UBF Daily Bread

“BLESSED ARE YOU, ISRAEL”

Passage: Deuteronomy 33:1~29

Key verse: 29

Moses Blesses the Tribes^(A)

33 This is the blessing^(B) that Moses the man of God^(C) pronounced on the Israelites before his death. ²He said:

“The Lord came from Sinai^(D)
    and dawned over them from Seir;^(E)
    he shone forth^(F) from Mount Paran.^(G)
He came with^[a] myriads of holy ones^(H)
    from the south, from his mountain slopes.^[b]
³Surely it is you who love^(I) the people;
    all the holy ones are in your hand.^(J)
At your feet they all bow down,^(K)
    and from you receive instruction,
⁴the law that Moses gave us,^(L)
    the possession of the assembly of Jacob.^(M)
⁵He was king^(N) over Jeshurun^[c]^(O)
    when the leaders of the people assembled,
    along with the tribes of Israel.

⁶“Let Reuben live and not die,
nor^[d] his people be few.”^(P)

⁷And this he said about Judah:^(Q)

“Hear, Lord, the cry of Judah;
bring him to his people.
With his own hands he defends his cause.
Oh, be his help against his foes!”

⁸About Levi^(R) he said:

“Your Thummim and Urim^(S) belong
    to your faithful servant.^(T)
You tested^(U) him at Massah;
    you contended with him at the waters of Meribah.^(V)
⁹He said of his father and mother,^(W)
    ‘I have no regard for them.’
He did not recognize his brothers
    or acknowledge his own children,
but he watched over your word
    and guarded your covenant.^(X)
¹⁰He teaches^(Y) your precepts to Jacob
    and your law to Israel.^(Z)
He offers incense before you^(AA)
    and whole burnt offerings on your altar.^(AB)
¹¹Bless all his skills, Lord,
    and be pleased with the work of his hands.^(AC)
Strike down those who rise against him,
    his foes till they rise no more.”

¹²About Benjamin^(AD) he said:

“Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in him,^(AE)
for he shields him all day long,^(AF)
and the one the Lord loves^(AG) rests between his shoulders.^(AH)”

¹³About Joseph^(AI) he said:

“May the Lord bless his land
    with the precious dew from heaven above
    and with the deep waters that lie below;^(AJ)
¹⁴with the best the sun brings forth
    and the finest the moon can yield;
¹⁵with the choicest gifts of the ancient mountains^(AK)
    and the fruitfulness of the everlasting hills;
¹⁶with the best gifts of the earth and its fullness
    and the favor of him who dwelt in the burning bush.^(AL)
Let all these rest on the head of Joseph,
    on the brow of the prince among^[e] his brothers.^(AM)
¹⁷In majesty he is like a firstborn bull;
    his horns^(AN) are the horns of a wild ox.^(AO)
With them he will gore^(AP) the nations,
    even those at the ends of the earth.
Such are the ten thousands of Ephraim;^(AQ)
    such are the thousands of Manasseh.^(AR)”

¹⁸About Zebulun^(AS) he said:

“Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out,
    and you, Issachar,^(AT) in your tents.
¹⁹They will summon peoples to the mountain^(AU)
    and there offer the sacrifices of the righteous;^(AV)
they will feast on the abundance of the seas,^(AW)
    on the treasures hidden in the sand.”

²⁰About Gad^(AX) he said:

“Blessed is he who enlarges Gad’s domain!^(AY)
    Gad lives there like a lion,
    tearing at arm or head.
²¹He chose the best land for himself;^(AZ)
    the leader’s portion was kept for him.^(BA)
When the heads of the people assembled,
    he carried out the Lord’s righteous will,^(BB)
    and his judgments concerning Israel.”

²²About Dan^(BC) he said:

“Dan is a lion’s cub,
springing out of Bashan.”

²³About Naphtali^(BD) he said:

“Naphtali is abounding with the favor of the Lord
and is full of his blessing;
he will inherit southward to the lake.”

²⁴About Asher^(BE) he said:

“Most blessed of sons is Asher;
    let him be favored by his brothers,
    and let him bathe his feet in oil.^(BF)
²⁵The bolts of your gates will be iron and bronze,^(BG)
    and your strength will equal your days.^(BH)

²⁶“There is no one like the God of Jeshurun,^(BI)
    who rides^(BJ) across the heavens to help you^(BK)
    and on the clouds^(BL) in his majesty.^(BM)
²⁷The eternal^(BN) God is your refuge,^(BO)
    and underneath are the everlasting^(BP) arms.
He will drive out your enemies before you,^(BQ)
    saying, ‘Destroy them!’^(BR)
²⁸So Israel will live in safety;^(BS)
    Jacob will dwell^[f] secure
in a land of grain and new wine,
    where the heavens drop dew.^(BT)
²⁹Blessed are you, Israel!^(BU)
    Who is like you,^(BV)
    a people saved by the Lord?^(BW)
He is your shield and helper^(BX)
    and your glorious sword.
Your enemies will cower before you,
    and you will tread on their heights.^(BY)”

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Footnotes

Deuteronomy 33:2 Or from
Deuteronomy 33:2 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
Deuteronomy 33:5 Jeshurun means the upright one, that is, Israel; also in verse 26.
Deuteronomy 33:6 Or but let
Deuteronomy 33:16 Or of the one separated from
Deuteronomy 33:28 Septuagint; Hebrew Jacob’s spring is

Cross references

Deuteronomy 33:1 : 33:1-29Ref — Ge 49:1-28
Deuteronomy 33:1 : S Ge 27:4
Deuteronomy 33:1 : Jos 14:6; 1Sa 2:27; 9:6; 1Ki 12:22; 13:1; 2Ki 1:9-13; 5:8; Jer 35:4
Deuteronomy 33:2 : Ex 19:18; Ps 68:8
Deuteronomy 33:2 : Jos 11:17; Jdg 5:4
Deuteronomy 33:2 : Ps 50:2; 80:1; 94:1
Deuteronomy 33:2 : S Nu 10:12
Deuteronomy 33:2 : Ps 89:7; Da 4:13; 7:10; 8:13; Zec 14:5; Ac 7:53; Gal 3:19; Heb 2:2; Rev 5:11
Deuteronomy 33:3 : S Dt 4:37
Deuteronomy 33:3 : Dt 7:6
Deuteronomy 33:3 : Lk 10:39; Rev 4:10
Deuteronomy 33:4 : Dt 4:2; Jn 1:17; 7:19
Deuteronomy 33:4 : Ps 119:111
Deuteronomy 33:5 : S Ex 16:8; 1Sa 10:19; Ps 10:16; 149:2
Deuteronomy 33:5 : S Nu 23:21; S Dt 32:15
Deuteronomy 33:6 : S Ge 34:5
Deuteronomy 33:7 : S Ge 49:10
Deuteronomy 33:8 : S Ge 29:34
Deuteronomy 33:8 : Ex 28:30
Deuteronomy 33:8 : Ps 106:16
Deuteronomy 33:8 : S Nu 14:22
Deuteronomy 33:8 : S Ex 17:7
Deuteronomy 33:9 : Ex 32:26-29
Deuteronomy 33:9 : Ps 61:5; Mal 2:5
Deuteronomy 33:10 : Ezr 7:10; Ne 8:18; Ps 119:151; Jer 23:22; Mal 2:6
Deuteronomy 33:10 : S Lev 10:11; Dt 17:8-11; 31:9-13
Deuteronomy 33:10 : S Ex 30:7; Lev 16:12-13
Deuteronomy 33:10 : Ps 51:19
Deuteronomy 33:11 : 2Sa 24:23; Ps 20:3; 51:19
Deuteronomy 33:12 : S Ge 35:18
Deuteronomy 33:12 : Dt 4:37-38; 12:10; S 32:8
Deuteronomy 33:12 : S Ex 19:4
Deuteronomy 33:12 : Ps 60:5; 127:2; Isa 5:1
Deuteronomy 33:12 : S Ex 28:12
Deuteronomy 33:13 : S Ge 30:24
Deuteronomy 33:13 : Ge 27:28; Ps 148:7
Deuteronomy 33:15 : Hab 3:6
Deuteronomy 33:16 : S Ex 3:2
Deuteronomy 33:16 : S Ge 37:8
Deuteronomy 33:17 : 1Sa 2:10; 2Sa 22:3; Eze 34:21
Deuteronomy 33:17 : S Nu 23:22
Deuteronomy 33:17 : 1Ki 22:11; Ps 44:5
Deuteronomy 33:17 : S Ge 41:52
Deuteronomy 33:17 : S Ge 41:51
Deuteronomy 33:18 : S Ge 30:20
Deuteronomy 33:18 : S Ge 30:18
Deuteronomy 33:19 : S Ex 15:17; Ps 48:1; Isa 2:3; 65:11; 66:20; Jer 31:6
Deuteronomy 33:19 : Ps 4:5; 51:19
Deuteronomy 33:19 : Isa 18:7; 23:18; 45:14; 60:5, 11; 61:6; Hag 2:7; Zec 14:14
Deuteronomy 33:20 : Ge 30:11
Deuteronomy 33:20 : Dt 3:12-17
Deuteronomy 33:21 : Nu 32:1-5, 31-32
Deuteronomy 33:21 : S Nu 34:14
Deuteronomy 33:21 : Jos 22:1-3
Deuteronomy 33:22 : Ge 49:16; S Nu 1:38
Deuteronomy 33:23 : S Ge 30:8
Deuteronomy 33:24 : S Ge 30:13
Deuteronomy 33:24 : S Ge 49:20; S Dt 32:13
Deuteronomy 33:25 : Ne 3:3; 7:3; Ps 147:13
Deuteronomy 33:25 : S Dt 32:47
Deuteronomy 33:26 : S Dt 32:15
Deuteronomy 33:26 : Ps 18:10; 68:33
Deuteronomy 33:26 : S Dt 10:14; S Ps 104:3
Deuteronomy 33:26 : 2Sa 22:10; Ps 18:9; 68:4; Da 7:13
Deuteronomy 33:26 : S Ex 15:7
Deuteronomy 33:27 : Ex 15:18; Isa 40:28; 57:15
Deuteronomy 33:27 : Ps 9:9; 84:1; 90:1; 91:9
Deuteronomy 33:27 : S Ge 21:33
Deuteronomy 33:27 : Ex 34:11; Jos 24:18
Deuteronomy 33:27 : S Dt 7:2
Deuteronomy 33:28 : S Ex 33:16; S Lev 25:18; S Dt 32:8; Ps 16:9; Pr 1:33; Isa 14:30
Deuteronomy 33:28 : ver 13; Ge 27:28
Deuteronomy 33:29 : Ps 1:1; 32:1-2; 144:15
Deuteronomy 33:29 : 2Sa 22:45; Ps 18:44; 66:3; 81:15
Deuteronomy 33:29 : Dt 4:7
Deuteronomy 33:29 : Ge 15:1; Ex 18:4; Ps 10:14; 18:1; 27:1, 9; 30:10; 54:4; 70:5; 115:9-11; 118:7; Isa 45:24; Hos 13:9; Hab 3:19
Deuteronomy 33:29 : S Nu 33:52; S Dt 32:13

Before his death, Moses took the time to speak words of blessing over Israel, naming the tribes one by one. Moses’ blessing focuses on God as Israel’s king, the importance of the law, and the priestly role of Levi. Afterall, to maintain God’s blessing, the people needed to hear and obey God’s words and precepts in covenant with God. Incense and offerings (10) are acts of worship and prayer. May God bless our pastors and priests today to teach his precepts and leads his people in worship and prayer.

Moses’ blessing harkens back to Genesis 49 when Jacob prophetically blessed his sons. In Genesis, the focus was on the scepter of Judah, foreshadowing David’s kingdom and later the Messianic Kingdom of Jesus. In this passage, Moses does bless each tribe, but his overall focus is on God who blessed all Israel as a whole. God is the eternal source of blessing and security; God holds them in his everlasting arms. The most blessed people are not those with lands and materials, but those saved by the LORD. In the same way, we who believe in Jesus are the most blessed people because Jesus saves us.

Prayer: Father, thank you for saving us and reigning over us through Jesus. We are most blessed to have your word of promise and covenant of grace. Help us remember how blessed we are.

One Word: We are most blessed

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Daily Bread Data Base

Deuteronomy 32:48~33:29

MOSES' FINAL HOURS--BLESSING ON HIS LIPS , 01/01 /2000
Deuteronomy 33:1~29

MOSES BLESSES ISRAEL , 05/18 /2017
Deuteronomy 33:1~29

"BLESSED ARE YOU, ISRAEL" , 12/11 /2020
Deuteronomy 33:1~29

“BLESSED ARE YOU, ISRAEL” , 02/18 /2023

Bible Resource Data Base

Deuteronomy 1:1~34:12

Deuteronomy - Remember What God Has Done and Said , Sarah Barry
Deuteronomy 1:1~34:12

Hear, O Israel, LA UBF
Deuteronomy 33:1~34:12

Moses the man of God, LA UBF

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