Moses’ Final Blessing on Israel

A few good death detailed in the Bible, one of which would be Moses' death. Here is a man directed by God to go and die and he faithfully obeys God. It's not surprising their attitude toward death because Moses would anticipate waking up again in the presence of God and God would be able to show His full glory to him.

Before he leaves, Moses had one more final blessing for Israel as described below. The blessings are directed specifically and uniquely to the 12 tribes of Israel. The blessing from people of God like Moses, are not just well wishes, instead they are blessings of God which he delivers through the mouths of prophets like Moses. Some of the content of the blessings below are actually prophecies since they describe something which will be fulfilled later. The final verse of blessings is directed to the entire Israel in verse 29:
"Happy are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD"

Note: Jeshurun refers to Israel, means "beloved one"



Deuteronomy 33

Moses’ Final Blessing on Israel

 1 Now this is the blessing with which Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death. 2 And he said:

      “The LORD came from Sinai,
      And dawned on them from Seir;
      He shone forth from Mount Paran,
      And He came with ten thousands of saints;
      From His right hand
      Came a fiery law for them.
 3 Yes, He loves the people;
      All His saints are in Your hand;
      They sit down at Your feet;
      Everyone receives Your words.

 4 Moses commanded a law for us,
      A heritage of the congregation of Jacob.

 5 And He was King in Jeshurun,
      When the leaders of the people were gathered,
      All the tribes of Israel together.

 6 “Let Reuben live, and not die,
      Nor let his men be few.”
7 And this he said of Judah:

      “Hear, LORD, the voice of Judah,
      And bring him to his people;
      Let his hands be sufficient for him,
      And may You be a help against his enemies.”
8 And of Levi he said:

      “Let Your Thummim and Your Urim be with Your holy one,
      Whom You tested at Massah,
      And with whom You contended at the waters of Meribah,

 9 Who says of his father and mother,

      ‘I have not seen them’;
      Nor did he acknowledge his brothers,
      Or know his own children;
      For they have observed Your word
      And kept Your covenant.

 10 They shall teach Jacob Your judgments,
      And Israel Your law.
      They shall put incense before You,
      And a whole burnt sacrifice on Your altar.

 11 Bless his substance, LORD,
      And accept the work of his hands;
      Strike the loins of those who rise against him,
      And of those who hate him, that they rise not again.”
12 Of Benjamin he said:

      “The beloved of the LORD shall dwell in safety by Him,
      Who shelters him all the day long;
      And he shall dwell between His shoulders.”
13 And of Joseph he said:

      “ Blessed of the LORD is his land,
      With the precious things of heaven, with the dew,
      And the deep lying beneath,

 14 With the precious fruits of the sun,
      With the precious produce of the months,

 15 With the best things of the ancient mountains,
      With the precious things of the everlasting hills,

 16 With the precious things of the earth and its fullness,
      And the favor of Him who dwelt in the bush.
      Let the blessing come ‘on the head of Joseph,
      And on the crown of the head of him who was separate from his brothers.’[a]

 17 His glory is like a firstborn bull,
      And his horns like the horns of the wild ox;
      Together with them
      He shall push the peoples
      To the ends of the earth;
      They are the ten thousands of Ephraim,
      And they are the thousands of Manasseh.”
18 And of Zebulun he said:

      “ Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out,
      And Issachar in your tents!

 19 They shall call the peoples to the mountain;
      There they shall offer sacrifices of righteousness;
      For they shall partake of the abundance of the seas
      And of treasures hidden in the sand.”
20 And of Gad he said:

      “ Blessed is he who enlarges Gad;
      He dwells as a lion,
      And tears the arm and the crown of his head.

 21 He provided the first part for himself,
      Because a lawgiver’s portion was reserved there.
      He came with the heads of the people;
      He administered the justice of the LORD,
      And His judgments with Israel.”
22 And of Dan he said:

      “Dan is a lion’s whelp;
      He shall leap from Bashan.”
23 And of Naphtali he said:

      “O Naphtali, satisfied with favor,
      And full of the blessing of the LORD,
      Possess the west and the south.”
24 And of Asher he said:

      “Asher is most blessed of sons;
      Let him be favored by his brothers,
      And let him dip his foot in oil.

 25 Your sandals shall be iron and bronze;
      As your days, so shall your strength be.

 26 “There is no one like the God of Jeshurun,
      Who rides the heavens to help you,
      And in His excellency on the clouds.

 27 The eternal God is your refuge,
      And underneath are the everlasting arms;

      And will say, ‘Destroy!’

 28 Then Israel shall dwell in safety,
      The fountain of Jacob alone,
      In a land of grain and new wine;
      His heavens shall also drop dew.

 29 Happy are you, O Israel!
      Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD,
      The shield of your help
      And the sword of your majesty!
      Your enemies shall submit to you,
      And you shall tread down their high places.”