Deuteronomy 33

1 Nowe this is the blessing wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death, and said,

Before God’s prophet Moses died, he [asked God to] bless the Israeli people.

2 The Lord came from Sinai, and rose vp from Seir vnto them, and appeared clearely from mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands of Saints, and at his right hand a firie Lawe for them.

This is what he said: “Yahweh came [and spoke] to us at Sinai [Mountain]; he [came like] [MET] the sun rises in the Edom [region] and like his light shone on us when we were [in the desert] near Paran Mountain [after we left Sinai Mountain]. He came with 10,000 angels, and there was a flaming fire at his right side.

3 Though hee loue the people, yet all thy Saints are in thine handes: and they are humbled at thy foete, to receiue thy words.

Yahweh truly loves his people, and protects [MTY] all those who belong to him. So they prostrate themselves in front of him, and they listen to his instructions.

4 Moses commanded vs a Lawe for an inheritance of the Congregation of Iaakob.

I gave them laws to obey, laws that would be the most precious thing that [the descendants of] Jacob owned.

5 Then he was among the righteous people, as King, when the heades of the people, and the tribes of Israel were assembled.

So Yahweh became the king of his Israeli people when all the tribes and their leaders were gathered together.

6 Let Reuben liue, and not die, though his men be a small nomber.

[I say this about the tribe of] Reuben: I desire/hope that their tribe will never disappear, but they will never become numerous.

7 And thus he blessed Iudah, and said, Heare, O Lord, the voyce of Iudah, and bring him vnto his people: his hands shalbe sufficient for him, if thou helpe him against his enemies.

“say this about [the tribe of] Judah: Yahweh, listen to them when they call out [for help]; and unite them with the other tribes again. Fight for them, and help them to fight against their enemies.

8 And of Leui he said, Let thy Thummim and thine Vrim be with thine Holy one, whome thou diddest proue in Massah, and didst cause him to striue at the waters of Meribah.

I say this about [the tribe of] Levi: Yahweh, give to those who are dedicated to you the sacred stones [that they will use to find out what you want to be done]; You tested them at a spring in the desert, a spring that they named Massah and also named Meribah [to find out if they would (remain loyal to/continue to obey) you].

9 Who said vnto his father and to his mother, I haue not seene him, neither knewe he his brethren, nor knewe his owne children: for they obserued thy word, and kept thy couenant.

The tribe of Levi did what you told them to do and obeyed the agreement that you [made with the Israeli people]; those laws were more important to them [HYP] than their siblings and parents and children.

10 They shall teach Iaakob thy iudgements, and Israel thy Lawe: they shall put incense before thy face, and the burnt offring vpon thine altar.

The tribe of Levi will teach the Israeli people [DOU] your rules and regulations, and they are the ones who will burn incense and who will completely burn on the altar the offerings [that the people bring].

11 Blesse, O Lord, his substance, and accept the worke of his handes: smite through ye loynes of them that rise against him, and of them that hate him, that they rise not againe.

Yahweh, bless their work and (accept/be pleased with) all that they do. Crush/Destroy all their enemies; do not enable their enemies to be able to fight against them again.

12 Of Beniamin he said, The beloued of the Lord shall dwell in safetie by him: the Lord shall couer him all the day long, and dwell betweene his shoulders.

I say this about [the tribe of] Benjamin: They are the tribe that Yahweh loves; he keeps them safe. He protects them continually, and he lives among their hills [MET].

13 And of Ioseph hee sayde, Blessed of the Lord is his land for the sweetenesse of heauen, for the dewe, and for the depth lying beneath,

“say this about [the tribes of] Joseph: I desire/hope that Yahweh will bless their land by giving them rain/dew from the sky and water from deep [in the ground],

14 And for the sweete increase of the sunne, and for the sweete increase of the moone,

by giving them good fruit [ripened] by the sun and good crops at harvest time.

15 And for the sweetenes of the top of the ancient mountaines, and for the sweetenes of the olde hilles,

I desire/hope that very nice fruit will grow on trees in their ancient mountains/hills [DOU],

16 And for the sweetenesse of the earth, and abundance thereof: and the good will of him that dwelt in the bushe, shall come vpon the head of Ioseph, and vpon the toppe of the head of him that was separated from his brethren.

and that their land will be have many good crops, blessed by [Yahweh], the one who appeared to me in a burning bush. I desire/hope that Yahweh will bless the tribes of Joseph in all those ways, because he was the leaders of his [older] brothers [when they were in Egypt].

17 His beautie shalbe like his first borne bullock, and his hornes as the hornes of an vnicorne: with them hee shall smite the people together, euen the endes of the world: these are also the ten thousands of Ephraim, and these are the thousands of Manasseh.

The descendants of Joseph will be as strong as [SIM] a bull; [with their weapons they will wound their enemies, like] [MET] a wild ox [gores other animals] with its horns. They will force other people-groups, all of them, to be exiled to the most distant places on the earth. That is what [the descendants of the two sons of Joseph] will do, the ten thousands [of the tribe] of Ephraim and the thousands [of the tribe] of Manasseh.

18 And of Zebulun he sayd, Reioice, Zebulun, in thy going out, and thou Isshachar in thy tents.

“say this about [the tribes of] Zebulun [and Issachar]: I desire/hope that the people of Zebulun will prosper in their travels [across the seas], and that the people of Issachar will prosper while they stay at home [and take care of their cattle and crops].

19 They shall call ye people vnto the mountaine: there they shall offer the sacrifices of righteousnesse: for they shall sucke of the abundance of the sea, and of the treasures hid in the sand.

They will invite people [from the other Israeli tribes] to the mountain [where they worship Yahweh], and they will offer the correct/proper sacrifices to him. They will become rich from [the work that they do on] the seas and from [the things that they make from] (OR, [find in]) the sand [on the beaches].

20 Also of Gad he said, Blessed be hee that enlargeth Gad: he dwelleth as a lion, that catcheth for his praye the arme with the head.

“say this about [the tribe of] Gad: Praise [Yahweh], the one who made their [territory] large. The people of their tribe [will attack their enemies fiercely] [SIM] like a lion that crouches, waiting to tear off the arm or the scalp [of some animal].

21 And hee looked to himselfe at the beginning, because there was a portion of the Lawe-giuer hid: yet hee shall come with the heades of the people, to execute the iustice of the Lord, and his iudgements with Israel.

They chose the best part of the land for themselves; [a large share of the land], a share that should be given to a leader was allotted to them. When the leaders of the tribes of Israel [gathered together], they decided that the tribe of Gad should have a large share of the land. The tribe of Gad obeyed the commands of Yahweh and the things that he decided that they should do.

22 And of Dan he said, Dan is a lions whelp: he shall leape from Bashan.

“say this about [the tribe] of Dan: The people of the tribe of Dan are like [SIM] a young lion; they leap from [their caves in the] Bashan [region to attack their enemies].

23 Also of Naphtali he sayd, O Naphtali, satisfied with fauour, and filled with the blessing of the Lord, possesse the West and the South.

“say this about [the tribe of] Naphtali: [The people of the tribe of] Naphtali have been blessed by Yahweh, who has been very kind to them; their land extends far south from Lake [Galilee].

24 And of Asher he saide, Asher shalbe blessed with children: he shalbe acceptable vnto his brethren, and shall dippe his foote in oyle.

“say this about [the tribe of] Asher: May Yahweh bless the descendants of Asher more than he will bless the other tribes. May he favor Asher’s descendants most of all. I desire/hope that their land will [be filled with olive trees that will] produce a lot of [IDM] [olives to make olive] oil.

25 Thy shooes shalbe yron and brasse, and thy strength shall continue as long as thou liuest.

Their [towns will be protected by high walls with gates that have] bronze and iron bars; I desire/hope that they will be strong and secure/protected all the time that they are alive.

26 There is none like God, O righteous people, which rideth vpon the heauens for thine helpe, and on the cloudes in his glory.

“You people of Israel, there is no god like your God, who rides majestically across the sky to help you.

27 The eternall God is thy refuge, and vnder his armes thou art for euer: hee shall cast out the enemie before thee, and will say, Destroy them.

God, who lives forever, is the one who (gives you refuge/protects you); [it is as though] he puts his everlasting arms under you [to support you]. He will expel your enemies while you advance; he has told you to destroy all of them.

28 Then Israel the fountaine of Iaakob shall dwell alone in safetie in a lande of wheat, and wine: also his heauens shall drop the dewe.

So, you Israeli people will live safely; you descendants of Jacob will not be disturbed by others; in the land where [you will live], there will be plenty of grain and wine, and there will be plenty of rain.

29 Blessed art thou, O Israel: who is like vnto thee, O people saued by the Lord, the shielde of thine helpe, and which is the sword of thy glorie? therefore thine enemies shall bee in subiection to thee, and thou shalt tread vpon their hie places.

You people of Israel, Yahweh (has blessed/is pleased with) you. There is certainly [RHQ] no nation like your nation, whom Yahweh has rescued [from being slaves in Egypt]. [He will be like] [MET] a shield to protect you and like [MET] a sword to enable you to defeat [your enemies]. Your enemies will come to you begging for you [to act mercifully toward them], but you will trample on their backs/necks.”