Deuteronomy, 33

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

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

2. He said: "The LORD came from Sinai and dawned on his people from Seir; He shone forth from Mount Paran and advanced from Meribath-kadesh, While at his right hand a fire blazed forth and his wrath devastated the nations.

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.

3. But all his holy ones were in his hand; they followed at his feet and he bore them up on his pinions.

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.

4. A law he gave to us; he made the community of Jacob his domain,

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

5. and he became king of his darling. When the chiefs of the people assembled and the tribes of Israel came together.

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

6. "May Reuben live and not die out, but let his men be few."

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

7. The following is for Judah. He said: "The LORD hears the cry of Judah; you will bring him to his people. His own hands defend his cause and you will be his help against his foes."

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!

8. Of Levi he said: "To Levi belong your Thummim, to the man of your favor your Urim; For you put him to the test at Massah and you contended with him at the waters of Meribah.

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.

9. He said of his father, 'I regard him not'; his brothers he would not acknowledge, and his own children he refused to recognize. Thus the Levites keep your words, and your covenant they uphold.

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.

10. They promulgate your decisions to Jacob and your law to Israel. They bring the smoke of sacrifice to your nostrils, and burnt offerings to your altar.

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.

11. Bless, O LORD, his possessions and accept the ministry of his hands. Break the backs of his adversaries and of his foes, that they may not rise."

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!

12. Of Benjamin he said: "Benjamin is the beloved of the LORD, who shelters him all the day, while he abides securely at his breast."

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.

13. Of Joseph he said: "Blessed by the LORD is his land with the best of the skies above and of the abyss crouching beneath;

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,

14. With the best of the produce of the year, and the choicest sheaves of the months;

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

15. With the finest gifts of the age-old mountains and the best from the timeless hills;

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

16. With the best of the earth and its fullness, and the favor of him who dwells in the bush. These shall come upon the head of Joseph and upon the brow of the prince among his brothers,

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!

17. The majestic bull, his father's first-born, whose horns are those of the wild ox With which to gore the nations, even those at the ends of the earth." (These are the myriads of Ephraim, and these the thousands of Manasseh.)

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.

18. Of Zebulun he said: "Rejoice, O Zebulun, in your pursuits, and you, Issachar, in your tents!

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

19. You who invite the tribes to the mountains where feasts are duly held, Because you suck up the abundance of the seas and the hidden treasures of the sand."

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.

20. Of Gad he said: "Blessed be he who has made Gad so vast! He lies there like a lion that has seized the arm and head of the prey.

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.

21. He saw that the best should be his when the princely portion was assigned, while the heads of the people were gathered. He carried out the justice of the LORD and his decrees respecting Israel."

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.

22. Of Dan he said: "Dan is a lion's whelp, that springs forth from Bashan!"

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

23. Of Naphtali he said: "Naphtali is enriched with favors and filled with the blessings of the LORD; The lake and south of it are his possession!"

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

24. Of Asher he said: "More blessed than the other sons be Asher! May he be the favorite among his brothers, as the oil of his olive trees runs over his feet!

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!

25. May your bolts be of iron and bronze; may your strength endure through all your days!"

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

26. "There is no god like the God of the darling, who rides the heavens in his power, and rides the skies in his majesty;

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

27. He spread out the primeval tent; he extended the ancient canopy. He drove the enemy out of your way and the Amorite he destroyed.

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!'

28. Israel has dwelt securely, and the fountain of Jacob has been undisturbed In a land of grain and wine, where the heavens drip with dew.

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.

29. How fortunate you are, O Israel! Where else is a nation victorious in the LORD? The LORD is your saving shield, and his sword is your glory. Your enemies fawn upon you, as you stride upon their heights."

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.