Deuteronomy 33

¹ This is the blessing that Moses, the man of God, pronounced over the sons of Israel before he died.

² He said: ‘Yahweh came from Sinai. For them, after Seir, he rose on the horizon, after Mount Paran he shone forth. For them he came, after the mustering at Kadesh, from his zenith as far as the foothills.

³ ‘You who have such love for the forefathers, in your hand are all the holy ones. At your feet they fell, under your guidance went swiftly on.

⁴ (Moses enjoined a law on us.) The assembly of Jacob comes into its inheritance;

⁵ there was a king in Jeshurun when the heads of the people foregathered and the tribes of Jacob were all assembled.

⁶ ‘May Reuben live and not die, live too, his small band of warriors!’

⁷ Of Judah he said this: ‘Listen, Yahweh, to the voice of Judah and bring him back to his people. That his hands may defend his rights, come to his help against his foes.’

⁸ Of Levi he said: ‘Grant to Levi[*a] your Urim, your Thummim to the one you favoured after you had tested him at Massah and striven with him at the waters of Meribah.

⁹ He says of his father and mother, “I have not seen them”. His brothers he does not know, nor does he know his children. Yes, they have kept your word, they hold firmly to your covenant.

¹⁰ They teach your customs to Jacob, your Law to Israel. They send incense rising to your nostrils, place the holocaust on your altar.

¹¹ Yahweh, bless his worthiness, and accept the work of his hands. Crush the loins of his enemies and of his foes, till they rise no more.’

¹² Of Benjamin he said: ‘Beloved of Yahweh, he rests in safety. The Most High[*b] protects him day after day and dwells between his hillsides.’

¹³ Of Joseph he said: ‘His land is blessed by Yahweh. For him the best of heaven’s dew and of the deep that lies below,

¹⁴ the best of what the sun makes grow, of what springs with every month,

¹⁵ the first-fruits of the ancient mountains, the best from the hills of old,

¹⁶ the best of the land and all it holds, the favour of him who dwells in the Bush. May the hair grow thick on the head of Joseph, of the consecrated one among his brothers!

¹⁷ First-born of the bull, his the glory. His horns are the wild ox’s horns, with them he tosses the peoples to the very ends of the earth. Such are the myriads of Ephraim, such are the thousands of Manasseh.’

¹⁸ Of Zebulun he said: ‘Prosper, Zebulun, in your voyages abroad, and you, Issachar, in your tents!

¹⁹ On the mountain where the people come to pray they offer sacrifices for success, for they taste the riches of the seas, and the treasures hidden in the sands.’

²⁰ Of Gad he said: ‘Blessed be he who gives Gad space enough! He lies there like a lioness; he has savaged arm and face and head.

²¹ Then he took the first portion for himself; he saw that there a leader’s share was kept for him. He came as leader of the people, having executed the justice of Yahweh and his sentences on Israel.’

²² Of Dan he said: ‘Dan is a lion cub leaping from Bashan. ‘

²³ Of Naphtali he said: ‘Naphtali, sated with favours, filled with the blessings of Yahweh: the Sea and the South are his domain.’

²⁴ Of Asher he said: ‘Most blessed of the sons may Asher be! Let him be privileged among his brothers and bathe his feet in oil!

²⁵ Be your bolts of iron and of bronze

²⁶ and your security as lasting as your days! There is none like the God of Jeshurun: he rides the heavens to your rescue,

²⁷ rides the clouds in his majesty. The God of old, he is your refuge. Here below, he is the age-old arm driving the enemy before you;

²⁸ it is he who cries, “Destroy!” Israel rests in safety. The well spring of Jacob is chosen out for a land of corn and wine;

²⁹ there heaven itself rains down dew. Happy are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a victorious people? In Yahweh is the shield that protects you and the marching sword leading to your triumph. Your enemies will try to corrupt you, but you yourself shall trample on their backs.’