Introduction to the Blessing of Moses

1This is the blessing Moses the man of God pronounced upon the Israelites before his death. 2He said:

A Historical Review

The Lord came from Sinai

and revealed himself to Israel from Seir.

He appeared in splendor from Mount Paran,

and came forth with ten thousand holy ones.

With his right hand he gave a fiery law to them.

3Surely he loves the people;

all your holy ones are in your power.

And they sit at your feet,

each receiving your words.

4Moses delivered to us a law,

an inheritance for the assembly of Jacob.

5The Lord was king over Jeshurun,

when the leaders of the people assembled,

the tribes of Israel together.

Blessing on Reuben

6May Reuben live and not die,

and may his people multiply.

Blessing on Judah

7And this is the blessing to Judah. He said,

Listen, O Lord, to Judah’s voice,

and bring him to his people.

May his power be great,

and may you help him against his foes.

Blessing on Levi

8Of Levi he said:

Your Thummim and Urim belong to your godly one,

whose authority you challenged at Massah,

and with whom you argued at the waters of Meribah.

9He said to his father and mother, “I have not seen him,”

and he did not acknowledge his own brothers

or know his own children,

for they kept your word,

and guarded your covenant.

10They will teach Jacob your ordinances

and Israel your law;

they will offer incense as a pleasant odor,

and a whole offering on your altar.

11Bless, O Lord, his goods,

and be pleased with his efforts;

undercut the legs of any who attack him,

and of those who hate him, so that they cannot stand.

Blessing on Benjamin

12Of Benjamin he said:

The beloved of the Lord will live safely by him;

he protects him all the time,

and the Lord places him on his chest.

Blessing on Joseph

13Of Joseph he said:

May the Lord bless his land

with the harvest produced by the sky, by the dew,

and by the depths crouching beneath;

14with the harvest produced by the daylight

and by the moonlight;

15with the best of the ancient mountains

and the harvest produced by the age-old hills;

16with the harvest of the earth and its fullness

and the pleasure of him who resided in the burning bush.

May blessing rest on Joseph’s head,

and on the top of the head of the one set apart from his brothers.

17May the firstborn of his bull bring him honor,

and may his horns be those of a wild ox;

with them may he gore all peoples,

all the far reaches of the earth.

They are the ten thousands of Ephraim,

and they are the thousands of Manasseh.

Blessing on Zebulun and Issachar

18Of Zebulun he said:

Rejoice, Zebulun, when you go outside,

and Issachar, when you are in your tents.

19They will summon peoples to the mountain,

there they will sacrifice proper sacrifices;

for they will enjoy the abundance of the seas,

and the hidden treasures of the shores.

Blessing on Gad

20Of Gad he said:

Blessed be the one who enlarges Gad.

Like a lioness he will dwell;

he will tear at an arm – indeed, a scalp.

21He has selected the best part for himself,

for the portion of the ruler is set aside there;

he came with the leaders of the people,

he obeyed the righteous laws of the Lord

and his ordinances with Israel.

Blessing on Dan

22Of Dan he said:

Dan is a lion’s cub;

he will leap forth from Bashan.

Blessing on Naphtali

23Of Naphtali he said:

O Naphtali, overflowing with favor,

and full of the Lord’s blessing,

possess the west and south.

Blessing on Asher

24Of Asher he said:

Asher is blessed with children,

may he be favored by his brothers

and may he dip his foot in olive oil.

25The bars of your gates will be made of iron and bronze,

and may you have lifelong strength.

General Praise and Blessing

26There is no one like God, O Jeshurun,

who rides through the sky to help you,

on the clouds in majesty.

27The everlasting God is a refuge,

and underneath you are his eternal arms;

he has driven out enemies before you,

and has said, “Destroy!”

28Israel lives in safety,

the fountain of Jacob is quite secure,

in a land of grain and new wine;

indeed, its heavens rain down dew.

29You have joy, Israel! Who is like you?

You are a people delivered by the Lord,

your protective shield

and your exalted sword.

May your enemies cringe before you;

may you trample on their backs.