Deuteronomy — Chapter 33

This is the blessing with which Moses, the agent of God, bade the Israelites farewell before he died.

He said: GOD came from Sinai,And shone upon them from Seir—Appearing from Mount Paran,And approaching from Ribeboth-kodesh,aRibeboth-kodesh Cf. Meribath-kadesh, 32.51. Lightning flashing at them from [God’s] right.bLightning flashing…from [God’s] right Meaning of Heb. mi-ymino ʼesh dath uncertain, perhaps a place name.

cThe meaning of vv. 3–5 is uncertain. An alternative rendering, with v. 3 apostrophizing Moses, is: “3Then were, O lover of the people, / All [God’s] worshipers in your care; / They followed your lead, / Accepted your precepts. / 4Moses charged us with the Teaching / As the heritage of the congregation of Jacob. / 5Thus was he king in Jeshurun….” Lover, indeed, of the people,Their hallowed are all in Your hand.They followed in Your steps,Accepting Your pronouncements,

When Moses charged us with the TeachingAs the heritage of the congregation of Jacob.

Then [God] became KingdKing I.e., the One who provides protection and caring help, in return for loyalty. in Jeshurun,eJeshurun See note at 32.15. When the heads of the people assembled,The tribes of Israel together.

May Reuben live and not die,Though few be his numbers.

And this he said of Judah:Hear, O ETERNAL One, the voice of JudahAnd restore him to his people.Though his own hands strive for him,fThough his own hands strive for him Better (vocalizing rab with pathaḥ) “Make his hands strong for him.” Cf. rabbeh, Judg. 9.29. Help him against his foes.

And of Levi he said:Let Your Thummim and UrimBe with Your faithful one,Whom You tested at Massah,Challenged at the Waters of Meribah;

Who said of his father and mother,“I consider them not.”His brothers he disregarded,Ignored his own children.Your precepts alone they observed,And kept Your covenant.

They shall teach Your laws to JacobAnd Your instructions to Israel.They shall offer You incense to savorgThey shall offer You incense to savor Lit. “They shall place incense in Your nostril.” And whole-offerings on Your altar.

Bless, O ETERNAL One, his substance,And favor his undertakings.Smite the loins of his foes;Let his enemies rise no more.

Of Benjamin he said:Beloved of GOD,He rests securely close by,Ever protected,As he rests between God’s shoulders.hAs he rests between God’s shoulders Or “He dwells amid God’s slopes.”

And of Joseph he said:Blessed of GOD be his landWith the bounty of dew from heaven,iWith the bounty of dew from heaven Targum Onkelos and two Hebrew manuscripts: “With the bounty of heaven above,” reading meʻal (“above”) for miṭṭal (lit. “from dew”), cf. Gen. 49.25. And of the deep that couches below;

With the bounteous yield of the sun,And the bounteous crop of the moons;

With the best from the ancient mountains,And the bounty of hills immemorial;

With the bounty of earth and its fullness,And the favor of the PresencejPresence Lit. “Dweller”; cf. Exod. 3.1ff. in the Bush.May these rest on the head of Joseph,On the crown of the elect of his brothers.

Like a firstling bull in his majesty,He has horns like the horns of the wild-ox;With them he gores the peoples,The ends of the earth one and all.ThesekThese I.e., one of the wild-ox’s horns. are the myriads of Ephraim,ThoselThose I.e., the other horn. are the thousands of Manasseh.

And of Zebulun he said:Rejoice, O Zebulun, on your journeys,And Issachar, in your tents.

They invite their kin to the mountain,Where they offer sacrifices of success.For they draw from the riches of the seaAnd the hidden hoards of the sand.

And of Gad he said:Blessed be the One who enlarges Gad!Poised is he like a lionTo tear off arm and scalp.

mMeaning of verse uncertain; cf. vv. 3–5 (with note there), and saphun “esteemed” in post-biblical Heb. He chose for himself the best,For there is the portion of the revered chieftain,Where the heads of the people come.He executed GOD’s judgmentsAnd decisions for Israel.

And of Dan he said:Dan is a lion’s whelpThat leaps forth from Bashan.

And of Naphtali he said:O Naphtali, sated with favorAnd full of GOD’s blessing,Take possession on the west and south.

And of Asher he said:Most blessed of sons be Asher;May he be the favorite of his brothers,May he dip his foot in oil.

nMeaning of verse uncertain. May your doorbolts be iron and copper,And your security last all your days.

O Jeshurun,oJeshurun See note at 32.15. there is none like God,Riding through the heavens to help you,Through the skies in heavenly majesty.

pMeaning of verse uncertain. The ancient God is a refuge,A support are the arms everlasting—Driving out the enemy before youBy a command: Destroy!

Thus Israel dwells in safety,Untroubled is Jacob’s abode,In a land of grain and wine,Under heavens dripping dew.

O happy Israel! Who is like you,A people delivered by GOD,Your protecting Shield, your Sword triumphant!Your enemies shall come cringing before you,And you shall tread on their backs.