Deuteronomy 33:11

11 Bless, O Yahweh, his substance, and with the work of his hands you must be pleased; smite the loins of those who attack him, and those hating him, {so that they cannot arise}."

Deuteronomy 33:11 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 33:11

Bless, Lord, his substance
Which lay in tithes, firstfruits for the priests and Levites had no share in the division of the land; unless this can be understood of the cities and suburbs which were given them, or of houses and fields devoted, which fell unto them, or rather of their cattle, for the use of which they had suburbs appointed them; for otherwise in husbandry and merchandise they were not employed: some render it "an host" or army F12, their service being a militia, or warfare, ( Numbers 4:3 ) ; Jarchi refers this to the Hasmonaeans or Maccabees, which were of this tribe;

and accept the work of his hands;
in offering incense and sacrifices, and all other administrations of the office of priests and Levites; thus the righteousness and sacrifice of Christ are of a sweet smelling savour, and very acceptable to God; and all the spiritual sacrifices of the saints who are priests unto God, as of prayer and praise, are acceptable to him through Jesus Christ:

smite through the loins of them that rise against him;
such as were the companies of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram; and in all ages faithful ministers of the word meet with many enemies, whom they would not be, able to withstand were not the Lord to appear for them, and protect them from them, and smite them thoroughly:

and of them that hate them, that they rise not again;
destroying them with an utter destruction, so that they are not able to make any other efforts upon them; for such who are enemies to the priests of the Lord are enemies to him, and to true religion, enemies to God and Christ, to the law and to the Gospel, to the word of God and to the ordinances of it, and therefore to be severely handled and thoroughly punished: Christ's enemies shall all be subdued under him; see ( Psalms 110:1 Psalms 110:5 Psalms 110:6 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F12 (wlyx) "copiis ejus", Junius & Tremellius; "[vel] exercitibus ejus", Piscator.

Deuteronomy 33:11 In-Context

9 The [one] saying of his father and of his mother, 'I have not regarded them,' and his brothers he [did] not acknowledge, and his children [he did] not know, but [rather] they observed your word, and your covenant they kept.
10 They taught your regulations to Jacob, and your law to Israel; they placed incense smoke {before you}, and whole burnt offerings on your altar.
11 Bless, O Yahweh, his substance, and with the work of his hands you must be pleased; smite the loins of those who attack him, and those hating him, {so that they cannot arise}."
12 Of Benjamin he said, "The beloved of Yahweh dwells {securely}, the Most High shields [all] around him, all the day, and between his shoulders he dwells."
13 And of Joseph he said, "Blessed by Yahweh [is] his land, with the choice things of heaven, with dew, and with the deep lying down beneath,

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Literally "so that not they stand up"
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