Deuteronomy 33:1-8

1 This is the blessing, with which Moses, the man of God, blessed the sons of Israel before his death; (This is the blessing, with which Moses, the man of God, blessed the Israelites before his death;)

2 and said, The Lord came from Sinai, and he rose to us from Seir; he appeared from the hill of Paran, and thousands of saints with him; a law of fire in his right hand. (and he said, The Lord came from Sinai, and he rose up like the sun to us from Seir, or Edom; he appeared from Mount Paran, and thousands of saints, or holy ones, or angels, were with him; a Law of fire was in his right hand.)

3 He loved peoples; all saints be in his hand, and they that nigh to his feet shall take of his doctrine. (He loved the people; all the saints be in the palm of his hand, and they who sit at his feet shall receive his doctrine, or his teaching.)

4 Moses commanded the law to us, the heritage of the multitude of Jacob. (Yea, the Law which Moses commanded to us, the inheritance of the multitude of Jacob.)

5 And the king shall be at the most rightful, when princes of the people be gathered together with the lineages of Israel. (And then the King was there in Jeshurun, when the leaders of the people were gathered together with the tribes of Israel.)

6 Reuben live, and die not, and be he little in number. (May the tribe of Reuben live, and not die out, but be they few in number.)

7 This is the blessing of Judah; Lord, hear thou the voice of Judah, and bring in him to his people; his hands shall fight for him, and the helper of him, shall be against his adversaries. (This is the blessing for the tribe of Judah; Lord, hear thou the voice of Judah, and unite them again with the other tribes; thy hands shall fight for them, and thou shalt be their helper against their adversaries.)

8 Also he said to Levi, Thy perfection and thy teaching is of an holy man, whom thou hast proved in temptation, and hast deemed at the Waters of Against-saying; (And he said of the tribe of Levi, Lord, may thy Thummim and thy Urim be with them, thy holy servants, whom thou hast proved at Massah, and hast judged 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.