Deuteronomy 33

1 This is the blessinge where with Moses gods man blessed the childern of Israel before his deeth

2 sayenge: The Lord came fro Sinai and shewed his beames from Seir vnto them, and appered gloriously from mount Paran, and he came with thousandes of sayntes, and in his right hande a lawe of fyre for them

3 How loued he the people? All his sayntes are in his honde. They yoyned the selues vnto thy fote and receaued thi wordes.

4 Moses gaue us a lawe which is the enheritaunce of the cogregacion of Iacob.

5 And he was in Israel kinge when he gathered the heedes of the people and the tribes of Israel to gether.

6 Ruben shall lyue and shall not dye: but his people shalbe few in numbre.

7 This is the blessynge of Iuda. And he sayed: heare Lorde the voyce of Iuda and bringe him vnto his people: let his handes fyght for him: but he thou his helpe agenst his enemies.

8 And vnto Leui he sayed: thy perfectnesse ad thi light be after thy mercyfull ma who thou temptest at Masa ad with whom thou striuedst at the waters of strife.

9 He that saieth vnto his father ad mother. I sawe him not, ad vnto his brethern I knewe not, and to his sonne I wote not: for they haue obserued thi wordes and kepte thy testament.

10 They shall teach Iacob thi iudgementes ad Israel thi lawes. They shall put cens before thi nose and whole sacrifices apon thine altare.

11 Blesse Lorde their power and accepte the workes of their hondes: smyte the backes of them that ryse agest them and of them that hate them: that they ryse not agayne.

12 Vnto Ben Iamin he sayed: The Lordes derlynge shall dwell in saffetye by him and kepe him selfe in the hauen by hym contynually, and shall dwell betwene his shulders.

13 And vnto Ioseph he sayed: blessed of the Lorde is his londe with the goodly frutes off heauen, with dewe and with sprynges that lye beneth:

14 and with frutes of the encrease of the sonne and with rype frute off the monethes,

15 and with the toppes of mountaynes that were from the begynnynge and with the dayntes of hilles that last euer

16 and with goodly frute of the erth and off the fulnesse there of. And the good will of him that dwelleth in the bush shall come vppon the heed of Ioseph and vppon the toppe of the heed of him that was separated fro amonge his brethern

17 his bewtye is as a firstborne oxe and his hornes as the hornes of an vnycorne. And with them he shall push the nacions to gether, euen vnto the endes of the worlde. These are the many thousandes of Ephraim and the thousandes off Manasse.

18 And vnto Zabulon he sayed: Reioyse Zabulon in thi goenge out, and thou Isachar in thi tentes.

19 They shall call the people vnto the hill, and there they shall offer offerynges of righteousnes. For they shall sucke of the abundaunce of the see and of treasure hyd in the fonde.

20 And vnto Gad he sayed: blessed is the rowmmaker Gad. He dwelleth as a lion and caught the arme ad also the toppe of the heed

21 He sawe his begynnynge, that a parte of the teachers were hyd there ad come with the heedes of the people, and executed the righteousnes of the Lorde and his iudgementes with Israel.

22 And vnto Dan he sayed: Dan is a lions whelpe, he shall flowe from Basan.

23 And vnto Nepthali he sayed: Nephali he shall haue abundance of pleasure and shalbe fylled with the blessinge of the Lorde ad shall haue his possessions in the southwest.

24 And of Asser he sayed: Asser shalbe blessed with childern: he shalbe acceptable vnto his brethern and shall dyppe his fote in oyle:

25 Yern and brasse shall hange on thi showes and thine age shalbe as thi youth.

26 There is none like vnto the God of the off Israel: he that sitteth vppon heauen shalbe thine helpe, whose glorie is in the cloudes,

27 that is the dwellinge place of God from the begynynge and from vnder the armes of the worlde: he hath cast out thine enemies before the and sayed: destroye.

28 And Israel shall dwell in saffetye alone. And the eyes of Iacob shall loke appon a londe of corne and wyne, moreouer his heauen shall droppe with dewe.

29 Happye art thou Israel, who is like vnto the? A people that art saued by the Lorde thy shilde and helper and swerde of thi glorye. And thyne enemyes shall hyde them selues from the, and thou shalt walke vppon their hye hilles.

Deuteronomy 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.