Moses' Parting Blessing

Moses blesses the tribes one by one before he dies — Judah's hands, Levi's teaching, Benjamin resting between his shoulders, Joseph's abundance, Asher's iron bars and strength to match his days. Underneath everything, the eternal Father is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms.

Chapter 33.

This is the blessing Moses, the man of our Father, gave the Israelites before his death. He said: Our Father came from Sinai, dawned on us from Seir, shone from Mount Paran. He came with myriads of holy ones, fire flashing from his right hand. Truly he loves the peoples; all his holy ones are in your hand. They followed at your feet, each receiving direction from you. Moses commanded us a law, a possession for the assembly of Jacob. So he became King in Jeshurun, when the leaders of the people gathered, the tribes of Israel together. ^a Let Reuben live and not die, nor let his people be few.

Of Judah he said: Hear, our Father, Judah's voice; bring him to his people. His hands fight for him; be his help against his foes.

Of Levi he said: Your Thummim and Urim to your faithful man, whom you tested at Massah, quarreled with at Meribah's waters, ^b who said of his father and mother, 'I do not regard them'; he did not acknowledge his brothers or know his own children. For they kept your word and guarded your covenant. They teach your judgments to Jacob and your law to Israel; they place incense before you and whole burnt offerings on your altar. Bless, our Father, his strength, and accept the work of his hands. Crush the loins of those who rise against him, of those who hate him, that they rise no more.

Of Benjamin he said: our Father's beloved settles safely beside him; our Father shelters Benjamin all day, and Benjamin rests between his shoulders. ^c

Of Joseph he said: May our Father bless his land with heaven's best gifts above, with dew, and the deep crouching below, with the choicest fruits ripened by the sun, and the rich yield of the months, with the finest produce of the ancient mountains and the abundance of the everlasting hills, with the best gifts of the earth and its fullness, and the favor of him who dwelt in the bush. May these rest on the head of Joseph, on the crown of the one set apart from his brothers. His firstborn bull—majesty is his; his horns are the horns of a wild ox. With them he gores the peoples, all of them, to the ends of the earth. Such are the myriads of Ephraim, and such are the thousands of Manasseh.

Of Zebulun he said: Rejoice, Zebulun, as you go out, and Issachar, in your tents. They call peoples to the mountain; there they offer right sacrifices, for they draw out the abundance of the seas and the hidden treasures of the sand.

Of Gad he said: Blessed is he who enlarges Gad! He crouches like a lion, tearing arm and scalp. He chose the best for himself, for there a commander's portion was reserved. He came with the leaders of the people; he carried out the justice of our Father and his judgments for Israel.

Of Dan he said: Dan is a lion's cub that leaps out from Bashan.

Of Naphtali he said: Naphtali, satisfied with favor, full of our Father's blessing—inherit the sea and south.

Of Asher he said: Most blessed of sons be Asher—may he be favored by his brothers, dipping his foot in oil. Your bars will be iron and bronze, and as your days, so will your strength be. There is none like our Father, Jeshurun, who rides through the heavens to help you, and in his majesty through the skies. The eternal Father is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms. He drove out the enemy before you and said, 'Destroy!' ^d So Israel dwells in safety; the fountain of Jacob is set apart in a land of grain and new wine, where the heavens drop down dew. Blessed are you, Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by our Father, the shield of your help and the sword of your majesty! Your enemies will come cringing to you, and you will tread on their high places.

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Deuteronomy 33

Moses' Parting Blessing

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