Deuteronomy 33

1 The following is the blessing that Moses the man of God gave to the Israelites before he died.

And this [is] the blessing with which Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death.

2 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.

And he said, The Lord is come from Sina, and has appeared from Seir to us, and has hasted out of the mount of Pharan, with the ten thousands of Cades; on his right hand [were] his angels with him.

3 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:

And he spared his people, and all his sanctified ones [are] under your hands; and they are under you; and he received of his words

4 the law that Moses delivered to us that belongs to all the Israelites.

the law which Moses charged us, an inheritance to the assemblies of Jacob.

5 The Lord became King in Israel when the people's leaders gathered, when the tribes of Israel assembled.

And he shall be prince with the beloved one, when the princes of the people are gathered together with the tribes of Israel.

6 To Reuben he said, “May he live and not die, but may he only have a few men.”

Let Ruben live, and not die; and let him be many in number.

7 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.”

And this [is the blessing] of Juda; Hear, Lord, the voice of Juda, and do you visit his people: his hands shall contend for him, and you shall be a help from his enemies.

8 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.

And to Levi he said, Give to Levi his manifestations, and his truth to the holy man, whom they tempted in the temptation; they reviled him at the water of strife.

9 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.

Who says to his father and mother, I have not seen you; and he knew not his brethren, and he refused to know his sons: he kept your oracles, and observed your covenant.

10 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.

They shall declare your ordinances to Jacob, and your law to Israel: they shall place incense in [the time of] your wrath continually upon your altar.

11 Lord, please bless what they have, and accept their service for you. Destroy those who attack them; make sure their enemies never rise again.”

Bless, Lord, his strength, and accept the works of his hands; break the loins of his enemies that have risen up against him, and let not them that hate him rise up.

12 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.”

And to Benjamin he said, The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in confidence, and God overshadows him always, and he rested between his shoulders.

13 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;

And to Joseph he said, His land [is] of the blessing of the Lord, of the seasons of sky and dew, and of the deeps of wells below,

14 with the best crops ripened by the sun and the best produce of the seasons;

and of the fruits of the changes of the sun in season, and of the produce of the months,

15 with the finest contributions of the ancient mountains and the best materials of the everlasting hills;

from the top of the ancient mountains, and from the top of the everlasting hills,

16 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.

and of the fullness of the land in season: and let the things pleasing to him that lived in the bush come on the head of Joseph, and on the crown [of him who was] glorified above his brethren.

17 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.”

His beauty [is as] the firstling of his bull, his horns [are] the horns of a unicorn; with them he shall thrust the nations at once, even from the end of the earth: these [are] the ten thousands of Ephraim, and these [are] the thousands of Manasse.

18 To Zebulun he said: “Celebrate, Zebulun, in your travels and Issachar, in your tents.

And to Zabulon he said, Rejoice, Zabulon, in your going out, and Issachar in his tents.

19 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.”

They shall utterly destroy the nations, and you shall call [men] there, and there offer the sacrifice of righteousness; for the wealth of the sea shall suckle you, and so shall the marts of them that dwell by the sea-coast.

20 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.

And to Gad he said, Blessed [be] he that enlarges Gad: as a lion he rested, having broken the arm and the ruler.

21 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.”

And he saw his first fruits, that there the land of the princes gathered with the chiefs of the people was divided; the Lord wrought righteousness, and his judgment with Israel.

22 To Dan he said: “Dan is a young lion that leaps out of Bashan.”

And to Dan he said, Dan [is] a lion's whelp, and shall leap out of Basan.

23 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.”

And to Nephthali he said, Nephthali [has] the fulness of good things; and let him be filled with blessing from the Lord: he shall inherit the west and the south.

24 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.

And to Aser he said, Aser [is] blessed with children; and he shall be acceptable to his brethren: he shall dip his foot in oil.

25 May the bolts of your gate be strong as iron and bronze, and may you be strong all your life.”

His sandal shall be iron and brass; as your days, so [shall be] your strength.

26 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.

There is not [any such] as the God of the beloved; he who rides upon the heaven [is] your helper, and the magnificent One of the firmament.

27 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!”

And the rule of God shall protect you, and [that] under the strength of the everlasting arms; and he shall cast forth the enemy from before your face, saying, Perish.

28 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.

And Israel shall dwell in confidence alone on the land of Jacob, with corn and wine; and the sky [shall be] misty with dew upon you.

29 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.

Blessed [are] you, O Israel; who [is] like to you, O people saved by the Lord? your helper shall hold his shield over you, and [his] sword [is] your boast; and your enemies shall speak falsely to you, and you shall tread upon their neck.