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Deuteronomy 33
New International Reader's Version
Deuteronomy 33
New International Reader's Version
Moses Blesses the Tribes
33 Here is the blessing that Moses, the man of God, gave to the Israelites before he died. 2 He said,
“The Lord came from Mount Sinai.
Like the rising sun, he shone on his people from Mount Seir.
He shone on them from Mount Paran.
He came with large numbers of angels.
He came from his mountain slopes in the south.
3 Lord, I’m sure you love your people.
All the holy ones are in your hands.
At your feet all of them bow down.
And you teach them.
4 They learn the law Moses gave us.
It belongs to the community of the people of Jacob.
5 The Lord was king over Israel
when the leaders of the people came together.
The tribes of Israel were also there.”
6 Here’s what Moses said about Reuben.
“Let Reuben live. Don’t let him die.
And do not let his people be few.”
7 Here’s what Moses said about Judah.
“Lord, listen to Judah cry out.
Bring him to his people.
By his own power he stands up for himself.
Lord, help him fight against his enemies!”
8 Here’s what Moses said about Levi.
“Your Thummim and Urim belong to your faithful servant.
You tested him at Massah.
You argued with him at the waters of Meribah.
9 Levi didn’t show special favor to anyone.
He did not spare his father and mother.
He didn’t excuse his relatives or his children.
But he watched over your word.
He guarded your covenant.
10 He teaches your rules to the people of Jacob.
He teaches your law to Israel.
He offers incense to you.
He sacrifices whole burnt offerings on your altar.
11 Lord, bless all his skills.
Be pleased with everything he does.
Destroy those who rise up against him.
Strike down his enemies until they can’t get up.”
12 Here’s what Moses said about Benjamin.
“Let the one the Lord loves rest safely in him.
The Lord guards him all day long.
The one the Lord loves rests in his arms.”
13 Here’s what Moses said about Joseph.
“May the Lord bless Joseph’s land.
May he bless it with dew from the highest heavens.
May he bless it with water from the deepest oceans.
14 May he bless it with the best crops the sun can produce.
May he bless it with the finest crops the moon can give.
15 May he bless it with the best products of the age-old mountains.
May he bless it with the many crops of the ancient hills.
16 May he bless it with the best gifts that fill the earth.
May he bless it with the favor of the God who spoke out of the burning bush.
Let all these blessings rest on the head of Joseph.
Let them rest on the head of the one who is prince among his brothers.
17 His glory is like the glory of a bull born first to its mother.
His horns are like the horns of a wild ox.
He will use them to destroy the nations.
He’ll wipe out the nations that are very far away.
The ten thousands of men in Ephraim’s army are like the bull and the ox.
So are the thousands in the army of Manasseh.”
18 Here’s what Moses said about Zebulun and Issachar.
“Zebulun, be filled with joy when you go out.
Issachar, be joyful in your tents.
19 You will call for other people to go to the mountain.
There you will offer the sacrifices of those who do what is right.
You will enjoy the many good things your ships bring you.
You will enjoy treasures that are hidden in the sand.”
20 Here’s what Moses said about Gad.
“May the God who gives Gad more land be praised!
Gad lives there like a lion
that tears off arms and heads.
21 He chose the best land for his livestock.
The leader’s share was kept for him.
The leaders of the people came together.
Then Gad carried out the Lord’s holy plan.
He carried out the Lord’s decisions for Israel.”
22 Here’s what Moses said about Dan.
“Dan is like a lion’s cub
that charges out of the land of Bashan.”
23 Here’s what Moses said about Naphtali.
“The Lord greatly favors Naphtali.
The Lord fills him with his blessing.
Naphtali’s land will reach south to the Sea of Galilee.”
24 Here’s what Moses said about Asher.
“Asher is the most blessed of sons.
Let his brothers be kind to him.
Let Asher wash his feet with olive oil.
25 The bars of his gates will be made out of iron and bronze.
His strength will last as long as he lives.
26 “There is no one like the God of Israel.
He rides across the heavens to help you.
He rides on the clouds in his glory.
27 God lives forever! You can run to him for safety.
His powerful arms are always there to carry you.
He will drive out your enemies to make room for you.
He’ll say to you, ‘Destroy them!’
28 So Israel will live in safety.
Jacob will live secure
in a land that has grain and fresh wine.
There the heavens drop their dew.
29 Israel, how blessed you are!
Who is like you?
The Lord has saved you.
He keeps you safe. He helps you.
He’s like a glorious sword to you.
Your enemies will bow down to you in fear.
You will walk on the highest places of their lands.”
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.
New International Reader's Version (NIRV) 
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New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.