Deuteronomy 33

Moses Blesses Israel before His Death

1This is the blessing with which Moses, the man of God, blessed the children of Israel before his death. 2He said:

“The LORD came from Sinai
and dawned upon them from Seir;
he shone forth from Mount Paran
and came from myriads of holy ones.
At his right hand
was fiery instruction for them. 3Indeed, he loves the peoples;
all his holy ones are in your hand.
They sat down at your feet;
each receives
from your words. 4Moses commanded us instruction,
an inheritance
for the assembly of Jacob. 5And he became king in Jeshurun
when the heads of the people gathered,
together with the tribes of Israel.

Reuben

6May Reuben live and not die,
though his men
be few.

Judah

7And this concerning Judah. He said:

“Hear, O LORD, the voice of Judah,
and bring him
to his people.
With his hands he contends for himself;
be a help
against his adversaries.”

Levi

8Concerning Levi he said:

“Your Thummim and your Urim
belong to your faithful one,
whom you tested at Massah,
with whom you contended
at the waters of Meribah; 9who said of his father and mother,
‘I do not regard them,’
and did not recognize his brothers
or acknowledge his sons,
for they kept your word
and guarded your covenant. 10They shall teach your judgments to Jacob
and your instruction to Israel.
They shall put incense before your face
and whole burnt offering
upon your altar. 11Bless, O LORD, his strength,
and accept the work of his hands.
Shatter the loins
of those who rise against him
and those who hate him,
so that they rise no more.”

Benjamin

12Concerning Benjamin he said:

“The beloved of the LORD
shall dwell securely beside him.
He shelters him all the day,
and between his shoulders
he dwells.”

Joseph

13Concerning Joseph he said:

“Blessed by the LORD is his land,
with the choice gifts of the heavens,
with dew,
and with the deep
crouching beneath; 14with the choice produce
of the sun
and the choice yield
of the months; 15with the best
of the ancient mountains
and the choice gifts
of the everlasting hills; 16with the choice gifts of the earth
and its fullness,
and the favor
of the one who dwelt in the bush.
May these come upon the head of Joseph
and upon the crown of the one
set apart from his brothers. 17His firstborn bull has majesty,
and his horns are the horns of a wild ox.
With them he will gore peoples,
all of them,
to the ends of the earth.
They are the ten thousands of Ephraim,
and they are the thousands
of Manasseh.”

Zebulun and Issachar

18Concerning Zebulun he said:

“Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out,
and Issachar,
in your tents. 19They will call peoples
to the mountain;
there they will sacrifice
righteous sacrifices.
For they will draw
the abundance of the seas
and hidden treasures
of the sand.”

Gad

20Concerning Gad he said:

“Blessed is the one
who enlarges Gad.
He dwells like a lion
and tears arm
and crown of head. 21He saw the first portion for himself,
for there a commander’s portion
was reserved.
He came with the heads of the people;
he carried out
the righteousness of the LORD
and his judgments
with Israel.”

Dan

22Concerning Dan he said:

“Dan is a lion’s cub
that leaps out
from Bashan.”

Naphtali

23Concerning Naphtali he said:

“Naphtali, satisfied with favor
and full of the blessing of the LORD,
possess the west
and the south.”

Asher

24Concerning Asher he said:

“Blessed above sons is Asher;
may he be favored
by his brothers,
and may he dip his foot
in oil. 25Iron and bronze
shall be your bars,
and as your days,
so shall your strength be.”

There Is None Like the God of Jeshurun

26“There is none like the God of Jeshurun,
who rides through the heavens
to your help
and through the clouds
in his majesty. 27The eternal God is a dwelling place,
and underneath
are everlasting arms.
He drove out the enemy before you
and said,
‘Destroy!’ 28So Israel dwells securely,
the fountain of Jacob alone,
in a land of grain and new wine;
indeed, his heavens
drop dew. 29Happy are you, Israel!
Who is like you,
a people saved by the LORD,
the shield of your help
and the sword of your majesty?
Your enemies will cringe before you,
and you will tread
upon their heights.”