Deuteronomy 33

¹ This is the blessing, with which Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death. ² He said, “Yahweh came from Sinai, and rose from Seir to them. He shone out from Mount Paran. He came from the ten thousands of holy ones. At his right hand was a fiery law for them. ³ Yes, he loves the people. All his saints are in your hand. They sat down at your feet. Each one received of your words. ⁴ Moses commanded us a law, an inheritance for the assembly of Jacob. ⁵ He was king in Jeshurun, when the heads of the people were gathered, all the tribes of Israel together.

⁶ “Let Reuben live, and not die; nor let his men be few.”

⁷ This is for Judah. He said, “Hear, Yahweh, the voice of Judah, and bring him in to his people. With his hands he contended for himself. You shall be a help against his adversaries.”

⁸ Of Levi he said, “Your Thummim and your Urim are with your holy one, whom you proved at Massah, with whom you contended at the waters of Meribah; ⁹ who said of his father and of his mother, ‘I have not seen him;’ neither did he acknowledge his brothers, nor did he know his own children; for they have observed your word, and keep your covenant. ¹⁰ They shall teach Jacob your ordinances, and Israel your law. They shall put incense before you, and whole burnt offering on your altar. ¹¹ Yahweh, bless his substance. Accept the work of his hands. Strike through the loins of those who rise up against him, of those who hate him, that they not rise again.”

¹² Of Benjamin he said, “The beloved of Yahweh shall dwell in safety by him. He covers him all the day long. He dwells between his shoulders.”

¹³ Of Joseph he said, “Blessed of Yahweh be his land, for the precious things of heaven, for the dew, and for the deep that couches beneath, ¹⁴ for the precious things of the fruits of the sun, and for the precious things of the growth of the moons, ¹⁵ for the chief things of the ancient mountains, and for the precious things of the everlasting hills, ¹⁶ and for the precious things of the earth and its fullness, and the good will of him who lived in the bush. Let the blessing come on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him who was separated from his brothers. ¹⁷ The firstborn of his herd has majesty. His horns are the horns of the wild ox. With them he shall push the peoples all of them, even the ends of the earth. They are the ten thousands of Ephraim. They are the thousands of Manasseh.”

¹⁸ Of Zebulun he said, “Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out; and Issachar, in your tents. ¹⁹ They shall call the peoples to the mountain. There they shall offer sacrifices of righteousness; for they shall suck the abundance of the seas, and the hidden treasures of the sand.”

²⁰ Of Gad he said, “Blessed be he who enlarges Gad. He dwells as a lioness, and tears the arm, yes, the crown of the head. ²¹ He provided the first part for himself, for there was the lawgiver’s portion reserved. He came with the heads of the people. He executed the righteousness of Yahweh, his ordinances with Israel.”

²² Of Dan he said, “Dan is a lion’s cub that leaps forth from Bashan.”

²³ Of Naphtali he said, “Naphtali, satisfied with favor, and full of Yahweh’s blessing, possess the west and the south.”

²⁴ Of Asher he said, “Asher is blessed with children. Let him be acceptable to his brothers. Let him dip his foot in oil. ²⁵ Your bars shall be iron and bronze. As your days, so your strength will be.”

²⁶ “There is no one like God, Jeshurun, who rides on the heavens for your help, in his excellency on the skies. ²⁷ The eternal God is your dwelling place. Underneath are the everlasting arms. He thrust out the enemy from before you, and said, ‘Destroy!’ ²⁸ Israel dwells in safety, the fountain of Jacob alone, in a land of grain and new wine. Yes, his heavens drop down dew. ²⁹ You are happy, Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by Yahweh, the shield of your help, and the sword of your excellency! Your enemies shall submit themselves to you. You shall tread on their high places.”