Devarim 33:21

21 And he provided the reshit for himself, when the chelkat mechokek (lawgiver’s chelek) was assigned. When the Rashei Am came, he executed the Tzidkat Hashem, and His mishpatim with Yisroel.

Devarim 33:21 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 33:21

And he provided a first part for himself
That is, the portion of the land of Sihon and Og, as Jarchi rightly interprets it; which was the beginning or firstfruits of the subduing of the land that was promised; this he looked at, chose, and desired it as his inheritance, ( Numbers 32:1 Numbers 32:2 ) ;

because there, [in] a portion of the lawgiver, [was he] seated;
or in the portion and part of the inheritance of Israel was he placed by Moses the lawgiver, according to the will of God; or because there were in it palaces and towers of great personages, lawgivers, kings, and princes, well covered and strongly fortified; or here he was "hid", or "protected", i.e. their families, wives, and children, while they assisted their brethren in subduing Canaan:

and he came with the heads of the people;
either "to" them, to Moses, Eleazar, and the seventy elders, and the heads of the tribes of Israel, to ask leave to have his part and portion on the other side Jordan, or "with" them, as we supply it; came with them over Jordan armed, to assist in the conquest and subduing of the land of Canaan:

he executed the justice of the Lord, and his judgments with Israel;
that is, either he justly and truly fulfilled all his promises and engagements, on condition of which he was placed on the other side; or he, together with the rest of the Israelites, executed the righteous judgment of God upon the Canaanites, in the expulsion and destruction of them.

Devarim 33:21 In-Context

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.

21 And he provided the reshit for himself, when the chelkat mechokek (lawgiver’s chelek) was assigned. When the Rashei Am came, he executed the Tzidkat Hashem, and His mishpatim with Yisroel.

22 And of Dan he said, Dan is a gur aryeh (lion’s whelp); he shall leap from Bashan.

23 And of Naphtali he said, O Naphtali, satisfied with ratzon, and full with the Birkat Hashem; possess thou the west and the south.