13 And of Joseph H3130 he said, H559 Blessed H1288 of the LORD H3068 be his land, H776 for the precious things H4022 of heaven, H8064 for the dew, H2919 and for the deep H8415 that coucheth beneath, H7257
Joseph H3130 is a fruitful H6509 bough, H1121 even a fruitful H6509 bough H1121 by a well; H5869 whose branches H1323 run H6805 over the wall: H7791 The archers H1167 H2671 have sorely grieved him, H4843 and shot H7232 at him, and hated him: H7852 But his bow H7198 abode H3427 in strength, H386 and the arms H2220 of his hands H3027 were made strong H6339 by the hands H3027 of the mighty H46 God of Jacob; H3290 (from thence is the shepherd, H7462 the stone H68 of Israel:) H3478 Even by the God H410 of thy father, H1 who shall help H5826 thee; and by H854 the Almighty, H7706 who shall bless H1288 thee with blessings H1293 of heaven H8064 above, H5920 blessings H1293 of the deep H8415 that lieth H7257 under, blessings H1293 of the breasts, H7699 and of the womb: H7356 The blessings H1293 of thy father H1 have prevailed H1396 above the blessings H1293 of my progenitors H2029 unto the utmost bound H8379 of the everlasting H5769 hills: H1389 they shall be on the head H7218 of Joseph, H3130 and on the crown of the head H6936 of him that was separate H5139 from his brethren. H251
Therefore God H430 give H5414 thee of the dew H2919 of heaven, H8064 and the fatness H4924 of the earth, H776 and plenty H7230 of corn H1715 and wine: H8492 Let people H5971 serve H5647 thee, and nations H3816 bow down H7812 to thee: be H1933 lord H1376 over thy brethren, H251 and let thy mother's H517 sons H1121 bow down H7812 to thee: cursed H779 be every one that curseth H779 thee, and blessed H1288 be he that blesseth H1288 thee.
And he blessed H1288 Joseph, H3130 and said, H559 God, H430 before H6440 whom my fathers H1 Abraham H85 and Isaac H3327 did walk, H1980 the God H430 which fed H7462 me all my life long H5750 unto this day, H3117 The Angel H4397 which redeemed H1350 me from all evil, H7451 bless H1288 the lads; H5288 and let my name H8034 be named H7121 on them, and the name H8034 of my fathers H1 Abraham H85 and Isaac; H3327 and let them grow H1711 into a multitude H7230 in the midst H7130 of the earth. H776 And when Joseph H3130 saw H7200 that his father H1 laid H7896 his right H3225 hand H3027 upon the head H7218 of Ephraim, H669 it displeased H3415 H5869 him: and he held up H8551 his father's H1 hand, H3027 to remove H5493 it from Ephraim's H669 head H7218 unto Manasseh's H4519 head. H7218 And Joseph H3130 said H559 unto his father, H1 Not so, my father: H1 for this is the firstborn; H1060 put H7760 thy right hand H3225 upon his head. H7218 And his father H1 refused, H3985 and said, H559 I know H3045 it, my son, H1121 I know H3045 it: he also shall become a people, H5971 and he also shall be great: H1431 but truly H199 his younger H6996 brother H251 shall be greater H1431 than he, and his seed H2233 shall become a multitude H4393 of nations. H1471 And he blessed H1288 them that day, H3117 saying, H559 In thee shall Israel H3478 bless, H1288 saying, H559 God H430 make H7760 thee as Ephraim H669 and as Manasseh: H4519 and he set H7760 Ephraim H669 before H6440 Manasseh. H4519
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Deuteronomy 33
Commentary on Deuteronomy 33 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 33
De 33:1-28. The Majesty of God.
1. Moses the man of God—This was a common designation of a prophet (1Sa 2:27; 9:6), and it is here applied to Moses, when, like Jacob, he was about to deliver ministerially before his death, a prophetic benediction to Israel.
2-4. The Lord came—Under a beautiful metaphor, borrowed from the dawn and progressive splendor of the sun, the Majesty of God is sublimely described as a divine light which appeared in Sinai and scattered its beams on all the adjoining region in directing Israel's march to Canaan. In these descriptions of a theophania, God is represented as coming from the south, and the allusion is in general to the thunderings and lightnings of Sinai; but other mountains in the same direction are mentioned with it. The location of Seir was on the east of the Ghor; mount Paran was either the chain on the west of the Ghor, or rather the mountains on the southern border of the desert towards the peninsula [Robinson]. (Compare Jud 5:4, 5; Ps 68:7, 8; Hab 3:3).
ten thousands of saints—rendered by some, "with the ten thousand of Kadesh," or perhaps better still, "from Meribah" [Ewald].
a fiery law—so called both because of the thunder and lightning which accompanied its promulgation (Ex 19:16-18; De 4:11), and the fierce, unrelenting curse denounced against the violation of its precepts (2Co 3:7-9). Notwithstanding those awe-inspiring symbols of Majesty that were displayed on Sinai, the law was really given in kindness and love (De 33:3), as a means of promoting both the temporal and eternal welfare of the people. And it was "the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob," not only from the hereditary obligation under which that people were laid to observe it, but from its being the grand distinction, the peculiar privilege of the nation.
6. Let Reuben live, and not die—Although deprived of the honor and privileges of primogeniture, he was still to hold rank as one of the tribes of Israel. He was more numerous than several other tribes (Nu 1:21; 2:11). Yet gradually he sank into a mere nomadic tribe, which had enough to do merely "to live and not die." Many eminent biblical scholars, resting on the most ancient and approved manuscripts of the Septuagint, consider the latter clause as referring to Simeon; "and Simeon, let his men be few," a reading of the text which is in harmony with other statements of Scripture respecting this tribe (Nu 25:6-14; 1:23; 26:14; Jos 19:1).
7. this is the blessing of Judah—Its general purport points to the great power and independence of Judah, as well as its taking the lead in all military expeditions.
8-10. of Levi he said—The burden of this blessing is the appointment of the Levites to the dignified and sacred office of the priesthood (Le 10:11; De 22:8; 17:8-11), a reward for their zeal in supporting the cause of God, and their unsparing severity in chastising even their nearest and dearest relatives who had participated in the idolatry of the molten calf (Ex 32:25-28; compare Mal 2:4-6).
12. of Benjamin he said—A distinguishing favor was conferred on this tribe in having its portion assigned near the temple of God.
between his shoulders—that is, on his sides or borders. Mount Zion, on which stood the city of Jerusalem, belonged to Judah; but Mount Moriah, the site of the sacred edifice, lay in the confines of Benjamin.
13-17. of Joseph he said—The territory of this tribe, diversified by hill and dale, wood and water, would be rich in all the productions—olives, grapes, figs, &c., which are reared in a mountainous region, as well as in the grain and herbs that grow in the level fields. "The firstling of the bullock and the horns of the unicorn" (rhinoceros), indicate glory and strength, and it is supposed that under these emblems were shadowed forth the triumphs of Joshua and the new kingdom of Jeroboam, both of whom were of Ephraim (compare Ge 48:20).
18, 19. Rejoice, Zebulun, in thy going out—on commercial enterprises and voyages by sea.
and, Issachar in thy tents—preferring to reside in their maritime towns.
19. shall suck of the abundance of the seas, and of treasures hid in the sand—Both tribes should traffic with the Phœnicians in gold and silver, pearl and coral, especially in murex, the shellfish that yielded the famous Tyrian dye, and in glass, which was manufactured from the sand of the river Belus, in their immediate neighborhood.
20, 21. of Gad he said—Its possessions were larger than they would have been had they lain west of Jordan; and this tribe had the honor of being settled by Moses himself in the first portion of land conquered. In the forest region, south of the Jabbok, "he dwelt as a lion" (compare Ge 30:11; 49:19). Notwithstanding, they faithfully kept their engagement to join the "heads of the people" [De 33:21] in the invasion of Canaan.
22. Dan is a lion's whelp—His proper settlement in the south of Canaan being too small, he by a sudden and successful irruption, established a colony in the northern extremity of the land. This might well be described as the leap of a young lion from the hills of Bashan.
23. of Naphtali he said—The pleasant and fertile territory of this tribe lay to "the west," on the borders of lakes Merom and Chinnereth, and to "the south" of the northern Danites.
24, 25. of Asher he said—The condition of this tribe is described as combining all the elements of earthly felicity.
dip his foot in oil—These words allude either to the process of extracting the oil by foot presses, or to his district as particularly fertile and adapted to the culture of the olive.
25. shoes of iron and brass—These shoes suited his rocky coast from Carmel to Sidon. Country people as well as ancient warriors had their lower extremities protected by metallic greaves (1Sa 17:6; Eph 6:15) and iron-soled shoes.
26-29. There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun—The chapter concludes with a congratulatory address to Israel on their peculiar happiness and privilege in having Jehovah for their God and protector.
who rideth upon the heaven in thy help—an evident allusion to the pillar of cloud and fire, which was both the guide and shelter of Israel.
28. the fountain of Jacob—The posterity of Israel shall dwell in a blessed and favored land.