THE FIFTH BOOK OF

MOSES,
called
D E U T E R O N O M Y

Deuteronomy 33

1Moses' prophecy before his death, beginning with a display of God's majesty, and regard for Israel. 6The blessing of Reuben; 7of Judah; 8of Levi; 12of Benjamin; 13of Joseph; 18of Zebulun and Issachar; 20of Gad; 22of Dan; 23of Naphtali; 24of Asher. 26The excellency of Israel.


1AND this is the 1blessing, wherewith Moses the 2man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death.

1 See Gen. 27 on verse 4.

2 That is, the prophet, speaking by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, 2 Peter 1:21. See further of this title Judges 13 on verse 6.

2And he said, 3The LORD came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; he shined forth from mount 4Paran, and he came with ten thousands of 5saints: from his right hand went a 6fiery law for 7them.

3 Moses seems here to compare God’s revelations, made to Israel in his time, to the sun’s course, which appears little by little and rises higher and higher by degrees to give more light, until at last it brings forth the bright noonday light. Even so the Lord first gave His law on Mount Sinai, Exodus 19 and 20. Thereafter He gave water out of the rock, and at Mount Seir, or the mountain of the Edomites, the brazen serpent was to be set up, which together with the Manna were types of Christ, Numbers 20 and 21; John 3:14; 1 Cor. 10:4. Lastly, He declared His law most gloriously by Moses in the land of the Moabites and revealed that prophetical song and this blessing before His people; as appears in this entire book. Compare Hab. 3:3, 4, etc.

4 Of Seir and Paran see Gen. 14 on verse 6; Deut. 1:1.

5 Hebr. of holiness. Understand the millions of holy angels, whose Head is the Son of God. See Acts 7:53; Gal. 3:19 and compare Psalm 68:17; Dan. 7:10, etc.

6 Hebr. a fire of the law. Understand that great fire whereof out of the midst the law was uttered to the people. See Exod. 19:16, 18; Deut. 4:11, 12, 33, 36; 5:22, 23, 24, 25, 26. Other, they, namely, the holy angels, had a fire of the law.

7 The Israelites.

3Yea, he loved the 8people; all his saints are 9in thy hand: and 10they sat down at thy feet; every one shall 11receive of thy words.

8 Meaning, the tribes of Israel; as Judges 5:14 and below verse 19, etc.

9 That is, Thou lookest upon them, providest for them and keepest them. God is addressed here by Moses.

10 Other, let them be set, etc., namely, as disciples at the feet of their master. See 2 Kings 2 on verse 3; 2 Kings 4 on verse 38; Acts 22:3.

11 That which may tend to his instruction and salvation.

4Moses commanded us a law, even the 12inheritance of the congregation 13of Jacob.

12 Which must be as dear and precious to the people of God as inheritance is to a man.

13 The congregation which descended from Jacob.

5And he was 14king in 15Jeshurun, when the heads of the people and the tribes of Israel were gathered together.

14 Giving laws and governing the people as a king. The word king is also taken for prince or ruler, Jer. 19:3; 46:25. See the annotations there.

15 See Deut. 32 on verse 15.

6¶Let Reuben live, and not die; and let not his men be 16few.

16 Or, and let not his men be few in number, that is, great in number. Other, although his people be few in number.

7¶And 17this is the blessing of Judah: and 18he said, 19Hear, LORD, the voice of Judah, and 20bring him unto his people: let 21his hands be sufficient for him; and be thou an help to him 22from his enemies.

17 That is, under whom Simeon is likewise comprehended, as having his land dispersed among Judah, and going to war with him. See Joshua 19:3; Judges 1:3; 1 Chron. 4:24.

18 Namely, Moses, and so in the sequel.

19 When they pray unto Thee for victory.

20 Cause him to have the victory and to return safely home unto those who are his.

21 Give him sufficient strength to stand against his enemies.

22 Or, against. That is, to assist him and deliver him from his enemies.

8¶And of Levi he said, Let 23thy Thummim and thy Urim be with thy 24holy one, whom thou didst 25prove at Massah, and with whom thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah;

23 Moses speaks here, as also in the following verses, unto God. Of the Urim and the Thummim, see Exod. 28:30.

24 Namely, the high priest, who was a man of God and in the favour of God. Other, thy well-beloved, thy bountiful, courteous, gracious one.

25 See the history, Numbers 20.

926Who said unto his father and to his mother, I 27have not seen him; neither did he acknowledge his brethren, nor 28knew his own children: for they have observed thy word, and kept thy covenant.

26 Namely, Levi.

27 That is, I pity or spare them not, when God commands me to do it. This relates to the history mentioned in Exod. 32:26, etc.

28 Or, regarded.

10They shall teach Jacob thy judgments, and Israel thy law: 29they shall put incense 30before thee, and whole 31burnt sacrifice upon thine 32altar.

29 Namely, the Levitical priests, Exod. 40:27.

30 Hebr. at thy nose. Spoken after the manner of men, that is, before Thee, Who art in a special manner present at the ark of the covenant, which was in the most Holy place, behind whose veil stood the altar of incense.

31 With fire, as burnt offerings and some other offerings.

32 Of burnt offering.

11Bless, LORD, his 33substance, and accept the work of his hands: 34smite through the loins of them that rise against him, and of them that hate him, 35that they rise not again.

33 Or, his host, that is, hosts, the Levites being distinguished in their ranks for several offices. See Numbers 4.

34 Or, wound, thrust through, that is, break their power in pieces. Compare Psalm 18:38.

35 Other, as soon as they rise up.

12And of Benjamin he said, The 36beloved of the LORD shall dwell in safety 37by him; and the LORD shall 38cover him all the day long, and he shall dwell 39between his shoulders.

36 This has respect to the tender love of Jacob toward Benjamin, to which, without a doubt, Jacob was moved by God. See thereof Gen. 42:36, 38; 43:6, 14; 44:20, 22, 29, etc.

37 That is, by the LORD; as Benjamin in former times with his father Jacob.

38 Or, protect, defend.

39 The LORD shall dwell between Benjamin’s shoulders, that is, in Jerusalem, the principal city of his possession. Thus Jerusalem is compared to the head, standing between the shoulders, and Benjamin’s land to the body.

13¶And of Joseph he said, Blessed of the LORD be hisa land, for the 40precious things of heaven, for the dew, and for the 41deep that coucheth beneath,

aGen. 49:25.

40 Understand the most excellent fruits, which, by reason of the rain out of the sky, do spring forth and grow. See Gen. 49:25.

41 That is, the deep waters. See Gen. 49 on verse 25.

14And for the 42precious fruits brought forth by the sun, and for the precious things put forth by the 43moon,

42 Hebr. from the most excellent of the revenues of the sun; and so in the sequel. That is, the fairest fruits which come forth by the heat and warmth of the sun and ripen.

43 Which the moon puts or thrusts forth in divers months, in that she moistens the earth.

15And for the 44chief things of the 45ancient mountains, and for the precious things of the lasting hills,

44 Hebr. from the head of the hills, that is, the most notable, the most prominent, as Exod. 30:23. Understand the fair, wholesome herbs, fruits of trees, vines, the fair olive and fig trees which grow most pleasantly on the mountains and hills.

45 Hebr. mountains of antiquity; and also: hills of eternity; that is, which have been from the beginning of this world. See Gen. 49:26.

16And for the precious things of the earth and fulness thereof, 46and for the good will of him 47that dwelt in the bush: let the blessing come upon the head of 48Joseph, and upon the top of the head of him that was 49separatedb from his brethren.

46 Or, and this by the goodwill of God, being the fountain of this blessing.

47 Which appeared to Moses in the bush, Exod. 3:2.

48 That is, Joseph’s posterity.

49 See Gen. 48:22; Gen. 49 on verse 26.

bGen. 49:26.

17His glory is like the 50firstling of his bullock, and his horns are like the horns of 51unicorns: with them he shall push the people together to the ends 52of the earth: and 53they are the ten thousands of 54Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh.

50 That is, he is fair, strong and alert, as the first-born of one of his oxen.

51 See Num. 23:22; 24:8. The similitude of horns is often used in Scripture to signify power, strength and defense, glory, honor, dignity, pride, exaltation, also firmness and long durability of a thing. See 1 Sam. 2:1; 2 Sam. 22:3; Job 16:15; Psalm 22:21; 75:4, 5, 10; 89:17, 24; 92:10; 112:9; 132:17; 148:14; Jer. 48:25; Lam. 2:3, 17; Ezek. 29:21; 34:21; Micah 4:13; Luke 1:69, etc.

52 Or, of the earth.

53 That is, these horns of Joseph signify, etc.

54 Ephraim is counted greater than Manasseh, because the birthright was translated upon him by Jacob. See Gen. 48:14, 17, 18, 19.

18¶And of Zebulun he said, Rejoice, Zebulun, in thy 55going out; and, Issachar, in thy 56tents.

55 That is, because of your navigation and commerce whereby you shall get riches. See Gen. 49:13; Joshua 19:11; Mat. 4:15.

56 That is, in your trading with cattle, for which the tents served. See Gen. 4:20 and compare Gen. 49:14, 15.

1957They shall call the people unto the mountain; there they shall offer sacrifices 58of righteousness: for they shall suck of the 59abundance of the seas, and of 60treasures hid 61in the sand.

57 That is, they shall, being moved by the blessing of God, be zealous to invite and stir up by their example the other tribes, as dwelling far from thence, to go along with them unto Mount Zion to the service of God. Some do also understand that by the means of navigation, they would invite the heathen to the true religion.

58 That is, the lawful offerings, or thank offerings, which they do owe according to right.

59 That is, those wares and riches which are brought via the sea.

60 Understand all manner of costly things, as gold, precious stones, etc., which are wont to be locked up and hid; these are, as we say, carried and transported by sea and land.

61 That is, of the sea, which shores and bottom are full of sand; or, the costly things which by reason of shipwrecks are commonly hid in great abundance on the bottom of the sea, and are sometimes cast out upon the shore or else fished and taken up.

20¶And of Gad he said, 62Blessed be 63he that enlargeth Gad: he dwelleth as a 64lion, and teareth the arm with the crown of the head.

62 That is, thanked, praised. See Gen. 14 on verse 20.

63 Namely, God, Who gave the Gadites room by Jephthah, the Gileadite, when they were also straitened by the Amorites. See Judges 11 and compare Gen. 49:19; Psalm 4:1, etc.

64 Bold and undaunted, marching forth out of his troop like a lion to subdue his enemies. See the fulfillment 1 Chron. 5:19, 20, 21, 22.

21And 65he provided the first part for himself, because there, in a portion of the lawgiver, was he seated; and he came with the heads of the people, he executed the justice of the LORD, and his judgments with Israel.

65 He looked out in the beginning for a suitable dwelling place for himself, or of the first, that is, of the first place that he met with, namely, Gilead, Num. 32:1, etc., which also was granted them by Moses, the lawgiver, Num. 32:33, etc. and there the Gadites, according to their offer and Moses’ consent, left their wives, children and cattle under God’s protection in certain fenced cities, going forth armed with the rest of the Israelites to execute God’s judgments against the Canaanites. See Num. 32:16, 17, etc.; Deut. 3:16, 18, 19, 20.

22¶And of Dan he said, Dan is a 66lion’s whelp: he shall leap from 67Bashan.

66 Alert and courageous against the enemies.

67 From this is gathered that there were many and strong lions there. Compare Judges 14:5. Of Bashan see Deut. 32 on verse 14.

23¶And of Naphtali he said, O Naphtali, satisfied with 68favour, and full with the blessing of the LORD: possess thou the 69west and the south.

68 With gifts, which come from the favor and blessing of God.

69 Hebr. the sea, because the Mediterranean Sea was situated on the west side of Canaan. See Gen. 12 on verse 8.

24¶And of Asher he said, Let Asher be blessed 70with children; let him be acceptable to his brethren, and let him 71dip his foot in oil.

70 Other, above the other sons, that is, his brethren; or, blessed, that is, thanked and praised of the other sons when they shall enjoy of the fruitfulness of his land.

71 Compare Gen. 49:20; Job 29:6.

2572Thy shoes shall be 73iron and brass; and as thy days, so shall thy 74strength be.

72 Other, be your inclusion, meaning, the mountain wherein these metals would be found.

73 Hebr. Iron and brass be thy shoe. The sense is: Iron and brass shall be in your earth under your feet. Compare Deut. 8:9. Other, Thy bolt shall be iron and brass; that is, your land shall be shut in and kept as with bolts of iron and brass.

74 Other, fame. The meaning is: as long as you shall be a nation, you shall be strong, mighty or famous by reason of your strength or power; your old age shall be as your youth.

26 75There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth 76upon the heaven in thy help, and 77in his excellency on the 78sky.

75 Or, there is none like unto the God of Jeshurun. See of Jeshurun Deut. 32:15.

76 That is, upon the sky, from where He sends help unto His people against their enemies, whom He smites from there and destroys with terrible tempest of hail, lightning and thunder. See an excellent exposition Psalm 18:6-19.

77 That is, with His high and glorious deeds.

78 Or, the thinnest clouds, which are caused in the uppermost part of the sky.

2779The eternal God is thy 80refuge, and underneath are the 81everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.

79 The Hebrew word rendered here eternal, used by creatures, signifies what was in former times of old, or, from the beginning of the world, as verse 15, but being used of God it likewise signifies eternity, or, He that was before all time. Hebr. God of eternity.

80 That is, as an elevated place, in which you may live quietly and in safety.

81 Hebr. arms of eternity, that is, the everlasting omnipotence of God shall help and protect them on the earth below.

28Israelc then shall dwell in safety alone: the 82fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine; also his heavens shall drop down dew.

cJer. 23:6; 33:16.

82 Other, the eye of Jacob, that is, Jacob’s posterity shall dwell in peace; and may behold the fruitfulness of their land with their eyes and take delight in it. Or, a lasting spring and floods of all kinds of blessings be among the people of Israel that is sprung from Jacob, etc.

29Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the LORD, 83the shield of thy help, and who is the 84sword of thy excellency! and thine enemies shall be found 85liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon 86their high places.

83 Or, thy shield of help, that is, your helping Shield; as Psalm 2:6 upon my holy hill, that is, My holy mountain.

84 Who fights for you to lift you up on high.

85 Shall be forced to submit unto you, though they have no real intention in it, or do it not from the heart. See 2 Sam. 22 on verse 45; Psalm 18:44, and compare Psalm 66:3; 81:15.

86 See Deut. 32 on verse 13.