Deuteronomy, 33

1. This is the blessing that Moses, man of God, pronounced over the Israelites before he died.

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, from Seir he dawned on us, from Mount Paran blazed forth, For them he came, after the mustering at Kadesh, from his zenith as far as the foothills.

2. He said, "The LORD came from Sinai, and dawned from Se'ir upon us; he shone forth from Mount Paran, he came from the ten thousands of holy ones, with flaming fire at his right hand.

3. You who love the ancestors! Your holy ones are all at your command. At your feet they fell, under your guidance went swiftly on.

3. Yea, he loved his people; all those consecrated to him were in his hand; so they followed in thy steps, receiving direction from thee,

4. (Moses enjoined a law on us.) The assembly of Jacob comes into its inheritance;

4. when Moses commanded us a law, as a possession for the assembly of Jacob.

5. there was a king in Jeshurun when the heads of the people foregathered and the tribes of Israel were all assembled!

5. Thus the LORD became king in Jesh'urun, when the heads of the people were gathered, all the tribes of Israel together.

6. May Reuben survive and not die out, survive though his men be few!

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

7. Of Judah he said this: Listen, Yahweh, to the voice of Judah, and bring him back to his people. That his hands may defend his rights, come to his help against his foes!

7. And this he said of Judah: "Hear, O LORD, the voice of Judah, and bring him in to his people. With thy hands contend for him, and be a help against his adversaries."

8. Of Levi he said: To Levi, give your urim, to your faithful one, your thummim, having tested him at Massah, having striven with him at the Waters of Meribah.

8. And of Levi he said, "Give to Levi thy Thummim, and thy Urim to thy godly one, whom thou didst test at Massah, with whom thou didst strive at the waters of Mer'ibah;

9. Of his father and mother, he says, 'I have not seen them.' He does not acknowledge his brothers, nor does he know his own children. Yes, they have kept your word, they hold firmly to your covenant.

9. who said of his father and mother, `I regard them not'; he disowned his brothers, and ignored his children. For they observed thy word, and kept thy covenant.

10. They will teach your customs to Jacob, and your Law to Israel. They will put incense before you and burnt offerings on your altar.

10. They shall teach Jacob thy ordinances, and Israel thy law; they shall put incense before thee, and whole burnt offering upon thy altar.

11. Yahweh, bless his worthiness, and accept the actions he performs. Crush the loins of those who rise against him and of his foes, so that they rise no more!

11. Bless, O LORD, his substance, and accept the work of his hands; crush the loins of his adversaries, of those that hate him, that they rise not again."

12. Of Benjamin he said: Beloved of Yahweh, he rests trustfully near him. The Most High protects him day after day and dwells between his hillsides.

12. Of Benjamin he said, "The beloved of the LORD, he dwells in safety by him; he encompasses him all the day long, and makes his dwelling between his shoulders."

13. Of Joseph he said: His land is blessed by Yahweh. For him the best of heaven's dew and of the deep that lies below,

13. And of Joseph he said, "Blessed by the LORD be his land, with the choicest gifts of heaven above, and of the deep that couches beneath,

14. the best of what the sun makes grow, of what springs with every month,

14. with the choicest fruits of the sun, and the rich yield of the months,

15. the first-fruits of the ancient mountains, the best from the hills of old

15. with the finest produce of the ancient mountains, and the abundance of the everlasting hills,

16. the best of the land and all it holds, the favour of him who dwells in the Bush. May the hair grow thick on the head of Joseph, on the brow of the consecrated one among his brothers!

16. with the best gifts of the earth and its fulness, and the favor of him that dwelt in the bush. Let these come upon the head of Joseph, and upon the crown of the head of him that is prince among his brothers.

17. First-born of the Bull, his the glory. His horns are the wild ox's horns, with which he gores the peoples to the very ends of the earth. Such are the myriads of Ephraim, such are the thousands of Manasseh.

17. His firstling bull has majesty, and his horns are the horns of a wild ox; with them he shall push the peoples, all of them, to the ends of the earth; such are the ten thousands of E'phraim, and such are the thousands of Manas'seh."

18. Of Zebulun he said: Prosper, Zebulun, in your expeditions, and you, Issachar, in your tents!

18. And of Zeb'ulun he said, "Rejoice, Zeb'ulun, in your going out; and Is'sachar, in your tents.

19. On the mountain where the people come to pray they offer upright sacrifices, for they taste the riches of the seas and the treasures hidden in the sands.

19. They shall call peoples to their mountain; there they offer right sacrifices; for they suck the affluence of the seas and the hidden treasures of the sand."

20. Of Gad he said: Blessed be he who gives Gad space enough! He lies there like a lioness; he has savaged arm and face and head.

20. And of Gad he said, "Blessed be he who enlarges Gad! Gad couches like a lion, he tears the arm, and the crown of the head.

21. Then he took the first portion for himself, saw that there was stored up for him a leader's share. He has come at the head of the people, has carried out the saving justice of Yahweh and his judgements on Israel.

21. He chose the best of the land for himself, for there a commander's portion was reserved; and he came to the heads of the people, with Israel he executed the commands and just decrees of the LORD."

22. Of Dan he said: Dan is a lion cub leaping from Bashan.

22. And of Dan he said, "Dan is a lion's whelp, that leaps forth from Bashan."

23. Of Naphtali he said: Naphtali, sated with favours, filled with the blessings of Yahweh: the west and south are to be his domain.

23. And of Naph'tali he said, "O Naph'tali, satisfied with favor, and full of the blessing of the LORD, possess the lake and the south."

24. Of Asher he said: Most blessed of the sons let Asher be! Let him be the most privileged of his brothers and let him bathe his feet in oil!

24. And of Asher he said, "Blessed above sons be Asher; let him be the favorite of his brothers, and let him dip his foot in oil.

25. Be your bolts of iron and of bronze and your security as lasting as your days!

25. Your bars shall be iron and bronze; and as your days, so shall your strength be.

26. No one is like the God of Jeshurun: he rides the heavens to your rescue, rides the clouds in his majesty!

26. "There is none like God, O Jesh'urun, who rides through the heavens to your help, and in his majesty through the skies.

27. The God of old is your refuge, his the eternal arm which here below drives the enemy before you; he it is who says, 'Destroy!'

27. The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms. And he thrust out the enemy before you, and said, Destroy.

28. Israel rests trustfully. The well-spring of Jacob is chosen out for a land of corn and wine; there heaven itself rains down dew.

28. So Israel dwelt in safety, the fountain of Jacob alone, in a land of grain and wine; yea, his heavens drop down dew.

29. Blessed are you, O Israel! Who is like you, O victorious people? Yahweh is the shield that protects you and the sword that leads you to triumph. Your enemies will try to corrupt you, but you yourself will trample on their backs.

29. Happy are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD, the shield of your help, and the sword of your triumph! Your enemies shall come fawning to you; and you shall tread upon their high places."