Deuteronomy 33:20

20 He said about Gad: The one who enlarges Gad's [territory] will be blessed. He lies down like a lion and tears off an arm or even a head.^[a]

Deuteronomy 33:20 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 33:20

And of Gad he said
The tribe of Gad, as the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem:

blessed [be] he that enlargeth Gad;
that is, the Lord, to whom the praise and glory were to be given, who had appointed to Gad a large inheritance on the other side Jordan, and had settled him in it, and which became larger by the conquest of the Hagarites, and others, ( 1 Chronicles 5:18-22 ) ;

he dwelleth as a lion;
bold and courageous, secure, and without fear of any of his enemies, though near him, on his borders, as the Moabites and Ammonites were; of the same spirit and temper were the men of the tribe of Gad in the times of David, ( 1 Chronicles 12:8 ) ;

and teareth the arm with the crown of the head,
at once, just as a lion tears its prey; which figurative phrases are expressive of this tribe conquering and destroying strong and mighty men, signified by the "arm", in which the strength of a man lies, and of kings and governors, pointed at by the "crown of the head"; as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan; which was done in the times of Joshua, when with and under him they subdued and destroyed the kings and princes of the land of Canaan.

Deuteronomy 33:20 In-Context

18 He said about Zebulun: Rejoice, Zebulun, in your journeys, and Issachar, in your tents.

19 They summon the peoples to a mountain; there they offer acceptable sacrifices. For they draw from the wealth of the seas and the hidden treasures of the sand.

20 He said about Gad: The one who enlarges Gad's [territory] will be blessed. He lies down like a lion and tears off an arm or even a head.

21 He chose the best [part] for himself, because a ruler's portion was assigned there for him. He came [with] the leaders of the people; he carried out the Lord's justice and His ordinances for Israel.

22 He said about Dan: Dan is a young lion, leaping out of Bashan.

Footnotes

• [a] 1 Ch 12:8