Deuteronomy 33

And this is the blessing, wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death.

1This is the blessing Moses gave Israel before he died. Moses was a man of God.

2And he said, The LORD came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; he shined forth from mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints: from his right hand went a fiery law for them.

2Moses said, "The LORD came from Sinai. He rose like the sun over Seir. He shone out from Mount Paran. He came with thousands and thousands of holy ones. Blazing fire was at his right hand."

3Yea, he loved the people; all his saints are in thy hand: and they sat down at thy feet; every one shall receive of thy words.

3"You truly love your people. All the holy ones are safe in your hand. They sit down at your feet. Each one takes in your words."

4Moses commanded us a law, even the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob.

4"Moses gave us God's law. It belongs to all the family of Jacob."

5And he was king in Jeshurun, when the heads of the people and the tribes of Israel were gathered together.

5"The LORD was king in Jeshurun, another name for Israel. The leaders and the tribes had gathered together."

6Let Reuben live, and not die; and let not his men be few.

6"Let Reuben live and not die. Let his people not be few."

7And this is the blessing of Judah: and he said, Hear, LORD, the voice of Judah, and bring him unto his people: let his hands be sufficient for him; and be thou an help to him from his enemies.

7This is what Moses said about Judah: "LORD, hear Judah when he calls. Bring him back to his people. Let his own hands be strong enough. Help him against his enemies."

8And of Levi he said, Let thy Thummim and thy Urim be with thy holy one, whom thou didst prove at Massah, and with whom thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah;

8About Levi he said: "Give your Thummim and your Urim to Levi, who belongs to you. You tested him at Massah. You argued with him at the waters of Meribah."

NoteThe Urim and the Thummim were objects the priests kept and used to find out God's answer to a question. Nobody today knows exactly what they looked like.

9Who said unto his father and to his mother, I have not seen him; neither did he acknowledge his brethren, nor knew his own children: for they have observed thy word, and kept thy covenant.

9"He said about his father and mother, 'I do not put them first.' He did not take his brothers' side, or even his own sons'. He obeyed your word and kept his agreement with you."

10They shall teach Jacob thy judgments, and Israel thy law: they shall put incense before thee, and whole burnt sacrifice upon thine altar.

10"Levi's family will teach your rules to Jacob and your law to Israel. They will burn incense, sweet-smelling smoke, in front of you. They will bring whole animals to burn on your altar."

11Bless, LORD, his substance, and accept the work of his hands: smite through the loins of them that rise against him, and of them that hate him, that they rise not again.

11"LORD, bless all that Levi owns. Be pleased with the work of his hands. Strike down anyone who attacks him. Let those who hate him never stand up again."

12And of Benjamin he said, The beloved of the LORD shall dwell in safety by him; and the Lord shall cover him all the day long, and he shall dwell between his shoulders.

12About Benjamin he said: "The one the LORD loves will live safe beside him. God shields him all day long. He rests between God's shoulders."

13And of Joseph he said, Blessed of the LORD be his land, for the precious things of heaven, for the dew, and for the deep that coucheth beneath,

13About Joseph he said: "May the LORD bless Joseph's land. May he send the best gifts from the sky, the dew, and the deep water far below."

14And for the precious fruits brought forth by the sun, and for the precious things put forth by the moon,

14"May the sun bring him rich fruit. May every month bring its best crops."

15And for the chief things of the ancient mountains, and for the precious things of the lasting hills,

15"May the oldest mountains give him their finest. May the hills that last forever give their best."

16And for the precious things of the earth and fulness thereof, and for the good will of him that dwelt in the bush: let the blessing come upon the head of Joseph, and upon the top of the head of him that was separated from his brethren.

16"May the earth give him all its good things. May God, who spoke from the burning bush, be kind to him. May this blessing rest on Joseph's head. He was the one set apart from his brothers."

17His glory is like the firstling of his bullock, and his horns are like the horns of unicorns: with them he shall push the people together to the ends of the earth: and they are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh.

17"He is strong like a firstborn bull. His horns are like the horns of a wild ox. With them he will push nations back, as far as the ends of the earth. These are the huge armies of Ephraim and the thousands of Manasseh."

NoteThe KJV says "unicorns" here. The Hebrew word means a large wild ox, an animal with strong horns that no longer exists.

18And of Zebulun he said, Rejoice, Zebulun, in thy going out; and, Issachar, in thy tents.

18About Zebulun he said: "Be glad, Zebulun, when you travel out. Be glad, Issachar, at home in your tents."

19They shall call the people unto the mountain; there they shall offer sacrifices of righteousness: for they shall suck of the abundance of the seas, and of treasures hid in the sand.

19"They will call the peoples to the mountain. There they will give the right offerings. They will grow rich from the sea and from treasure hidden in the sand."

20And of Gad he said, Blessed be he that enlargeth Gad: he dwelleth as a lion, and teareth the arm with the crown of the head.

20About Gad he said: "Praise God, who gives Gad more land! Gad lies down like a lion. He tears off an arm or a head."

21And he provided the first part for himself, because there, in a portion of the lawgiver, was he seated; and he came with the heads of the people, he executed the justice of the LORD, and his judgments with Israel.

21"He chose the best land for himself. A ruler's share was saved for him there. He came with the leaders of the people. He did what the LORD said was right and fair for Israel."

22And of Dan he said, Dan is a lion’s whelp: he shall leap from Bashan.

22About Dan he said: "Dan is a young lion. He leaps out from Bashan."

23And of Naphtali he said, O Naphtali, satisfied with favour, and full with the blessing of the LORD: possess thou the west and the south.

23About Naphtali he said: "Naphtali, you have all of God's kindness. You are full of the LORD's blessing. Take the land to the west and the south."

24And of Asher he said, Let Asher be blessed with children; let him be acceptable to his brethren, and let him dip his foot in oil.

24About Asher he said: "May Asher be the most blessed of the sons. May his brothers be glad about him. May he dip his foot in olive oil."

25Thy shoes shall be iron and brass; and as thy days, so shall thy strength be.

25"May the bars on your gates be iron and bronze. May your strength last as long as your days."

NoteThe KJV says "Thy shoes shall be iron and brass." The Hebrew word is uncertain and is often understood to mean the bars that lock a city gate.

26There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his excellency on the sky.

26"There is no one like the God of Jeshurun, another name for Israel. He rides across the sky to help you. He rides the clouds in his greatness."

27The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.

27"The God who lives forever is your safe home. Underneath you are his arms that never fail. He drives the enemy out ahead of you. He says, 'Destroy them!'"

28Israel then shall dwell in safety alone: the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine; also his heavens shall drop down dew.

28"So Israel will live safely on its own. Jacob's family will have a land of grain and new wine. Even the sky will drop dew on them."

29Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the LORD, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency! and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places.

29"You are happy, Israel! Who is like you? You are a people the LORD has saved. He is the shield that guards you. He is the sword you are proud of. Your enemies will give in to you. You will walk on their high places."