Chapter 33

The Blessing of Moses

1 Now this is the blessing with which Moses athe man of God blessed the sons of Israel before his death.

2 He said,

“aThe Lord came from Sinai,

bAnd 1dawned on them from Seir;

cHe shone forth from Mount Paran,

And He came from dthe 2midst of ten thousand holy ones;

eAt His right hand there was 3flashing lightning for them.

3 “aIndeed, He loves 1the people;

bAll 2Your holy ones are in Your hand,

cAnd they 3followed in Your steps;

Everyone receives of Your words.

4 “aMoses charged us with a law,

bA possession for the assembly of Jacob.

5 “aAnd He was king in Jeshurun,

When the heads of the people were gathered,

The tribes of Israel together.

6 “aMay Reuben live and not die,

Nor his men be few.”

7 aAnd this regarding Judah; so he said,

“Hear, O Lord, the voice of Judah,

And bring him to his people.

With his hands he contended for 1them,

And may You be a help against his adversaries.”

8 Of Levi he said,

“Let Your aThummim and Your Urim belong to 1Your bgodly man,

cWhom You proved at Massah,

With whom You contended at the waters of Meribah;

9 aWho said of his father and his mother,

‘I did not consider them’;

And he did not acknowledge his brothers,

Nor did he regard his own sons,

For bthey observed Your word,

And kept Your covenant.

10 “aThey shall teach Your ordinances to Jacob,

And Your law to Israel.

bThey shall put incense 1before You,

And cwhole burnt offerings on Your altar.

11 “O Lord, bless his substance,

And accept the work of his hands;

Shatter the loins of those who rise up against him,

And those who hate him, so that they will not rise again.”

12 Of Benjamin he said,

“aMay the beloved of the Lord dwell in security by Him,

bWho shields him all the day,

cAnd he dwells between His shoulders.”

13 Of Joseph he said,

“aBlessed of the Lord be his land,

With the choice things of heaven, with the dew,

And from the deep lying beneath,

14 And with the choice yield of the sun,

And with the choice produce of the months.

15 “And with the 1best things of athe ancient mountains,

And with the choice things of the everlasting hills,

16 And with the choice things of the earth and its fullness,

And the favor aof Him who dwelt in the bush.

Let it come to the head of Joseph,

And to the crown of the head of the one distinguished among his brothers.

17 “As the firstborn of his ox, majesty is his,

And his horns are the horns of athe wild ox;

With them he will bpush the peoples,

All 1at once, to the ends of the earth.

And those are the ten thousands of Ephraim,

And those are the thousands of Manasseh.”

18 aOf Zebulun he said,

“Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going forth,

And, Issachar, in your tents.

19 “aThey will call peoples to the mountain;

There they will offer brighteous sacrifices;

For they will 1draw out cthe abundance of the seas,

And the hidden treasures of the sand.”

20 aOf Gad he said,

“Blessed is the one who enlarges Gad;

He lies down bas a 1lion,

And tears the arm, also the crown of the head.

21 “aThen he 1provided the first part for himself,

bFor there the ruler’s portion was 2reserved;

cAnd he came with the leaders of the people;

dHe executed the justice of the Lord,

And His ordinances with Israel.”

22 aOf Dan he said,

“Dan is ba lion’s whelp,

That leaps forth from Bashan.”

23 Of Naphtali he said,

“aO Naphtali, satisfied with favor,

And full of the blessing of the Lord,

Take possession of the sea and the south.”

24 aOf Asher he said,

“More blessed than sons is Asher;

May he be favored by his brothers,

bAnd may he dip his foot in oil.

25 “aYour locks will be iron and bronze,

bAnd according to your days, so will your leisurely walk be.

26 “aThere is none like the God of 1Jeshurun,

bWho rides the heavens 2to your help,

And through the skies in His majesty.

27 “aThe eternal God is a 1dwelling place,

bAnd underneath are the everlasting arms;

cAnd He drove out the enemy from before you,

dAnd said, ‘Destroy!’

28 “aSo Israel dwells in security,

bThe fountain of Jacob secluded,

cIn a land of grain and new wine;

dHis heavens also drop down dew.

29 “aBlessed are you, O Israel;

bWho is like you, a people saved by the Lord,

cWho is the shield of your help

dAnd the sword of your majesty!

eSo your enemies will cringe before you,

fAnd you will tread upon their high places.”