The Fifth Book of Moses, called Deuteronomy
Deuteronomy 33
Chapter XXXIII · Vol. I, pp. 536–537
1 The majesty of God. 6 The blessings of the twelve tribes. 26 The excellency of Israel.
1 And this is the ablessing wherewith Moses the bman of God blessed the children of Israel before his death.
2 And he said, cThe LORD came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; he shined forth from mount Paran,1 and he came dwith ten thousands of saints: from his right hand went ea fiery law2 for them.
c Ex.19.18. Hab.3.3. Ju.5.4. Nu.13.3. ch.1.1.
1 These were the three chief places of the manifestation of the divine glory and power. At Sinai God appeared in terrible majesty when he gave the law. On the parallel ranges of Seir and Paran he revealed himself again in judgment when the Israelites were assembled at Kadesh.—P.
d Ac.7.53. Ga.3.19. He.2.2. Ps.68.17.
e ch.5.22. Ex.19.18,19; 20.18. 2 Co.3.7,9.
2 Heb. a fire of law.
3 Yea, he floved the people; all his saints areg in thy hand: and they sat down hat thy feet; every one shall receive of thy words.
f ch.7.7,8. Ps.147.19,20. Ex.19.5,6.
g 1 Sa.2.9. Jn.10.28,29. Ps.50.5. 1 Pe.1.5. Jude 1?. ver.27.
4 Moses commanded us a law, even the iinheritance of the congregation of Jacob.
i Ps.119.72,111; 19.10.
5 And he was kking in lJeshurun when the heads of the people and the tribes of Israel were gathered together.
k Ge.36.31. Ex.18.19,26. ver.21.
l ch.32.15. Is.44.2. ver.26.
7 And this is the blessing of Judah: and he said, nHear, 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, oLet thy Thummim and thy Urim be with thy pholy one, whom thou didst prove at Massah, and with whom thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah;
9 Who qsaid 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.
q Ex.32.26-29. Le.10.6. Mal.2.5,6. Je.18.18.
10 Theyr shall teach3 Jacob thy judgments, and Israel thy law: sthey shall put 4incense before thee,5 and whole burnt-sacrifice upon thine altar.
r ch.17.9-11. Le.10.11. Eze.44.23. Mal.2.7. Jn.21.15,16. Ge.46.11; 49.5-7. Nu.iii.iv.viii.xviii.xxxv. Jos.xxi. 1 Ch.vi.xvi.xxiii.-xxvi. 2 Ch.17.8,9.
3 Or, let them teach, &c.
s Ex.30.7. 2 Ch.26.18. Le.6.22,23.
4 Or, let them put incense.
5 Heb. at thy nose.
11 Bless, LORD, his tsubstance, and uaccept the work of his hands: xsmite 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 ydwell in safety by him; and the LORD shall cover him all the day long, and he shall dwell between his shoulders.6
y Ps.132.14. Is.33.16,24. Ju.1.21. Ge.46.21; 49.27. Nu.1.36,37; 2.22,23. 1 Ch.7.6-12; viii. Jos.18.11-28. 2 Ch.11.12.
6 The poetical figure is probably that of a father carrying his child upon his back. God is represented as bearing Benjamin safely and tenderly.—P.
13 And of Joseph he said, zBlessed of the LORD be his land, for the precious things of heaven, for the dew, and for the deep that coucheth beneath,
z Ge.46.20,27; 47.22-26. Le.26.4. ch.28.8. Ps.65.9-13. Nu.1.32-35; 10.22-24; 2.18-24; 26.28-37. 1 Ch.v.vii. Jos.xvi.xvii.
14 And for the precious fruits brought forth by the sun, and for the precious things put forth7 by the moon,8
7 Heb. thrust forth.
8 Heb. moons.
15 And afor 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 bgood will of him that dwelt in the bush:9 let the blessing come upon the head of Joseph, and upon the top of the head of him that cwas separated from his brethren.
b Lu.2.14. Ex.3.2,4. Jos.18.1. His tabernacle being settled at Shiloh.
9 See Ex. 3. 2. To Moses, as a shepherd, God appeared in a bush; it 'burned,' but 'was not consumed,' the emblem of Israel in Egypt. He that 'dwelt in the bush' remembered the captives to redeem them, by sending them a mighty deliverer, in fulfilment of his covenant to Abraham, and his promises to Isaac and to Jacob. His good-will, therefore, lay in remembrance, faithfulness, a saviour sent, and deliverance accomplished.—C.
17 His dglory is like the firstling of his bullock, and his horns are like the horns of unicorns: with them he shall push the people together to the ends of the earth: and they are ethe ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh.
19 They shall gcall the people unto the mountain; there they shall offer sacrifices of righteousness:1 for they shall suck of the abundance of the seas,2 and of treasures hid in the sand.3
A.M. 2553. B.C. 1451.
1 Sacrifices typifying Christ, 'the end of the law for righteousness.'—C.
2 By fishing and sea-trade.
3 The territory of Zebulun stretched across the country from the Sea of Galilee on the east to the maritime plain of Phœnicia on the west. The fishermen of Zebulun on the Sea of Galilee, and his merchants navigating the Mediterranean in company with their Phœnician neighbours, illustrate the prophetic blessing here recorded.—P.
20 And of Gad he said, hBlessed be he that enlargeth Gad: he dwelleth ias a lion, and teareth the arm with the crown of the head.
h Ge.46.16; 49.19. Nu.1.24,25; 2.14,15; 26.15-17; xxxii. 1 Ch.5.11-25; 4.10. Jos.13.8-12. Ps.18.19,36.
21 And he kprovided the first part for himself, because there, in a portion of the lawgiver, was he lseated; and he came4 with the heads of the people, he executed the justice of the LORD, and his judgments with Israel.
k Nu.32.1-3,33.
l Jos.1.14; 22.1,2,5. Nu.32.23,29,33. 1 Ki.17.1,18. 2 Ki.ix.x. Ge.49.19.
4 Heb. ceiled.
22 And of Dan he said, Dan mis a lion's whelp: he shall leap from Bashan.
m Jos.19.40-47. Ju.18.27,29; xiii.-xvi. Ge.49.16,17; 46.23. Nu.1.38,39; 2.25,26; 26.42,43.
23 And of Naphtali he said, O Naphtali, satisfiedn with favour,5 and full with the blessing of the LORD; possess thou the west and the south.
n Ge.49.21; 46.24. Jos.19.32-39. Mat.4.13-16; 9.1; 11.23. Nu.1.42,43; 2.29,30; 26.48,49.
5 Nothing can satisfy the soul but grace, that is the favour of the Lord. But of grace, Christ says, in all our temptations—it is 'sufficient for you.'—C.
24 And of Asher he said, Let Asher be blessedo with children; let him be acceptable to his brethren, and let him dip his foot in oil.
o Ps.128.3. Ge.49.20; 46.17. Job 29.5,6. ch.32.14. Nu.1.40,41; 2.27,28; 26.44-46. Jos.19.24-31.
25 Thy shoes6 shall be iron and brass; and as thy days, so shall thy strength be.7
6 Under thy shoes.
7 Asher got that section of Palestine which extends along the coast from Acre to Sidon, and embraces the south-western slopes of Lebanon. The mountain heights abound in iron and copper ore, and the lower slopes are covered with olive-groves. P.——Growing in youth, consolidated in manhood, unimpaired (like that of Moses, De.34.7) in old age; and, if difficulties arise, suited, like that of Samson, to the exigencies of the times.—C.
26 There pis none like unto the God of Jeshurun,q who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his excellency on the sky.
p Ex.15.11. Ps.35.10; 68.4,33,34. ch.32.39. 2 Sa.22.11. He.3.8.
q ver.5, i.e. Israel as seeing, or perfect.
27 The reternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he sshall thrust out the enemy from before thee, and shall say, Destroy them.
r Ps.55.19,22; 74.12; 90.1,2; 91.1,2,9,15; 46.1,7,11; 48.3. Is.46.3,4; 63.9. ch.32.10,11.
s ch.7.1; 9.3; 11.23.
28 Israelt then shall dwell in safety alone: theu fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine; also his heavens shall drop down dew.
Notes
Ver. 2. [A fiery law. As in the margin, 'a fire of law,' to burn up all hopes of self-righteousness. It is then the sinner cries, 'What must I do to be saved?' Ro. 7. 9-11, 13, 24. C.]
Ver. 5. [King in Jeshurun. Not Moses, but the Lord was king, comp. ver. 2, 3. C.]
Ver. 6-25. In Le. xxvi.; 4. 25-31; xxviii.; 29. 18-28; xxx.; 31. 16-21, 29; xxxii. the general fate of the Israelites has been predicted; here that of the particular tribes is foretold in a manner answerable to the blessings of the patriarch Jacob, Ge. xlix. viz. that notwithstanding internal weakness, and much harassment from enemies, the Reubenites should be preserved; that the descendants of Judah should have their prayers heard, their warfare successful, their labours prosperous, and should enjoy peace and safety; that the Levites, who had acted so disinterestedly in punishing the principal worshippers of the golden calf, should be the honoured ministers of God, and useful instructors and judges of the people; that the Benjamites should enjoy much divine protection, and live near to the temple of God; that the descendants of Joseph should enjoy great favour from God, noted plenty from their fields, and great power and authority among their brethren; that the men of Zebulun in their seafaring trade, and those of Issachar in their husbandry, should enjoy much comfort to themselves, and be remarkable promoters of a religious attendance on God's solemn feasts; that the Gadites should enlarge their territory, punish their enemies, and faithfully assist their brethren in conquering Canaan; that the Danites should unexpectedly seize on Laish, near the springs of Jordan, and, under Samson, molest the Philistines; that the Naphtalites, when stationed on the west of the Sea of Tiberias, should have most fertile fields, and their country be peculiarly blessed with the ministrations of Christ; and that the Asherites should mightily increase, live in noted friendship with their brethren, and have valuable mines of iron and brass in their territory.——[Ver. 6. Let not his men be few. Two copies of the Septuagint, and some valuable MSS. adopted by Houbigant and other learned authorities insert here, 'and Simeon, let his men be few;' and as this is the only tribe omitted in the authorized version, this variation being so supported, is worthy of attention.——Ver. 7. Hear, Lord, the voice of Judah. Judah signifies praise the Lord, therefore this prayer. It includes a petition likewise for Messiah, who was to come of Judah, Ge. 49. 10, and whom God the Father 'heareth always.'——Ver. 10. They shall teach Jacob thy judgments, and Israel thy law. There is a remarkable difference between the blessings of the tribes as delivered by Jacob, Ge. xlix., and Moses in this chapter. But the blessings of Jacob were principally temporal, those of Moses chiefly spiritual. Those of Jacob to members of the nation, those of Moses to members of the church. The one chiefly to Israel 'according to the flesh,' the other to Israel 'according to the spirit.' The two lines of prophecy sometimes diverging, sometimes coincident; yet always equally true.——Ver. 12. Dwell in safety by him. Near the place where God shall choose for his temple; and in point of fact, Jerusalem was a joint property of Judah and Benjamin, and the two tribes dwelt together. Between his shoulders, some translate 'on his sides or borders,' but it seems rather to refer to a parent tenderly covering a child and carrying it upon his shoulders.——Ver. 14. Precious things put forth by the moon. That, even in latitudes distant from the equator, the moon has a ripening power, can scarcely be doubted. In the central lands of the earth, where the moon is described as astonishingly bright, the ripening power must be proportionably increased. It describes a land of great fertility, in which every month produced a new succession of fruits. See Re. 22. 2. C.——Ver. 17. There is here delineated briefly, but with wondrous graphic power, both the character of Ephraim's allotted territory and the future greatness of the tribe. He was to inherit a mountain stronghold; its valleys were to be of surpassing fertility; the tribe was to increase enormously; and its power was to be felt over the whole nation.——Ver. 23. This verse should be rendered as follows:—'Naphtali, replete with favours, and full of the blessings of Jehovah; possess thou the sea and Darom.' The Hebrew word rendered 'west' means literally 'sea,' and here means the Sea of Galilee, which adjoined the territory of Naphtali. The word Darom seems to be another name for Galil, or Galilee, the nucleus of which was in Naphtali; see Jos. 20. 7; 21. 32. P.]
Ver. 28. [The fountain of Jacob. This seems first an allusion to Jacob's well, mentioned, Jn. 4. 5, 6, 12; and then to the fountain of human life, of which he was the prolific source. C.]
Reflections.—The people of God are a peculiar and great generation; safe in the hand of their God, from everything but unbelief; taught of God, and sweetly constrained to receive and obey his instructions; and privileged with the law of God, sounded in their ears, and written on their hearts. Unbounded blessings are with God for them; blessings suited to every tribe, every station in life, whether warriors, ministers, sailors, husbandmen, miners; blessings suited to every relation, and to every change of circumstance. And who can express their blessedness who have God's law for their rule, God's land for their residence, and God himself for their helper, refuge, Saviour, shield, portion, and infinite All! It is happy to be separated from the world, in order to enjoy him. But it is ravishing to leave this world, quite transported with the glorious excellences of God in Christ, and of our spiritual interest in him, to behold his face, and to enter upon the unveiled, uninterrupted enjoyment of him in glory.