Deuteronomy 33:6–25

⁶“Let Reuben live and not die,

nor^d his people be few.”^r

⁷And this he said about Judah:^s

“Hear, Lord, the cry of Judah;

bring him to his people.

With his own hands he defends his cause.

Oh, be his help against his foes!”

⁸About Levi^t he said:

“Your Thummim and Urim^u belong

to your faithful servant.^v

You tested^w him at Massah;

you contended with him at the waters of Meribah.^x

⁹He said of his father and mother,^y

‘I have no regard for them.’

He did not recognize his brothers

or acknowledge his own children,

but he watched over your word

and guarded your covenant.^z

¹⁰He teaches^a your precepts to Jacob

and your law to Israel.^b

He offers incense before you^c

and whole burnt offerings on your altar.^d

¹¹Bless all his skills, Lord,

and be pleased with the work of his hands.^e

Strike down those who rise against him,

his foes till they rise no more.”

¹²About Benjamin^f he said:

“Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in him,^g

for he shields him all day long,^h

and the one the Lord lovesⁱ rests between his shoulders.^j”

¹³About Joseph^k he said:

“May the Lord bless his land

with the precious dew from heaven above

and with the deep waters that lie below;^l

¹⁴with the best the sun brings forth

and the finest the moon can yield;

¹⁵with the choicest gifts of the ancient mountains^m

and the fruitfulness of the everlasting hills;

¹⁶with the best gifts of the earth and its fullness

and the favor of him who dwelt in the burning bush.ⁿ

Let all these rest on the head of Joseph,

on the brow of the prince among^e his brothers.^o

¹⁷In majesty he is like a firstborn bull;

his horns^p are the horns of a wild ox.^q

With them he will gore^r the nations,

even those at the ends of the earth.

Such are the ten thousands of Ephraim;^s

such are the thousands of Manasseh.^t”

¹⁸About Zebulun^u he said:

“Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out,

and you, Issachar,^v in your tents.

¹⁹They will summon peoples to the mountain^w

and there offer the sacrifices of the righteous;^x

they will feast on the abundance of the seas,^y

on the treasures hidden in the sand.”

²⁰About Gad^z he said:

“Blessed is he who enlarges Gad’s domain!^a

Gad lives there like a lion,

tearing at arm or head.

²¹He chose the best land for himself;^b

the leader’s portion was kept for him.^c

When the heads of the people assembled,

he carried out the Lord’s righteous will,^d

and his judgments concerning Israel.”

²²About Dan^e he said:

“Dan is a lion’s cub,

springing out of Bashan.”

²³About Naphtali^f he said:

“Naphtali is abounding with the favor of the Lord

and is full of his blessing;

he will inherit southward to the lake.”

²⁴About Asher^g he said:

“Most blessed of sons is Asher;

let him be favored by his brothers,

and let him bathe his feet in oil.^h

²⁵The bolts of your gates will be iron and bronze,ⁱ

and your strength will equal your days.^j