Moses Blesses the Twelve Tribes 1 UST Before God’ s prophet Moses died, he blessed the Israelites. BSB BSB: This is the blessing that Moses the man of God pronounced upon the Israelites before his death.
3 UST Yahweh truly loves his people and protects all his special people. So they worship him and listen to his instructions. 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 UST { They said that} I gave them laws to obey, laws that would forever be for the descendants of Jacob. BSB BSB: the law that Moses gave us, the possession of the assembly of Jacob.
5 UST So Yahweh became the king of his precious people when all the tribes and their leaders had gathered together. BSB BSB: So the LORD became King in Jeshurun when the leaders of the people gathered, when the tribes of Israel came together.
6 UST I say this about the tribe of Reuben, I desire that their tribe will never disappear, but that they will never become numerous. BSB BSB: Let Reuben live and not die, nor his men be few.”
7 UST I say this about the tribe of Judah, Yahweh, listen to them{ when they call out for help}. When they are fighting a battle, help them against the enemy, and bring them back home safely. 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 UST I say this about the tribe of Levi, Yahweh’ s{ sacred lots called} Thummim and Urim belong to the tribe that stayed loyal to him after he tested them at Massah and where they quarreled with him at Meribah spring. 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 UST They did what you told them to do by faithfully keeping the solemn agreement between Yahweh and the Israelites. Obeying Yahweh was much more important to them than their parents, siblings, or children. 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 UST They teach Yahweh’ s decrees and laws to the Israelites, they will burn incense for him to enjoy and will completely burn the offerings{ that the people bring} on Yahweh’ s 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 UST Yahweh, make them prosper and accept all that they do. Crush their attackers’ ability to have children, so those that hate them will never be able to fight against them again. 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 UST I say this about the tribe of Benjamin, Yahweh loves them; he keeps them safe. He protects them continually, and he lives among their hills. 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 UST I say this about the tribes of Joseph, I desire that Yahweh will bless their land by giving them dew from the sky, and water from deep in the ground 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 UST to produce for them wonderful fruit that the sun makes ripe, wonderful crops in the right months, BSB BSB: with the bountiful harvest from the sun and the abundant yield of the seasons,
15 UST and wonderful things produced on their ancient hills and mountains. BSB BSB: with the best of the ancient mountains and the bounty of the everlasting hills,
16 UST Indeed, may he give them plenty of wonderful things from all that the earth produces and may{ Yahweh who} lived in the{ burning} bush be kind to them. I desire that Yahweh will bless the tribes of Joseph in all those ways, because he was the leader over his brothers{ when they were in Egypt}. 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 UST There are ten thousand upon ten thousand people in the tribe of Ephraim and thousands upon thousands of people in the tribe of Manasseh which will be as strong as a bull; with their weapons they will wound their enemies like a wild ox gores other animals with its horns. Together they will push other people groups to the most distant places on the earth. 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 UST I say this about the tribes of Zebulun{ and Issachar}, I desire that the people of Zebulun will prosper whenever they go{ across the seas}, and that the people of Issachar will prosper while they stay at home{ and take care of their cattle and crops}. BSB BSB: Concerning Zebulun he said: “Rejoice, Zebulun, in your journeys, and Issachar, in your tents.
19 UST They will invite people{ from the other Israelite tribe} s to the mountain{ where they worship Yahweh by} offering correct sacrifices to him. They will become rich from{ the work that they do on} the seas and from{ using} the sand along the sea{ to make things}. 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 UST I say this about the tribe of Gad, Praise Yahweh, the one who made their territory large. The people of their tribe will attack their enemies fiercely like a lion that crouches, waiting to tear off the arm or the scalp of some animal. 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 UST They chose the best part of the land for themselves; they got a share big enough for a leader. When the leaders of the tribes of Israel gathered together, the tribe of Gad did the righteous things Yahweh commanded Israel to do. 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 UST I say this about the tribe of Dan, The people of the tribe of Dan are like a young lion; they leap out from their caves in the region of Bashan to attack their enemies. BSB BSB: Concerning Dan he said: “Dan is a lion’s cub, leaping out of Bashan.”
23 UST I say this about the tribe of Naphtali, Yahweh has blessed and been very kind to the people of the tribe of Naphtali; their land extends far south from the Sea of Chenneroth. 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 UST I say this about the tribe of Asher, May Yahweh bless the descendants of Asher more than he will bless the other tribes. I desire that they have a lot of olive trees that will produce a lot of olives to make olive 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 UST Their towns will have high walls with gates that have bronze and iron bars. They will be strong as long as they live.” BSB BSB: May the bolts of your gate be iron and bronze, and may your strength match your days.”
26 UST { Then Moses said to all the Israelites,}“You Israelites, there is no god like your God, who travels swiftly through the heavens to rescue you. BSB BSB: “There is none like the God of Jeshurun, who rides the heavens to your aid, and the clouds in His majesty.
27 UST God, who lives forever, is the one who gives you refuge; it is as though he puts his everlasting arms under you to support you. He will drive out your enemies while you advance; he has told you to destroy all of them. 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 UST So you Israelite people will live safely; no one will disturb you descendants of Jacob; in the land{ where you will live}, there will be plenty of grain and wine, and plenty of dew will fall from the sky. 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 UST You people of Israel are very fortunate. There is certainly no nation like your nation, whom Yahweh has rescued{ from being slaves in Egypt}. He will be like a shield to protect you and like a powerful sword to enable you to defeat your enemies. Your enemies will come to you begging for you to act mercifully toward them, but you will thoroughly overcome them.” 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.”
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.