Introduction
Moses taught the Israelites the song the LORD commanded he write
in Deuteronomy 32. The song reminded them of who the LORD is, what He had done
for them, their covenant with Him, and what the LORD required of them. This
current chapter, Deuteronomy 33, tells the reader Moses blessed the tribes of
Israel. You will notice, though, if you study the chapter, Moses wrote, too, about
the LORD – His characteristics and actions toward the people of Israel. It would
be easy to believe the entire chapter is about Moses’ blessings of the tribes
of Israel. If we did that, we would leave out the most important part – the
LORD.
As we begin this study, we must notice the chapter begins
and ends with Moses speaking about the LORD. When writing any document, the
most important part is the beginning and the end. So when we look at this
chapter and just call it the chapter in which Moses blessed the tribes, we
remove God from the text as being important. In everything Moses wrote and did,
he reminded the Israelites first of all Who God is, has been for them, and will
be for them in the future. Everything he teaches and tells them he couched in
this format with God as the beginning, end, and middle. We must recognize this
and study this chapter accordingly, recognizing the LORD primarily and Moses’
blessing of the tribes secondarily.
A few other notes need to be made before we begin this
study. If you list the tribes Moses blessed, you will realize he did not
mention the tribe of Simeon. Many scholars and rabbis noticed this, too. From
the study of this chapter, these scholars determined verse eleven does not represent
the tribe of Levi. The tribe of Judah, their history, and their blessing from
Moses is most like verse eleven. Added to this, the history of the tribe of Simeon
shows they often go to battle with Judah of fighting against the people who
arose against Israel. These scholars believe the blessing of Judah in verses seven
and eleven are for Simeon, too. Besides this, the land Joshua gave to the tribe
of Simeon was in the midst of Judah’s borders. For these reasons, scholars
reckon Moses blessed the tribe of Simeon within Judah’s blessing.
Blessings
The Greatest Part - God.
Verse one of this chapter tells the reader the next words
are Moses’ blessings on the sons of Israel. It notes the blessings that came
from Moses’ mouth and his reminder of their greatest blessing – the LORD God.
Moses made sure the Israelites knew God was, is, and would be their greatest
blessings. He did that by beginning and ending this writing with statements about
the power, majesty, greatness, and might of the LORD.
Verses two through five remind the Israelites of who the
LORD is and was and that He was with and for them. Moses reminded the
Israelites in verse two God was with them while they wandered in the exodus. He
reminded them God came to them at Mount Sinai, was with them in the dawn over
Mount Seir in Edom, and shone over them in presence and power at Mount Paran. The
Israelites knew the LORD was with them at Mount Sinai and Moses reminded them
that in the majesty and power of the rising sun in Seir and Paran, He was with
them, too. In addition to this, Moses taught and reminded them from where the
LORD came – from the midst of ten thousand angels. He reminded them of God’s
might and majesty when he said He came with flashing lightning from His right hand
for them. In the Bible, “right” is a synonym for goodness and brightness.
“Right” is often associated with God’s majesty. In Hebrew, “flashing lightning”
is ‘eshdath and means fiery law. The LORD
revealed His laws came from His hand. These laws showed His power and revealed His
righteousness and justice. They showed His power and majesty by their visible
presentation. Moses reminded the Israelites of God’s presence, power, and
majesty in this verse. These were a blessing to the Israelites, too. Moses
expressed that in the final two words of verse two. He said these blessings
were for them. God was there blessing. He chose them and, therefore, He used
His might and power for them.
Moses reminded the Israelites of this fact in verse three.
He said the LORD loves the people. He keeps His holy ones in His hand and they
receive His words, which they follow. Moses reminded the Israelites the LORD blessed
them by choosing them, protecting them, and giving them His words by which to
live. With His choosing of them, they became a holy people. Moses explained further
the words of the LORD he charged the Israelites to keep and make their
possession – take as their own. As long as they kept them as being from the
LORD and lived by/and obeyed them, they would be God’s possession, remain
righteous and holy.
By obeying and living by the LORD’s words, His laws and
commandments, the Israelites would remain righteous just as the LORD is
righteous. Because God called them righteous since they followed Him, Moses
called Him the king of Jeshurun. “Jeshurun” comes from the Hebrew word yeshuruwn and means “upright one.” It
describes the ideal character of Israel as long as they obeyed the LORD. When
Israel followed the LORD God, He made them righteous like He is righteous.
These are the blessings of the Israelites because they made
the LORD God their God. Moses expressed them in these four verses. He said they
had the presence, power, and majesty in their midst and for them. God declared
the Israelite people His and, because they were His, He made them righteous and
holy. The LORD God was their King. What greater blessings could a person have
or need?
Tribal Blessings.
Reuben -
Moses began his blessing of the tribes of Israel with the
firstborn son of Jacob. We need to remember Reuben lost his birthright to
inherit as the first son of Jacob when he slept with Bilhah, Jacob’s concubine
(Genesis 35:22). [Reuben was the first son of Leah, Jacob’s first wife.] On his
death bed, Jacob prophesied Reuben would be pre-eminent in dignity and power,
but would not have pre-eminence among his people because he defiled his
father’s bed (Genesis 49:3-4). [Remember, too, God declared sleeping with a
father’s wife or concubine abominable and declared it punishable by death
(Leviticus 20:11, Deuteronomy 22:30 & 27:20).] Jacob’s disinheriting Reuben
came about before God gave His laws to the Israelites, yet Jacob knew it was
wrong and removed Reuben’s birthright from him as punishment.
Knowing these things makes Moses’ blessing of Reuben
understandable. Moses said the tribe of Reuben would live and not die, nor would
his men be few. Reuben’s tribe would not die out, but continue to thrive and
grow. The punishment of death for defiling his father’s bed did not have weight
over Moses’ blessing of Reuben’s tribe. Moses’ blessing of Reuben was life, growth,
and prosperity.
Judah (and Simeon) -
As stated in the introduction of this Bible study, scholars
believe the blessing of Judah by Moses included the tribe of Simeon, too. The
reasons for this stance I noted there, too. Because of this, we will presume the
blessing of Judah encompasses Simeon in verse seven. As noted in the
introduction, too, we will presume the scholars are correct about verse eleven
not being like the work of Levites, but, like Judah, based on their history,
and so include verse eleven with verse seven as Moses’ blessing of Judah and
Simeon.
Verse seven records Moses’ blessing of Judah by asking for
Judah’s safe return to his people after he goes to battle for his tribe and all
Israel. He asked for the LORD’s help against Judah’s (the tribe’s) enemies. In
this verse we notice Judah prayed to the LORD regularly and Moses asked Him to
hear and respond to the his prayers. Besides this, Moses noted Judah worked with
his hands, especially in battle against the enemies of Israel. He asked the
tribe be kept in a close relationship with the LORD and continue to work for
Him and His people.
In verse eleven, Moses asked the LORD’s blessing to provide
everything the tribe of Judah needed. He asked the LORD’s blessing on Judah’s
substance. The Hebrew word for “substance” is chayil and means strength, might, army, ability, and wealth. Moses
asked God to provide all Judah’s physical needs even the need to be strong and
mighty against their enemies. Besides this, Moses asked the LORD to accept the
work of the tribes’ hands. Bless their hands as they farm, live, and battle
their enemies. Moses asked specifically for God to shatter their enemies so
they would not rise again against them. This verse speaks precisely to the
works of Judah’s hands and God’s blessing on them.
The tribe of Judah was devout and fervent for the LORD,
which meant fervently being against the LORD’s enemies. Jacob’s prophesy over
Judah foretold of the work of their hands in battle, their supremacy among the
tribes, and the future kingdom’s reign being in their lands. Moses’ blessing of
them agreed with Jacob’s prophecy of Judah and his descendents.
Levi -
When Moses blessed the tribe of Levi in verses eight through
ten, he spoke of their past and their future. In verse eight, he asked the LORD
to keep this tribe as His priests. Moses said, “Let Your thummim and Your urim
belong to Your godly man. You proved him at Massah; You contended with him at
the waters of Meribah.” The thummim were the stones God provided for them along
with the urim stones. By these, God revealed His will to His priests. The high
priest kept them in a pouch on his breastplate. Moses’ blessing reminded the
Levites and the LORD of the proving the Levites had at the waters of Massah and
Meribah. At that place, God’s chosen men, Moses and Aaron, sons of Levites,
struck a rock to make water gush out for the Israelites to drink. They did not
give the glory to God for providing the water (Exodus 17:7, Number 20:13, and
Deuteronomy 6:16). Because of taking God’s glory from Him, Moses and Aaron
received the punishment of not entering the Promised Land. From this, the
Levites learned at all times to give the glory back to the LORD. By stating
this as part of his blessing of Levi, Moses reminded them to stay loyal to the
LORD and reminded the LORD He had already tested the tribe and they were
stronger because of it. The tribe of Levi would give God all the glory in the
future, Moses implied, so please bless them.
With verse nine, Moses continued to remind the Levites of
their devotion to the LORD. At Mount Sinai, they did not regard (give
preference to) their own families, but obeyed the LORD’s decree that everyone
who worshipped the calf at Mount Sinai be killed. Moses reminded the LORD, too,
and told Him the Levites “observed Your word, and kept Your covenant.” They
heard, listened, and obeyed God’s covenant, laws, ordinances, and statutes with
them. Malachi said they revered God and stood in awe of His name in Malachi
2:5. For these, Moses asked the LORD’s blessing to allow the Levites to be His
priests.
In verse ten, Moses explained what the Levites would do as
the LORD’s priests. He said, “They shall teach Your ordinances to Jacob and
Your law to Israel. They shall put incense before You and whole burnt offerings
on Your altar.” The Levites would teach and lead God’s people, Israel, to obey
God’s ordinances (mishpat – judgments
and justice) and His law (towrah –
instructions and laws) to Jacob’s descendents. They would serve the LORD by
teaching and leading Israel, as well as, serving before His altar placing
righteous sacrifices, pleasing aromas, and burnt offerings before Him as thanks
and sin offerings in obedience to Him (Leviticus 16:12-13).
Moses asked for God’s blessing on the Levites. He asked the
LORD allow them to serve Him as His priests to teach and lead the Israelites to
obey Him and to offer pleasing sacrifices and aromas to Him. Moses asked the
LORD be honored with them and accept them as His priests despite Jacob’s
prophecy of them. Jacob did not want to have his honor associated with them because
of their self-will and anger. From the Levites’ history, we know God honored
them by making them His priests before the people. He forgave their sin against
Jacob and restored them within His nation, Israel.
Benjamin –
Benjamin was the twelfth son of Jacob by Rachel. After she
gave birth to Benjamin, she died. Jacob named this son Ben-jamin, “son of the
right hand,” perhaps in honor of Rachel because she was his favorite wife. As
the youngest son of many sons, Benjamin was perhaps the most spoiled or most overlooked.
We find, though, Benjamin’s family did not overlook him, but looked after him.
Reuben protected him when Joseph asked that Benjamin stay in Egypt while they
returned to their home to bring Jacob to him. Reuben and the other sons
recognized Benjamin’s cherished position with their father because he was the
baby and the last son of his most loved wife.
Moses recognized this cherishing when he said in verse
twelve, “May the beloved of the LORD dwell in security by Him Who shields him
all the day and he dwells between His shoulders.” He asked the LORD to protect
the youngest son of Jacob. This protection is the same security spoken of in
Deuteronomy 4:37f and 12:10. With the people of Israel obeying their covenant
with the LORD, they would receive His security and protection. Moses reiterated
this for the beloved, cherished, and youngest child of Jacob.
In the last part of this blessing, Moses asked for God’s
blessing to allow Benjamin to dwell between His shoulders. This appears to be
an odd request, but it alludes to Deuteronomy 32:11 where Moses used the analogy
of the LORD being like an eagle who hovers over her young, spreading her wings
and catching them when they fall, and carrying them on her wings. When the
eagle carried her young on her wings, she carried them between her shoulders.
Moses asked this protection of God for the tribe of Benjamin. Theologians such
as Adam Clarke, John Gill, and John Calvin see this part of verse twelve as
alluding to Benjamin’s portion of the Promised Land given to him by Joshua.[i] They lived
within Jerusalem where Solomon built the LORD’s temple. The tribe of Benjamin
lived between Mount Zion (where David built his palace) and Mount Moriah (the mount
upon which Solomon built the LORD’s temple). These theologians consider these
two mountains the two shoulders of God between which Benjamin lived. Whether or
not you agree with these men who think the two mountains poetically represent
God’s shoulders, Moses asked the LORD to protect and shield Benjamin, His and
Jacob’s cherished son.
Joseph –
The blessing of the tribe of Joseph is the longest, five
verses. Joseph was the favorite son of Jacob because he was Rachel’s first son
by him. Yet when looking at the land given to the tribes of Israel, it appears Joshua
did not give any land to Joseph. We must look to whom he did give land. When we
do that, we realize two of Jacob’s grandsons, Ephraim and Manasseh, received
tribal lands in the Promised Land. Joseph, in essence, received a double
blessing. Manasseh and Ephraim each became his own tribe and received part of
the most fertile land in Canaan. The house of Joseph became one of the most dominant
groups in the kingdom of Israel.
In verses thirteen through seventeen, Moses asked God to
bless Joseph’s land with the choice things of heaven like dew, rain, sun, and
running waters. He asked for blessings on the ancient mountains and hills, the
earth, his animals, and his people wherever they lived. Moses asked for favor
of God to come on Joseph’s head and as head of his tribe. He asked blessings of
distinguishment and for power, leadership, and service to God and Israel. These
blessings remind us of the blessings in Deuteronomy 28:1-14 for those who were
faithful to the LORD.
Verse thirteen asked for the LORD’s blessing on the land.
Moses asked particularly for the choice (meged
– excellence) things of heaven, those things only God can give. He asked
for dew and waters that ran underground like springs and rivers.
Moses’ blessing in verse fourteen asked for God’s “choice” (meged – excellence) yield of the sun and
produce. He asked for the best things of the ancient mountains that had been
there from before their time and which the LORD God Himself created (vs. 15).
Moses asked the same for the “everlasting hills.” The Israelites learned
terrace farming from their eastern neighbors so they could produce crops from
hills and mountains. They planted fruit trees, too, in their mountains. With
verse sixteen, Moses concluded his blessings on the lands of Joseph by asking
for the choice (excellence) things of the earth and its fullness (all the
things that fill the earth).
In the second part of verse sixteen, Moses asked “the favor
of Him who dwelt in the bush to come to the crown of the head of Joseph.” This
alluded to the burning bush in Exodus 3:2-4 when God made His presence known to
Moses. God favored Moses personally and as His spokesman and leader of the
tribe of Israel. He asked that God bless Joseph and his tribe as they led the people
of Israel. Moses meant the leadership role when he spoke of the distinguished
crown among his brothers. This could refer to Joseph as the distinguished Prince
of Egypt and as a future leader in Israel. Moses asked that the brothers
recognize God’s favor upon Joseph so they recognize his distinguishment and listen
to his leadership.
Verse seventeen seems to go in the same vein as verses
thirteen through the first part of sixteen, but we need to understand the
comparisons, too. Moses likened Joseph to an ox. Oxen in the Bible pulled
plows, turned mills, and did heavy work. They were powerful. When a person
stole an ox, he or she stole a person’s livelihood. The ox contributed greatly
to a person’s service, production, and increase in wealth. It was used in
service to God and man. The ox’s strength was used in production. Men used the
ox horns for oil flasks or instruments. God commanded the Israelites use the ox
as a burnt sacrifice for their sins. When Moses compared Joseph to an ox, he
meant he was strong in his trials. Moses asked for God’s continued blessing of
strength for Joseph. Just as the ox pushes great weight, so Moses asked God to
give Joseph and his tribe strength to support and push his nation Israel to be
faithful to the end of time and to grow and continue to be faithful to God
wherever they went.
The “peoples” Moses spoke of in verse seventeen were the
tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh. These were Jacob’s grandsons. Manasseh was
Joseph’s first son and Ephraim was his second son. Jacob chose to bless Ephraim
before Manasseh. By doing that, he denoted that Ephraim would be a greater
tribe than Manasseh (Genesis 48:5-21). Both Ephraim and Manasseh failed to completely
destroy or drive out the Canaanites who lived in their land. God considered
that disobedience. Because of that, they continued to have trouble from those
Canaanites who lived among them.
Moses blessed the people of Joseph. He asked God’s blessings
on their land, animals, people, and leadership. Joseph’s tribes disobeyed the
LORD’s command to remove the Canaanites from the land (Exodus 23:23-25) and had
to live with those people every day. Yet, God still blessed them with produce,
wealth, and leadership. God faithfulness to His covenant with them was evident
over the centuries. He blessed them and forgave them when they asked for
forgiveness.
Zebulun and Issachar –
Zebulun was Jacob’s tenth son and the sixth son of Leah. His
name means “exalted.” Leah named him this thinking that since she gave Jacob
six sons, he would hold her in higher esteem than her sister, Rachel. Issachar
was Jacob’s ninth son and Leah’s fifth son. His name means “he will bring a
reward.” Of these two sons, Moses said, “Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going forth
and Issachar in your tents. They will call peoples to the mountain. They will
offer righteous sacrifices, for they will draw out the abundance of the seas
and the hidden treasures of the sand.”
Knowing the tribe of Zubulun’s history helps understand this
blessing by Moses. Both Zebulun and Isaachar did as other tribes; they did not
drive out/kill the Canaanites who lived in their land. Zebulun received
territory that would later be a part of Galilee. It was mineral-rich land and
gave abundant produce and fruit. Even though Zebulun did not give complete
obedience to the LORD, he returned to God and helped the priesttess Deborah and
Barak in battle (Judges 4:6 and 5:18). He joined David, too, at Hebron when the
kingdom transferred from Saul to David. Zebulun took more men than any other
tribe to David’s aid there. He arrived with 50,000 men (1 Chronicles 12:23-33).
Besides these, when King Hezekiah invited Israel to keep the Passover in the
Lord’s house after the years his father, Ahaz, desecrated the temple, Zebulun
went to Jerusalem, destroyed the idols, and kept the feast of unleavened bread
(2 Chronicles 30:10-23). These actions by the tribe of Zebulun help us
understand Moses’ blessing them with rejoicing in going forth. They rejoiced
when they could go help the LORD. The tribe of Zebulun helped call people to
the mountain of God to worship. They offered righteous sacrifices at Passover.
Being part of the area later called Galilee, God provided abundantly
for Zebulun and Issachar from the land and from the Sea of Galilee. Even within
the sand and ground, God’s hidden treasures provided for these tribes. Issachar
went to David’s aid during his struggle against Saul in 1 Chronicles 12:32. People
later considered these two tribes wise and faithful. Moses asked a blessing for
Issachar that they would rejoice in their tents because of what the LORD
provided from the ground and sea and because of their reward for faithfulness
to Him. Moses blessed both tribes to rejoice because of the LORD’s goodness and
abundance for them.
Gad –
Gad was the seventh son of Jacob and the first son of
Zilpah, Leah’s servant. His name means “troop” because Leah said, “A troop
comes” (Genesis 30:11). Gad was one of the most faithful tribes of Israel.
Joshua gave Gad the best of the new land on the east side of the Jordan River
along with Reuben and the half tribe of Manasseh. He made Gad, Reuben, and
Manasseh promise they would fight to win the rest of the Promised Land for the
other tribes of Israel then they could return to settle their land (Joshua 12:6
& 13:8-13). Moses, in Numbers 32:18, noted specially Gad’s dedication in
the fight for the Promised Land when Gad said, “We will not return to our homes
until everyone of the sons of Israel has possessed his inheritance.” Gad’s
example teaches that people should not focus only on their needs and wants, but
focus on the big picture, God’s plan.
Moses’ blessing on Gad said, “Blessed is the one who
enlarges Gad. He lies down as a lion and tears the arm, also the crown of the
head.” The theologian, John Gill, said “the one” Moses spoke of at the
beginning of the verse refers to God. God enlarged Gad, laid down like a lion,
and tore the arm and crown of the head. Other theologians believe this blessing
speaks solely of Gad. Gad, because of his obedience to God by battling to gain
the rest of Canaan for the Israelites, became the lion. He helped enlarge the territory
of the Israelites. The removal of the arm is a symbol of removing political and
military strength. The removal of the crown of the head symbolizes removing
their leadership. Gad helped remove the political and military strength of the Canaanites
and removed their leadership so they weakened and fell to the Israelites.
Because of Gad’s faithfulness, God grew the tribe of Gad and
made them prosperous. We do not know for sure who “the one” refers to, but we
can understand from Gad’s history they were the ones who tore the arm and
crown.
After the Gadites fulfilled their obligation to battle with
the other Israelites for the Promised Land, they returned to the first part,
the part they chose and Joshua distributed to them. The tribe of Gad received
the first portion and part of the best land, which Joshua reserved for them because
of their obedience to God’s will. Gad and his leaders executed justice (sedeqah – the righteousness of God) and
His ordinances/orders with Israel against the Canaanites.
Moses’ blessing bore fruit in their lives. Gad helped the
other Israelites battle the Canaanites for the Promised Land and helped enlarge
it. Moses compared their actions to a lion. God blesses those who are faithful
to Him. Joshua commended the Gadites, Reubenites, and the half tribe of
Manasseh for doing what he commanded and not forsaking their kinsmen on the
other side of the Jordan River (Joshua 22:1-3). God fulfilled Moses’ request
for His blessing on Gad.
Dan –
Dan was the fifth son of Jacob and the first son of Bilhah,
Rachel’s servant. His name means “judge.” Of Dan, Moses blessed them in verse
twenty-two and said they were like the lion’s cub that leaps from Bashan. Dan
received land on the Mediterranean Sea on the northern border of Judah, on the
western border of Ephraim and Benjamin, and on the southern border of Manasseh
(Joshua 19:40-48).
Before Joshua gave them their inheritance, they were
restless to receive their own land, so they sent men to search out for land
(Judges 18). They entered Laish in the north at the upper boundary of the
Promised Land between Naphtali and Manasseh in the territory of the mountain,
Bashan. The Danites seized the land and named it after their forefather, Dan.
This action was like the leaping of a lion to capture its prey. Moses’ blessing
on Dan came occurred. The unfortunate part of this story is that the Danites
worshipped idols in addition to the LORD God (Judges 18:30).
Naphtali –
Naphtali was the sixth son of Jacob and the second son of
Bilhah. His name means “wrestling” or “my struggle.” Rachel said, “With great wrestlings
I have wrestled with my sister and indeed I have prevailed” (Genesis 30:6). In
verse twenty-three, Moses blessed Naphtali saying, “O Naphtali, satisfied with
favor and full of the blessing of the LORD, take possession of the sea and the
south.” Naphtali’s land was in the northern kingdom bounded by Asher, Dan,
Manasseh, Zebulun, Issachar, and the sea of Chinnereth/Galilee.
Jacob’s prophecy over Naphtali when he said Naphtali gives beautiful
words shows people considered Naphtali an eloquent speaker. Jacob knew this by
the time of his death and realized Naptali was well respected. Moses must have
recognized and agreed with this when he said, “Naphtali was satisfied with the favor
of the LORD and is full of His blessing.” Remember, the LORD required obedience
to Him to receive His favor. So Naphtali must have been obedient to the LORD to
have received the LORD’s favor.
Even though Moses told the Israelites the LORD commanded
they remove all Canaanites from the land, Naphtali was a tribe who did not do
this. His tribe was not completely obedient to the LORD. They made the people
of Beth Shemesh and Beth Anath become forced labor for them (Judges 1:33). Not all
Naphtalites were disobedient. Barak was a Naphtalite and he obeyed the command
by God’s priestess Deborah to battle against King Jabin of the Canaanites
(Judges 4:6-9, 17-22). Other Naphtali responded to Gideon’s call to repel the
Midianites, Amalekites and other people from their encampment in Jezreel
(Judges 6:35 & 7:23). When David asked for troops to help him take over the
reign as king, Naphtali sent 38,000 men to help (1 Chronicles 12:34, 40).
The Naphtali, like every person, fail God at times. Yet
Moses asked for God’s favor to be found with Naphtali and fill them with His
blessings. People can return to God and He will forgive a contrite heart. Naphtali
still found favor with God because of that.
Asher –
The final tribe upon whom Moses offered his blessing and
asked for God’s blessing was Asher. Asher was Jacob’s eighth son and Zilpah’s
second son. His name meant “happy.” Jacob prophesied over Asher, “His food
shall be rich and he will yield royal dainties” (Genesis 49:20). Moses’
blessing of Asher was similar. He said in verses twenty-four and twenty-five,
“More blessed than sons is Asher. May he be favored by his brothers and may he
dip his foot in oil. Your locks will be iron and bronze, and according to your
days, so will your leisurely walk be.”
If we read Moses’ blessing of Asher literally, we would see
Asher’s brothers would look favorably upon him and he would have much oil from
his land. Besides this, Asher’s tribe would have strong locks of iron and
bronze, with an easy life. Scholars have considered this passage over the
years. The first part of the blessing appears simple enough. Asher’s tribe will
produce much oil. They will have an abundance of it. If we look behind this to
Jewish thought, oil signifies wisdom. Moses blessed Asher with wisdom, not just
oil. What do feet and locks of iron and bronze mean? Feet are the lowest part
of a person and suggest something basic according to www.chabad.org.[ii]
According to this Jewish website, “The feet represent the basic sense of
commitment of the person, his or her direction in life. The clear and tangible
sense of commitment is ‘anointed’ and enriched by wisdom.”[iii] We must
realize that wisdom does not always lead to commitment, but commitment is
enriched by wisdom. So with this understanding, Moses blessed Asher’s tribe
with richness of oil, wisdom, and commitment. This coincides with what he
taught the Israelites in Deuteronomy 4:40 and 32:47.
The next question about the iron and bronze locks needs consideration.
The direct translation of the Hebrew for “locks” is man’al, which means shoe. “Iron” comes from the Hebrew word barsel and means iron, strength,
oppression, or harshness. “Bronze” comes from the Hebrew word nechosheth and means bronze, fetters,
value, lust, or harlotry. Its definition is still mostly uncertain. One scholar
hypothesized people made special shoes to stomp olives to get the oil from
them. For grapes, people could stomp on them with their feet, but for olives
metal shoes had to be worn to protect the foot and to separate the different
parts of the olive better. This interpretation seems to go best with the
literal interpretation of God providing the Asherites with prosperity with
olive oil. How does it fit with the Jewish understanding? Does the wisdom
(represented by the oil) bring less chance for oppression by the enemies of the
Israelites? Does their wisdom give them strength against their external enemies
(other nations) and their internal enemies (temptation to sin such as lust and
harlotry)? This portion of Scripture is not fully understood.
What we know comes from the history of the Asherites. This
tribe failed to drive out the Canaanites from their land (Judges 1:21-32). They
did not help Deborah and Barak (Judges 5:17). The Asherites gave a negative
example of how to be obedient to the LORD even though He richly blessed them
with oil. Yet on top of these failings they responded to Gideon’s call to repel
the Midianites and Amalekites (Judges 6:35). The Asherites joined Hezekiah at
the Passover in Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 30:11). They, like the other tribes,
had people who disobeyed God, but repented and returned to Him over their
centuries. They received the LORD’s blessings and He expected them to obey His
commands. Moses’ blessing on them occurred and God heeded it. The Asherites were
not always faithful to their covenant with God and, thus, they were unwise at times,
like most of the other tribes.
The Greatest Part – God (reprise).
At the end of this chapter, Moses returned to the greatest
blessing – the LORD God. For the final four verses, he reminded the Israelites
of their blessing of being God’s chosen people whom He made righteous by
choosing them. The first words Moses used in this section in verse twenty-six were
words he used at the end of the first section in verse five with a slight
change from “King of Jeshurun” to “God of Jeshurun.” Moses declared the LORD to
be the God of the “upright one,” Israel, who received their righteousness
because He chose them. Moses said no one is like the God of Jeshurun. He
declared the LORD’s supremacy, power, might, and majesty with this statement.
Moses said similar things in Exodus 15:11 and Deuteronomy 4:35. The Israelites
heard these words before and he reiterated them now, reminding them the LORD is
God almighty.
Moses then explained who God is by what He does. In verse
twenty-six, he said, “Who [God] rides the heavens to your help and through the
skies in His majesty.” God is so mighty He rides the uncontainable – the
heavens - because He created them. He rides the skies (shadaq – dust and clouds), because He directs them where to go. The
LORD is in control of the uncontrollable and uncontainable. He is that majestic
and powerful. Moses said in Deuteronomy 10:14 God owns the heavens and earth.
David said He rides, thunders, and has majesty over Israel (Psalm 68:33-34). He
said, too, the clouds are God’s chariots (Psalm 104:3).
With verse twenty-seven, Moses told the Israelites their
blessing of having the one and only eternal God as their God and King meant they
could run to Him anytime. He was their dwelling place and refuge and His power
has been from before the beginning of time and lasts forever. The LORD God is
eternal - beginning to end of time – and their refuge and dwelling place. He was
the one who drove out their enemy (Exodus 34:11 & Joshua 24:18). They saw
it. This LORD God gave the enemies of the Israelites into their hands and
commanded their destruction (Deuteronomy 7:2). He is that great. Because of
this, Moses said in verse twenty-eight, “Israel dwells in security, the
fountain of Jacob secluded, in a land of grain and new wine.” The LORD God has
been, is, and will shelter His children in His unending, powerful, protective
arms. Even the descendents of Jacob (the fountain of Jacob) will be secluded
and protected. The LORD would always provide for their physical needs. He gave
them a land of grain and new wine. The LORD gave dew from His heavens, which He
commands and controls, to provide moisture for the plants.
“Blessed are you, O Israel!” Moses said. “What other people
have so great, powerful, majestic, and everlasting God. He is your blessing! He
is your God! This great LORD God chose you to be His people and has made you
righteous.” In verse twenty-nine, Moses continued, “Who is like you, a people
saved by the LORD.” The Israelites’ choosing by the LORD made them righteous
and saved, redeemed, and delivered them. “Who is like you, Israelites?!” Moses
said. He continued, “Who is the shield of your help and the sword of your
majesty!” Moses reminded them who did these things for them. He said they were
not the ones who brought God to themselves, but He chose them in His love and
by His power and majesty to love, provide for, and protect them. Even their
enemies knew of their God. Moses added because of this, “your enemies cringe
before you and you will tread upon their high places.” The Israelites’ enemies
ran in fear because of the LORD God - their power and strength. Because of Him,
the Israelites could march upon their enemies’ towns and cities, and their
places of worship. The gods of their enemies were no gods. Only their God is
eternal, all-powerful, majestic, redeemer, and chooser of them to be His
people.
“This is the blessing,” Moses pointed out to the Israelites.
When Moses announced blessings over each tribe, he called upon God to bless
them. He himself had no power with which to bless the Israelites other than to
proclaim the LORD God as the most powerful and only God who alone is worthy to
be worshipped and obeyed. The LORD God was the Israelites’ blessing. He is our
blessing.
Recap
Moses, before he climbed Mount Nebo opposite the Promised
Land, offered his blessings on each of the twelve tribes of Israel. By blessing
the tribes, Moses asked the LORD God to bless them individually and corporately.
We know from this side of history the Israelites were not always faithful to
the LORD or to their covenant with Him. Yet God chose to bless them at
different times during their history. He punished and disciplined them during
this time, too. What Moses most wanted the Israelites to know was that the LORD
God was their blessing. He was their redeemer, deliverer, protector, provider,
refuge, strength, sword, and shield. That was Moses’ main point and he stated
it twice – verses two through five and verses twenty-six through twenty-nine.
Relevance and Conclusion
Today we need to realize the LORD God is still here. He is
eternal and still in control. God wants a relationship with every person. He
created us to be in a relationship with Him because of His love. In addition to
this, God provided a way for us to be in a relationship with Him even though we
are sinners and unrighteous while He is righteous. God provided that way through
the crucifixion of His Son, Jesus Christ, as the sufficient and final sacrifice
for the death penalty due because of our sins. Jesus died on the cross so you would
not have to die for your sins. He took your place…and my place. When we accept
that God loves us that much and accept this gift of love He gave for us, we can
be His children and live in His blessing.
God is the blessing. He provides the blessings. Jesus Christ
is God’s greatest blessing. By His death we are free from sin and death. What
do we have to do? What do you have to do? Accept Jesus Christ is the Son of God
and that He died for your sins? Believe in him as your Lord and your Savior from
sins. Confess your sins to God. He said He would forgive you of your sins. God
is faithful like that. He loves you.
Will you make the
choice to accept God’s greatest blessing –
His love shown
through Jesus Christ’s life, death, and resurrection?
The choice is yours.
What will you choose?
