Deuteronomy

Chapter 33

Moses Blesses the Twelve Tribes

Before his death, Moses blesses Israel by recalling the LORD’s appearing, love, law, and kingship, then he speaks tribe by tribe over Reuben, Judah, Levi, Benjamin, Joseph, Zebulun, Issachar, Gad, Dan, Naphtali, and Asher. The chapter closes by turning from the tribes to Israel as a whole, secure beneath the help of the unmatched God of Jeshurun.

After the song of Deuteronomy 32 and just before Moses’s death in Deuteronomy 34, this chapter serves as his final spoken blessing. It gathers the tribes under the LORD’s rule and leaves Israel with a last word of protection, inheritance, and praise.

1 section·181 words·~1 min read

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Deuteronomy 33

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vv. 1-29

Moses Blesses the Twelve Tribes

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T¹his is the blessing that Moses the man of God pronounced upon the Israelites before his death. ²He said: ³Surely You love the people; ⁴the law that Moses gave us, ⁵So the LORD became King in Jeshurun

⁶Let Reuben live and not die,

⁷And concerning Judah he said:

⁸Concerning Levi he said: ⁹He said of his father and mother, ¹⁰He will teach Your ordinances to Jacob ¹¹Bless his substance, O LORD,

¹²Concerning Benjamin he said:

¹³Concerning Joseph he said: ¹⁴with the bountiful harvest from the sun ¹⁵with the best of the ancient mountains ¹⁶with the choice gifts of the land and everything in it, ¹⁷His majesty is like a firstborn bull,

¹⁸Concerning Zebulun he said: ¹⁹They will call the peoples to a mountain;

²⁰Concerning Gad he said: ²¹He chose the best land for himself,

²²Concerning Dan he said:

²³Concerning Naphtali he said:

²⁴And concerning Asher he said: ²⁵May the bolts of your gate be iron and bronze,

²⁶“There is none like the God of Jeshurun, ²⁷The eternal God is your dwelling place, ²⁸So Israel dwells securely; ²⁹Blessed are you, O Israel!

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01vv. 1-29Moses Blesses the Twelve TribesMoses opens with the LORD’s majestic coming and His care for Israel, then blesses the tribes one by one according to their place and need. The chapter ends by lifting Israel’s eyes from these tribal words to the God who carries, shelters, and saves them.