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Deuteronômio 33

ARC · Chapter 33/34

1Esta, porém, é a benção com que Moysés, homem de Deus, abençoou os filhos de Israel antes da sua morte

2Disse pois: O Senhor veiu de Sinai, e lhes subiu de Seir; resplandeceu desde o monte Paran, e veiu com dez milhares de sanctos: á sua direita havia para elles o fogo da lei.

3Na verdade ama os povos; todos os seus sanctos estão na tua mão; postos serão no meio, entre os teus pés, cada um receberá das tuas palavras.

4Moysés nos deu a lei por herança da congregação de Jacob.

5E foi rei em Jeshurun, quando se congregaram em um os Cabeças do povo com as tribus de Israel.

6Viva Ruben, e não morra, e que os seus homens sejam numerosos.

7E isto é o que disse de Judah; e disse: Ouve, ó Senhor, a voz de Judah, e introduze-o no seu povo: as suas mãos lhe bastem, e tu lhe sejas em ajuda contra os seus inimigos.

8E de Levi disse: Teu Thummim e teu Urim são para o teu amado, que tu provaste em Massah, com quem contendeste ás aguas de Meribah.

9Aquelle que disse a seu pae e a sua mãe: Nunca o vi; e não conheceu a seus irmãos, e não estimou a seus filhos: pois guardaram a tua palavra e observaram o teu concerto.

10Ensinaram os teus juizos a Jacob, e a tua lei a Israel; metteram incenso no teu nariz, e o holocausto sobre o teu altar.

11Abençoa o seu poder, ó Senhor, e a obra das suas mãos te aguarde: fere os lombos dos que se levantam contra elle e o aborrecem, que nunca mais se levantem.

12E de Benjamin disse: O amado do Senhor habitará seguro com elle: todo o dia o cobrirá, e morará entre os seus hombros.

13E de José disse: Bemdita do Senhor seja a sua terra, com o mais excellente dos céus, como orvalho, e com o abysmo que jaz abaixo.

14E com as mais excellentes novidades do sol, e com as mais excellentes producções da lua,

15E com o mais excellente dos montes antigos, e com o mais excellente dos outeiros eternos,

16E com o mais excellente da terra, e com a sua plenidão, e com a benevolencia d'aquelle que habitava na sarça, a benção venha sobre a cabeça de José, e sobre o alto da cabeça do que foi separado de seus irmãos

17Elle tem a gloria do primogenito do seu boi, e as suas pontas são pontas de unicornio: com elles escorneará os povos juntamente até ás extremidades da terra: estes pois são os dez milhares de Ephraim, e estes são os milhares de Manasseh.

18E de Zebulon disse: Zebulon, alegra-te nas tuas saidas; e tu, Issacar, nas tuas tendas.

19Elles chamarão os povos ao monte: ali offerecerão offertas de justiça, porque chuparão a abundancia dos mares e os thesouros escondidos da areia.

20E de Gad disse: Bemdito aquelle que faz dilatar a Gad, habita como a leoa, e despedaça o braço e alto da cabeça.

21E se proveu do primeiro, porquanto ali estava escondida a porção do legislador: pelo que veiu com os chefes do povo, executou a justiça do Senhor e os seus juizos para com Israel.

22E de Dan disse: Dan é leãozinho; saltará de Basan.

23E de Naphtali disse: Farta-te, ó Naphtali, da benevolencia, e enchete da benção do Senhor; possue o occidente e o meio dia.

24E de Aser disse: Bemdito seja Aser com seus filhos, agrade a seus irmãos, e banhe em azeite o seu pé.

25O ferro e o metal será o teu calçado; e a tua força será como os teus dias.

26Não ha outro, ó Jeshurun, similhante a Deus! que cavalga sobre os céus para a tua ajuda, e com a sua alteza sobre as mais altas nuvens.

27O Deus eterno te seja por habitação, e por baixo sejam os braços eternos: e elle lance o inimigo de diante de ti, e diga: Destroe-o.

28Israel pois habitará só seguro, na terra da fonte de Jacob, na terra de grão e de mosto: e os seus céus gotejarão orvalho.

29Bemaventurado tu, ó Israel! quem é como tu? um povo salvo pelo Senhor, o escudo do teu soccorro, e a espada da tua alteza: pelo que os teus inimigos te serão sujeitos, e tu pisarás sobre as suas alturas.

📖 Chapter study

Summary

Before he dies, Moses pronounces a final, individual blessing over each of the twelve tribes of Israel, similar to the blessing Jacob gave his sons in Genesis 49, closing with a powerful declaration about Israel's unique protection and blessedness under God.

Explanation

Just as Jacob blessed his twelve sons before he died (Genesis 49), Moses, the nation's spiritual father, offers a final, specific blessing for each tribe, showing individual recognition within Israel's collective identity — each tribe had its own characteristics, challenges, and calling within the nation's larger purpose. Notably, Simeon is the only tribe left out of the blessing entirely (possibly because of its role in the violence at Shechem, Genesis 34, or because of its later absorption into the territory of Judah), while Joseph receives one of the longest and richest blessings, reflecting his central historical position. The final, triumphant declaration — 'Happy are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord?' — closes the section of blessings on a note of special identity and destiny, emotionally preparing the people to enter the promised land soon after.

Fun facts

  • The complete absence of Simeon from this list of blessings (compared with the more neutral, but still present, blessing given by Jacob in Genesis 49:5-7) is noted by commentators as a possible reflection of that tribe's historical decline, which would in fact be territorially absorbed within Judah (Joshua 19:1, 9).
  • The description of God riding 'upon the heavens' and being a 'dwelling place' with 'everlasting arms' underneath (v. 26-27) is one of the most poetic and moving images in the entire Bible about the security found in God, frequently quoted in later hymns and devotional literature.

Verse-by-verse explanation

  1. Deuteronômio 33:1Moses’ blessing on each tribe of Israel before he dies follows the same pattern as Jacob’s blessing on his twelve sons in Genesis 49: a farewell speech in the form of a poem, assessing each group’s future before the leader dies.
  2. Deuteronômio 33:2Describes the giving of the law in grand imagery: God coming from Sinai, shining like a rising sun, surrounded by thousands of heavenly beings.
  3. Deuteronômio 33:3Speaks of God’s love for the people, held safe in His hand and gathered to receive and keep His words.
  4. Deuteronômio 33:4Sums up Moses’ role in one simple line: he was the one who delivered the law as an inheritance for the whole community of Jacob.
  5. Deuteronômio 33:5Describes Moses acting in an almost royal leadership role (“king”) at the moment when the people came together as one.
  6. Deuteronômio 33:6Opens the individual tribal blessings with Reuben, asking for long life and a numerous people, even though this tribe had lost status because of a past mistake.
  7. Deuteronômio 33:7Judah’s blessing is a request for military help and for the tribe’s reintegration with the rest of the people.
  8. Deuteronômio 33:8The Urim and the Thummim were objects used by the priests to consult God’s will, likely something like sacred lots cast to give yes-or-no answers. The text does not explain exactly how they worked, and the details have been lost over time.
  9. Deuteronômio 33:9Praises the extreme loyalty of the Levites, willing to place faithfulness to God above even their closest family ties.
  10. Deuteronômio 33:10Recognizes the Levites’ role as teachers of the law and as those responsible for the incense and sacrifice rituals at the altar.
  11. Deuteronômio 33:11Asks God to bless the work of the tribe of Levi and to crush with force any enemy that rises against them.
  12. Deuteronômio 33:12Benjamin’s blessing is one of safety and intimate closeness with God, described as someone kept safe “between his shoulders.”
  13. Deuteronômio 33:13Joseph’s blessing begins with natural riches: the best of the dew from heaven and of the deep waters beneath the earth.
  14. Deuteronômio 33:14Continues with the finest fruits tied to the cycle of the sun and the moon, poetic language for agricultural abundance.
  15. Deuteronômio 33:15Adds the blessing of the ancient mountains and the everlasting hills, symbols of solidity and permanence.
  16. Deuteronômio 33:16Closes Joseph’s blessing by citing God’s presence in the burning bush, asking that all of it rest on his head, the one “separated from his brethren.”
  17. Deuteronômio 33:17“The horns of unicorns” is the old way of translating what is now understood to be a wild ox with great horns, a real animal, now extinct, not the mythical creature the word suggests in Portuguese.
  18. Deuteronômio 33:18The blessing of Zebulun and Issachar celebrates both trading journeys and stable life at home, two complementary ways of living.
  19. Deuteronômio 33:19Describes these tribes gathering peoples for right sacrifices, benefiting from the wealth of the sea and treasures hidden in the sand.
  20. Deuteronômio 33:20Gad’s blessing uses the image of a powerful lion, able to tear apart even the arm and the head of an enemy.
  21. Deuteronômio 33:21Recognizes that Gad chose a good portion of land and faithfully carried out God’s justice together with the rest of the people.
  22. Deuteronômio 33:22Dan’s blessing is brief and vivid: compared to a lion’s cub leaping out from Bashan.
  23. Deuteronômio 33:23Naphtali’s blessing speaks of an abundance of divine favor and of possessing territory to the west and south.
  24. Deuteronômio 33:24Asher’s blessing wishes for popularity among the brothers and such abundance of oil that his own feet would be bathed in it.
  25. Deuteronômio 33:25Promises Asher strength to match the length of his life, with iron and bronze representing protection and security.
  26. Deuteronômio 33:26Turns the focus back to God, called here incomparable, riding the heavens and the highest clouds to help the people.
  27. Deuteronômio 33:27Describes God as an eternal refuge, with “everlasting arms” holding up from beneath, and promising to drive out the enemies from before the people.
  28. Deuteronômio 33:28Foresees Israel living in absolute security, in a land rich with grain and wine, with the heavens dropping down dew.
  29. Deuteronômio 33:29Closes the blessing celebrating Israel’s unique fortune as a people saved by God, with enemies subdued beneath their feet.

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