Deu 33 | HCSB | STEP | This is the blessing that Moses , the man of God , gave the Israelites before his death .

‏ Deuteronomy 33

Moses’ Blessings

1 This is the blessing that Moses, the man of God, gave the Israelites before his death. ^a 2 He said:

The Lord came from Sinai
and appeared to them from Seir;
He shone on them from Mount Paran
and came with ten thousand holy ones, ^{▼▼LXX reads Mount Paran with ten thousands from Kadesh}
with lightning ^{▼▼Or fiery law; Hb obscure} from His right hand ^{▼▼Or ones, from His southland to the mountain slopes} for them. ^e
3 Indeed He loves the people. ^{▼▼Or peoples
,} ^g
All Your ^{▼▼Lit His, or its} holy ones ^{▼▼Either the saints of Israel or angels} are in Your hand,
and they assemble ^{▼▼Hb obscure} at Your feet.
Each receives Your words.
4 Moses gave us instruction,
a possession for the assembly of Jacob.
5 So He became King in Jeshurun ^{▼▼= Upright One, referring to Israel}
when the leaders of the people gathered
with the tribes of Israel.

6 Let Reuben live and not die
though his people become few. ^l

7 He said this about Judah:

Lord, hear Judah’s cry and bring him to his people.
He fights for his cause ^{▼▼Or He contends for them} with his own hands,
but may You be a help against his foes.

8 He said about Levi:

Your ^{▼▼Urim & Thummim: Two objects used by Israelite priests to determine God's will}Thummim and Urim belong to Your faithful one; ^{▼▼DSS, LXX read Give to Levi Your Thummim, Your Urim to Your favored one}
You tested him at Massah
and contended with him at the waters of Meribah. ^p
9 He said about his father and mother,
“I do not regard them.”
He disregarded his brothers
and didn’t acknowledge his sons,
for they kept Your word
and maintained Your covenant. ^q
10 They will teach Your ordinances to Jacob
and Your instruction to Israel; ^r
they will set incense before You
and whole ^{▼▼burnt offering(s): Or holocaust, an offering completely burned to ashes; it was used in connection with worship, seeking God's favor, expiating sin, or averting judgment.}burnt offerings on Your altar.
11 Lord, bless his possessions, ^{▼▼Or abilities}
and accept the work of his hands.
Smash the loins of his adversaries and enemies,
so that they cannot rise again.

12 He said about Benjamin:

The Lord’s beloved rests ^{▼▼Or Let the Lord’s beloved rest} securely on Him.
He ^{▼▼LXX reads The Most High} shields him all day long,
and he rests on His shoulders. ^{▼▼Or and He dwells among his mountain slopes}

13 He said about Joseph:

May his land be blessed by the Lord
with the dew of heaven’s bounty
and the watery depths that lie beneath; ^x
14 with the bountiful harvest from the sun
and the abundant yield of the seasons;
15 with the best products of the ancient mountains
and the bounty of the eternal hills;
16 with the choice gifts of the land
and everything in it;
and with the favor of Him
who appeared ^{▼▼Lit dwelt} in the burning bush. ^z
May these rest on the head of Joseph,
on the crown of the prince of his brothers. ^aa
17 His firstborn bull has ^{▼▼Some DSS, Sam, LXX, Syr, Vg read A firstborn bull – he has} splendor,
and horns like ^{▼▼Lit and his horns are} those of a wild ox;
he gores all the peoples with them
to the ends of the earth.
Such are the ten thousands of Ephraim,
and such are the thousands of Manasseh.

18 He said about Zebulun:

Rejoice, Zebulun, in your journeys,
and Issachar, in your tents.
19 They summon the peoples to a mountain;
there they offer acceptable sacrifices.
For they draw from the wealth of the seas
and the hidden treasures of the sand. ^ad

20 He said about Gad:

The one who enlarges Gad’s territory
will be blessed.
He lies down like a lion
and tears off an arm or even a head. ^ae
21 He chose the best part for himself,
because a ruler’s portion was assigned there for him.
He came with the leaders of the people;
he carried out the Lord’s justice
and His ordinances for Israel. ^af

22 He said about Dan:

Dan is a young lion,
leaping out of Bashan. ^ag

23 He said about Naphtali:

Naphtali, enjoying approval,
full of the Lord’s blessing,
take ^{▼▼Sam, LXX, Syr, Vg, Tg read he will take} possession to the west and the south.

24 He said about Asher:

May Asher ^{▼▼= Happy or Blessed; Gn 30:13} be the most blessed of the sons;
may he be the most favored among his brothers
and dip his foot in olive oil. ^{▼▼A symbol for prosperity
,} ^ak
25 May the bolts of your gate be iron and bronze,
and your strength last as long as you live.

26 There is none like the God of Jeshurun, ^{▼▼= Upright One, referring to Israel}
who rides the heavens to your aid,
the clouds in His majesty. ^am
27 The God of old is your dwelling place, ^an
and underneath are the everlasting arms.
He drives out the enemy before you
and commands, “Destroy!”
28 So Israel dwells securely;
Jacob lives untroubled ^{▼▼Text emended; MT reads Jacob’s fountain is alone
,} ^ap
in a land of grain and new wine;
even his skies drip with dew. ^aq
29 How happy you are, Israel!
Who is like you,
a people saved by the Lord?
He is the shield that protects you,
the sword you boast in.
Your enemies will cringe before you, ^ar
and you will tread on their backs. ^{▼▼Or high places
,} ^at