
With the precious things of heaven, with the (P)dew,
And the deep lying beneath,
14 With the precious fruits of the sun,
With the precious produce of the months,
15 With the best things of (Q)the ancient mountains,
With the precious things (R)of the everlasting hills,
16 With the precious things of the earth and its fullness,
And the favor of (S)Him who dwelt in the bush.
Let the blessing come (T)‘on the head of Joseph,
And on the crown of the head of him who was separate from his brothers.’
17 His glory is like a (U)firstborn bull,
And his horns like the (V)horns of the wild ox;
Together with them
(W)He shall push the peoples
To the ends of the earth;
(X)They are the ten thousands of Ephraim,
And they are the thousands of Manasseh.”

18 And of Zebulun he said:

(Y)“Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out,
And Issachar in your tents!
19 They shall (Z)call the peoples to the mountain;
There (AA)they shall offer sacrifices of righteousness;
For they shall partake of the abundance of the seas
And of treasures hidden in the sand.”

20 And of Gad he said:

“Blessed is he who (AB)enlarges Gad;
He dwells as a lion,
And tears the arm and the crown of his head.
21 (AC)He provided the first part for himself,
Because a lawgiver’s portion was reserved there.
(AD)He came with the heads of the people;
He administered the justice of the Lord,
And His judgments with Israel.”

22 And of Dan he said:

“Dan is a lion’s whelp;
(AE)He shall leap from Bashan.”

23 And of Naphtali he said:

“O Naphtali, (AF)satisfied with favor,
And full of the blessing of the Lord,
(AG)Possess the west and the south.”

24 And of Asher he said:

(AH)“Asher is most blessed of sons;
Let him be favored by his brothers,
And let him (AI)dip his foot in oil.
25 Your sandals shall be (AJ)iron and bronze;
As your days, so shall your strength be.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 33:8 Lit. Perfections and Your Lights

“Let Reuben live and not die,
    nor[a] his people be few.”(A)

And this he said about Judah:(B)

“Hear, Lord, the cry of Judah;
    bring him to his people.
With his own hands he defends his cause.
    Oh, be his help against his foes!”

About Levi(C) he said:

“Your Thummim and Urim(D) belong
    to your faithful servant.(E)
You tested(F) him at Massah;
    you contended with him at the waters of Meribah.(G)
He said of his father and mother,(H)
    ‘I have no regard for them.’
He did not recognize his brothers
    or acknowledge his own children,
but he watched over your word
    and guarded your covenant.(I)
10 He teaches(J) your precepts to Jacob
    and your law to Israel.(K)
He offers incense before you(L)
    and whole burnt offerings on your altar.(M)
11 Bless all his skills, Lord,
    and be pleased with the work of his hands.(N)
Strike down those who rise against him,
    his foes till they rise no more.”

12 About Benjamin(O) he said:

“Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in him,(P)
    for he shields him all day long,(Q)
    and the one the Lord loves(R) rests between his shoulders.(S)

13 About Joseph(T) he said:

“May the Lord bless his land
    with the precious dew from heaven above
    and with the deep waters that lie below;(U)
14 with the best the sun brings forth
    and the finest the moon can yield;
15 with the choicest gifts of the ancient mountains(V)
    and the fruitfulness of the everlasting hills;
16 with the best gifts of the earth and its fullness
    and the favor of him who dwelt in the burning bush.(W)
Let all these rest on the head of Joseph,
    on the brow of the prince among[b] his brothers.(X)
17 In majesty he is like a firstborn bull;
    his horns(Y) are the horns of a wild ox.(Z)
With them he will gore(AA) the nations,
    even those at the ends of the earth.
Such are the ten thousands of Ephraim;(AB)
    such are the thousands of Manasseh.(AC)

18 About Zebulun(AD) he said:

“Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out,
    and you, Issachar,(AE) in your tents.
19 They will summon peoples to the mountain(AF)
    and there offer the sacrifices of the righteous;(AG)
they will feast on the abundance of the seas,(AH)
    on the treasures hidden in the sand.”

20 About Gad(AI) he said:

“Blessed is he who enlarges Gad’s domain!(AJ)
    Gad lives there like a lion,
    tearing at arm or head.
21 He chose the best land for himself;(AK)
    the leader’s portion was kept for him.(AL)
When the heads of the people assembled,
    he carried out the Lord’s righteous will,(AM)
    and his judgments concerning Israel.”

22 About Dan(AN) he said:

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

23 About Naphtali(AO) he said:

“Naphtali is abounding with the favor of the Lord
    and is full of his blessing;
    he will inherit southward to the lake.”

24 About Asher(AP) he said:

“Most blessed of sons is Asher;
    let him be favored by his brothers,
    and let him bathe his feet in oil.(AQ)
25 The bolts of your gates will be iron and bronze,(AR)
    and your strength will equal your days.(AS)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 33:6 Or but let
  2. Deuteronomy 33:16 Or of the one separated from

Surely the Lord God does nothing,
Unless (A)He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.

Read full chapter

Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing
    without revealing his plan(A)
    to his servants the prophets.(B)

Read full chapter