Deuteronomy 33
1 This is the blessing, wherewith the man of God Moses blessed the children of Israel, before his death.
The following is the blessing that Moses the man of God gave to the Israelites before he died.
2 And he said: The Lord came from Sinai, and from Seir he rose up to us: he hath appeared from mount Pharan, and with him thousands of saints. In his right hand a fiery law.
He said, The Lord came from Mount Sinai and shone on us from Mount Seir; he blazed out from Mount Paran coming with ten thousand of holy ones, holding flaming fire at his right hand.
3 He hath loved the people, all the saints are in his hand: and they that approach to his feet, shall receive of his doctrine.
How much you love the people; you hold all the holy ones in your hand. They sit down at your feet to listen to your words:
4 Moses commanded us a law, the inheritance of the multitude of Jacob.
the law that Moses delivered to us that belongs to all the Israelites.
5 He shall be king with the most right, the princes of the people being assembled with the tribes of Israel.
The Lord became King in Israel when the people's leaders gathered, when the tribes of Israel assembled.
6 Let Ruben live, and not die, and be he small in number.
To Reuben he said, “May he live and not die, but may he only have a few men.”
7 This is the blessing of Juda. Hear, O Lord, the voice of Juda, and bring him in unto his people: his hands shall fight for him, and he shall be his helper against his enemies.
To Judah he said: “Lord, please hear the cry of Judah and reunite him with his people. Even though he fights for himself, may you help him against his enemies.”
8 To Levi also he said: Thy perfection, and thy doctrine be to thy holy man, whom thou hast proved in the temptation, and judged at the waters of contradiction:
To Levi he said: “Your Thummim were given to Levi and your Urim to those dedicated to God, the ones you tested at Massah and argued with at the waters of Meribah.
9 Who hath said to his father, and to his mother: I do not know you; and to his brethren: I know you not: and their own children they have not known. These have kept thy word, and observed thy covenant,
Levi said that he didn't pay attention to his father and mother, that he didn't acknowledge his brothers, and that he didn't recognize his children. The Levites did what you said and kept your agreement.
10 Thy judgments, O Jacob, and thy law, O Israel: they shall put incense in thy wrath and holocaust upon thy altar.
They will teach your regulations to Jacob and your law to Israel. They will place incense before you, and sacrifice whole burnt offerings on your altar.
11 Bless, O Lord, his strength, and receive the works of his hands. Strike the backs of his enemies, and let not them that hate him rise.
Lord, please bless what they have, and accept their service for you. Destroy those who attack them; make sure their enemies never rise again.”
12 And to Benjamin he said: The best beloved of the Lord shall dwell confidently in him: as in a bride chamber shall he abide all the day long, and between his shoulders shall be rest.
To Benjamin he said: “May the one the Lord loves be kept safe and secure in the Lord. The Lord always protects him, letting him rest on his shoulders.”
13 To Joseph also he said: Of the blessing of the Lord be his land, of the fruits of heaven, and of the dew, and of the deep that lieth beneath.
To Joseph he said: “May the Lord bless his land with the best gifts of heaven—with the dew and water from the depths below;
14 Of the fruits brought forth by the sun and by the moon.
with the best crops ripened by the sun and the best produce of the seasons;
15 Of the tops of the ancient mountains, of the fruits of the everlasting hills:
with the finest contributions of the ancient mountains and the best materials of the everlasting hills;
16 And of the fruits of the earth, and of the fulness thereof. The blessing of him that appeared in the bush, come upon the head of Joseph, and upon the crown of the Nazarite among his brethren.
with the best gifts of the land and everything in it, along with the appreciation of the one who was in the burning bush. May these blessings rest on the head of Joseph like a crown for this prince among his brothers.
17 His beauty as of the firstling of a bullock, his horns as the horns of a rhinoceros: with them shall he push the nations even to the ends of the earth These are the multitudes of Ephraim and these the thousands of Manasses.
He is as majestic as a firstborn bull; his horns are like those of a wild ox. He will use them to gore the nations, driving them to the ends of the earth. The horns represent the ten thousands of Ephraim, and the thousands of Manasseh.”
18 And to Zabulon he said: Rejoice, O Zabulon, in thy going out; and Issachar in thy tabernacles.
To Zebulun he said: “Celebrate, Zebulun, in your travels and Issachar, in your tents.
19 They shall call the people to the mountain: there shall they sacrifice the victims of justice. Who shall suck as milk the abundance of the sea, and the hidden treasures of the sands.
They will summon the peoples to a mountain; will offer the appropriate sacrifices there. They will enjoy the rich produce of the seas and from trading on the seashores.”
20 And to Gad he said: Blessed be Gad in his breadth: he hath rested as a lion, and hath seized upon the arm and the top of the head.
To Gad he said: “Blessed is he who makes Gad's territory larger! Gad is like a lion lying in wait, ready to rip off an arm or a head.
21 And he saw his pre-eminence, that in his portion the teacher was laid up: who was with the princes of the people, and did the justices of the Lord, and his judgment with Israel.
He chose the best land for himself, for he was allocated a ruler's share. He met with the people's leaders; he did what the Lord said was right, following the Lord's regulations for Israel.”
22 To Dan also he said: Dan is a young lion, he shall flow plentifully from Basan.
To Dan he said: “Dan is a young lion that leaps out of Bashan.”
23 And to Nephtali he said: Nephtali shall enjoy abundance, and shall be full of the blessings of the Lord: he shall possess the sea and the south.
To Naphtali he said: “Naphtali is really favored, full of the Lord's blessing. He shall take over the land to the west and south.”
24 To Aser also he said: Let Aser be blessed with children, let him be acceptable to his brethren, and let him dip his foot in oil.
To Asher he said: “May Asher be blessed more than all the other sons; may he be favored above his brothers and bathe his feet in olive oil.
25 His shoe shall be iron and brass. As the days of thy youth, so also shall thy old age be.
May the bolts of your gate be strong as iron and bronze, and may you be strong all your life.”
26 There is no other God like the God of the rightest: he that is mounted upon the heaven is thy helper. By his magnificence the clouds run hither and thither.
There is no one like the God of Israel, who rides across the heavens to come to help you; who rides the clouds in majesty.
27 His dwelling is above, and underneath are the everlasting arms: he shall cast out the enemy from before thee, and shall say: Be thou brought to nought.
The eternal God is your home, and he holds you up with his everlasting arms. He drives out the enemy ahead of you, and gives the order, “Destroy him!”
28 Israel shall dwell in safety, and alone. The eye of Jacob in a land of corn and wine, and the heavens shall be misty with dew.
As a result Israel lives in peace; Jacob has no trouble in a country of grain and new wine, where the heavens drip with dew.
29 Blessed are thou, Israel: who is like to thee, O people, that art saved by the Lord? the shield of thy help, and the sword of thy glory: thy enemies shall deny thee, and thou shalt tread upon their necks.
How blessed you are, Israel! Is there anyone like you, a people saved by the Lord? He is the shield that protects you, the sword that gives you confidence. Your enemies will tremble before you, and you shall tread them underfoot.
