Text -- Deuteronomy 33:17-29 (NET)

33:17 May the firstborn of his bull bring him honor, and may his horns be those of a wild ox; with them may he gore all peoples, all the far reaches of the earth. They are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh.

Blessing on Zebulun and Issachar

33:18 Of Zebulun he said: Rejoice, Zebulun, when you go outside, and Issachar, when you are in your tents. 33:19 They will summon peoples to the mountain, there they will sacrifice proper sacrifices; for they will enjoy the abundance of the seas, and the hidden treasures of the shores.

Blessing on Gad

33:20 Of Gad he said: Blessed be the one who enlarges Gad. Like a lioness he will dwell; he will tear at an arm– indeed, a scalp. 33:21 He has selected the best part for himself, for the portion of the ruler is set aside there; he came with the leaders of the people, he obeyed the righteous laws of the Lord and his ordinances with Israel.

Blessing on Dan

33:22 Of Dan he said: Dan is a lion’s cub; he will leap forth from Bashan.

Blessing on Naphtali

33:23 Of Naphtali he said: O Naphtali, overflowing with favor, and full of the Lord’s blessing, possess the west and south.

Blessing on Asher

33:24 Of Asher he said: Asher is blessed with children, may he be favored by his brothers and may he dip his foot in olive oil. 33:25 The bars of your gates will be made of iron and bronze, and may you have lifelong strength.

General Praise and Blessing

33:26 There is no one like God, O Jeshurun, who rides through the sky to help you, on the clouds in majesty. 33:27 The everlasting God is a refuge, and underneath you are his eternal arms; he has driven out enemies before you, and has said, “Destroy!” 33:28 Israel lives in safety, the fountain of Jacob is quite secure, in a land of grain and new wine; indeed, its heavens rain down dew. 33:29 You have joy, Israel! Who is like you? You are a people delivered by the Lord, your protective shield and your exalted sword. May your enemies cringe before you; may you trample on their backs.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Deu 33:17

¹ sn Ephraim and Manasseh were the sons of Joseph who became founders of the two tribes into which Joseph’s descendants were split (Gen 48:19-20). Jacob’s blessing granted favored status to Ephraim; this is probably why Ephraim is viewed here as more numerous than Manasseh.

NET Notes: Deu 33:19

¹ tn Or “acceptable”; Heb “righteous” (so NASB).

² tn Heb “suck.”

³ tn Heb “of the sand” (so NRSV, NLT); CEV “the sandy beach.”

NET Notes: Deu 33:20

¹ tn Heb “forehead,” picturing Gad attacking prey.

NET Notes: Deu 33:21

¹ tn The Hebrew term מְחֹקֵק (mÿkhoqeq; Poel participle of חָקַק, khaqaq, “to inscribe”) reflects the idea that the recorder of allotments (the “ruler”) is able to set aside for himself the largest and best. See E. H. Merrill, Deuteronomy (NAC), 444-45.

² tn Heb “covered in” (if from the root סָפַן, safan; cf. HALOT 764-65 s.v. ספן qal).

³ tn Heb “heads” (in the sense of chieftains).

NET Notes: Deu 33:22

¹ sn He will leap forth from Bashan. This may refer to Dan’s conquest of Laish, a region just to the west of Bashan (Judg 18:27-28).

NET Notes: Deu 33:24

¹ sn Dip his foot in olive oil. This is a metaphor for prosperity, one especially apt in light of the abundance of olive groves in the area settled by Asher. The Hebrew term refers to olive oil, which symbolizes blessing in the OT. See R. Way, NIDOTTE 4:171-73.

NET Notes: Deu 33:25

¹ tn The words “of your gates” have been supplied in the translation to clarify the referent of “bars.”

NET Notes: Deu 33:26

¹ sn Jeshurun is a term of affection referring to Israel, derived from the Hebrew verb יָשַׁר (yashar, “be upright”). See note on the term in Deut 32:15.

² tn Or “(who) rides (on) the heavens” (cf. NIV, NRSV, NLT). This title depicts Israel’s God as sovereign over the elements of the storm (cf. Ps 68:33). The use of the phrase here may be polemical; Moses may be asserting that Israel’s God, not Baal (called the “rider of the clouds” in the Ugaritic myths), is the true divine king (cf. v. 5) who controls the elements of the storm, grants agricultural prosperity, and delivers his people from their enemies. See R. B. Chisholm, Jr., “The Polemic against Baalism in Israel’s Early History and Literature,” BSac 151 (1994): 275.

NET Notes: Deu 33:27

¹ tn Heb “and from under, arms of perpetuity.” The words “you” and “his” are supplied in the translation for clarification. Some have perceived this line to be problematic and have offered alternative translations that differ significantly from the present translation: “He spread out the primeval tent; he extended the ancient canopy” (NAB); “He subdues the ancient gods, shatters the forces of old” (NRSV). These are based on alternate meanings or conjectural emendations rather than textual variants in the mss and versions.

NET Notes: Deu 33:28

¹ tn Heb “all alone.” The idea is that such vital resources as water will some day no longer need protection because God will provide security.

² tn Or “skies.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heaven(s)” or “sky” depending on the context.

³ tn Or perhaps “drizzle, showers.” See note at Deut 32:2.