20 And of Gad H1410 he said, H559 Blessed H1288 be he that enlargeth H7337 Gad: H1410 he dwelleth H7931 as a lion, H3833 and teareth H2963 the arm H2220 with H637 the crown of the head. H6936
Gad, H1410 a troop H1416 shall overcome H1464 him: but he shall overcome H1464 at the last. H6119
And all the cities H5892 of Sihon H5511 king H4428 of the Amorites, H567 which reigned H4427 in Heshbon, H2809 unto the border H1366 of the children H1121 of Ammon; H5983
And Moses H4872 gave H5414 inheritance unto the tribe H4294 of Gad, H1410 even unto the children H1121 of Gad H1410 according to their families. H4940 And their coast H1366 was Jazer, H3270 and all the cities H5892 of Gilead, H1568 and half H2677 the land H776 of the children H1121 of Ammon, H5983 unto Aroer H6177 that is before H6440 Rabbah; H7237 And from Heshbon H2809 unto Ramathmizpeh, H7434 and Betonim; H993 and from Mahanaim H4266 unto the border H1366 of Debir; H1688 And in the valley, H6010 Betharam, H1027 and Bethnimrah, H1039 and Succoth, H5523 and Zaphon, H6829 the rest H3499 of the kingdom H4468 of Sihon H5511 king H4428 of Heshbon, H2809 Jordan H3383 and his border, H1366 even unto the edge H7097 of the sea H3220 of Chinnereth H3672 on the other side H5676 Jordan H3383 eastward. H4217 This is the inheritance H5159 of the children H1121 of Gad H1410 after their families, H4940 the cities, H5892 and their villages. H2691
And Jabez H3258 called H7121 on the God H430 of Israel, H3478 saying, H559 Oh that H518 thou wouldest bless H1288 me indeed, H1288 and enlarge H7235 my coast, H1366 and that thine hand H3027 might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep H6213 me from evil, H7451 that it may not grieve H6087 me! And God H430 granted H935 him that which he requested. H7592
The sons H1121 of Reuben, H7205 and the Gadites, H1425 and half H2677 the tribe H7626 of Manasseh, H4519 of valiant men, H2428 men H582 able to bear H5375 buckler H4043 and sword, H2719 and to shoot H1869 with bow, H7198 and skilful H3925 in war, H4421 were four H702 and forty H705 thousand H505 seven H7651 hundred H3967 and threescore, H8346 that went out H3318 to the war. H6635 And they made H6213 war H4421 with the Hagarites, H1905 with Jetur, H3195 and Nephish, H5305 and Nodab. H5114 And they were helped H5826 against them, and the Hagarites H1905 were delivered H5414 into their hand, H3027 and all that were with them: for they cried H2199 to God H430 in the battle, H4421 and he was intreated H6279 of them; because they put their trust H982 in him. And they took away H7617 their cattle; H4735 of their camels H1581 fifty H2572 thousand, H505 and of sheep H6629 two hundred H3967 and fifty H2572 thousand, H505 and of asses H2543 two thousand, H505 and of men H120 H5315 an hundred H3967 thousand. H505
And of the Gadites H1425 there separated H914 themselves unto David H1732 into the hold H4679 to the wilderness H4057 men H1368 of might, H2428 and men H582 of war H6635 fit for the battle, H4421 that could handle H6186 shield H6793 and buckler, H7420 whose faces H6440 were like the faces H6440 of lions, H738 and were as swift H4116 as the roes H6643 upon the mountains; H2022 Ezer H5829 the first, H7218 Obadiah H5662 the second, H8145 Eliab H446 the third, H7992 Mishmannah H4925 the fourth, H7243 Jeremiah H3414 the fifth, H2549 Attai H6262 the sixth, H8345 Eliel H447 the seventh, H7637 Johanan H3110 the eighth, H8066 Elzabad H443 the ninth, H8671 Jeremiah H3414 the tenth, H6224 Machbanai H4344 the eleventh. H6249 H6240 These were of the sons H1121 of Gad, H1410 captains H7218 of the host: H6635 one H259 of the least H6996 was over an hundred, H3967 and the greatest H1419 over a thousand. H505
And on the other side H5676 of Jordan, H3383 of the Reubenites, H7206 and the Gadites, H1425 and of the half H2677 tribe H7626 of Manasseh, H4519 with all manner of instruments H3627 of war H6635 for the battle, H4421 an hundred H3967 and twenty H6242 thousand. H505 All these men H582 of war, H4421 that could keep H5737 rank, H4634 came H935 with a perfect H8003 heart H3820 to Hebron, H2275 to make David H1732 king H4427 over all Israel: H3478 and all the rest H7611 also of Israel H3478 were of one H259 heart H3824 to make David H1732 king. H4427
He brought me forth H3318 also into a large place; H4800 he delivered H2502 me, because he delighted H2654 in me.
Thou hast enlarged H7337 my steps H6806 under me, that my feet H7166 did not slip. H4571
And the remnant H7611 of Jacob H3290 shall be among the Gentiles H1471 in the midst H7130 of many H7227 people H5971 as a lion H738 among the beasts H929 of the forest, H3293 as a young lion H3715 among the flocks H5739 of sheep: H6629 who, if he go through, H5674 both treadeth down, H7429 and teareth in pieces, H2963 and none can deliver. H5337
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.