Deuteronomy 33:1-5

E. THE BLESSING OF MOSES (Deuteronomy 33:1-29)

Having spoken his song in the previous chapter, Moses now pronounces his blessing upon the people. Both were probably spoken on the same day, just prior to his ascension into mount Nebo and his death. In both he is bidding farewell to Israel; both are poetic in nature, and both look to the future of God's chosen people. The one may be regarded as the counterpart of the other. In his song, however, Moses has dwelt especially on the calamities and chastizements that shall come upon Israel; in his blessing, he reveals the blessings of the future through the favor, generosity, and love of God. The tone of the one is sombre and minatory; the tone of the other is serene and cheering. The one presents the darker side, the other the brighter side, of Israel's fortunes. (Pulpit)

This chapter falls into a rather natural three-fold division: (1) An introduction (Deuteronomy 33:1-5), (2) a series of benedictions on the twelve tribes (Deuteronomy 33:6-25), and (3) a conclusion (Deuteronomy 33:26-29).

1. INTRODUCTION (Deuteronomy 33:1-5)

And this is the blessing, wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death. 2 And he said,
Jehovah came from Sinai,
He rose from Seir unto them;
He shined forth from mount Paran,
And he came from the ten thousands of holy ones:
At his right hand was a fiery law for them.

3

Yea, he loved the people;

All his saints are in thy hand:
And they sat down at thy feet;

Every one shall receive of thy words.

4

Moses commanded us a law,

An inheritance for the assembly of Jacob.

5

And he was king in Jeshurun,

When the heads of the people were gathered,
All the tribes of Israel together.

THOUGHT QUESTIONS 33:1-5

571.

Compare and contrast Chapter s 32 and 33.

572.

In what sense was it true that Jehovah came from Sinai?

573.

Jehovah came to them from Mt. Sinai but in a greater sensehe came from ten thousand of holy ones!who were the holy ones? Where were they?

574.

Compare John 10:27-30 with Deuteronomy 33:3.

575.

Who is the King of Deuteronomy 33:5?

AMPLIFIED TRANSLATION 33:1-5

This is the blessing with which Moses the man of God blessed the Israelites before his death.
2 He said, The Lord came from Sinai and beamed upon us from Seir; He flashed forth from Mount Paran, from among ten thousands of holy ones, a flaming fire, a law, at His right hand.
3 Yes, He loves [the tribes] His people; all those consecrated to Him are in Your Hand. They followed in Your steps; they [accepted Your word and] received direction from You,
4 When Moses commanded us a law, as a possession for the assembly of Jacob.
5 [The Lord] was King in Jeshurun (Israel) when the heads of the people were gathered, all the tribes of Israel together.

COMMENT 33:1-5

Some of the outstanding manifestations of God's power or goodness toward Israel are reviewed here, as a proper introduction to the blessings to be described in the immediate verses following. It is poetry appropriate for the past forty years of Jehovah's guardianship!

JEHOVAH CAME FROM SINAI (Deuteronomy 33:2)See also Psalms 68:8. And mount Sinai, the whole of it, smoked, because Jehovah descended upon it in fire.. And Jehovah came down upon mount Sinai, to the top of the mount: and Jehovah called Moses to the top of the mount (Exodus 19:18; Exodus 19:20) all, of course, in preparation for the giving of the law (Deuteronomy 33:4). This was well known, but its mention emphasized at once the power of God, and his desire to use his power for Israel's good, The next phrase again demonstrates these characteristics of the Father.

AND ROSE FROM SEIR UNTO THEM (Deuteronomy 33:2)Mount Seir, the land of Seir, and the field of Edom, are, for most practical purposes, synonymous. This is the mountainous tract which runs along the eastern side of the Arabah, and was occupied by the descendants of Esau. It was through the divine intervention of God that Israel was enabled to pass through their land. See Deuteronomy 2:1-8, especially the comments on Deuteronomy 33:4.

HE SHINED FORTH FROM MOUNT PARAN (Deuteronomy 33:2)perhaps a peak in the wilderness of Paran (Jebel Makrah?). If so, it is most likely used here by metonymy for that high limestone plateau containing the very important station of Kadesh Barnea. As in Deuteronomy 1:1, it is difficult to restrict Paran to a small area. But as we saw in Chapter s one and two, Kadesh, more than any other place, was the hub of Israel's activity in the wilderness.

HE CAME FROM THE TEN THOUSANDS OF HOLY ONES (Deuteronomy 33:2)Translators have had great difficulty with the last half of this verse. Perhaps no other passage in Deuteronomy has been so variously rendered. Rotherham has:

He shone forth out of Mount Paran,
Yea he came out of holy myriads,
Out of his right hand [proceeded] fire to guide them.

What fire? At the hazard of being very obvious, could this refer to the pillar of fire that (along with the cloud by day) abode in the wilderness of Paran (Numbers 10:12)? Israel, after all, abode in Kadesh many days (Deuteronomy 1:46), which necessarily meant a prolonged stay by night of the pillar of firea token both of God's nearness and leading. See Exodus 13:21-22.

Whatever the interpretation of the above phrase, the purpose of all these acts of God is made clear in the next verse:

YEA, HE LOVETH THE PEOPLE; ALL HIS SAINTS ARE IN THY HAND (Deuteronomy 33:3)And this is why he has protected and cared for Israeland why he will do so. He loves his children, and he could say with his son, no one shall snatch them out of my hand (See John 10:27-30).

MOSES COMMANDED US A LAW, etc. (Deuteronomy 33:4-5)Ferrar Fenton renders these verses (beginning with Deuteronomy 33:3),

On your hand let them trust,
At your word rise and march,
Let Moses give them Laws
As Prince of Jacob's Host
And be Yeshurun's Leader
Controlling the Nation's Chiefs,
Uniting Israel's Tribes.

But the overwhelming majority of translators (as well as the lexicons of Baumgartner and Gesenius), refer this kingship to God. Compare Psalms 84:3; Psalms 149:2, etc. Thus

the Lord

became king in Jeshurun. (R.S.V.).