Deuteronomio 33:17

17 José tiene la majestad de un toro joven,
tiene los cuernos de un buey salvaje.
Corneará a naciones lejanas
y las arrastrará hasta los extremos de la tierra.
Esa es mi bendición para las multitudes de Efraín
y los millares de Manasés».

Deuteronomio 33:17 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 33:17

His glory [is like] the firstling of his bullock
Such as were in Bashan, a country possessed by the posterity of Joseph, see ( Psalms 22:12 ) ( Amos 4:1 ) ; and so might be called "his" bullock, or a young bull, was reckoned both comely and majestic; so Menis or Mnevis, king of Egypt, preferred a bull above all animals to be worshipped, because the most beautiful of all, as Aelianus ^F23 relates; and Astarte, according to Sanchoniatho ^F24, put a bull's head upon her own, as a sign of royalty or kingly power. The Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem refer this to the birthright which belonged to Reuben, and was taken from him, and given to Joseph, see ( 1 Chronicles 5:2 ) . Some will have Joshua intended by the firstling of his bullock, so Jarchi; who was of the tribe of Ephraim, and so famous for his strength and courage, his warlike exploits and victories, and the glory, honour, and renown he obtained; and who was a type of Christ, the first and only begotten Son of God, the brightness of his Father's glory, and the express image of his person; this is applied to the Messiah in some ancient Jewish writings ^F25:

and his horns [are like] the horns of unicorns;
of the monoceros or rhinoceros; and as the strength of these creatures, as of others, lies in their horns, these are figures of the power and strength of the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, the sons of Joseph; see ( Numbers 23:22 ) ;

with them he shall push the people together to the ends of the earth;
not to the ends of the world, as if the posterity of Joseph should carry their conquests and spread their dominion over all people to the ends of the world, as the Targum of Jonathan suggests; but to the ends of the land of Canaan, which was done by Joshua, when he smote the thirty one kings of that country. The word "push" is used in allusion to the horns of creatures, with which they push, drive away from them, or hurt and destroy those that annoy them:

and they [are] the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they [are] the
thousands of Manasseh;
though Manasseh was the eldest son of Joseph, fewer are ascribed to him than to Ephraim the younger, according to Jacob's prediction, ( Genesis 48:19 ) . This has been in a spiritual sense verified in Christ, the antitype of Joseph, the horn of salvation, who by his great strength has vanquished all his, and the enemies of his people, and even spoiled principalities and powers.

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FOOTNOTES:

F23 Hist. Animal. l. 11. c. 10.
F24 Apud Euseb. Evangel. Praepar. l. 1. p. 38.
F25 Zohar in Numb. fol. 103. 4. & in Deut. fol. 117. 3. & 118. 3. Bereshit Rabba, fol. 66. 2.

Deuteronomio 33:17 In-Context

15 con los mejores cultivos de las antiguas montañas
y la abundancia de las colinas eternas,

16 con lo mejor que da la tierra y su plenitud,
y el favor de aquel que apareció en la zarza ardiente.
Que estas bendiciones reposen sobre la cabeza de José
y coronen la frente del príncipe entre sus hermanos.

17 José tiene la majestad de un toro joven,
tiene los cuernos de un buey salvaje.
Corneará a naciones lejanas
y las arrastrará hasta los extremos de la tierra.
Esa es mi bendición para las multitudes de Efraín
y los millares de Manasés».

18 Moisés dijo lo siguiente sobre la tribu de Zabulón y la de Isacar:
«Que los de Zabulón prosperen en sus viajes.
Que los de Isacar prosperen en su casa.

19 Ellos convocan al pueblo a la montaña
para ofrecer allí los sacrificios apropiados.
Sacan provecho de las riquezas del mar
y de los tesoros escondidos en la arena».