Devarim 33

1 3 And this is the brocha, wherewith Moshe the Ish HaElohim blessed the Bnei Yisroel before moto (his death).

2 And he said, Hashem came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; He shined forth from Mt Paran, and He came with ten thousands of kodesh; from His right hand went a fiery law for them.

3 Yea, He loved the amim; kol kedoshav (all His holy ones) are in Thy hand: and they sat down at Thy feet; every one shall receive of Thy devarot.

4 Moshe charged us with a torah, even the morashah kehillat Ya’akov (heritage of the Congregation of Ya’akov).

5 And He was Melech in Yeshurun, when the Rashei Am and the Shivtei Yisroel were gathered together.

6 Let Reuven live, and not die; and let not his men be few.

7 And this to Yehudah: and he said, Shema, Hashem, the voice of Yehudah, and bring him unto his people; let his hands contend for him; and be Thou an ezer (help) to him from his enemies.

8 And of Levi he said, Let Thy Tummim and Thy Urim be with Thy chasid, whom Thou didst prove at Massah, and with whom Thou didst strive at the waters of Merivah;

9 Who said unto his av and to his em, I have not seen him; neither did he acknowledge his brethren, nor knew his own banim; for they [Levi’im] have been shomer over Thy word, and Thy Brit they have preserved.

10 They shall teach Ya’akov Thy mishpatim, and Yisroel Thy torah; they shall put ketorah before Thee, and kalil (whole burnt offerings) upon Thine mizbe’ach.

11 Bless, O Hashem, his resources, and accept the work of his hands; strike through the loins of them that rise against him, and of them that hate him, that they rise not again.

12 And of Binyamin he said, Yedid Hashem shall dwell in safety by Him; and Hashem shall hover over him all day long, and he (Yedid Hashem, beloved of Hashem) shall rest between His shoulders.

13 And of Yosef he said, Mevorekhet Hashem (Blessed of Hashem) be his land, for the precious things of Shomayim, for the tal, and for the tehom (deep waters) that coucheth below,

14 With the choice fruits brought forth by the shemesh, and choice crops put forth by the yarei’ach,

15 And with the choicest of the harrei kedem (eternal mountains), and for the precious things of the everlasting hills,

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.

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.

24 And of Asher he said, Baruch be Asher with banim; let him be acceptable to his brethren, and let him tovel (dip, immerse as in tevilah) his foot in shemen.

25 Thy bars shall be barzel (iron) and nechoshet (bronze); and as thy yamim, so shall thy strength be.

26 There is none like unto El Yeshurun, who rideth upon Shomayim to be thy ezer (help), and on the sky in His majesty.

27 Elohei Kedem is thy me’onah (dwelling place), and underneath are the Zero’ot Olam (Everlasting Arms): and He shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Make them shmad.

28 Yisroel then shall dwell in safety alone; the fountain of Ya’akov shall be upon an eretz dagan (land of grain) and tirosh (new wine); also His heavens shall drop down tal.

29 Happy art thou, O Yisroel; who is like unto thee, O people saved by Hashem, the mogen of thy ezer and the cherev of thy majesty! Thine enemies shall come fawning unto thee; and thou shalt trample down their high places.

Devarim 33 Commentary

Chapter 33

The glorious majesty of God. (1-5) The blessings of the twelve tribes. (6-23) Strength to believers. (24,25) The excellency of Israel. (26-29)

Verses 1-5 To all his precepts, warnings, and prophecies, Moses added a solemn blessing. He begins with a description of the glorious appearances of God, in giving the law. His law works like fire. If received, it is melting, warming, purifying, and burns up the dross of corruption; if rejected, it hardens, sears, pains, and destroys. The Holy Spirit came down in cloven tongues, as of fire; for the gospel also is a fiery law. The law of God written in the heart, is a certain proof of the love of God shed abroad there: we must reckon His law one of the gifts of his grace.

Verses 6-23 The order in which the tribes are here blessed, is not the same as is observed elsewhere. The blessing of Judah may refer to the whole tribe in general, or to David as a type of Christ. Moses largely blesses the tribe of Levi. Acceptance with God is what we should all aim at, and desire, in all our devotions, ( 2 Corinthians. 5:9 ) prophecy, that God will keep up a ministry in his church to the end of time. The tribe of Benjamin had their inheritance close to mount Zion. To be situated near the ordinances, is a precious gift from the Lord, a privilege not to be exchanged for any worldly advantage, or indulgence. We should thankfully receive the earthly blessings sent to us, through the successive seasons. But those good gifts which come down from the Father of lights, through the rising of the Sun of righteousness, and the pouring out of his Spirit like the rain which makes fruitful, are infinitely more precious, as the tokens of his special love. The precious things here prayed for, are figures of spiritual blessing in heavenly things by Christ, the gifts, graces, and comforts of the Spirit. When Moses prays for the good will of Him that dwelt in the bush, he refers to the covenant, on which all our hopes of God's favour must be founded. The providence of God appoints men's habitations, and wisely disposes men to different employments for the public good. Whatever our place and business are, it is our wisdom and duty to apply thereto; and it is happiness to be well pleased therewith. We should not only invite others to the service of God, but abound in it. The blessing of Naphtali. The favour of God is the only favour satisfying to the soul. Those are happy indeed, who have the favour of God; and those shall have it, who reckon that in having it they have enough, and desire no more.

Verses 24-25 All shall be sanctified to true believers; if their way be rough, their feet shall be shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. As thy days, so shall thy strength be. The "day" is often in Scripture put for the events of the day; it is a promise that God would graciously and constantly support under trials and troubles, whatever they were. It is a promise sure to all the spiritual seed of Abraham. Have they work allotted? They shall have strength to do it. Have they burdens appointed? They shall have strength, and never be tempted above what they are able to bear.

Verses 26-29 None had such a God as Israel. There is no people like the Israel of God. What is here said of the church of Israel is to be applied to the spiritual church. Never were people so well seated and sheltered. Those who make God their habitation, shall have all the comforts and benefits of a habitation in him, Ps. 91:1 . Never were people so well supported and borne up. How low soever the people of God are at any time brought, everlasting arms are underneath them, to keep the spirit from sinking, from fainting, and their faith from failing. Divine grace is ( 2 Corinthians. 12:9 ) commanded. Thus believers are more than conquerors over their spiritual enemies, through Christ that loved them. Never were people so well secured and protected. Israel shall dwell in safety alone. All who keep close to God, shall be kept safe by him. Never were people so well provided for. Every true Israelite looks with faith to the better country, the heavenly Canaan, which is filled with better things than corn and wine. Never were people so well helped. If in danger of any harm, or in want of any good, they had an eternal God to go to. Nothing could hurt those whom God helped, nor was it possible the people should perish who were saved by the Lord. Never were people so well armed. Those in whose hearts is the excellency of holiness, are defended by the whole armour of God, ( Ephesians 6 ) . Never were people so well assured of victory over their enemies. Thus shall the God of peace tread Satan under the feet of all believers, and shall do it shortly, ( Romans 16:20 ) . May God help us to seek and to set our affections on the things above; and to turn our souls from earthly perishing objects; that we may not have our lot with Israel's foes in the regions of darkness and despair, but with the Israel of God, in the realms of love and eternal happiness.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 33

This chapter relates the blessings Moses pronounced upon the people of Israel a little before his death; first, in general, on account of their having a law given them in so glorious a manner, De 33:1-5; then, in particular, each of the tribes distinctly is blessed, Reuben, De 33:6; Judah, De 33:7; Levi, De 33:8-11; Benjamin, De 33:12; Joseph, De 33:13-17; Zebulun and Issachar, De 33:18,19; Gad, De 33:20,21; Dan, De 33:22; Naphtali, De 33:23; Asher, De 33:24,25; and the chapter is concluded with some strong intimations of what God was unto the people of Israel in general, and of what he had done and would do for them; all which are expressive of their great happiness, De 33:26-29.