Deuteronomy 33

Moses' Final Blessing on Israel

1 Now this is a the blessing with which Moses b the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death.

2 And he said:
c "The LORD came from Sinai,
And dawned on them from d Seir;
He shone forth from e Mount Paran,
And He came with f ten thousands of saints;
From His right hand
Came a fiery law for them.
3 Yes, g He loves the people;
h All His saints are in Your hand;
They i sit down at Your feet;
Everyone j receives Your words.
4 k Moses 1 commanded a law for us,
l A heritage of the congregation of Jacob.
5 And He was m King in n Jeshurun,
When the leaders of the people were gathered,
All the tribes of Israel together.

6 "Let o Reuben live, and not die,
Nor let his men be few."

7 And this he said of p Judah:
"Hear, LORD, the voice of Judah,
And bring him to his people;
q Let his hands be sufficient for him,
And may You be r a help against his enemies."

8 And of s Levi he said:
t " Let Your 2 Thummim and Your Urim be with Your holy one,
u Whom You tested at Massah,
And with whom You contended at the waters of Meribah,
9 v Who says of his father and mother,
'I have not w seen them';
x Nor did he acknowledge his brothers,
Or know his own children;
For y they have observed Your word
And kept Your covenant.
10 z They shall teach Jacob Your judgments,
And Israel Your law.
They shall put incense before You,
a And a whole burnt sacrifice on Your altar.
11 Bless his substance, LORD,
And b accept the work of his hands;
Strike the loins of those who rise against him,
And of those who hate him, that they rise not again."

12 Of Benjamin he said:
"The beloved of the LORD shall dwell in safety by Him,
Who shelters him all the day long;
And he shall dwell between His shoulders."

13 And of Joseph he said:
c "Blessed of the LORD is his land,
With the precious things of heaven, with the d dew,
And the deep lying beneath,
14 With the precious fruits of the sun,
With the precious produce of the months,
15 With the best things of e the ancient mountains,
With the precious things f of the everlasting hills,
16 With the precious things of the earth and its fullness,
And the favor of g Him who dwelt in the bush.
Let the blessing come h 'on the head of Joseph,
And on the crown of the head of him who was separate from his brothers.' 3
17 His glory is like a i firstborn bull,
And his horns like the j horns of the wild ox;
Together with them
k He shall push the peoples
To the ends of the earth;
l They are the ten thousands of Ephraim,
And they are the thousands of Manasseh."

18 And of Zebulun he said:
m "Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out,
And Issachar in your tents!
19 They shall n call the peoples to the mountain;
There o they shall offer sacrifices of righteousness;
For they shall partake of the abundance of the seas
And of treasures hidden in the sand."

20 And of Gad he said:
"Blessed is he who p enlarges Gad;
He dwells as a lion,
And tears the arm and the crown of his head.
21 q He provided the first part for himself,
Because a lawgiver's portion was reserved there.
r He came with the heads of the people;
He administered the justice of the LORD,
And His judgments with Israel."

22 And of Dan he said:
"Dan is a lion's whelp;
s He shall leap from Bashan."

23 And of Naphtali he said:
"O Naphtali, t satisfied with favor,
And full of the blessing of the LORD,
u Possess the west and the south."

24 And of Asher he said:
v "Asher is most blessed of sons;
Let him be favored by his brothers,
And let him w dip his foot in oil.
25 Your sandals shall be x iron and bronze;
As your days, so shall your strength be.

26 " There is y no one like the God of z Jeshurun,
a Who rides the heavens to help you,
And in His excellency on the clouds.
27 The eternal God is your b refuge,
And underneath are the everlasting arms;
c He will thrust out the enemy from before you,
And will say, 'Destroy!'
28 Then d Israel shall dwell in safety,
e The fountain of Jacob f alone,
In a land of grain and new wine;
His g heavens shall also drop dew.
29 h Happy are you, O Israel!
i Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD,
j The shield of your help
And the sword of your majesty!
Your enemies k shall submit to you,
And l you shall tread down their 4 high places."

  1. Cross References
    Genesis 49:28
    All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father spoke to them. And he blessed them; he blessed each one according to his own blessing.
  2. Cross References
    Psalms 90:1
    Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations.
  3. Cross References
    Exodus 19:18
    Now Mount Sinai was completely in smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire. Its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly.
    Exodus 19:20
    Then the LORD came down upon Mount Sinai, on the top of the mountain. And the LORD called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.
    Psalms 68:8
    The earth shook; The heavens also dropped rain at the presence of God; Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel.
    Psalms 68:17
    The chariots of God are twenty thousand, Even thousands of thousands; The Lord is among them as in Sinai, in the Holy Place.
    Habakkuk 3:3
    God came from Teman, The Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah His glory covered the heavens, And the earth was full of His praise.
  4. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 2:1
    Then we turned and journeyed into the wilderness of the Way of the Red Sea, as the LORD spoke to me, and we skirted Mount Seir for many days.
    Deuteronomy 2:4
    And command the people, saying, "You are about to pass through the territory of your brethren, the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir; and they will be afraid of you. Therefore watch yourselves carefully.
  5. Cross References
    Numbers 10:12
    And the children of Israel set out from the Wilderness of Sinai on their journeys; then the cloud settled down in the Wilderness of Paran.
  6. Cross References
    Daniel 7:10
    A fiery stream issued And came forth from before Him. A thousand thousands ministered to Him; Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The court was seated, And the books were opened.
    Acts 7:53
    "who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it."
    Revelation 5:11
    Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands.
  7. Cross References
    Psalms 47:4
    He will choose our inheritance for us, The excellence of Jacob whom He loves. Selah
    Hosea 11:1
    When Israel was a child, I loved him, And out of Egypt I called My son.
  8. Cross References
    1 Samuel 2:9
    He will guard the feet of His saints, But the wicked shall be silent in darkness. "For by strength no man shall prevail.
  9. Cross References
    Luke 10:39
    And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word.
  10. Cross References
    Proverbs 2:1
    My son, if you receive my words, And treasure my commands within you.
  11. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 4:2
    You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.
    John 1:17
    For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
    John 7:19
    "Did not Moses give you the law, yet none of you keeps the law? Why do you seek to kill Me?"
  12. Cross References
    Psalms 119:111
    Your testimonies I have taken as a heritage forever, For they are the rejoicing of my heart.
  13. Cross References
    Exodus 15:18
    "The LORD shall reign forever and ever."
  14. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 32:15
    But Jeshurun grew fat and kicked; You grew fat, you grew thick, You are obese! Then he forsook God who made him, And scornfully esteemed the Rock of his salvation.
  15. Cross References
    Genesis 49:3
    Reuben, you are my firstborn, My might and the beginning of my strength, The excellency of dignity and the excellency of power.
    Genesis 49:4
    Unstable as water, you shall not excel, Because you went up to your father's bed; Then you defiled it - He went up to my couch.
  16. Cross References
    Genesis 49:8 - 12
    Judah, you are he whom your brothers shall praise; Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; Your father's children shall bow down before you.
  17. Cross References
    Genesis 49:8
    Judah, you are he whom your brothers shall praise; Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; Your father's children shall bow down before you.
  18. Cross References
    Psalms 146:5
    Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, Whose hope is in the LORD his God.
  19. Cross References
    Genesis 49:5
    Simeon and Levi are brothers; Instruments of cruelty are in their dwelling place.
  20. Cross References
    Exodus 28:30
    And you shall put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim, and they shall be over Aaron's heart when he goes in before the LORD. So Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel over his heart before the LORD continually.
    Leviticus 8:8
    Then he put the breastplate on him, and he put the Urim and the Thummim in the breastplate.
  21. Cross References
    Numbers 20:2 - 13
    Now there was no water for the congregation; so they gathered together against Moses and Aaron.
    Deuteronomy 6:2
    That you may fear the LORD your God, to keep all His statutes and His commandments which I command you, you and your son and your grandson, all the days of your life, and that your days may be prolonged.
    Deuteronomy 6:3
    "Therefore hear, O Israel, and be careful to observe it, that it may be well with you, and that you may multiply greatly as the LORD God of your fathers has promised you - 'a land flowing with milk and honey.'
    Deuteronomy 6:16
    You shall not tempt the LORD your God as you tempted Him in Massah.
    Psalms 81:7
    You called in trouble, and I delivered you; I answered you in the secret place of thunder; I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah
  22. Cross References
    Numbers 25:5 - 8
    So Moses said to the judges of Israel, "Every one of you kill his men who were joined to Baal of Peor.
    Matthew 10:37
    He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.
    Matthew 19:29
    And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.
  23. Cross References
    Genesis 29:32
    So Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben; for she said, "The LORD has surely looked on my affliction. Now therefore, my husband will love me.
  24. Cross References
    Exodus 32:26 - 28
    Then Moses stood in the entrance of the camp, and said, "Whoever is on the LORD's side - come to me!" And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together to him.
  25. Cross References
    Malachi 2:5
    My covenant was with him, one of life and peace, And I gave them to him that he might fear Me; So he feared Me And was reverent before My name.
    Malachi 2:6
    The law of truth was in his mouth, And injustice was not found on his lips. He walked with Me in peace and equity, And turned many away from iniquity.
  26. Cross References
    Leviticus 10:11
    "and that you may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the LORD has spoken to them by the hand of Moses."
    Deuteronomy 31:9 - 13
    So Moses wrote this law and delivered it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and to all the elders of Israel.
    Malachi 2:7
    For the lips of a priest should keep knowledge, And people should seek the law from his mouth; For he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.
  27. Cross References
    Leviticus 1:9
    But he shall wash its entrails and its legs with water. And the priest shall burn all on the altar as a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the LORD.
    Psalms 51:19
    Then You shall be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, With burnt offering and whole burnt offering; Then they shall offer bulls on Your altar.
  28. Cross References
    2 Samuel 24:23
    "All these, O king, Araunah has given to the king." And Araunah said to the king, "May the LORD your God accept you."
    Ezekiel 20:40
    For on My holy mountain, on the mountain height of Israel," says the Lord GOD, "there all the house of Israel, all of them in the land, shall serve Me; there I will accept them, and there I will require your offerings and the firstfruits of your sacrifices, together with all your holy things.
  29. Cross References
    Genesis 49:22 - 26
    Joseph is a fruitful bough, A fruitful bough by a well; His branches run over the wall.
  30. Cross References
    Genesis 27:28
    Therefore may God give you Of the dew of heaven, Of the fatness of the earth, And plenty of grain and wine.
  31. Cross References
    Genesis 49:26
    The blessings of your father Have excelled the blessings of my ancestors, Up to the utmost bound of the everlasting hills. They shall be on the head of Joseph, And on the crown of the head of him who was separate from his brothers.
  32. Cross References
    Habakkuk 3:6
    He stood and measured the earth; He looked and startled the nations. And the everlasting mountains were scattered, The perpetual hills bowed. His ways are everlasting.
  33. Cross References
    Exodus 3:2 - 4
    And the Angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed.
    Acts 7:30 - 35
    And when forty years had passed, an Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire in a bush, in the wilderness of Mount Sinai.
  34. Cross References
    Genesis 49:26
    The blessings of your father Have excelled the blessings of my ancestors, Up to the utmost bound of the everlasting hills. They shall be on the head of Joseph, And on the crown of the head of him who was separate from his brothers.
  35. Cross References
    1 Chronicles 5:1
    Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel - he was indeed the firstborn, but because he defiled his father's bed, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph, the son of Israel, so that the genealogy is not listed according to the birthright.
  36. Cross References
    Numbers 23:22
    God brings them out of Egypt; He has strength like a wild ox.
  37. Cross References
    1 Kings 22:11
    Now Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah had made horns of iron for himself; and he said, "Thus says the LORD: 'With these you shall gore the Syrians until they are destroyed.'
    Psalms 44:5
    Through You we will push down our enemies; Through Your name we will trample those who rise up against us.
  38. Cross References
    Genesis 48:19
    But his father refused and said, "I know, my son, I know. He also shall become a people, and he also shall be great; but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his descendants shall become a multitude of nations.
  39. Cross References
    Genesis 49:13 - 15
    Zebulun shall dwell by the haven of the sea; He shall become a haven for ships, And his border shall adjoin Sidon.
  40. Cross References
    Exodus 15:17
    You will bring them in and plant them In the mountain of Your inheritance, In the place, O LORD, which You have made For Your own dwelling, The sanctuary, O LORD, which Your hands have established.
    Psalms 2:6
    "Yet I have set My King On My holy hill of Zion."
    Isaiah 2:3
    Many people shall come and say, "Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, To the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, And we shall walk in His paths." For out of Zion shall go forth the law, And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
  41. Cross References
    Psalms 4:5
    Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, And put your trust in the LORD.
    Psalms 51:19
    Then You shall be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, With burnt offering and whole burnt offering; Then they shall offer bulls on Your altar.
  42. Cross References
    1 Chronicles 12:8
    Some Gadites joined David at the stronghold in the wilderness, mighty men of valor, men trained for battle, who could handle shield and spear, whose faces were like the faces of lions, and were as swift as gazelles on the mountains:
  43. Cross References
    Numbers 32:16
    Then they came near to him and said: "We will build sheepfolds here for our livestock, and cities for our little ones.
    Numbers 32:17
    But we ourselves will be armed, ready to go before the children of Israel until we have brought them to their place; and our little ones will dwell in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land.
  44. Cross References
    Joshua 4:12
    And the men of Reuben, the men of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh crossed over armed before the children of Israel, as Moses had spoken to them.
  45. Cross References
    Genesis 49:16
    Dan shall judge his people As one of the tribes of Israel.
    Genesis 49:17
    Dan shall be a serpent by the way, A viper by the path, That bites the horse's heels So that its rider shall fall backward.
    Joshua 19:47
    And the border of the children of Dan went beyond these, because the children of Dan went up to fight against Leshem and took it; and they struck it with the edge of the sword, took possession of it, and dwelt in it. They called Leshem, Dan, after the name of Dan their father.
  46. Cross References
    Genesis 49:21
    Naphtali is a deer let loose; He uses beautiful words.
  47. Cross References
    Joshua 19:32
    The sixth lot came out to the children of Naphtali, for the children of Naphtali according to their families.
  48. Cross References
    Genesis 49:20
    Bread from Asher shall be rich, And he shall yield royal dainties.
  49. Cross References
    Job 29:6
    When my steps were bathed with cream, And the rock poured out rivers of oil for me!
  50. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 8:9
    A land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, in which you will lack nothing; a land whose stones are iron and out of whose hills you can dig copper.
  51. Cross References
    Exodus 15:11
    Who is like You, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, Fearful in praises, doing wonders?
    Deuteronomy 4:35
    To you it was shown, that you might know that the LORD Himself is God; there is none other besides Him.
    Psalms 86:8
    Among the gods there is none like You, O Lord; Nor are there any works like Your works.
    Jeremiah 10:6
    Inasmuch as there is none like You, O LORD (You are great, and Your name is great in might).
  52. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 32:15
    But Jeshurun grew fat and kicked; You grew fat, you grew thick, You are obese! Then he forsook God who made him, And scornfully esteemed the Rock of his salvation.
  53. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 10:14
    Indeed heaven and the highest heavens belong to the LORD your God, also the earth with all that is in it.
    Psalms 68:3
    But let the righteous be glad; Let them rejoice before God; Yes, let them rejoice exceedingly.
    Psalms 68:33
    To Him who rides on the heaven of heavens, which were of old! Indeed, He sends out His voice, a mighty voice.
    Psalms 68:34
    Ascribe strength to God; His excellence is over Israel, And His strength is in the clouds.
    Psalms 104:3
    He lays the beams of His upper chambers in the waters, Who makes the clouds His chariot, Who walks on the wings of the wind.
  54. Cross References
    Psalms 90:1
    Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations.
    Psalms 91:2
    I will say of the LORD, " He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.
    Psalms 91:9
    Because you have made the LORD, who is my refuge, Even the Most High, your dwelling place.
  55. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 9:3 - 5
    Therefore understand today that the LORD your God is He who goes over before you as a consuming fire. He will destroy them and bring them down before you; so you shall drive them out and destroy them quickly, as the LORD has said to you.
  56. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 33:12
    Of Benjamin he said: "The beloved of the LORD shall dwell in safety by Him, Who shelters him all the day long; And he shall dwell between His shoulders.
    Jeremiah 23:6
    In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will dwell safely; Now this is His name by which He will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
    Jeremiah 33:16
    In those days Judah will be saved, And Jerusalem will dwell safely. And this is the name by which she will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
  57. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 8:7
    For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, that flow out of valleys and hills.
    Deuteronomy 8:8
    A land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey.
  58. Cross References
    Numbers 23:9
    For from the top of the rocks I see him, And from the hills I behold him; There! A people dwelling alone, Not reckoning itself among the nations.
  59. Cross References
    Genesis 27:28
    Therefore may God give you Of the dew of heaven, Of the fatness of the earth, And plenty of grain and wine.
  60. Cross References
    Psalms 144:15
    Happy are the people who are in such a state; Happy are the people whose God is the LORD!
  61. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 4:32 - 34
    For ask now concerning the days that are past, which were before you, since the day that God created man on the earth, and ask from one end of heaven to the other, whether any great thing like this has happened, or anything like it has been heard.
    2 Samuel 7:23
    And who is like Your people, like Israel, the one nation on the earth whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people, to make for Himself a name - and to do for Yourself great and awesome deeds for Your land - before Your people whom You redeemed for Yourself from Egypt, the nations, and their gods?
  62. Cross References
    Genesis 15:1
    After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.
    Psalms 115:9
    O Israel, trust in the LORD; He is their help and their shield.
  63. Cross References
    Psalms 18:44
    As soon as they hear of me they obey me; The foreigners submit to me.
    Psalms 66:3
    Say to God, "How awesome are Your works! Through the greatness of Your power Your enemies shall submit themselves to You.
  64. Cross References
    Numbers 33:52
    Then you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, destroy all their engraved stones, destroy all their molded images, and demolish all their high places.
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
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