NET Bible

New American Standard Bible 1995

1This is the blessing Moses the man of God pronounced upon the Israelites before his death.

1Now this is the blessing with which Moses the man of God blessed the sons of Israel before his death.

2He said: A Historical Review The LORD came from Sinai and revealed himself to Israel from Seir. He appeared in splendor from Mount Paran, and came forth with ten thousand holy ones. With his right hand he gave a fiery law to them.

2He said, "The LORD came from Sinai, And 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.

3Surely he loves the people; all your holy ones are in your power. And they sit at your feet, each receiving your words.

3"Indeed, He loves the people; All Your holy ones are in Your hand, And they followed in Your steps; Everyone receives of Your words.

4Moses delivered to us a law, an inheritance for the assembly of Jacob.

4"Moses charged us with a law, A possession for the assembly of Jacob.

5The LORD was king over Jeshurun, when the leaders of the people assembled, the tribes of Israel together.

5"And He was king in Jeshurun, When the heads of the people were gathered, The tribes of Israel together.

6May Reuben live and not die, and may his people multiply.

6"May Reuben live and not die, Nor his men be few."

7And this is the blessing to Judah. He said, Listen, O LORD, to Judah's voice, and bring him to his people. May his power be great, and may you help him against his foes.

7And this regarding Judah; so he said, "Hear, O LORD, 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: Your Thummim and Urim belong to your godly one, whose authority you challenged at Massah, and with whom you argued at the waters of Meribah.

8Of Levi he said, "Let Your Thummim and Your Urim belong to Your godly man, Whom You proved at Massah, With whom You contended at the waters of Meribah;

9He said to his father and mother, "I have not seen him," and he did not acknowledge his own brothers or know his own children, for they kept your word, and guarded your covenant.

9Who said of his father and his mother, 'I did not consider them'; And he did not acknowledge his brothers, Nor did he regard his own sons, For they observed Your word, And kept Your covenant.

10They will teach Jacob your ordinances and Israel your law; they will offer incense as a pleasant odor, and a whole offering on your altar.

10"They shall teach Your ordinances to Jacob, And Your law to Israel. They shall put incense before You, And whole burnt offerings on Your altar.

11Bless, O LORD, his goods, and be pleased with his efforts; undercut the legs of any who attack him, and of those who hate him, so that they cannot stand.

11"O LORD, bless his substance, And accept the work of his hands; Shatter 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: The beloved of the LORD will live safely by him; he protects him all the time, and the LORD places him on his chest.

12Of Benjamin he said, "May the beloved of the LORD dwell in security by Him, Who shields him all the day, And he dwells between His shoulders."

13Of Joseph he said: May the LORD bless his land with the harvest produced by the sky, by the dew, and by the depths crouching beneath;

13Of Joseph he said, "Blessed of the LORD be his land, With the choice things of heaven, with the dew, And from the deep lying beneath,

14with the harvest produced by the daylight and by the moonlight;

14And with the choice yield of the sun, And with the choice produce of the months.

15with the best of the ancient mountains and the harvest produced by the age-old hills;

15"And with the best things of the ancient mountains, And with the choice things of the everlasting hills,

16with the harvest of the earth and its fullness and the pleasure of him who resided in the burning bush. May blessing rest on Joseph's head, and on the top of the head of the one set apart from his brothers.

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 crown of the head of the one distinguished among his brothers.

17May 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.

17"As the firstborn of his ox, majesty 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: Rejoice, Zebulun, when you go outside, and Issachar, when you are in your tents.

18Of Zebulun he said, "Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going forth, And, Issachar, in your tents.

19They 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.

19"They 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 be the one who enlarges Gad. Like a lioness he will dwell; he will tear at an arm--indeed, a scalp.

20Of Gad he said, "Blessed is the one who enlarges Gad; He lies down as a lion, And tears the arm, also the crown of the head.

21He 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.

21"Then he provided the first part for himself, For there the ruler's portion was reserved; And he came with the leaders of the people; He executed the justice of the LORD, And His ordinances with Israel."

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

22Of Dan he said, "Dan is a lion's whelp, That leaps forth from Bashan."

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

23Of Naphtali he said, "O Naphtali, satisfied with favor, And full of the blessing of the LORD, Take possession of the sea and the south."

24Of Asher he said: Asher is blessed with children, may he be favored by his brothers and may he dip his foot in olive oil.

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.

25The bars of your gates will be made of iron and bronze, and may you have lifelong strength.

25"Your locks will be iron and bronze, And according to your days, so will your leisurely walk be.

26There is no one like God, O Jeshurun, who rides through the sky to help you, on the clouds in majesty.

26"There is none like the God of Jeshurun, Who rides the heavens to your help, And through the skies in His majesty.

27The everlasting God is a refuge, and underneath you are his eternal arms; he has driven out enemies before you, and has said, "Destroy!"

27"The eternal God is a dwelling place, And underneath are the everlasting arms; And He drove out the enemy from before you, And said, 'Destroy!'

28Israel lives in safety, the fountain of Jacob is quite secure, in a land of grain and new wine; indeed, its heavens rain down dew.

28"So Israel dwells in security, The fountain of Jacob secluded, In a land of grain and new wine; His heavens also drop down dew.

29You 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.

29"Blessed are you, O Israel; Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD, Who is the shield of your help And the sword of your majesty! So your enemies will cringe before you, And you will tread upon their high places."

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