33 Before his death, God's servant Moses spoke this blessing to all the Israelites. 2 He said this:
‘The Lord came from Sinai.
He appeared to his people
like the sun that rises over the hills of Edom.
He shone on his people from Mount Paran.
Thousands of angels came with him.
In his right hand, he held his Law that burned with fire.
3 Yes, the Lord loves his people.
He takes care of all his holy people.
They sit near to him and they listen to his teaching.
4 Moses gave us the Lord 's teaching.
It is very valuable to us, the descendants of Jacob.
5 When the leaders of the people and all the tribes met together,
the Lord became king of Israel. [ a ]
6 I pray this for the tribe of Reuben:
May they continue to live and have many descendants.
7 I pray this for the tribe of Judah:
Lord , please listen to their prayers for help.
May they join again with the other tribes.
Please make them strong,
so that they can fight against their enemies.
8 I pray this for the tribe of Levi:
Lord , your Urim and Thummim belong to your faithful servants, the Levites.
You tested them at Massah.
You argued with them at the springs of water at Meribah. [ b ]
9 The Levites left their own families
so that they could serve you well.
They obeyed your word.
They were faithful to your covenant.
10 They teach your rules and your laws to Jacob's descendants, the Israelites.
They offer incense to you, as a sweet smell.
They burn offerings on your altar.
11 Lord , please bless their work.
May everything that they do give you pleasure.
Knock down anyone who attacks them.
Destroy all their enemies completely.
12 I pray this for the tribe of Benjamin:
The Lord loves the tribe of Benjamin.
They will live with him and they will be safe.
The Lord protects them all the time.
He keeps them near to him.
13 I pray this for the tribe of Joseph:
Lord , please bless their land.
Send rain from the sky above,
and springs of water from under the ground.
14 May the sun give them a good harvest of food,
with the best crops every month.
15 May they have a harvest of good fruits
from the mountains and hills that have been there since long ago.
16 Please fill their land with many good things.
Lord who appeared in the burning bush,
please be kind to them.
Please bless Joseph's descendants.
He became a leader, separate from his brothers.
May this blessing be like a crown on his head!
17 Joseph is as strong as a bull.
He has horns like a wild ox.
Those two horns are the armies of Ephraim and Manasseh! [ c ]
With them, he attacks other nations.
He chases them to the edges of the world.
18 I pray this for the tribes of Zebulun and Issachar:
Be happy, Zebulun's people, as you travel far from home.
Be happy, Issachar's people, as you live in your homes.
19 They will call other people to come to their mountain.
They will offer the right sacrifices there.
They will become rich from their work on the seas,
and from things that are hidden in the sand on the shore.
20 I pray this for the tribe of Gad:
Praise the Lord , who will give more land to Gad's people!
Gad lives there like a hungry lion.
He will tear off the arm or the head of his enemies.
21 He has chosen the best part of the land for himself.
When Israel's leaders met together,
Gad's tribe received the land that a leader deserves.
Gad's people obeyed the Lord 's good laws.
They obeyed the Lord 's commands for Israel.
22 I pray this for the tribe of Dan:
Dan's tribe is like a young lion.
They jump out from Bashan to attack their enemies.
23 I pray this for the tribe of Naphtali:
The Lord has blessed Naphtali's tribe very much.
He has been very kind to them.
Land in the west and in the south will belong to them.
24 I pray this for the tribe of Asher:
May the Lord bless Asher's tribe more than the other tribes.
May their brothers be pleased with them.
May Asher's people be rich enough to wash their feet in olive oil.
25 They will use iron and bronze to make the gates of their towns strong.
May they be strong for as long as they live.
26 Israelites, there is no god like your God. [ d ]
He rides across the sky to help you.
He travels with great authority on the clouds.
27 He is the God who lives for ever.
He is the safe place where you can hide.
His strong arms are always there, to hold you safely.
He will chase away your enemies as you attack them.
He says to you, “Destroy them!”
28 So Israel's people can now live safely.
Jacob's descendants have a safe place to live.
They have a land that will give them grain and wine.
Rain falls from the sky to make the ground wet.
29 Israelites, how happy you are!
There is no other nation like you.
The Lord himself has rescued you.
He is the one who keeps you safe, like a soldier's shield.
He is like a sword that you use to win against your enemies.
Your enemies will fall down with fear in front of you.
You will walk all over them.’
33 This is the blessing that Moses, the man of God, gave the Israelites before he died:
2 “The Lord came from Sinai,
like a light shining at dawn over Seir,
like a light shining from Mount Paran.
He came with 10,000 holy ones. [ a ]
God’s mighty soldiers were by his side. [ b ]
3 Yes, the Lord loves his people.
All his holy people are in his hand.
They sit at his feet
and learn his teachings!
4 Moses gave us the law.
These teachings are for Jacob’s people.
5 At that time the Israelites
and their leaders met together,
and the Lord became Jeshurun’s [ c ] king!
6 “Let Reuben live, and not die!
But let there be only a few people in his tribe!”
7 Moses said this about Judah:
“ Lord , listen to the leader from Judah when he calls for help.
Bring him to his people.
Make him strong,
and help him defeat his enemies!”
8 Moses said this about Levi:
“Levi is your true follower.
He keeps the Urim and Thummim.
At Massah you tested the people of Levi.
At the waters of Meribah, [ d ] you challenged them.
9 They were more loyal to you, Lord, than to their own families.
They ignored their fathers and mothers.
They did not recognize their brothers.
They did not pay attention to their children.
But they obeyed your commands.
They kept your agreement.
10 They will teach your rules to Jacob
and your Law to Israel.
They will burn incense before you.
They will offer burnt offerings on your altar.
11 “ Lord , bless everything Levi has.
Accept what he does.
Destroy those who attack him!
Defeat his enemies so that they will never attack again.”
12 Moses said this about Benjamin:
“Benjamin is loved by the Lord
and lives close to him in safety.
The Lord protects him all the time
like a child at rest on its mother’s back.” [ e ]
13 Moses said this about Joseph:
“May the Lord bless Joseph’s land
with rain from the skies above
and water from the ground below.
14 Let the sun give them good fruit.
Let each month bring its best fruit.
15 Let the hills and ancient mountains
produce their best fruit.
16 Let the earth give its best to Joseph.
He was separated from his brothers.
So may the Lord in the burning bush give his best to Joseph.
17 Joseph is like a powerful bull.
His two sons are like bull’s horns.
They will attack other people
and push them to the ends of the earth!
Yes, Manasseh has thousands of people,
and Ephraim has ten thousands.”
18 Moses said this about Zebulun:
“Zebulun, be happy when you go out.
Issachar, be happy in your tents at home.
19 They will call the people to their mountain.
There they will offer good sacrifices.
They will take riches from the sea
and treasures from the shore.”
20 Moses said this about Gad:
“Praise God who gave Gad more land!
Gad is like a lion that lies down and waits.
Then he attacks and tears the animal in pieces.
21 He chose the best part for himself.
He took the king’s share.
The leaders of the people come to him.
He did what the Lord says is good.
He did what is right for the Israelites.”
22 Moses said this about Dan:
“Dan is a lion’s cub
that jumps out from Bashan.”
23 Moses said this about Naphtali:
“Naphtali, you will get all you want.
The Lord will really bless you.
You will get the land by Lake Galilee.”
24 Moses said this about Asher:
“Asher [ f ] is the most blessed of the sons.
Let him be the favorite of his brothers.
And let him wash his feet in olive oil.
25 Your gates will have locks made from iron and bronze.
You will be strong all your life.”
26 “There is no one like the God of Israel!
He rides on the clouds in his divine greatness.
He comes riding through the skies to help you.
27 God lives forever.
He is your place of safety.
His power continues forever!
He is protecting you.
He will force your enemies to leave your land.
He will say, ‘Destroy the enemy!’
28 So Israel will live in safety.
Jacob’s well belongs to them.
They will get a land of grain and wine.
And that land will get plenty of rain.
29 Israel, you are blessed.
No other nation is like you.
The Lord saved you.
He is like a strong shield protecting you.
He is like a powerful sword.
Your enemies will be afraid of you,
and you will put your foot on their backs! [ g ] ”
33 And this is the blessing, wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death.
2 And he said, The Lord came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; he shined forth from mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints: from his right hand went a fiery law for them.
3 Yea, he loved the people; all his saints are in thy hand: and they sat down at thy feet; every one shall receive of thy words.
4 Moses commanded us a law, even the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob.
5 And he was king in Jeshurun, when the heads of the people and the tribes of Israel were gathered together.
6 Let Reuben live, and not die; and let not his men be few.
7 And this is the blessing of Judah: and he said, Hear, Lord , the voice of Judah, and bring him unto his people: let his hands be sufficient for him; and be thou an help to him from his enemies.
8 And of Levi he said, Let thy Thummim and thy Urim be with thy holy one, whom thou didst prove at Massah, and with whom thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah;
9 Who said unto his father and to his mother, I have not seen him; neither did he acknowledge his brethren, nor knew his own children: for they have observed thy word, and kept thy covenant.
10 They shall teach Jacob thy judgments, and Israel thy law: they shall put incense before thee, and whole burnt sacrifice upon thine altar.
11 Bless, Lord , his substance, and accept the work of his hands; smite through the loins of them that rise against him, and of them that hate him, that they rise not again.
12 And of Benjamin he said, The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by him; and the Lord shall cover him all the day long, and he shall dwell between his shoulders.
13 And of Joseph he said, Blessed of the Lord be his land, for the precious things of heaven, for the dew, and for the deep that coucheth beneath,
14 And for the precious fruits brought forth by the sun, and for the precious things put forth by the moon,
15 And for the chief things of the ancient mountains, and for the precious things of the lasting hills,
16 And for the precious things of the earth and fulness thereof, and for the good will of him that dwelt in the bush: let the blessing come upon the head of Joseph, and upon the top of the head of him that was separated from his brethren.
17 His glory is like the firstling of his bullock, and his horns are like the horns of unicorns: with them he shall push the people together to the ends of the earth: and they are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh.
18 And of Zebulun he said, Rejoice, Zebulun, in thy going out; and, Issachar, in thy tents.
19 They shall call the people unto the mountain; there they shall offer sacrifices of righteousness: for they shall suck of the abundance of the seas, and of treasures hid in the sand.
20 And of Gad he said, Blessed be he that enlargeth Gad: he dwelleth as a lion, and teareth the arm with the crown of the head.
21 And he provided the first part for himself, because there, in a portion of the lawgiver, was he seated; and he came with the heads of the people, he executed the justice of the Lord , and his judgments with Israel.
22 And of Dan he said, Dan is a lion's whelp: he shall leap from Bashan.
23 And of Naphtali he said, O Naphtali, satisfied with favour, and full with the blessing of the Lord : possess thou the west and the south.
24 And of Asher he said, Let Asher be blessed with children; let him be acceptable to his brethren, and let him dip his foot in oil.
25 Thy shoes shall be iron and brass; and as thy days, so shall thy strength be.
26 There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his excellency on the sky.
27 The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.
28 Israel then shall dwell in safety alone: the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine; also his heavens shall drop down dew.
29 Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the Lord , the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency! and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places.
33 Now this is the blessing with which Moses ( A ) the man of God blessed the sons of Israel before his death. 2 He said,
“ ( B ) The Lord came from Sinai,
( C ) And [ a ] dawned on them from Seir;
( D ) He shone from Mount Paran,
And He came from ( E ) the midst of myriads of [ b ] holy ones;
( F ) At His right hand there was [ c ] flashing lightning for them.
3 ( G ) Indeed, He loves [ d ] the people;
( H ) All [ e ] Your holy ones are in Your hand,
( I ) And they [ f ] followed in Your steps;
Everyone takes of Your words.
4 ( J ) Moses issued to us the Law,
( K ) A possession for the assembly of Jacob.
5 ( L ) And He was king in [ g ] Jeshurun,
When the heads of the people gathered,
The tribes of Israel together.
6 “ ( M ) May Reuben live and not die,
Nor may his people be few.”
7 ( N ) And this was regarding Judah; so he said:
“Hear, Lord , the voice of Judah,
And bring him to his people.
With his hands he contended for [ h ] them,
And may You be a help against his adversaries.”
8 Of Levi he said,
“ Let Your ( O ) Thummim and Your Urim belong to Your ( P ) godly man,
( Q ) Whom You tested at Massah,
With [ i ] whom You contended at the waters of Meribah;
9 ( R ) 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 ( S ) they kept Your word,
And complied with Your covenant.
10 ( T ) They will teach Your ordinances to Jacob,
And Your Law to Israel.
( U ) They shall put [ j ] incense before You,
And ( V ) whole burnt offerings on Your altar.
11 Lord , bless his strength,
And accept the work of his hands;
Smash the [ k ] hips of those who rise up against him,
And those who hate him, so that they do not rise again .”
12 Of Benjamin he said,
“ ( W ) May the beloved of the Lord live in security beside Him
( X ) Who shields him all the day long ,
( Y ) And he lives between His shoulders.”
13 Of Joseph he said,
“ ( Z ) Blessed of the Lord be his land,
With the choice things of heaven, with the dew,
And from the deep waters lying beneath,
14 And with the choice yield of the sun,
And the choice produce of the months;
15 And with the [ l ] best things of ( AA ) the ancient mountains,
With the choice things of the everlasting hills,
16 And with the choice things of the earth and its fullness,
And the favor ( AB ) of Him who dwelt in the bush.
Let it come to the head of Joseph,
And to the top of the head of the one who was prince among his brothers.
17 As the firstborn of his ox, majesty is his,
And his horns are the horns of ( AC ) the wild ox;
With them he will ( AD ) gore the peoples
All [ m ] at once, to the ends of the earth.
And those are the ten thousands of Ephraim,
And those are the thousands of Manasseh.”
18 ( AE ) Of Zebulun he said,
“Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out,
And, Issachar, in your tents.
19 ( AF ) They will call peoples to the mountain;
There they will offer ( AG ) righteous sacrifices;
For they will [ n ] draw out ( AH ) the abundance of the seas,
And the hidden treasures of the sand.”
20 ( AI ) Of Gad he said,
“Blessed is the one who enlarges Gad;
He lies down ( AJ ) as a [ o ] lion,
And tears the arm, also the crown of the head.
21 ( AK ) Then he [ p ] selected the choicest part for himself,
( AL ) For there the ruler’s portion was [ q ] reserved;
( AM ) And he came with the leaders of the people;
( AN ) He executed the justice of the Lord ,
And His ordinances with Israel.”
22 ( AO ) Of Dan he said,
“Dan is ( AP ) a lion’s cub;
He leaps out from Bashan.”
23 Of Naphtali he said,
“ ( AQ ) Naphtali, satisfied with favor,
And full of the blessing of the Lord ,
Take possession of the sea and the south.”
24 ( AR ) Of Asher he said,
“More blessed than sons is Asher;
May he be favored by his brothers,
( AS ) And may he dip his foot in olive oil.
25 ( AT ) Your [ r ] bars will be iron and bronze,
( AU ) And as your days, so will your strength be .
26 “ ( AV ) There is no one like the God of [ s ] Jeshurun,
( AW ) Who rides the heavens [ t ] to your help,
And the clouds in His majesty.
27 ( AX ) The eternal God is a [ u ] hiding place,
( AY ) And underneath are the everlasting arms;
( AZ ) And He drove out the enemy from you,
( BA ) And said, ‘Destroy!’
28 ( BB ) So Israel lives in security,
( BC ) The fountain of Jacob secluded,
( BD ) In a land of grain and new wine;
( BE ) His heavens also drip down dew.
29 ( BF ) Blessed are you, Israel;
( BG ) Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord ,
( BH ) The shield of your help,
( BI ) And He who is the sword of your majesty!
( BJ ) So your enemies will cringe before you,
( BK ) And you will trample on their high places.”
33 This is the blessing ( B ) that Moses the man of God ( C ) pronounced on the Israelites before his death. 2 He said:
“The Lord came from Sinai ( D )
and dawned over them from Seir; ( E )
he shone forth ( F ) from Mount Paran. ( G )
He came with [ a ] myriads of holy ones ( H )
from the south, from his mountain slopes. [ b ]
3 Surely it is you who love ( I ) the people;
all the holy ones are in your hand. ( J )
At your feet they all bow down, ( K )
and from you receive instruction,
4 the law that Moses gave us, ( L )
the possession of the assembly of Jacob. ( M )
5 He was king ( N ) over Jeshurun [ c ] ( O )
when the leaders of the people assembled,
along with the tribes of Israel.
7 And this he said about Judah: ( Q )
“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!”
8 About Levi ( R ) he said:
“Your Thummim and Urim ( S ) belong
to your faithful servant. ( T )
You tested ( U ) him at Massah;
you contended with him at the waters of Meribah. ( V )
9 He said of his father and mother, ( W )
‘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. ( X )
10 He teaches ( Y ) your precepts to Jacob
and your law to Israel. ( Z )
He offers incense before you ( AA )
and whole burnt offerings on your altar. ( AB )
11 Bless all his skills, Lord ,
and be pleased with the work of his hands. ( AC )
Strike down those who rise against him,
his foes till they rise no more.”
12 About Benjamin ( AD ) he said:
“Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in him, ( AE )
for he shields him all day long, ( AF )
and the one the Lord loves ( AG ) rests between his shoulders. ( AH ) ”
13 About Joseph ( AI ) he said:
“May the Lord bless his land
with the precious dew from heaven above
and with the deep waters that lie below; ( AJ )
14 with the best the sun brings forth
and the finest the moon can yield;
15 with the choicest gifts of the ancient mountains ( AK )
and the fruitfulness of the everlasting hills;
16 with the best gifts of the earth and its fullness
and the favor of him who dwelt in the burning bush. ( AL )
Let all these rest on the head of Joseph,
on the brow of the prince among [ e ] his brothers. ( AM )
17 In majesty he is like a firstborn bull;
his horns ( AN ) are the horns of a wild ox. ( AO )
With them he will gore ( AP ) the nations,
even those at the ends of the earth.
Such are the ten thousands of Ephraim; ( AQ )
such are the thousands of Manasseh. ( AR ) ”
18 About Zebulun ( AS ) he said:
“Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out,
and you, Issachar, ( AT ) in your tents.
19 They will summon peoples to the mountain ( AU )
and there offer the sacrifices of the righteous; ( AV )
they will feast on the abundance of the seas, ( AW )
on the treasures hidden in the sand.”
20 About Gad ( AX ) he said:
“Blessed is he who enlarges Gad’s domain! ( AY )
Gad lives there like a lion,
tearing at arm or head.
21 He chose the best land for himself; ( AZ )
the leader’s portion was kept for him. ( BA )
When the heads of the people assembled,
he carried out the Lord ’s righteous will, ( BB )
and his judgments concerning Israel.”
22 About Dan ( BC ) he said:
“Dan is a lion’s cub,
springing out of Bashan.”
23 About Naphtali ( BD ) he said:
“Naphtali is abounding with the favor of the Lord
and is full of his blessing;
he will inherit southward to the lake.”
24 About Asher ( BE ) he said:
“Most blessed of sons is Asher;
let him be favored by his brothers,
and let him bathe his feet in oil. ( BF )
25 The bolts of your gates will be iron and bronze, ( BG )
and your strength will equal your days. ( BH )
26 “There is no one like the God of Jeshurun, ( BI )
who rides ( BJ ) across the heavens to help you ( BK )
and on the clouds ( BL ) in his majesty. ( BM )
27 The eternal ( BN ) God is your refuge, ( BO )
and underneath are the everlasting ( BP ) arms.
He will drive out your enemies before you, ( BQ )
saying, ‘Destroy them!’ ( BR )
28 So Israel will live in safety; ( BS )
Jacob will dwell [ f ] secure
in a land of grain and new wine,
where the heavens drop dew. ( BT )
29 Blessed are you, Israel! ( BU )
Who is like you, ( BV )
a people saved by the Lord ? ( BW )
He is your shield and helper ( BX )
and your glorious sword.
Your enemies will cower before you,
and you will tread on their heights. ( BY ) ”
