Introduction to the Blessing of Moses
33:1 This is the blessing by means of which Moses the
man of God blessed the people of Israel before his death. 33:2 He said:
A Historical Review
The LORD came from Sinai
And shined forth from Seir to Israel.1
He radiated light from Mount Paran,
And came forth with ten thousand holy ones.2
33:3 Surely you love the people;
All his holy ones3
are in your power.4
And they sit5
at your feet,
Each receiving your words.
33:4 Moses delivered6
to us a law,7
An inheritance for the assembly of Jacob.
33:5 The LORD8
was king over Jeshurun,9
When the leaders10
of the people were scattered,
All the tribes of Israel together.
Blessing on Reuben
33:6 May Reuben live and not die,
And may his number be incalculable.11
Blessing on Judah
33:7 And this is the blessing to Judah; he said,
Listen, O LORD, to Judah’s voice,
And bring him to his people.
May his power12
be great,
And may you be a help against his foes.
Blessing on Levi
33:8 Of Levi he said:
Your Thummim and Urim13
belong to your godly one,14
Whom you tested at Massah,15
And with whom you contended at the waters of Meribah.16
33:9 The one who said to his father and mother,
“I have not seen him”;17
And who did not acknowledge his own brothers,
Or know his own children
For they kept your word,
And guarded your covenant.
33:10 They will teach Jacob your ordinances
And your law to Israel;
They will set incense as a pleasant odor,18
And a whole-offering upon your altars.
33:11 Bless, O LORD, his goods,
And be pleased with his efforts;19
Undercut the legs20
of any who rise up against him,
And of those who hate him so that they cannot stand.
Blessing on Benjamin
33:12 Of Benjamin he said:
The beloved of the LORD will live safely by him;
He covers him all the time,21
And the LORD22
settles him on his bosom.23
Blessing on Joseph
33:13 Of Joseph he said:
The blessing of the LORD be on his land,
From the gift of heaven, the dew,
And from the depth crouching beneath.
33:14 From the gift of the daylight,24
And that of the produce of the night.25
33:15 From the best26
of the eternal mountains,
And the largess of the everlasting hills.
33:16 From the bounty of the earth and its fullness,
and the pleasure of him who dwells in the brushland;
May blessing come upon Joseph’s head,
and upon the skull of the one separated from his brothers.
33:17 May the firstborn of his bull be prize-worthy to him,
And his horns as those of a wild ox;
With them may he push all the people together,
All the far reaches of the earth;
They are the ten thousands of Ephraim,27
And they the thousands of Manasseh.
Blessing on Zebulun and Issachar
33:18 Of Zebulun he said:
Rejoice, Zebulon, in being outside,28
And Issachar, in being inside.29
33:19 They will summon the people to the mountain,
There they will sacrifice proper sacrifices;
For they will draw out30
the abundance of the seas,
And the hidden secret things of the sand.
Blessing on Gad
33:20 Of Gad he said:
Blessed be the one who enlarges Gad,
Like a lioness he will dwell;
He will tear an arm—indeed, a skull.
33:21 He has selected31
the best part for himself,
For the portion of the leader32
is set aside33
there;
He came with the heads of the people,
He performed the righteousness of the LORD
And his ordinances with Israel.
Blessing on Dan
33:22 Of Dan he said:
Dan is a lion’s cub,
He will leap forth from Bashan.34
Blessing on Naphtali
33:23 Of Naphtali he said:
O Naphtali, overflowing35
with favor,
And full of the LORD’s blessing;
Possess the west and south.
Blessing on Asher
33:24 Of Asher he said:
Asher is blessed with children,
May he be favored by his brothers
And may he dip his foot in oil.36
33:25 Your bars will be made of iron and bronze,
And according to your days may your walk be.
General Praise and Blessing
33:26 There is no one like God, O Jeshurun,37
Riding the heavens to help you,38
And in his lofty clouds.
33:27 The everlasting God39
is a dwelling-place,
And underneath are eternal arms;
He has driven out enemies before you,
And he has said, “Destroy!”
33:28 Israel lives in safety,
The fountain of Jacob quite secure,40
Upon41
a land of grain and new wine;
Indeed, its heavens rain down dew.
33:29 Most happy are you, Israel-who is like you?
A people delivered by the LORD,
Your helpful shield
And your exalted sword;
May your enemies cringe before you,
But may you trample upon their42
backs.