Moses Blesses the Twelve Tribes 1 CPDV This is the blessing, with which Moses, the man of God, blessed the sons of Israel before his death. BSB BSB: This is the blessing that Moses the man of God pronounced upon the Israelites before his death.
3 CPDV He loved the people; all the holy ones are in his hand. And those who approach his feet shall receive from his doctrine. BSB BSB: Surely You love the people; all the holy ones are in Your hand, and they sit down at Your feet; each receives Your words—
4 CPDV Moses instructed us in the law, the inheritance of the multitude of Jacob. BSB BSB: the law that Moses gave us, the possession of the assembly of Jacob.
5 CPDV The king shall have great righteousness, at the gathering of the princes of the people with the tribes of Israel. BSB BSB: So the LORD became King in Jeshurun when the leaders of the people gathered, when the tribes of Israel came together.
6 CPDV Let Ruben live, and not die, and may he be small in number.” BSB BSB: Let Reuben live and not die, nor his men be few.”
7 CPDV This is the blessing of Judah. “Hear, O Lord, the voice of Judah, and lead him to his people. His hands shall fight for him, and he shall be his helper against his adversaries.” BSB BSB: And concerning Judah he said: “O LORD, hear the cry of Judah and bring him to his people. With his own hands he defends his cause, but may You be a help against his foes.”
8 CPDV Likewise, to Levi he said: “Your perfection and your doctrine are for your holy man, whom you have proven by temptation, and whom you have judged at the Waters of Contradiction. BSB BSB: Concerning Levi he said: “Give Your Thummim to Levi and Your Urim to Your godly one, whom You tested at Massah and contested at the waters of Meribah.
9 CPDV He has said to his father and to his mother, ‘I do not know you,’ and to his brothers, ‘I will disregard you.’ And they have not known their own sons. Such as these have kept your word and have observed your covenant: BSB BSB: He said of his father and mother, ‘I do not consider them.’ He disregarded his brothers and did not know his own sons, for he kept Your word and maintained Your covenant.
10 CPDV your judgments, O Jacob, and your law, O Israel. They shall place incense before your fury and a holocaust upon your altar. BSB BSB: He will teach Your ordinances to Jacob and Your law to Israel; he will set incense before You and whole burnt offerings on Your altar.
11 CPDV O Lord, bless his strength, and receive the works of his hands. Strike the backs of his enemies, and do not let those who hate him rise up.” BSB BSB: Bless his substance, O LORD, and accept the work of his hands. Smash the loins of those who rise against him, and of his foes so they can rise no more.”
12 CPDV And to Benjamin he said: “The most beloved of the Lord will live confidently in him. He shall remain all day long, as if in a bridal chamber, and he shall rest amid her arms.” BSB BSB: Concerning Benjamin he said: “May the beloved of the LORD rest secure in Him; God shields him all day long, and upon His shoulders he rests.”
13 CPDV Likewise, to Joseph he said: “His land shall be from the blessing of the Lord, from the fruits of heaven, and from the dew, and from the abyss which lies below, BSB BSB: Concerning Joseph he said: “May his land be blessed by the LORD with the precious dew from heaven above and the deep waters that lie beneath,
14 CPDV from the fruits of the crops under the sun and the moon, BSB BSB: with the bountiful harvest from the sun and the abundant yield of the seasons,
15 CPDV from the heights of the ancient mountains, from the fruits of the everlasting hills, BSB BSB: with the best of the ancient mountains and the bounty of the everlasting hills,
16 CPDV and from the fruits of the earth with all its plenitude. May the blessing of him who appeared in the bush, settle upon the head of Joseph, and upon the top of the head of the Nazarite among his brothers. BSB BSB: with the choice gifts of the land and everything in it, and with the favor of Him who dwelt in the burning bush. May these rest on the head of Joseph and crown the brow of the prince of his brothers.
17 CPDV His excellence is like that of a first-born bull. His horns are like the horns of a rhinoceros; he shall brandish these against the Gentiles, even to the ends of the earth. These are the multitudes of Ephraim, and these the thousands of Manasseh.” BSB BSB: His majesty is like a firstborn bull, and his horns are like those of a wild ox. With them he will gore the nations, even to the ends of the earth. Such are the myriads of Ephraim, and such are the thousands of Manasseh.”
18 CPDV And to Zebulun he said: “Rejoice, O Zebulun, in your departure, and Issachar, in your tabernacles. BSB BSB: Concerning Zebulun he said: “Rejoice, Zebulun, in your journeys, and Issachar, in your tents.
19 CPDV They shall summon the peoples to the mountain. There, they shall immolate the victims of justice, who feed on the flood of the sea, as if on milk, and on the hidden treasures of the sands.” BSB BSB: They will call the peoples to a mountain; there they will offer sacrifices of righteousness. For they will feast on the abundance of the seas and the hidden treasures of the sand.”
20 CPDV And to Gad he said: “Blessed is Gad in his breadth. He has rested like a lion, and he has seized the arm and the top of the head. BSB BSB: Concerning Gad he said: “Blessed is he who enlarges the domain of Gad! He lies down like a lion and tears off an arm or a head.
21 CPDV And he has seen his own pre-eminence, which his teacher has stored up as his portion. He was with the princes of the people, and he accomplished the justices of the Lord, and his judgment with Israel.” BSB BSB: He chose the best land for himself, because a ruler’s portion was reserved for him there. He came with the leaders of the people; he administered the LORD’s justice and His ordinances for Israel.”
22 CPDV Likewise, to Dan he said: “Dan is a young lion. He shall flow plentifully from Bashan.” BSB BSB: Concerning Dan he said: “Dan is a lion’s cub, leaping out of Bashan.”
23 CPDV And to Naphtali he said: “Naphtali shall enjoy abundance, and he shall be full of the blessings of the Lord. He shall possess the sea and the Meridian.” BSB BSB: Concerning Naphtali he said: “Naphtali is abounding with favor, full of the blessing of the LORD; he shall take possession of the sea and the south.”
24 CPDV Likewise, to Asher he said: “Let Asher be blessed with sons. Let him be pleasing to his brothers, and let him dip his foot in oil. BSB BSB: And concerning Asher he said: “May Asher be the most blessed of sons; may he be the most favored among his brothers and dip his foot in oil.
25 CPDV His shoe shall be of iron and of brass. As were the days of your youth, so also shall be your old age. BSB BSB: May the bolts of your gate be iron and bronze, and may your strength match your days.”
26 CPDV There is no other god like the God of the most righteous one. He who rides upon the heavens is your helper. His magnificence scatters the clouds. BSB BSB: “There is none like the God of Jeshurun, who rides the heavens to your aid, and the clouds in His majesty.
27 CPDV His habitation is above, and the everlasting arms are below. He shall cast out the enemy before your face, and he shall say: ‘Be utterly broken!’ BSB BSB: The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms. He drives out the enemy before you, giving the command, ‘Destroy him!’
28 CPDV Israel shall live in confidence and alone, as the eye of Jacob in a land of grain and of wine; and the heavens shall be misty with dew. BSB BSB: So Israel dwells securely; the fountain of Jacob lives untroubled in a land of grain and new wine, where even the heavens drip with dew.
29 CPDV Blessed are you, O Israel. Who is like you, the people who are saved by the Lord? He is the shield of your assistance and the sword of your glory. Your enemies will refuse to acknowledge you, and so you shall tread upon their necks.” BSB BSB: Blessed are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD? He is the shield that protects you, the sword in which you boast. Your enemies will cower before you, and you shall trample their high places.”
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