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Deuteronomy 33
Easy-to-Read Version
Deuteronomy 33
Easy-to-Read Version
Moses Blesses the People
33 This is the blessing that Moses, the man of God, gave the Israelites before he died:
2 “The Lord came from Sinai,
like a light shining at dawn over Seir,
like a light shining from Mount Paran.
He came with 10,000 holy ones.[a]
God’s mighty soldiers were by his side.[b]
3 Yes, the Lord loves his people.
All his holy people are in his hand.
They sit at his feet
and learn his teachings!
4 Moses gave us the law.
These teachings are for Jacob’s people.
5 At that time the Israelites
and their leaders met together,
and the Lord became Jeshurun’s[c] king!
Reuben’s Blessing
6 “Let Reuben live, and not die!
But let there be only a few people in his tribe!”
Judah’s Blessing
7 Moses said this about Judah:
“Lord, listen to the leader from Judah when he calls for help.
Bring him to his people.
Make him strong,
and help him defeat his enemies!”
Levi’s Blessing
8 Moses said this about Levi:
“Levi is your true follower.
He keeps the Urim and Thummim.
At Massah you tested the people of Levi.
At the waters of Meribah,[d] you challenged them.
9 They were more loyal to you, Lord, than to their own families.
They ignored their fathers and mothers.
They did not recognize their brothers.
They did not pay attention to their children.
But they obeyed your commands.
They kept your agreement.
10 They will teach your rules to Jacob
and your Law to Israel.
They will burn incense before you.
They will offer burnt offerings on your altar.
11 “Lord, bless everything Levi has.
Accept what he does.
Destroy those who attack him!
Defeat his enemies so that they will never attack again.”
Benjamin’s Blessing
12 Moses said this about Benjamin:
“Benjamin is loved by the Lord
and lives close to him in safety.
The Lord protects him all the time
like a child at rest on its mother’s back.”[e]
Joseph’s Blessing
13 Moses said this about Joseph:
“May the Lord bless Joseph’s land
with rain from the skies above
and water from the ground below.
14 Let the sun give them good fruit.
Let each month bring its best fruit.
15 Let the hills and ancient mountains
produce their best fruit.
16 Let the earth give its best to Joseph.
He was separated from his brothers.
So may the Lord in the burning bush give his best to Joseph.
17 Joseph is like a powerful bull.
His two sons are like bull’s horns.
They will attack other people
and push them to the ends of the earth!
Yes, Manasseh has thousands of people,
and Ephraim has ten thousands.”
Zebulun and Issachar’s Blessing
18 Moses said this about Zebulun:
“Zebulun, be happy when you go out.
Issachar, be happy in your tents at home.
19 They will call the people to their mountain.
There they will offer good sacrifices.
They will take riches from the sea
and treasures from the shore.”
Gad’s Blessing
20 Moses said this about Gad:
“Praise God who gave Gad more land!
Gad is like a lion that lies down and waits.
Then he attacks and tears the animal in pieces.
21 He chose the best part for himself.
He took the king’s share.
The leaders of the people come to him.
He did what the Lord says is good.
He did what is right for the Israelites.”
Dan’s Blessing
22 Moses said this about Dan:
“Dan is a lion’s cub
that jumps out from Bashan.”
Naphtali’s Blessing
23 Moses said this about Naphtali:
“Naphtali, you will get all you want.
The Lord will really bless you.
You will get the land by Lake Galilee.”
Asher’s Blessing
24 Moses said this about Asher:
“Asher[f] is the most blessed of the sons.
Let him be the favorite of his brothers.
And let him wash his feet in olive oil.
25 Your gates will have locks made from iron and bronze.
You will be strong all your life.”
Moses Gives Praise to God
26 “There is no one like the God of Israel!
He rides on the clouds in his divine greatness.
He comes riding through the skies to help you.
27 God lives forever.
He is your place of safety.
His power continues forever!
He is protecting you.
He will force your enemies to leave your land.
He will say, ‘Destroy the enemy!’
28 So Israel will live in safety.
Jacob’s well belongs to them.
They will get a land of grain and wine.
And that land will get plenty of rain.
29 Israel, you are blessed.
No other nation is like you.
The Lord saved you.
He is like a strong shield protecting you.
He is like a powerful sword.
Your enemies will be afraid of you,
and you will put your foot on their backs![g]”
Footnotes
- Deuteronomy 33:2 holy one Here, this probably means an angel.
- Deuteronomy 33:2 He came … side Or “He came from 10,000 holy angels where his troops were by his right side.”
- Deuteronomy 33:5 Jeshurun Another name for the people of Israel. It means “good” or “honest.” Also in verse 26.
- Deuteronomy 33:8 Massah … Meribah See Num. 20:1-13 for the story.
- Deuteronomy 33:12 like a child … back Literally, “and he rests between his shoulders.” The metaphor may refer to the custom of a mother carrying her baby tied on her back as she works. See Ps. 131:2.
- Deuteronomy 33:24 Asher This name means “blessed” or “happy.”
- Deuteronomy 33:29 and you … backs Or “You will trample their holy places.”
Deuteronomy 33
New International Version
Deuteronomy 33
New International Version
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. 2 He said:
“The Lord came from Sinai(D)
and dawned over them from Seir;(E)
he shone forth(F) from Mount Paran.(G)
He came with[a] myriads of holy ones(H)
from the south, from his mountain slopes.[b]
3 Surely it is you who love(I) the people;
all the holy ones are in your hand.(J)
At your feet they all bow down,(K)
and from you receive instruction,
4 the law that Moses gave us,(L)
the possession of the assembly of Jacob.(M)
5 He was king(N) over Jeshurun[c](O)
when the leaders of the people assembled,
along with the tribes of Israel.
7 And this he said about Judah:(Q)
“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!”
8 About Levi(R) he said:
“Your Thummim and Urim(S) belong
to your faithful servant.(T)
You tested(U) him at Massah;
you contended with him at the waters of Meribah.(V)
9 He said of his father and mother,(W)
‘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.(X)
10 He teaches(Y) your precepts to Jacob
and your law to Israel.(Z)
He offers incense before you(AA)
and whole burnt offerings on your altar.(AB)
11 Bless all his skills, Lord,
and be pleased with the work of his hands.(AC)
Strike down those who rise against him,
his foes till they rise no more.”
12 About Benjamin(AD) he said:
“Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in him,(AE)
for he shields him all day long,(AF)
and the one the Lord loves(AG) rests between his shoulders.(AH)”
13 About Joseph(AI) he said:
“May the Lord bless his land
with the precious dew from heaven above
and with the deep waters that lie below;(AJ)
14 with the best the sun brings forth
and the finest the moon can yield;
15 with the choicest gifts of the ancient mountains(AK)
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.(AL)
Let all these rest on the head of Joseph,
on the brow of the prince among[e] his brothers.(AM)
17 In majesty he is like a firstborn bull;
his horns(AN) are the horns of a wild ox.(AO)
With them he will gore(AP) the nations,
even those at the ends of the earth.
Such are the ten thousands of Ephraim;(AQ)
such are the thousands of Manasseh.(AR)”
18 About Zebulun(AS) he said:
“Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out,
and you, Issachar,(AT) in your tents.
19 They will summon peoples to the mountain(AU)
and there offer the sacrifices of the righteous;(AV)
they will feast on the abundance of the seas,(AW)
on the treasures hidden in the sand.”
20 About Gad(AX) he said:
“Blessed is he who enlarges Gad’s domain!(AY)
Gad lives there like a lion,
tearing at arm or head.
21 He chose the best land for himself;(AZ)
the leader’s portion was kept for him.(BA)
When the heads of the people assembled,
he carried out the Lord’s righteous will,(BB)
and his judgments concerning Israel.”
22 About Dan(BC) he said:
“Dan is a lion’s cub,
springing out of Bashan.”
23 About Naphtali(BD) 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(BE) he said:
“Most blessed of sons is Asher;
let him be favored by his brothers,
and let him bathe his feet in oil.(BF)
25 The bolts of your gates will be iron and bronze,(BG)
and your strength will equal your days.(BH)
26 “There is no one like the God of Jeshurun,(BI)
who rides(BJ) across the heavens to help you(BK)
and on the clouds(BL) in his majesty.(BM)
27 The eternal(BN) God is your refuge,(BO)
and underneath are the everlasting(BP) arms.
He will drive out your enemies before you,(BQ)
saying, ‘Destroy them!’(BR)
28 So Israel will live in safety;(BS)
Jacob will dwell[f] secure
in a land of grain and new wine,
where the heavens drop dew.(BT)
29 Blessed are you, Israel!(BU)
Who is like you,(BV)
a people saved by the Lord?(BW)
He is your shield and helper(BX)
and your glorious sword.
Your enemies will cower before you,
and you will tread on their heights.(BY)”
Footnotes
- Deuteronomy 33:2 Or from
- Deuteronomy 33:2 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
- Deuteronomy 33:5 Jeshurun means the upright one, that is, Israel; also in verse 26.
- Deuteronomy 33:6 Or but let
- Deuteronomy 33:16 Or of the one separated from
- Deuteronomy 33:28 Septuagint; Hebrew Jacob’s spring is
Deuteronomy 33
King James Version
Deuteronomy 33
King James Version
33 And this is the blessing, wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death.
2 And he said, The Lord came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; he shined forth from mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints: from his right hand went a fiery law for them.
3 Yea, he loved the people; all his saints are in thy hand: and they sat down at thy feet; every one shall receive of thy words.
4 Moses commanded us a law, even the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob.
5 And he was king in Jeshurun, when the heads of the people and the tribes of Israel were gathered together.
6 Let Reuben live, and not die; and let not his men be few.
7 And this is the blessing of Judah: and he said, Hear, Lord, the voice of Judah, and bring him unto his people: let his hands be sufficient for him; and be thou an help to him from his enemies.
8 And of Levi he said, Let thy Thummim and thy Urim be with thy holy one, whom thou didst prove at Massah, and with whom thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah;
9 Who said unto his father and to his mother, I have not seen him; neither did he acknowledge his brethren, nor knew his own children: for they have observed thy word, and kept thy covenant.
10 They shall teach Jacob thy judgments, and Israel thy law: they shall put incense before thee, and whole burnt sacrifice upon thine altar.
11 Bless, Lord, his substance, and accept the work of his hands; smite through the loins of them that rise against him, and of them that hate him, that they rise not again.
12 And of Benjamin he said, The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by him; and the Lord shall cover him all the day long, and he shall dwell between his shoulders.
13 And of Joseph he said, Blessed of the Lord be his land, for the precious things of heaven, for the dew, and for the deep that coucheth beneath,
14 And for the precious fruits brought forth by the sun, and for the precious things put forth by the moon,
15 And for the chief things of the ancient mountains, and for the precious things of the lasting hills,
16 And for the precious things of the earth and fulness thereof, and for the good will of him that dwelt in the bush: let the blessing come upon the head of Joseph, and upon the top of the head of him that was separated from his brethren.
17 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.
18 And of Zebulun he said, Rejoice, Zebulun, in thy going out; and, Issachar, in thy tents.
19 They shall call the people unto the mountain; there they shall offer sacrifices of righteousness: for they shall suck of the abundance of the seas, and of treasures hid in the sand.
20 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.
21 And he provided the first part for himself, because there, in a portion of the lawgiver, was he seated; and he came with the heads of the people, he executed the justice of the Lord, and his judgments with Israel.
22 And of Dan he said, Dan is a lion's whelp: he shall leap from Bashan.
23 And of Naphtali he said, O Naphtali, satisfied with favour, and full with the blessing of the Lord: possess thou the west and the south.
24 And of Asher he said, Let Asher be blessed with children; let him be acceptable to his brethren, and let him dip his foot in oil.
25 Thy shoes shall be iron and brass; and as thy days, so shall thy strength be.
26 There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his excellency on the sky.
27 The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.
28 Israel then shall dwell in safety alone: the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine; also his heavens shall drop down dew.
29 Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the Lord, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency! and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places.
Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)
Copyright © 2006 by Bible League International
New International Version (NIV) 
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