1Y esta es la bendición con la cual Moisés, varón de los ELohim (Poderosos), bendijo a los hijos de IsraeL antes que muriese; 2Y dijo: Jehovah (el Eterno) llegó de Sinaí, y de Seir les esclareció: resplandeció desde el monte de Parán, y llegó de entre miríadas de santidad; a su diestra la ley de fuego para ellos. 3Aun amó los pueblos, todos sus santos están en tu mano: ellos también se llegaron a tus pies: recibieron de tus dichos. 4Ley nos mandó Moisés por heredad a la congregación de Jacob. 5Y fue rey en Jesurún , cuando se congregaron las cabezas del pueblo, las tribus de IsraeL en uno. 6Viva Rubén, y no muera: y sean sus varones en número. 7Y esta para Jehudá; y dijo: Oye Jehovah (el Eterno), la voz de Jehudá, y llévale a su pueblo: sus manos le basten, y tú le seas ayuda contra sus enemigos. 8Y a Leví dijo: Tu Tumim y tu Urim diste a tu varón misericordioso, al cual probaste en Masá; discutiste con él en aguas de Meriba ; 9El que dice a su padre y a su madre: No le vi; y no reconoció a los hermanos de él, y no conoció a los hijos de él: por lo cual ellos observarán tus dichos, y guardarán tu pacto. 10Ellos enseñarán tus juicios a Jacob, y tu ley a IsraeL: pondrán el perfume a tus narices, y el holocausto sobre tu altar. 11Bendice, Jehovah (el Eterno), lo que hicieren, y en la obra de sus manos toma contentamiento: hiere los lomos de sus enemigos, y de los que le aborrecieren, que nunca se levanten. 12A Benjamín dijo: El amado de Jehovah (el Eterno) habitará confiado cerca de Él, quien le cubrirá todo el día, y entre sus hombros habitará. 13Y a Yosef dijo: Bendita de Jehovah (el Eterno) sea su tierra, de lo mejor de los cielos, de rocío, y del abismo que descansa abajo, 14Y de lo mejor de los frutos del sol, y de lo mejor del producto de las lunas, 15Y por la cumbre de los montes antiguos; y de lo mejor de los collados eternos. 16Y de lo mejor de la tierra, y su plenitud: y la benevolencia, habitando en el zarzal, venga sobre la cabeza de Yosef, y sobre la mollera del Consagrado de entre sus hermanos. 17El es hermoso como el primer nacido de su buey: y sus cuernos, cuernos de rem : con ellos acorneará los pueblos a una, hasta los fines de la tierra: y estos son los diez miles de Efraim: y estos los miles de Manasés. 18Y a Zebulún dijo: Alégrate Zebulún cuando salieres; e Isacar en tus tiendas. 19Al monte llamarán pueblos, allí sacrificarán sacrificios de justicia: por lo cual chuparán la abundancia de los mares, y los tesoros escondidos del arena. 20Y a Gad dijo: Bendito el que hizo ensanchar a Gad: como león habitará, y arrebatará brazo y mollera. 21El vio para sí lo primero, que allí estaba escondida la parte del legislador, y llevó las cabezas del pueblo: la justicia de Jehovah (el Eterno) hará, y sus juicios con IsraeL. 22Y a Dan dijo: Dan, cachorro de león: saltará desde Basán. 23Y a Neftalí dijo: Neftalí harto de voluntad, y lleno de bendición de Jehovah (el Eterno); el occidente y el mediodía hereda. 24Y a Aser dijo: Bendito más que los hijos, Aser; será agradable a sus hermanos: y mojará en aceite su pie. 25Hierro y bronce serán tus cerraduras; y como tus días será tu fortaleza. 26No hay como EL <Dios> de Jesurún : caballero en el cielo para tu ayuda, y en los cielos con su grandeza. 27Morada es ELohei (Potentes) de eternidad, y de debajo de brazos de perpetuidad; y echará de delante de ti a enemigo; y dirá: Destruye. 28E IsraeL, la fuente de Jacob, habitará confiado solo en tierra de grano y de vino nuevo: también sus cielos destilarán rocío. 29Bienaventuranzas a ti, IsraeL: ¿Quién como tú, pueblo salvo por Jehovah (el Eterno), escudo de tu socorro, y espada de tu excelencia? Y tus enemigos serán humillados, y tú hollarás sobre sus alturas.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 THE MAJESTY OF GOD. (Deu. 33:1-28)
Moses the man of God--This was a common designation of a prophet (
1Sam 2:27;
1Sam 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 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
Judg 5:4-
Judg 5:5;
Ps 68:7-
Ps 68:8;
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 (
Exod 19:16-
Exod 19:18;
Deut 4:11), and the fierce, unrelenting curse denounced against the violation of its precepts (
2Cor 3:7-9). Notwithstanding those awe-inspiring symbols of Majesty that were displayed on Sinai, the law was really given in kindness and love (
Deut 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 (
Num 1:21;
Num 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 (
Num 25:6-
Num 25:14;
Num 1:23;
Num 26:14;
Josh 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 of Levi he said--The burden of this blessing is the appointment of the Levites to the dignified and sacred office of the priesthood (
Lev 10:11;
Deut 22:8;
Deut 17:8-
Deut 17:11), 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 (
Exod 32:25-
Exod 32:28; compare
Mal 2:4-
Mal 2:6).
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 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
Gen 48:20).
18 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 Phśnicians 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 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
Gen 30:11;
Gen 49:19). Notwithstanding, they faithfully kept their engagement to join the "heads of the people" [
Deut 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 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 (
1Sam 17:6;
Eph 6:15) and iron-soled shoes.
26 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.
