331 Now this is the blessing with which Moses the man of God blessed the sons of Israel before his death . 2 He said , " The Lord came from Sinai , And dawned on them from Seir ; He shone forth from Mount Paran , And He came from the midst of ten thousand holy ones ; At His right hand there was flashing lightning for them. 3 " Indeed , He loves the people ; All Your holy ones are in Your hand , And they followed in Your steps ; Everyone receives of Your words . 4 " Moses charged us with a law , A possession for the assembly of Jacob . 5 " And He was king in Jeshurun , When the heads of the people were gathered , The tribes of Israel together .
6 " May Reuben live and not die , Nor his men be few ." 7 And 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 them, And may You be a help against his adversaries ."
8 Of Levi he said , "Let Your Thummim and Your Urim belong to Your godly man , Whom You proved at Massah , With whom You contended at the waters of Meribah ; 9 Who 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 they observed Your word , And kept Your covenant . 10 " They shall teach Your ordinances to Jacob , And Your law to Israel . They shall put incense before You, And whole 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 , " May the beloved of the Lord dwell in security by Him, Who shields him all the day , And he dwells between His shoulders ." 13 Of Joseph he said , " Blessed 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 best things of the 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 of 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 the wild ox ; With them he will push the peoples , All at once , to the ends of the earth . And those are the ten thousands of Ephraim , And those are the thousands of Manasseh ."
18 Of Zebulun he said , "Rejoice , Zebulun , in your going forth , And, Issachar , in your tents . 19 " They will call peoples to the mountain ; There they will offer righteous sacrifices ; For they will draw out the abundance of the seas , And the hidden treasures of the sand ." 20 Of Gad he said , "Blessed is the one who enlarges Gad ; He lies down as a lion , And tears the arm , also the crown of the head . 21 " Then he provided the first part for himself, For there the ruler's portion was reserved ; And he came with the leaders of the people ; He executed the justice of the Lord , And His ordinances with Israel ."
22 Of Dan he said , "Dan is a lion's whelp , That leaps forth from Bashan ." 23 Of Naphtali he said , " O Naphtali , satisfied with favor , And full of the blessing of the Lord , Take possession of the sea and the south ." 24 Of Asher he said , "More blessed than sons is Asher ; May he be favored by his brothers , And may he dip his foot in oil . 25 " Your locks will be iron and bronze , And according to your days , so will your leisurely walk be.
26 " There is none like the God of Jeshurun , Who rides the heavens to your help , And through the skies in His majesty . 27 " The eternal God is a dwelling place , And underneath are the everlasting arms ; And He drove out the enemy from before e you, And said , 'Destroy !' 28 " So Israel dwells in security , The fountain of Jacob secluded , In a land of grain and new wine ; His heavens also drop down dew .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Deuteronomy 33:1-28
Commentary on Deuteronomy 33:1-5
(Read Deuteronomy 33:1-5)
To all his precepts, warnings, and prophecies, Moses added a solemn blessing. He begins with a description of the glorious appearances of God, in giving the law. His law works like fire. If received, it is melting, warming, purifying, and burns up the dross of corruption; if rejected, it hardens, sears, pains, and destroys. The Holy Spirit came down in cloven tongues, as of fire; for the gospel also is a fiery law. The law of God written in the heart, is a certain proof of the love of God shed abroad there: we must reckon His law one of the gifts of his grace.
Commentary on Deuteronomy 33:6-23
(Read Deuteronomy 33:6-23)
The order in which the tribes are here blessed, is not the same as is observed elsewhere. The blessing of Judah may refer to the whole tribe in general, or to David as a type of Christ. Moses largely blesses the tribe of Levi. Acceptance with God is what we should all aim at, and desire, in all our devotions, whether men accept us or not, 2 Corinthians 5:9. This prayer is a prophecy, that God will keep up a ministry in his church to the end of time. The tribe of Benjamin had their inheritance close to mount Zion. To be situated near the ordinances, is a precious gift from the Lord, a privilege not to be exchanged for any worldly advantage, or indulgence. We should thankfully receive the earthly blessings sent to us, through the successive seasons. But those good gifts which come down from the Father of lights, through the rising of the Sun of righteousness, and the pouring out of his Spirit like the rain which makes fruitful, are infinitely more precious, as the tokens of his special love. The precious things here prayed for, are figures of spiritual blessing in heavenly things by Christ, the gifts, graces, and comforts of the Spirit. When Moses prays for the good will of Him that dwelt in the bush, he refers to the covenant, on which all our hopes of God's favour must be founded. The providence of God appoints men's habitations, and wisely disposes men to different employments for the public good. Whatever our place and business are, it is our wisdom and duty to apply thereto; and it is happiness to be well pleased therewith. We should not only invite others to the service of God, but abound in it. The blessing of Naphtali. The favour of God is the only favour satisfying to the soul. Those are happy indeed, who have the favour of God; and those shall have it, who reckon that in having it they have enough, and desire no more.
Commentary on Deuteronomy 33:24-25
(Read Deuteronomy 33:24-25)
All shall be sanctified to true believers; if their way be rough, their feet shall be shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. As thy days, so shall thy strength be. The "day" is often in Scripture put for the events of the day; it is a promise that God would graciously and constantly support under trials and troubles, whatever they were. It is a promise sure to all the spiritual seed of Abraham. Have they work allotted? They shall have strength to do it. Have they burdens appointed? They shall have strength, and never be tempted above what they are able to bear.
Commentary on Deuteronomy 33:26-29
(Read Deuteronomy 33:26-29)
None had such a God as Israel. There is no people like the Israel of God. What is here said of the church of Israel is to be applied to the spiritual church. Never were people so well seated and sheltered. Those who make God their habitation, shall have all the comforts and benefits of a habitation in him, Romans 16:20. May God help us to seek and to set our affections on the things above; and to turn our souls from earthly perishing objects; that we may not have our lot with Israel's foes in the regions of darkness and despair, but with the Israel of God, in the realms of love and eternal happiness.