33 This is the blessing with which the man of God, Mosheh (Moses), blessed Israelis just before his death:

2 “Yahweh came from Mt. Sinai came

≈and appeared to them from Mt. Seir—

shining out from Mt. Paran.

He came with ten thousands of holy ones,

holding lightning for them in his right hand.

3 Yes, he loves the peoples.

All his holy ones are in your hand.

They sat down at your feet.

They listen to your instructions:

4 Mosheh gave us those instructions

that would become a valuable possession for Yakov’s descendants.

5 Yahweh became king over Yeshurun,[fn]

when the leaders of the people had gathered—

Yisrael’s trible all together.

6 Let Reuven live and not die,

but let his men be few.”

7 Then he said this is for Yehudah (Judah),

“Yahweh, listen to Yehudah’s voice,

and take him to his people.

He defended himself,

plus you help him against his enemies.”

8 Then for Levi, he said,

“Your Thummim and your Urim

belong to your godly man,

who you tested at Massah.

≈You strove against him at the Merivah springs.[ref]

9 He said that he hadn’t seen his father and his mother,

≈and he didn’t acknowledge his brothers or spend time with his sons.

because he guarded your message

≈and kept your agreement.

10 He teaches your rules to Yakov,

≈and your instructions to Yisrael.

He’ll burn fragrant incense for you,

≈and whole burnt offerings on your altar.

11 Yahweh, bless Yisrael’s possessions,

and accept the work that he does.

Crush those who take action up against him,

and those who hate, in case they attack.”

12 To Benyamin, he said,

“Yahweh’s special one lives in security beside him.

He protects him all day long,

≈and Yahweh places him on his chest.”

13 To Yosef (Joseph), he said,

“Yahweh will bless his land,

with the rain from the sky,

≈from the dew and from the springs lying beneath,

14 with a plentiful harvest from the good sunshine,

≈and from the bounty of the produce of the seasons,

15 and water from the tops of ancient mountains,

and from the bounty of age-old hills,

16 and from the bounty of the soil and from its fullness,

and the favour of the bush-dweller.

Let them come on Yosef’s head,

and on the top of the head of the leader of his brothers.

17 His majesty is like his firstborn bull,

≈and his horns are like the horns of a wild bull.

He’ll ram the peoples with them,

together to the ends of the earth.

And they are the ten thousands of Efraim,

≈and they are the thousands of Menashsheh.”

18 To Zevulun, he said,

“Zevulun, be happy when you go out,

and Yissaskar too, in your tents.

19 They will call peoples to the mountain.

There they will offer sacrifices of righteousness.

because they feed on the abundance of the oceans,

and on treasures hidden in the sand.”

20 To Gad, he said,

“Blessed be the one who enlarges Gad.

He’ll live like a lioness,

and tear off an arm, perhaps also a head.

21 He picked out the best for himself,

because there the decreed portion is reserved.

He came with the people’s leaders.

He adminstered Yahweh’s justice,

and his judgments for Yisrael.”

22 To Dan, he said,

“Dan is a lion cub

leaping out from Bashan.”

23 To Naftali, he said,

“Naftali, overflowing with favour,

≈and full of Yahweh’s blessings,

you’ll possess the west and the south.”

24 To Asher, he said,

“Asher is blessed among the sons.

≈Let him be favored among his brothers,

and enjoy having lots of olive oil.

25 Your gates will have iron and bronze bars,

≈and you’ll be strong all your life.

26 There’s no one else like Yeshurun’s God,

riding the heavens to your help,

≈and in his majesty on the clouds.

27 The everlasting God is a place of safety,

and it’s his eternal arms that are underneath you.

He drove the enemy away from in front of you,

and he said, ‘Destroy them.’

28 Israel will live in safety—

secure as Yakov’s fountain,

in a land of grain and new wine

where the skies above them drop dew.

29 Your happiness, Yisrael.

Who else is like you—a people saved by Yahweh,

the shield that protects you,

and who is the sword that makes you powerful?

Your enemies will cringe back from you,

and you’ll trample all over their hills.”