Deut. 33 The majesty of God, Deut. 33:1–5. Blessings prophesied of the twelve tribes, Deut. 33:6–25. The excellency of Israel, Deut. 33:26–29.

He is said to bless them ministerially, partly by praying to God with faith for his blessing upon them; partly by foretelling the blessings which God would confer upon them, for the prophets are oft said to do what they foretell should be done, as Gen. 49:7, Jer. 1:10, Ezek. 43:3, Hos. 6:5.

The Lord came, to wit, to the Israelites, i.e. manifested graciously and gloriously among them. From Sinai, i.e. beginning at Sinai, where the first and most glorious appearance of God was, and so going on with them to Seir and Paran.

The people, i.e. the tribes of Israel, which are called people, Gen. 48:19, Judg. 5:14, Acts 4:27. The sense is, This law, though delivered with fire, and smoke, and thunder, which might seem to portend nothing but hatred and terror, yet in truth it was given to Israel in great love, as being the…

Moses speaks this of himself in the third person, which is very usual in the Hebrew language. The law is called their inheritance, partly because the obligation of it was hereditary, passing from parents to their children, and partly because this was the best part of all their inheritance and…

Moses was their king, not in title, but in reality, being under God their supreme and uncontrollable governor and lawgiver: though the word oft signifies only a prince or chief ruler, as Judg. 19:1, Jer. 19:3, Jer. 46:25. In Jeshurun, i.e. in Israel, so called Deut. 32:15.

Though Reuben deserve to be cut off, or greatly diminished and obscured, according to Jacob’s prediction, Gen. 49:4; yet God will spare them, and give them a name and portion among the tribes of Israel, and bless them with increase of their numbers.

Hear, Lord, the voice of Judah, i.e. God will hear his prayer for the accomplishment of those great things promised to that tribe, Gen. 49:8–11. This implies the delays and difficulties Judah would meet with herein, which would drive him to his prayers, and that those prayers should be crowned with…

Thy Thummim and thy Urim be with thy holy one; the Thummim and the Urim, which are thine, O Lord, by special institution and consecration; by which he understands the ephod, in which they were put, Ex.

I have not seen him, i.e. I have no respect unto them, for so knowledge is oft used, as Job 9:21, Prov. 12:10–11, 1 Thess. 5:12. The sense is, who followed God and his command fully, and executed the judgment enjoined by God without any respect of persons, Ex. 32:26–27.

They, i.e. the priests and Levites. Before thee, i.e. upon thine altar of incense, which stood before the ark, the place of God’s special presence.

His substance, i.e. his outward estate, as Deut. 8:18, because he hath no inheritance of his own, and therefore wholly depends upon thy blessing. Or, his host or army, as the word is used Ezek. 37:10.

The beloved of the Lord, i.e. this beloved tribe: so called partly in allusion to their father Benjamin, who was the beloved of his father Jacob; and partly because of the love and kindness of God towards this tribe, which appeared both in this, that they dwelt in the fattest and best part of the…

His portion shall be excellent, and endowed with choice blessings from God, as it here follows. For the precious things of heaven, i.e. the precious fruits of the earth brought forth by the influences of heaven, the warmth of the sun, and the rain which God will send from heaven.

By the sun, which opens and warms the earth, cherisheth and improveth, and in due time ripeneth the seeds and fruits of the earth. By the moon, which by its moisture refreshes and promotes them Heb. of the moons, or months, i.e. which it bringeth forth in the several months or seasons of the year.

i.e. The excellent fruits, as grapes, olives, figs, &c., which delight in mountains, growing upon, or the precious minerals contained in, their mountains and hills, called ancient and lasting, i.e.

For the precious things of the earth; and in general for all the choice fruits which the land produceth in all the parts of it, whether hills or valleys. Fulness thereof, i.e. the plants and cattle, and all creatures that grow, increase, and flourish in it.

The firstling of his bullock; in whose countenance there is a kind of awful majesty and comely generosity, as Tully, Aelian, &c. observe. This seems to note the kingdom which Ephraim should obtain in Jeroboam and his successors.

Thou shalt prosper; and have cause of rejoicing. In thy going out; either, 1. To war, as this phrase is oft used, as Gen. 14:17, which was in part verified, Judg. 5:18. Or, 2. To sea, in way of traffic, because their portion lay near the sea.

They; either, 1. Zebulun and Issachar. Or rather, 2. Zebulun only, as the following matter shows; and it was Zebulun that Moses takes more special notice of, Deut. 33:18, bringing in Issachar only by the by, in conjunction with him, or in opposition to him.

By praising God for enlarging Gad he supposeth the ground of these praises, that God would enlarge Gad, i.e. either. 1. Enlarge his territories; which seems needless, because they had a very large portion now when Moses uttered these words. Or, 2.

The first part; the first-fruits of the Land of Promise, the country of Sihon, which was first conquered, which he is said to provide for himself, because he desired and so obtained it of Moses, Num. 32:0. A portion of the lawgiver, i.e.

Lion’s whelp, i.e. courageous, and generous, and strong, and successful against his enemies. He shall leap from Bashan, or, which leapeth from Bashan; for this clause seems not to belong to the tribe of Dan, which was at a great distance from Bashan, even at the other end of the land, and therefore…

With favour; either, 1. With God’s favour, as it follows; or, 2. With men’s favour or good-will, his carriage being peaceable, courteous, and obliging, as is intimated, Gen. 49:21, according to the common translation: see the notes there. Full with the blessing of the Lord, i.e.

He shall have numerous, and those strong, and healthful, and comely, children. Or, shall be blessed or praised of or above the sons, i.e. the other sons of Israel, or his brethren, as it here follows, i.e.

Thy shoes shall be iron and brass: this may note either, 1. Their great strength, by which they should be able to tread down and crush their enemies, as Christ’s feet for this very reason are said to be of brass, Rev. 1:15. Or, 2.

Upon the heaven, i. e. upon the clouds, to succour thee from thence, by sending thunder and lightning upon thine enemies. See Ps. 18:7, Ps. 68:34;c. In his excellency, or, in his magnificence, i.e. magnificently, gloriously, and with great majesty as well as power.

Thy refuge, or, thy dwelling-place. Compare Ps. 91:1. Underneath, i.e. under thy arms to hold thee up, as my hands were once held up by Aaron and Hur. He will support and defend thee. Or the meaning is, Though he dwelleth on high, yet he comes down to the earth beneath to assist and deliver thee.

Alone; either, 1. Though they be alone, and have no confederates to defend them, but have all the world against them, yet my single protection shall be sufficient for them. Or, 2. Distinct and separated from all other nations, with whom I will not have them to mingle themselves. See Num.

Saved by the Lord, the giver and preserver of all that excellency, that glory, safety, and happiness, which thou hast above all other people, which thou dost not obtain either by or for thy own wisdom, or strength, or goodness. The sword of thy excellency, or, thy most excellent sword, i.e.