Deuteronomy 33

1 And this the blessing with which Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death.

2 And he said, The Lord is come from Sina, and has appeared from Seir to us, and has hasted out of the mount of Pharan, with the ten thousands of Cades; on his right hand his angels with him.

3 And he spared his people, and all his sanctified ones under thy hands; and they are under thee; and he received of his words

4 the law which Moses charged us, an inheritance to the assemblies of Jacob.

5 And he shall be prince with the beloved one, when the princes of the people are gathered together with the tribes of Israel.

6 Let Ruben live, and not die; and let him be many in number.

7 And this of Juda; Hear, Lord, the voice of Juda, and do thou visit his people: his hands shall contend for him, and thou shalt be a help from his enemies.

8 And to Levi he said, Give to Levi his manifestations, and his truth to the holy man, whom they tempted in the temptation; they reviled him at the water of strife.

9 Who says to his father and mother, I have not seen thee; and he knew not his brethren, and he refused to know his sons: he kept thine oracles, and observed thy covenant.

10 They shall declare thine ordinances to Jacob, and thy law to Israel: they shall place incense in thy wrath continually upon thine altar.

11 Bless, Lord, his strength, and accept the works of his hands; break the loins of his enemies that have risen up against him, and let not them that hate him rise up.

12 And to Benjamin he said, The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in confidence, and God overshadows him always, and he rested between his shoulders.

13 And to Joseph he said, His land of the blessing of the Lord, of the seasons of sky and dew, and of the deeps of wells below,

14 and of the fruits of the changes of the sun in season, and of the produce of the months,

15 from the top of the ancient mountains, and from the top of the everlasting hills,

16 and of the fullness of the land in season: and let the things pleasing to him that dwelt in the bush come on the head of Joseph, and on the crown glorified above his brethren.

17 His beauty the firstling of his bull, his horns the horns of a unicorn; with them he shall thrust the nations at once, even from the end of the earth: these the ten thousands of Ephraim, and these the thousands of Manasse.

18 And to Zabulon he said, Rejoice, Zabulon, in thy going out, and Issachar in his tents.

19 They shall utterly destroy the nations, and ye shall call there, and there offer the sacrifice of righteousness; for the wealth of the sea shall suckle thee, and so shall the marts of them that dwell by the sea-coast.

20 And to Gad he said, Blessed he that enlarges Gad: as a lion he rested, having broken the arm and the ruler.

21 And he saw his first-fruits, that there the land of the princes gathered with the chiefs of the people was divided; the Lord wrought righteousness, and his judgment with Israel.

22 And to Dan he said, Dan a lion's whelp, and shall leap out of Basan.

23 And to Nephthali he said, Nephthali the fulness of good things; and let him be filled with blessing from the Lord: he shall inherit the west and the south.

24 And to Aser he said, Aser blessed with children; and he shall be acceptable to his brethren: he shall dip his foot in oil.

25 His sandal shall be iron and brass; as thy days, so thy strength.

26 There is not as the God of the beloved; he who rides upon the heaven thy helper, and the magnificent One of the firmament.

27 And the rule of God shall protect thee, and under the strength of the everlasting arms; and he shall cast forth the enemy from before thy face, saying, Perish.

28 And Israel shall dwell in confidence alone on the land of Jacob, with corn and wine; and the sky misty with dew upon thee.

29 Blessed thou, O Israel; who like to thee, O people saved by the Lord? thy helper shall hold his shield over thee, and sword thy boast; and thine enemies shall speak falsely to thee, and thou shalt tread upon their neck.

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.

Footnotes

• [a]. 33.2

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.