Deuteronomy 33:1-29 - Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

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Bible Comments

Deuteronomy 33. The Blessing of Moses. Of this poem (quite unconnected with the context) the following statements may be made: (a) It was composed during the prosperous reign of Jeroboam II (786- 746 B.C.) A date after the disruption is required by Deuteronomy 33:7; a period of prosperity by Deuteronomy 33:13-17. Prior to 786 B.C. Israel had been ruled by petty kings, and after 746 B.C. the Northern Kingdom had a long and disastrous struggle with Damascus. (b) The writer belonged to the Northern Kingdom, and therefore gives far more prominence to Israel (Joseph) than to Judah. (c) He was a member of the priestly class (Deuteronomy 33:8-11). Accepting the above conclusions, it follows that Levi was a priestly tribe long before the date of D; Steuernagel and Bertholet hold that Deuteronomy 33:6-25 (the blessings) form an independent piece by a native of the north who lived in the prosperous days of Jeroboam II; Deuteronomy 33:1, at least, must go with Deuteronomy 33:6-25. Moses could not be the author of Deuteronomy 33:12; Deuteronomy 33:27 b. Besides, the whole chapter implies the non-existence of enemies.

Deuteronomy 33:2 f. For the theophany here described, see Judges 5:4; Habakkuk 3:3; Psalms 68:8 f.

Deuteronomy 33:2. Yahweh came from His abode in Sinai (Exodus 31) to Palestine to His people's help. from the ten thousands of holy ones: render, from Meribah of Kadesh (Deuteronomy 32:51). The late Jewish tradition (Acts 7:53; Galatians 3:19; Hebrews 2:2) arose through a misunderstanding of the original text. At. them: read From his right hand was a burning fire for them.

Deuteronomy 33:3. peoples: read (with LXX) the people. saints better, holy ones. Driver (Kittel's text) for the rest of the verse, which is very corrupt, reads, and he supports thy lot and keeps his covenant with thee.

Deuteronomy 33:5. king: i.e. Yahweh. Jeshurun: Deuteronomy 32:15 *.

Deuteronomy 33:6-25. Moses-' blessings on the tribes. This passage should be compared with Jacob's blessings on his twelve sons in Genesis 49 J (see notes, and for a thorough discussion ICC, pp. 507ff.). The present section bears marks of dependence and is therefore later. Simeon, now absorbed into Judah, is here unmentioned.

Deuteronomy 33:7 d. Read, with thy hands strive thou for him.

Deuteronomy 33:8. Thummim. Urim: pp. 100f. godly: render, favoured, i.e. Levi. Massah: see Deuteronomy 6:16 *, Exodus 17:1-7. Meribah: see Numbers 20:2-13 *.

Deuteronomy 33:10. Levi's duties. incense (in the older sense) means the smoke of ordinary sacrifice. whole burnt offering: see Deuteronomy 12:6 *.

Deuteronomy 33:12. by him: take these words with the next line and read, the lofty one covereth (i.e. defends) him. his (i.e. Benjamin's) shoulders: i.e. the mountains amid which the Temple was erected. This verse implies that the Temple was already built.

Deuteronomy 33:13. heaven. dew: read, heaven above. the deep: a personification; hardly a reference to the Babylonian Creation Myth, see Oxford Apoc. i. p. 653.

Deuteronomy 33:16. Render, May the good will of Him that dwelt in the bush (Exodus 3:2-4 *) come upon Joseph's head. separate: render crowned.

Deuteronomy 33:17. Read May he (Joseph) be glorious and his horns as those of a wild ox (Numbers 23:22 *, Cent.B, Psalms 92:10): with them may he gore the nations, even all the ends of the earth together.

Deuteronomy 33:19. call: i.e. summon to such religious festivals as accompany fairs, etc. in the East. mountain: sacred site. hidden. sand: probably small shell-fish from which dyes were made.

Deuteronomy 33:20. lioness: see Genesis 49:9.

Deuteronomy 33:22. lion's whelp: cf. Laish (= lion), which Dan seized (Joshua 19:47).

Deuteronomy 33:23. west: read (transposing and slightly changing) the district of the sea (of Galilee).

Deuteronomy 33:24. Render, most blessed (i.e. fortunate) of sons be Asher (=fortunate one). let him dip. in oil: i.e. may his territory abound in olive-trees.

Deuteronomy 33:25 a. i.e. may thy bars (of city gates) be strong.

Deuteronomy 33:26-29. Israel's Good Fortune (conclusion of poem).

Deuteronomy 33:26. Read (with VSS), the God of Jeshurun (Deuteronomy 32:15 *)

Deuteronomy 33:27. Read (changing slightly), Above is the God of olden time, and below are the everlasting arms.

Related Commentaries of Deuteronomy 33:1

Deuteronomy 33:1-29

1 And this is the blessing, wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death.

2 And he said, The LORD came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; he shined forth from mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints: from his right hand went a fierya law for them.

3 Yea, he loved the people; all his saints are in thy hand: and they sat down at thy feet; every one shall receive of thy words.

4 Moses commanded us a law, even the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob.

5 And he was king in Jeshurun, when the heads of the people and the tribes of Israel were gathered together.

6 Let Reuben live, and not die; and let not his men be few.

7 And this is the blessing of Judah: and he said, Hear, LORD, the voice of Judah, and bring him unto his people: let his hands be sufficient for him; and be thou an help to him from his enemies.

8 And of Levi he said, Let thy Thummim and thy Urim be with thy holy one, whom thou didst prove at Massah, and with whom thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah;

9 Who said unto his father and to his mother, I have not seen him; neither did he acknowledge his brethren, nor knew his own children: for they have observed thy word, and kept thy covenant.

10 They shall teachb Jacob thy judgments, and Israel thy law: they shall put incense before thee, and whole burnt sacrifice upon thine altar.

11 Bless, LORD, his substance, and accept the work of his hands: smite through the loins of them that rise against him, and of them that hate him, that they rise not again.

12 And of Benjamin he said, The beloved of the LORD shall dwell in safety by him; and the LORD shall cover him all the day long, and he shall dwell between his shoulders.

13 And of Joseph he said, Blessed of the LORD be his land, for the precious things of heaven, for the dew, and for the deep that coucheth beneath,

14 And for the precious fruits brought forth by the sun, and for the precious things put forth by the moon,

15 And for the chief things of the ancient mountains, and for the precious things of the lasting hills,

16 And for the precious things of the earth and fulness thereof, and for the good will of him that dwelt in the bush: let the blessing come upon the head of Joseph, and upon the top of the head of him that was separated from his brethren.

17 His glory is like the firstling of his bullock, and his horns are like the horns of unicorns:c with them he shall push the people together to the ends of the earth: and they are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh.

18 And of Zebulun he said, Rejoice, Zebulun, in thy going out; and, Issachar, in thy tents.

19 They shall call the people unto the mountain; there they shall offer sacrifices of righteousness: for they shall suck of the abundance of the seas, and of treasures hid in the sand.

20 And of Gad he said, Blessed be he that enlargeth Gad: he dwelleth as a lion, and teareth the arm with the crown of the head.

21 And he provided the first part for himself, because there, in a portion of the lawgiver, was he seated;d and he came with the heads of the people, he executed the justice of the LORD, and his judgments with Israel.

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

23 And of Naphtali he said, O Naphtali, satisfied with favour, and full with the blessing of the LORD: possess thou the west and the south.

24 And of Asher he said, Let Asher be blessed with children; let him be acceptable to his brethren, and let him dip his foot in oil.

25 Thy shoese shall be iron and brass; and as thy days, so shall thy strength be.

26 There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his excellency on the sky.

27 The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.

28 Israel then shall dwell in safety alone: the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine; also his heavens shall drop down dew.

29 Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the LORD, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency! and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places.