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<h2><a onclick="return mV('Deu',33,'all');">Deu 33</a> - Moses Blesses the Tribes</h2>
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<p>A. Introduction to the blessing of the tribes.</p>
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<p class="c1">1. (<a onclick="return mV('Deu',33,1);">1</a>) <b><span class="c3">Now this is the blessing . . .</span></b></p>
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<p class="c2">Now this <i>is</i> the blessing with which Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death.</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">Moses the man of God</span></b>: As he looked at Israel with a shepherd’s heart, he could not leave them without blessing them. It must be this way. Moses could not leave this earth without a final blessing of the people he has loved and served in the <span class="c6">Lord</span> for these 40 years.</p>
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<p class="c4">b. This chapter is similar in its effect to the blessing of Israel (Jacob) upon his twelve sons as recorded in <a onclick="return mV('Gen',49,'all');">Gen 49</a>. Since Moses was the one who recorded the blessing of Israel in <a onclick="return mV('Gen',49,'all');">Gen 49</a>, it is not a stretch to think he consciously modeled his blessing on Jacob’s previous one.</p>
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<p class="c1">2. (<a onclick="return mV('Deu',33,'2-5');">2-5</a>) <span>The</span> context is set: The glory of God’s revelation to Israel.</p>
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<p class="c2">And he said:<br>“The <span class="c6">Lord</span> came from Sinai,<br>And dawned on them from Seir;<br>He shone forth from Mount Paran,<br>And He came with ten thousands of saints;<br>From His right hand <i>Came</i> a fiery law for them.<br>Yes, He loves the people;<br>All His saints <i>are</i> in Your hand;<br>They sit down at Your feet;<br><i>Everyone</i> receives Your words.<br>Moses commanded a law for us,<br>A heritage of the congregation of Jacob.<br>And He was King in Jeshurun,<br>When the leaders of the people were gathered,<br>All the tribes of Israel together.”</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">The <span class="c6">Lord</span> came from Sinai</span></b>: In the midst of images of God’s glory in revealing Himself and His word to Israel (<b><span class="c3">He shone . . . with ten thousands of saints . . . a fiery law . . . He was King</span></b>). This adds a sense of drama and grandeur to Moses’ prophetic words to each tribe.</p>
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<p>B. The blessing of the individual tribes.</p>
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<p class="c1">1. (<a onclick="return mV('Deu',33,6);">6</a>) Reuben: <b><span class="c3">Nor let his men be few</span></b>.</p>
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<p class="c2">Let Reuben live, and not die,<br><i>Nor</i> let his men be few.</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">Let Reuben <span>live</span></span></b>: This is a general blessing for the tribe of Reuben. Moses prayed, “<b><span class="c3">Nor let his men be few</span></b>,” asking that the tribe of Reuben be blessed with growth.</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">Live and not die</span></b>: This tepid blessing is in line with Jacob’s prophecy concerning the tribe of Reuben (<i>you shall not excel</i>, <a onclick="return mV('Gen',49,4);">Gen 49:4</a>). The tribe of Reuben never did excel; as far as we know, there never came a prophet, a judge, or a king from the tribe of Reuben.</p>
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<p class="c1">2. (<a onclick="return mV('Deu',33,7);">7</a>) Judah: <b><span class="c3">May <span>You</span> be a help</span></b>.</p>
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<p class="c2">And this he said of Judah:<br>“Hear, <span class="c6">Lord</span>, the voice of Judah,<br>And bring him to his people;<br>Let his hands be sufficient for him,<br>And may <span>You</span> be a help against his enemies.”</p>
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<p class="c4"><span>a</span>. <b><span class="c3">Hear, <span class="c6">Lord</span>, the voice of Judah</span></b>: Since the name <b><span class="c3">Judah</span></b> means <i>praise</i>, Moses prayed that the <span class="c6">Lord</span> would hear the <i>voice of praise</i>.</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">Let his hands be sufficient</span></b>: Essentially, Moses prayed for the blessing and sustaining of the tribe of Judah, no doubt until it could fulfill its prophetic destiny to bring forth the Messiah.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. Moses knew this destiny for the tribe of Judah from Jacob’s prophecy in <a onclick="return mV('Gen',49,10);">Gen 49:10</a>: <i>The scepter shall not depart from Judah</i>.</p>
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<p class="c1">3. (<a onclick="return mV('Deu',33,'8-11');">8-11</a>) Levi: <b><span class="c3">They shall teach . . . Israel <span>Your</span> law</span></b>.</p>
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<p class="c2">"<i>Let</i> Your Thummim and Your Urim <i>be</i> with Your</span> holy one,<br>Whom You tested at Massah,<br>And with whom You contended at the waters of Meribah,<br>Who says of his father and mother, I have not seen them;<br>Nor did he acknowledge his brothers,<br>Or know his own children;<br>For they have observed Your word<br>And kept Your covenant.<br>They shall teach Jacob Your judgments,<br>And Israel Your law.<br>They shall put incense before You,<br>And a whole burnt sacrifice on Your altar.<br>Bless his substance, <span class="mscap">Lord</span>,<br>And accept the work of his hands;<br>Strike the loins of those who rise against him,<br>And of those who hate him, that they rise not again."</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">They have observed Your</span> word and kept Your covenant</span></b>: Because of this, Levi had a blessed place among the tribes of Israel. Moses prayed that the <b><span class="c3">substance</span></b> of Levi would be blessed and that their enemies would be defeated.</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">They shall teach Jacob Your judgments, and Israel Your law</span></b>: Especially, Levi had the blessed place of teaching Israel the word of God. They would accomplish this as they were scattered in Israel, as Jacob had prophesied (<a onclick="return mV('Gen',49,'7');">Gen 49:7</a>).</p>
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<p class="c5">i. The prophecy <i>I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel</i> (in <a onclick="return mV('Gen',49,'7');">Gen 49:7</a>) was given to both the tribes of Simeon and Levi. For the tribe of Levi it was a blessing, as they were scattered throughout the nation to minister to the people and to bring God's word to the whole nation. For the tribe of Simeon, the scattering was a significant curse; they are not even mentioned among the tribes being blessed here.</p>
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<p class="c1">4. (<a onclick="return mV('Deu',33,'12');">12</a>) Benjamin: <b><span class="c3">The beloved of the <span class="mscap">Lord</span></span></b>.</p>
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<p class="c2">Of Benjamin he said:<br>"The beloved of the <span class="mscap">Lord</span> shall dwell in safety by Him,<br><i>Who</i> shelters him all the day long;<br>And he shall dwell between His shoulders."</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">The beloved of the <span class="mscap">Lord</span></span></b>: The place of special love and blessing Benjamin had would be prophetically fulfilled in a Benjaminite city becoming the center of the nation - Jerusalem.</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">Shall dwell in safety by Him</span></b>: Thus, though the tribe of Benjamin was indeed fierce and warlike (Jacob's prophecy described Benjamin as a <i>ravenous wolf</i>, <a onclick="return mV('Gen',49,'27');">Gen 49:27</a>), the tribe was greatly <b><span class="c3">beloved of the <span class="mscap">Lord</span></span></b>.</p>
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<p class="c1">5. (<a onclick="return mV('Deu',33,'13-17');">13-17</a>) Joseph: <b><span class="c3">Let the blessing come</span></b>.</p>
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<p class="c2">And of Joseph he said:<br>"Blessed of the <span class="mscap">Lord</span> <i>is</i> his land,<br>With the precious things of heaven, with the dew,<br>And the deep lying beneath,<br>With the precious fruits of the sun,<br>With the precious produce of the months,<br>With the best things of the ancient mountains,<br>With the precious things of the everlasting hills,<br>With the precious things of the earth and its fullness,<br>And the favor of Him who dwelt in the bush.</span><br>Let <i>the blessing</i> come on the head of Joseph,<br>And on the crown of the head of him <br><i>who was</i> separate from his brothers.<br>His glory <i>is like</i> a firstborn bull,<br>And his horns <i>like</i> the horns of the wild ox;<br>Together with them He shall push the peoples<br>To the ends of the earth;<br>They <i>are</i> the ten thousands of Ephraim,<br>And they <i>are</i> the thousands of Manasseh."</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">Blessed of the <span class="mscap">Lord</span> is his land</span></b>: The two tribes of Joseph - <b><span class="c3">Ephraim</span></b> and <b><span class="c3">Manasseh</span></b> - were indeed blessed numerically in Israel. The descendants of this one son among twelve sons of Jacob were far more numerous than all the other tribes.</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">Ten thousands of Ephraim . . . thousands of Manasseh</span></b>: This fulfilled Jacob's prophecy in <a onclick="return mV('Gen',49,'22');">Gen 49:22</a> (<i>Joseph is a fruitful bough, a fruitful bough by a well; his branches run over the wall</i>).</p>
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<p class="c1">6. (<a onclick="return mV('Deu',33,'18-19');">18-19</a>) Zebulun and Issachar: <b><span class="c3">They shall partake of the abundance of the seas</span></b>.</p>
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<p class="c2">And of Zebulun he said:<br>"Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out,<br>And Issachar in your tents!<br>They shall call the peoples <i>to</i> the mountain;<br>There they shall offer sacrifices of righteousness;<br>For they shall partake <i>of</i> the abundance of the seas<br>And <i>of</i> treasures hidden in the sand."</span></p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">They shall partake of the abundance of the seas</span></b>: Both the tribes of Zebulun and Issachar were in the Galilee region, and were blessed to take advantage of the Sea of Galilee.</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">Treasures hidden in the sand</span></b>: This is consistent with what Jacob said of Zebulun in <a onclick="return mV('Gen',49,'13');">Gen 49:13</a> (<i>Zebulun shall dwell by the haven of the sea</i>).</p>
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<p class="c1">7. (<a onclick="return mV('Deu',33,'20-21');">20-21</a>) Gad: <b><span class="c3">He dwells as a lion</span></b>.</p>
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<p class="c2">And of Gad he said:<br>"Blessed <i>is</i> he who enlarges Gad;<br>He dwells as a lion,<br>And tears the arm and the crown of his head.<br>He provided the first <i>part</i> for himself,<br>Because a lawgiver's portion was reserved there.<br>He came <i>with</i> the heads of the people;<br>He administered the justice of the <span class="mscap">Lord</span>,<br>And His judgments with Israel."</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">He dwells as a lion</span></b>: The lion-like character of the tribe of Gad was shown by the fact that Gad furnished many fine troops for David (<a onclick="return mV('1Ch',12,'14');">1Ch 12:14</a>). This is in fulfillment of Jacob's words in <a onclick="return mV('Gen',49,'19');">Gen 49:19</a>: <i>he shall triumph at last</i>.</p>
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<p class="c1">8. (<a onclick="return mV('Deu',33,'22');">22</a>) Dan: <b><span class="c3">A lion's whelp</span></b>.</p>
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<p class="c2">And of Dan he said:<br>"Dan <i>is</i> a lion's whelp;<br>He shall leap from Bashan."</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">He shall leap from Bashan</span></b>: This may not be a complimentary phrase. History records that Dan was a troublesome tribe. They were the tribe to introduce idolatry into Israel (<a onclick="return mV('Jdg',18,'30');">Jdg 18:30</a>); Jeroboam set up one of his idolatrous golden calves in Dan (<a onclick="return mV('1Ki',12,'26-30');">1Ki 12:26-30</a>), and later Dan became a center of idol worship in Israel (<a onclick="return mV('Amo',8,'14');">Amo 8:14</a>). Indeed, Jacob said of Dan in <a onclick="return mV('Gen',49,'17');">Gen 49:17</a>, <i>Dan shall be a serpent by the way</i>.</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">From Bashan</span></b>: The tribe of Dan originally was allotted land in the southern part of Israel, but migrated to the north hundreds of years after this (<a onclick="return mV('Jdg',18,'all');">Jdg 18</a>). Moses' reference to <b><span class="c3">Bashan</span></b> (a region in northern Israel) prophetically anticipated this migration.</p>
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<p class="c1">9. (<a onclick="return mV('Deu',33,'23');">23</a>) Naphtali: <b><span class="c3">Full of the blessing of the <span class="mscap">Lord</span></span></b>.</p>
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<p class="c2">And of Naphtali he said:<br>"O Naphtali, satisfied with favor,<br>And full of the blessing of the <span class="mscap">Lord</span>,<br>Possess the west and the south."</p>
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<p class="c4"><b><span class="c3">O Naphtali,</span> satisfied with favor</span></b>: The tribe of Naphtali was indeed <b><span class="c3">satisfied with favor</span></b>. Naphtali's land was in a key portion near the Sea of Galilee, the region where Jesus did much of His teaching and ministry. No wonder Moses says this tribe is <b><span class="c3">full of the blessing of the <span class="mscap">Lord</span></span></b>, and that Jacob said of Naphtali in <a onclick="return mV('Gen',49,'21');">Gen 49:21</a>, <i>he gives goodly words</i>.</p>
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<p class="c1">10. (<a onclick="return mV('Deu',33,'24-25');">24-25</a>) Asher: <b><span class="c3">Most blessed of sons</span></b>.</p>
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<p class="c2">And of Asher he said:<br>"Asher <i>is</i> most blessed of sons;<br>Let him be favored by his brothers,<br>And let him dip his foot in oil.<br>Your sandals <i>shall be</i> iron and bronze;<br>As your days, <i>so shall</i> your strength <i>be.</i>"</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">Asher is most blessed of sons</span></b>: The abundance of the tribe of Asher was also expressed by Jacob in <a onclick="return mV('Gen',49,'20');">Gen 49:20</a> (<i>he shall yield royal dainties</i>).</p>
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<p class="c1">11. (<a onclick="return mV('Deu',33,'26-29');">26-29</a>) Conclusion: <b><span class="c3">Happy are you, O Israel!</span></b></p>
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<p class="c2"><i>"There is</i> no one like the God of Jeshurun,<br>
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<i>Who</i> rides the heavens to help you,<br>
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And in His excellency on the clouds.<br>
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The eternal God <i>is your</i> refuge,<br>
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And underneath <i>are</i> the everlasting arms;<br>
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He will thrust out the enemy from before you,<br>
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And will say, 'Destroy!'<br>
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Then Israel shall dwell in safety,<br>
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The fountain of Jacob alone,<br>
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In a land of grain and new wine;<br>
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His heavens shall also drop dew.<br>
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Happy <i>are</i> you, O Israel!<br>
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Who <i>is</i> like you, a people saved by the <span class="mscap">Lord</span>,<br>
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The shield of your help<br>
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And the sword of your majesty!<br>
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Your enemies shall submit to you,<br>
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And you shall tread down their high places."</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">The eternal God is your refuge</span></b>: What blessing God bestowed on Israel! As Paul said in <a onclick="return mV('Rom',3,'2');">Rom 3:2</a>: <i>To them were committed the oracles of God</i>. The true greatness of Israel is the same as the greatness of the Christian: not in and of themselves, but in their God: <b><span class="c3">There is no one like the God of Jeshurun</span></b>.</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">Who rides the heavens to help you</span></b>: God is great and uses His greatness on behalf of His people, upholding them with <b><span class="c3">the everlasting arms</span></b>. When we are <b><span class="c3">a people saved by the <span class="mscap">Lord</span></span></b>, it means that God is for us and heaven is on our side!</i>If God is for us, who can be against us?</i> (<a onclick="return mV('Rom',8,'31');">Rom 8:31</a>) He is <b><span class="c3">the shield of your help</span></b>.</p>
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