The Blessing of Moses

1Now this is the blessing with which Moses the man of God blessed the sons of Israel before his death. 2And he said,

“Yahweh came from Sinai,

And He [†]dawned on them from Seir;

He shone forth from Mount Paran,

And He came from the [†]midst of ten thousand holy ones;

At His right hand there was [†]flashing lightning for them.

3Indeed, He loves [†]the people;

All [†]Your holy ones are in Your hand,

And they [†]followed in Your steps;

Everyone is bearing up Your words.

4Moses commanded us with a law,

A possession for the assembly of Jacob.

5And He was king in Jeshurun,

When the heads of the people were gathered,

The tribes of Israel together.

6“May Reuben live and not die,

Nor his men be few.”

7And this regarding Judah; so he said,

“Hear, O Yahweh, the voice of Judah,

And bring him to his people.

With his hands he contended for [†]them,

And may You be a help against his adversaries.”

8Of Levi he said,

“Let Your Thummim and Your Urim belong to [†]Your holy one,

Whom You tested at Massah,

[†]With whom You contended at the waters of Meribah;

9Who said of his father and his mother,

‘I did not consider them’;

And he did not recognize his brothers,

Nor did he know his own sons,

For they kept Your word,

And they observed Your covenant.

10They shall [†]teach Your judgments to Jacob,

And Your law to Israel.

They shall put incense [†]before You,

And whole burnt offerings on Your altar.

11O Yahweh, bless his substance,

And accept the work of his hands;

Crush the loins of those who rise up against him,

And those who hate him, so that they will not rise again.”

12Of Benjamin he said,

“May the beloved of Yahweh dwell in security by Him,

Who shields him all the day,

And he dwells between His shoulders.”

13Of Joseph he said,

“Blessed of Yahweh be his land,

With the choice things of heaven, with the dew,

And from the deep lying beneath,

14And with the choice produce of the sun,

And with the choice yield of the months,

15And with the [†]best things of the ancient mountains,

And with the choice things of the everlasting hills,

16And with the choice things of the earth and its fullness,

And the favor of Him who dwelt in the bush.

Let it come to the head of Joseph,

And to the top of the head of the one distinguished among his brothers.

17As the firstborn of his ox, splendor is his,

And his horns are the horns of the wild ox;

With them he will push the peoples,

All [†]at once, to the ends of the earth.

And those are the ten thousands of Ephraim,

And those are the thousands of Manasseh.”

18Of Zebulun he said,

“Be glad, Zebulun, in your going forth,

And, Issachar, in your tents.

19They will call peoples to the mountain;

There they will offer righteous sacrifices;

For they will [†]draw out the abundance of the seas,

And the hidden treasures of the sand.”

20Of Gad he said,

“Blessed is the one who enlarges Gad;

He lies down as a [†]lion,

And tears the arm, also the top of the head.

21Then he [†]provided the first part for himself,

For there the ruler’s portion was [†]reserved;

And he came with the heads of the people;

He did the righteousness of Yahweh,

And His judgments with Israel.”

22Of Dan he said,

“Dan is a lion’s whelp,

That leaps forth from Bashan.”

23Of Naphtali he said,

“O Naphtali, satisfied with favor,

And full of the blessing of Yahweh,

Take possession of the sea and the south.”

24Of Asher he said,

“More blessed than sons is Asher;

May he be favored by his brothers,

And may he dip his foot in oil.

25Your locks will be iron and bronze,

And according to your days, so your fortitude will be.

26“There is none like the God of [†]Jeshurun,

Who rides the heavens [†]to your help,

And through the skies in His majesty.

27The eternal God is a [†]dwelling place,

And underneath are the everlasting arms;

And He drove out the enemy from before you,

And said, ‘Destroy!’

28So Israel dwells in security,

The fountain of Jacob secluded,

In a land of grain and new wine;

His heavens also drop down dew.

29Blessed are you, O Israel;

Who is like you, a people saved by Yahweh,

Who is the shield of your help

And the sword of your majesty!

So your enemies will cower before you,

And you will tread upon their high places.”