331 And this 'is' the blessing 'with' which Moses the man of God blessed the sons of Israel before his death, 2 and he saith:—'Jehovah from Sinai hath come, And hath risen from Seir for them; He hath shone from mount Paran, And hath come 'with' myriads of holy ones; At His right hand 'are' springs for them. 3 Also He 'is' loving the peoples; All His holy ones 'are' in thy hand, And they—they sat down at thy foot, 'Each' He lifteth up at thy words. 4 A law hath Moses commanded us, A possession of the assembly of Jacob. 5 And he is in Jeshurun king, In the heads of the people gathering together, The tribes of Israel!
6 Let Reuben live, and not die, And let his men be a number. 7 And this 'is' for Judah; and he saith:—Hear, O Jehovah, the voice of Judah, And unto his people do Thou bring him in; His hand hath striven for him, And an help from his adversaries art Thou.
8 And of Levi he said:—Thy Thummim and thy Urim 'are' for thy pious one, Whom Thou hast tried in Massah, Thou dost strive with Him at the waters of Meribah; 9 Who is saying of his father and his mother, I have not seen him; And his brethren he hath not discerned, And his sons he hath not known; For they have observed Thy saying, And Thy covenant they keep. 10 They teach Thy judgments to Jacob, And Thy law to Israel; They put perfume in Thy nose, And whole burnt-offering on Thine altar. 11 Bless, O Jehovah, his strength, And the work of his hands Thou acceptest, Smite the loins of his withstanders, And of those hating him—that they rise not!
12 Of Benjamin he said:—The beloved of Jehovah doth tabernacle confidently by him, Covering him over all the day; Yea, between his shoulders He doth tabernacle. 13 And of Joseph he said:—Blessed of Jehovah 'is' his land, By precious things of the heavens, By dew, and by the deep crouching beneath,
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Deuteronomy 33:1-13
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.