Devarim 33:18

18 And of Zevulun he said, Rejoice, Zevulun, in thy going out; and, Yissakhar, in thy oholim.

Devarim 33:18 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 33:18

And of Zebulun he said
The tribe of Zebulun, as the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem, with whom Issachar is joined, they being brethren, and of the same mother as well as father; though Zebulun the youngest is set before Issachar the older, as in Jacob's blessing, ( Genesis 49:13 Genesis 49:14 ) ;

rejoice, Zebulun, in thy going out;
in their going out to sea, to merchandise, to traffic in foreign parts, it being a maritime tribe, see ( Genesis 49:13 ) ; and so are called upon to rejoice and be thankful for their safe preservation on the seas, and success in trade; and to this sense are the paraphrases of Jonathan and Jerusalem: though Onkelos interprets it of their going out to war against their enemies, and certain it is that they were also a warlike as well as a seafaring tribe; see ( Judges 5:18 ) ;

and Issachar, in thy tents;
being a tribe that stayed at home, and attended to husbandry, and dwelt in tents, to take care of and feed their cattle; in doing which they should be prosperous, and have occasion to rejoice, and be thankful to the Lord: though the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem carry it to a different sense, to their schools, in which they dwelt: this tribe being, as supposed, a learned tribe, studious, in the law; which is gathered from ( 1 Chronicles 12:32 ) .

Devarim 33:18 In-Context

16 And for the precious things of ha’aretz and fulness thereof, and for the good will of Him whose [shechinah] dwelling is in the [burning] bush; let the blessing come upon the head of Yosef, and upon the top of the head of him that was separated from his brethren.

17 His glory is like the bechor of his shor, and his horns are like the horns of a wild ox; with them he shall push the people together to the ends of ha’aretz; and they are the ten thousands of Ephrayim, and they are the thousands of Menasheh.

18 And of Zevulun he said, Rejoice, Zevulun, in thy going out; and, Yissakhar, in thy oholim.

19 They shall call the people unto the mountain; there they shall offer zivkhei tzedek; for they shall draw out of the abundance of the seas, and of treasures hid in the sand.

20 And of Gad he said, Baruch be he that enlargeth Gad; he dwelleth as a lion, and teareth the zero’a as well as the crown of the head.