Deuteronomy 33:29

29 Blessed are you, Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD? He is your shield and helper and your glorious sword. Your enemies will cower before you, and you will tread on their heights.”

Deuteronomy 33:29 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
29 Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the LORD, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency! and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places.
English Standard Version (ESV)
29 Happy are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD, the shield of your help, and the sword of your triumph! Your enemies shall come fawning to you, and you shall tread upon their backs."
New Living Translation (NLT)
29 How blessed you are, O Israel! Who else is like you, a people saved by the LORD ? He is your protecting shield and your triumphant sword! Your enemies will cringe before you, and you will stomp on their backs!”
The Message Bible (MSG)
29 Lucky Israel! Who has it as good as you? A people saved by God! The Shield who defends you, the Sword who brings triumph. Your enemies will come crawling on their bellies and you'll march on their backs.
American Standard Version (ASV)
29 Happy art thou, O Israel: Who is like unto thee, a people saved by Jehovah, The shield of thy help, And the sword of thy excellency! And thine enemies shall submit themselves unto thee; And thou shalt tread upon their high places.
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
29 You are blessed, Israel! Who is like you, a nation saved by the LORD? He is a shield that helps you and a sword that wins your victories. Your enemies will come crawling to you, and you will stomp on their backs."
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
29 How happy you are, Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord? He is the shield that protects you, the sword you boast in. Your enemies will cringe before you, and you will tread on their backs.
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
29 Israel, how blessed you are! Who is like you? The LORD has saved you. He keeps you safe. He helps you. He's like a glorious sword to you. Your enemies will bow down to you in fear. You will bring them under your control."

Deuteronomy 33:29 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 33:29

Happy [art] thou, O Israel
This is the conclusion of the blessing on Israel summed up in a few words; they having God to be their God, and having so many good things promised them, and in sight of them; being now got through, the wilderness, and on the borders of the land of Canaan; as all such must be happy, whose covenant God is the Lord; since they must be beloved of him, chosen by him, and blessed with all spiritual blessings; and in the faith, hope, and view of eternal happiness:

who [is] like unto thee?
for an interest in the favour of God, for a share in the blessings of goodness, for a good God, a good land, and good laws; for wisdom and knowledge, for riches and honour, for holiness and happiness:

O people saved by the Lord;
redeemed by him out of Egypt, preserved in the wilderness, saved from many dangers and enemies, and now brought near to the land of Canaan. The Targum of Jonathan is,

``saved or redeemed in the name of the word of the Lord:''

by whom the spiritual Israel of God are redeemed from all their sins, from the curses of the law, and out of the hand of all their enemies; and are and will be completely saved in soul and body, with an everlasting salvation:

the shield of thy help;
that, is, the Lord, by whom they are saved; he is the shield that protects them; the shield of faith and of salvation, which faith lays hold on and makes use of for its defence, and who is the help of his people in all times of trouble:

and who is the sword of thy excellency;
to destroy their enemies, and whereby they would be raised to that excellency and glory they were in the land of Canaan;

and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee;
who threatened what they would do unto them, but were not able: or "shall lie unto thee" F15, be in such dread and fear as to tell lies to save themselves, and pretend to be what they were not, as the Gibeonites did, of whom Jarchi interprets this passage:

and thou shall tread upon their, high places;
be possessed of their cities and fortresses, built on an eminence; see ( Deuteronomy 32:13 ) ; all the three Targums, and so Jarchi, interpret it of treading on the necks of their kings, which was fulfilled, ( Joshua 10:24 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F15 (wvxky) "mentientur", Montanus, Tigurine version; "mentiuntur", Cocceius.

Deuteronomy 33:29 In-Context

27 The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. He will drive out your enemies before you, saying, ‘Destroy them!’
28 So Israel will live in safety; Jacob will dwell secure in a land of grain and new wine, where the heavens drop dew.
29 Blessed are you, Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD? He is your shield and helper and your glorious sword. Your enemies will cower before you, and you will tread on their heights.”

Cross References 5

  • 1. Psalms 1:1; Psalms 32:1-2; Psalms 144:15
  • 2. 2 Samuel 22:45; Psalms 18:44; Psalms 66:3; Psalms 81:15
  • 3. Deuteronomy 4:7; 2 Samuel 7:23
  • 4. Genesis 15:1; Exodus 18:4; Psalms 10:14; Psalms 18:1; Psalms 27:1,9; Psalms 30:10; Psalms 54:4; Psalms 70:5; Psalms 115:9-11; Psalms 118:7; Isaiah 45:24; Hosea 13:9; Habakkuk 3:19
  • 5. S Numbers 33:52; S Deuteronomy 32:13
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