Deuteronomy 33:1-8

1 And this is the blessing, wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death.

2 And he said, Jehovah came from Sinai, And rose up from Seir unto them; He shone forth from mount Paran, And he came from the myriads of the sanctuary; From his right hand [went forth] a law of fire for them.

3 Yea, he loveth the peoples, All his saints are in thy hand, And they sit down at thy feet; Each receiveth of thy words.

4 Moses commanded us a law, The inheritance of the congregation of Jacob.

5 And he was king in Jeshurun, When the heads of the people And the tribes of Israel were gathered together.

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

7 And this of Judah; and he said, Hear, Jehovah, the voice of Judah, And bring him unto his people; May his hands strive for them; And be thou a help to him against his oppressors.

8 And of Levi he said, Thy Thummim and thy Urim are for thy godly one, Whom thou didst prove at Massah, With whom thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah;

Deuteronomy 33:1-8 Meaning and Commentary

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.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or 'sons.'
• [b]. Heb. Ish.
• [c]. Or 'holy myriads.'
• [d]. Others, 'fire to guide them.'
• [e]. The tribes; so in ver. 19.
• [f]. Lit. 'of number:' i.e. that can be counted [easily]: see ch. 4.27.
• [g]. Perfection, or Perfections.
• [h]. Light, or Lights: see Neh. 7.65.
• [i]. 'The man of thy goodness' or 'grace;' Heb. Chasid: see also Note, 2Chron. 6.42.