Deuteronomy 33:1

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;)

Deuteronomy 33:1 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 33:1

And this is the blessing wherewith Moses the man of God
blessed the children of Israel before his death.
] Namely, what is related in the following verses, this being the general title to the chapter: Moses is called "the man of God", being raised up of God, and eminently qualified by him with girls for the work he was called unto, and by whom he was inspired to say what is after expressed: it is a title given to prophets, ( 1 Samuel 9:6-8 ) ; and so Onkelos here paraphrases it,

``Moses the prophet of the Lord,''

and Aben Ezra observes, that this is said to show that he blessed Israel by a spirit of prophecy, and which he did a little before his death, when very near it; and, as the same writer says, on the very day of his death.

Deuteronomy 33:1 In-Context

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.)