Deuteronomy 33
33
Moses blesses the tribes of Israel
1Moses was a prophet, and before he died, he blessed the tribes of Israel by saying:
2The LORD came from Mount Sinai.
From Edom, he gave light
to his people,
and his glory was shining
from Mount Paran.
Thousands of his warriors
were with him, and fire
was at his right hand.#33.2 Thousands…right hand: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
3The LORD loves the tribes
of Israel,#33.3 the tribes of Israel: Or “the nations”.
and he protects his people.
They listen to his words
and worship at his feet.
4-5I called a meeting
of the tribes of Israel#33.4-5 Israel: The Hebrew text also uses the name “Jeshurun”, a rare name for “Israel”.
and gave you God's Law.
Then you and your leaders
made the LORD your king.
6Tribe of Reuben, you will live,
even though your tribe
will always be small.#33.6 even though…small: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
7The LORD will listen to you,
tribe of Judah, as you beg
to come safely home.
You fought your enemies alone;#33.7 beg…alone: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
now the LORD will help you.
8At Massah and Meribah Spring,#33.8 Massah and Meribah Spring: See Exodus 17.1-7; Numbers 20.1-13.#Ex 28.30; Ex 17.7; Ex 17.7; Nu 20.13.
the LORD tested you,
tribe of Levi.
You were faithful,#33.8 the LORD tested you, tribe of Levi. You were faithful: Or “the LORD tested me. I was faithful” or “the LORD tested Aaron and me. We were faithful.”
and so the priesthood#33.8 priesthood: The Hebrew text has “your thummim and your urim”, objects that were used by priests to get answers from God. belongs
to the Levi tribe.
9Protecting Israel's agreement
with the LORD
was more important to you
than the life of your father
or mother,
or brothers or sisters,
or your own children.#33.9 Protecting Israel's agreement…your own children: See Exodus 32.25-29.
10You teach God's laws to Israel,#33.10 Israel: See the note at 32.9.
and at the place of worship
you offer sacrifices
and burn incense.
11I pray that the LORD will bless
everything you do,
and make you strong enough
to crush your enemies.
12The LORD Most High#33.12 Most High: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text. loves you,
tribe of Benjamin.
He will live among your hills
and protect you.
13Descendants of Joseph,
the LORD will bless you
with precious water
from deep wells
and with dew from the sky.
14Month by month, your fruit
will ripen in the sunshine.
15You will have a rich harvest
from the slopes
of the ancient hills.
16The LORD who appeared
in the burning bush
wants to give you the best
the land can produce,
and it will be a princely crown
on Joseph's head.
17The armies of Ephraim
and Manasseh
are majestic and fierce
like a bull or a wild ox.
They will run their spears
through faraway nations.
18Be happy, Zebulun,
as your boats set sail;
be happy, Issachar,
in your tents.
19The sea will make you wealthy,
and from the sandy beach
you will get treasure.#33.19 sandy beach…treasure: Possibly a reference to glass made from sand; glass was rare and very valuable.
So invite the other tribes#33.19 other tribes: Or “nations”.
to celebrate with you
and offer sacrifices to God.
20Tribe of Gad,
the LORD will bless you
with more land.
So shout his praises!
Your tribe is like a lion
ripping up its victim.
21Your leaders met together
and chose the best land
for your tribe,
but you obeyed the LORD
and helped the other tribes.#33.21 tribes: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 21. The Gad tribe asked for some of the land east of the River Jordan, but promised that their warriors would cross the Jordan and help the other tribes take over the land west of the Jordan (see Numbers 32.1-33; Joshua 4.10-13).
22Tribe of Dan,
you are like a lion cub,
startled by a snake.#33.22 startled by a snake: Or “jumping out from the forest of Bashan”.
23The LORD is pleased with you,
people of Naphtali.
He will bless you
and give you the land
to the west and the south.#33.23 land to the west and the south: Or “land south as far as Lake Galilee”.
24The LORD's greatest blessing
is for you, tribe of Asher.
You will be the favourite
of all the other tribes.
You will be rich with olive oil
25and have strong town gates
with bronze and iron bolts.
Your people will be powerful
for as long as they live.
26Israel,#33.26 Israel: See the note at 33.4. no other god
is like ours—
the clouds are his chariot
as he rides across the skies
to come and help us.
27The eternal God
is our hiding place;
he carries us in his arms.
When God tells you
to destroy your enemies,
he will make them run.
28Israel, you will live in safety;
your enemies will be gone.#33.28 your enemies will be gone: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
The dew will fall from the sky,
and you will have plenty
of grain and wine.
29The LORD has rescued you
and given you more blessings
than any other nation.
He protects you like a shield
and is your majestic sword.
Your enemies will bow in fear,
and you will trample
on their backs.
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Deuteronomy 33: CEVUK
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© British and Foreign Bible Society 2012
Devarim 33
33
[VEZOS HABERACHAH]
1And this is the brocha, wherewith Moshe the Ish HaElohim blessed the Bnei Yisroel before moto (his death).
2And he said, Hashem came from Sinai, and rose up from Se'ir unto them; He shined forth from Mt Paran, and He came with ten thousands of kodesh; from His right hand went a fiery law for them.
3Yea, He loved the amim; kol kedoshav (all His holy ones) are in Thy hand: and they sat down at Thy feet; every one shall receive of Thy devarot.
4Moshe charged us with a torah, even the morashah kehillat Ya'akov (heritage of the Congregation of Ya'akov).
5And He was Melech in Yeshurun, when the Rashei Am and the Shivtei Yisroel were gathered together.
6Let Reuven live, and not die; and let not his men be few.
7And this to Yehudah: and he said, Shema, Hashem, the voice of Yehudah, and bring him unto his people; let his hands contend for him; and be Thou an ezer (help) to him from his enemies.
8And of Levi he said, Let Thy Tummim and Thy Urim be with Thy chasid, whom Thou didst prove at Massah, and with whom Thou didst strive at the waters of Merivah;
9Who said unto his av and to his em, I have not seen him; neither did he acknowledge his brethren, nor knew his own banim; for they#33:9 Levi'im have been shomer over Thy word, and Thy Brit they have preserved.
10They shall teach Ya'akov Thy mishpatim, and Yisroel Thy torah; they shall put ketorah before Thee, and kalil (whole burnt offerings) upon Thine mizbe'ach.
11Bless, O Hashem, his resources, and accept the work of his hands; strike through the loins of them that rise against him, and of them that hate him, that they rise not again.
12And of Binyamin he said, Yedid Hashem shall dwell in safety by Him; and Hashem shall hover over him all day long, and he (Yedid Hashem, beloved of Hashem) shall rest between His shoulders.
13And of Yosef he said, Mevorekhet Hashem (Blessed of Hashem) be his land, for the precious things of Shomayim, for the tal, and for the tehom (deep waters) that coucheth below,
14With the choice fruits brought forth by the shemesh, and choice crops put forth by the yarei'ach,
15And with the choicest of the harrei kedem (eternal mountains), and for the precious things of the everlasting hills,
16And for the precious things of ha'aretz and fulness thereof, and for the good will of Him whose [shechinah] dwelling is in the [burning] bush; let the blessing come upon the head of Yosef, and upon the top of the head of him that was separated from his brethren.
17His glory is like the bechor of his shor, and his horns are like the horns of a wild ox; with them he shall push the people together to the ends of ha'aretz; and they are the ten thousands of Ephrayim, and they are the thousands of Menasheh.
18And of Zevulun he said, Rejoice, Zevulun, in thy going out; and, Yissakhar, in thy oholim.
19They shall call the people unto the mountain; there they shall offer zivkhei tzedek; for they shall draw out of the abundance of the seas, and of treasures hid in the sand.
20And of Gad he said, Baruch be he that enlargeth Gad; he dwelleth as a lion, and teareth the zero'a as well as the crown of the head.
21And he provided the reshit for himself, when the chelkat mechokek (lawgiverʼs chelek) was assigned. When the Rashei Am came, he executed the Tzidkat Hashem, and His mishpatim with Yisroel.
22And of Dan he said, Dan is a gur aryeh (lionʼs whelp); he shall leap from Bashan.
23And of Naphtali he said, O Naphtali, satisfied with ratzon, and full with the Birkat Hashem; possess thou the west and the south.
24And of Asher he said, Baruch be Asher with banim; let him be acceptable to his brethren, and let him tovel (dip, immerse)#33:24 as in tevilah his foot in shemen.
25Thy bars shall be barzel (iron) and nechoshet (bronze); and as thy yamim, so shall thy strength be.
26There is none like unto El Yeshurun, who rideth upon Shomayim to be thy ezer (help), and on the sky in His majesty.
27Elohei Kedem is thy me'onah (dwelling place), and underneath are the Zero'ot Olam (Everlasting Arms): and He shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Make them shmad.
28Yisroel then shall dwell in safety alone; the fountain of Ya'akov shall be upon an eretz dagan (land of grain) and tirosh (new wine); also His heavens shall drop down tal.
29Happy art thou, O Yisroel; who is like unto thee, O people saved by Hashem, the mogen of thy ezer and the cherev of thy majesty! Thine enemies shall come fawning unto thee; and thou shalt trample down their high places.
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