Deuteronomy 33

1 This is the blessing, with which Moshe the man of God blessed the children of Yisra'el before his death.

2 He said, The LORD came from Sinai, Rose from Se`ir to them; He shined forth from Mount Paran, He came from the ten thousands of holy ones: At his right hand was a fiery law for them.

3 Yes, he loves the people; All his holy ones are in your hand: They sat down at your feet; [Everyone] shall receive of your words.

4 Moshe commanded us a law, An inheritance for the assembly of Ya`akov.

5 He was king in Yeshurun, When the heads of the people were gathered, All the tribes of Yisra'el together.

6 Let Re'uven live, and not die; Nor let his men be few.

7 This is [the blessing] of Yehudah: and he said, Hear, LORD, the voice of Yehudah, Bring him in to his people. With his hands he contended for himself; You shall be a help against his adversaries.

8 Of Levi he said, Your Tummim and your Urim are with your godly one, Whom you did prove at Massah, With whom you did strive at the waters of Merivah;

9 Who said of his father, and of his mother, I have not seen him; Neither did he acknowledge his brothers, Nor knew he his own children: For they have observed your word, Keep your covenant.

10 They shall teach Ya`akov your ordinances, Yisra'el your law: They shall put incense before you, Whole burnt offering on your altar.

11 Bless, LORD, his substance, Accept the work of his hands: Smite through the loins of those who rise up against him, Of those who hate him, that they not rise again.

12 Of Binyamin he said, The beloved of the LORD shall dwell in safety by him; He covers him all the day long, He dwells between his shoulders.

13 Of Yosef he said, Blessed of the LORD be his land, For the precious things of the heavens, for the dew, For the deep that couches beneath,

14 For the precious things of the fruits of the sun, For the precious things of the growth of the moons,

15 For the chief things of the ancient mountains, For the precious things of the everlasting hills,

16 For the precious things of the eretz and the fullness of it, The good will of him who lived in the bush. Let [the blessing] come on the head of Yosef, On the crown of the head of him who was separate from his brothers.

17 The firstborn of his herd, majesty is his; His horns are the horns of the wild-ox: With them he shall push the peoples all of them, [even] the ends of the eretz: They are the ten thousands of Efrayim, They are the thousands of Menashsheh.

18 Of Zevulun he said, Rejoice, Zevulun, in your going out; Yissakhar, in your tents.

19 They shall call the peoples to the mountain; There shall they offer sacrifices of righteousness: For they shall suck the abundance of the seas, The hidden treasures of the sand.

20 Of Gad he said, Blessed be he who enlarges Gad: He dwells as a lioness, Tears the arm, yes, the crown of the head.

21 He provided the first part for himself, For there was the lawgiver's portion reserved; He came [with] the heads of the people; He executed the righteousness of the LORD, His ordinances with Yisra'el.

22 Of Dan he said, Dan is a lion's whelp, That leaps forth from Bashan.

23 Of Naftali he said, Naftali, satisfied with favor, Full with the blessing of the LORD, Possess you the west and the south.

24 Of Asher he said, Blessed be Asher with children; Let him be acceptable to his brothers, Let him dip his foot in oil.

25 Your bars shall be iron and brass; As your days, so shall your strength be.

26 There is none like God, Yeshurun, Who rides on the heavens for your help, In his excellency on the skies.

27 The eternal God is [your] dwelling-place, Underneath are the everlasting arms. He thrust out the enemy from before you, Said, Destroy.

28 Yisra'el dwells in safety, The fountain of Ya`akov alone, In a land of grain and new wine; Yes, his heavens drop down dew.

29 Happy are you, Yisra'el: Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD, The shield of your help, The sword of your excellency! Your enemies shall submit themselves to you; You shall tread on their high places.

Deuteronomy 33 Commentary

Chapter 33

The glorious majesty of God. (1-5) The blessings of the twelve tribes. (6-23) Strength to believers. (24,25) The excellency of Israel. (26-29)

Verses 1-5 To all his precepts, warnings, and prophecies, Moses added a solemn blessing. He begins with a description of the glorious appearances of God, in giving the law. His law works like fire. If received, it is melting, warming, purifying, and burns up the dross of corruption; if rejected, it hardens, sears, pains, and destroys. The Holy Spirit came down in cloven tongues, as of fire; for the gospel also is a fiery law. The law of God written in the heart, is a certain proof of the love of God shed abroad there: we must reckon His law one of the gifts of his grace.

Verses 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, ( 2 Corinthians. 5:9 ) prophecy, that God will keep up a ministry in his church to the end of time. The tribe of Benjamin had their inheritance close to mount Zion. To be situated near the ordinances, is a precious gift from the Lord, a privilege not to be exchanged for any worldly advantage, or indulgence. We should thankfully receive the earthly blessings sent to us, through the successive seasons. But those good gifts which come down from the Father of lights, through the rising of the Sun of righteousness, and the pouring out of his Spirit like the rain which makes fruitful, are infinitely more precious, as the tokens of his special love. The precious things here prayed for, are figures of spiritual blessing in heavenly things by Christ, the gifts, graces, and comforts of the Spirit. When Moses prays for the good will of Him that dwelt in the bush, he refers to the covenant, on which all our hopes of God's favour must be founded. The providence of God appoints men's habitations, and wisely disposes men to different employments for the public good. Whatever our place and business are, it is our wisdom and duty to apply thereto; and it is happiness to be well pleased therewith. We should not only invite others to the service of God, but abound in it. The blessing of Naphtali. The favour of God is the only favour satisfying to the soul. Those are happy indeed, who have the favour of God; and those shall have it, who reckon that in having it they have enough, and desire no more.

Verses 24-25 All shall be sanctified to true believers; if their way be rough, their feet shall be shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. As thy days, so shall thy strength be. The "day" is often in Scripture put for the events of the day; it is a promise that God would graciously and constantly support under trials and troubles, whatever they were. It is a promise sure to all the spiritual seed of Abraham. Have they work allotted? They shall have strength to do it. Have they burdens appointed? They shall have strength, and never be tempted above what they are able to bear.

Verses 26-29 None had such a God as Israel. There is no people like the Israel of God. What is here said of the church of Israel is to be applied to the spiritual church. Never were people so well seated and sheltered. Those who make God their habitation, shall have all the comforts and benefits of a habitation in him, Ps. 91:1 . Never were people so well supported and borne up. How low soever the people of God are at any time brought, everlasting arms are underneath them, to keep the spirit from sinking, from fainting, and their faith from failing. Divine grace is ( 2 Corinthians. 12:9 ) commanded. Thus believers are more than conquerors over their spiritual enemies, through Christ that loved them. Never were people so well secured and protected. Israel shall dwell in safety alone. All who keep close to God, shall be kept safe by him. Never were people so well provided for. Every true Israelite looks with faith to the better country, the heavenly Canaan, which is filled with better things than corn and wine. Never were people so well helped. If in danger of any harm, or in want of any good, they had an eternal God to go to. Nothing could hurt those whom God helped, nor was it possible the people should perish who were saved by the Lord. Never were people so well armed. Those in whose hearts is the excellency of holiness, are defended by the whole armour of God, ( Ephesians 6 ) . Never were people so well assured of victory over their enemies. Thus shall the God of peace tread Satan under the feet of all believers, and shall do it shortly, ( Romans 16:20 ) . May God help us to seek and to set our affections on the things above; and to turn our souls from earthly perishing objects; that we may not have our lot with Israel's foes in the regions of darkness and despair, but with the Israel of God, in the realms of love and eternal happiness.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 33

This chapter relates the blessings Moses pronounced upon the people of Israel a little before his death; first, in general, on account of their having a law given them in so glorious a manner, De 33:1-5; then, in particular, each of the tribes distinctly is blessed, Reuben, De 33:6; Judah, De 33:7; Levi, De 33:8-11; Benjamin, De 33:12; Joseph, De 33:13-17; Zebulun and Issachar, De 33:18,19; Gad, De 33:20,21; Dan, De 33:22; Naphtali, De 33:23; Asher, De 33:24,25; and the chapter is concluded with some strong intimations of what God was unto the people of Israel in general, and of what he had done and would do for them; all which are expressive of their great happiness, De 33:26-29.