Deuteronomy

¹ Moses, man of God, blessed the People of Israel with this blessing before his death.

² God came down from Sinai, he dawned from Seir upon them; He radiated light from Mount Paran, coming with ten thousand holy angels And tongues of fire streaming from his right hand.

³ all his holy ones are palmed in your left hand. They sit at your feet, honoring your teaching,

⁴ as the assembly of Jacob's inheritance.

⁵ as the leaders and tribes of Israel gathered.

⁶ "Let Reuben live and not die, but just barely, in diminishing numbers."

⁷ "Listen, God, to the Voice of Judah, bring him to his people; Strengthen his grip, be his helper against his foes."

⁸ "Let your Thummim and Urim belong to your loyal saint; The one you tested at Massah, whom you fought with at the Waters of Meribah,

⁹ 'I no longer recognize them.' He turned his back on his brothers and neglected his children, Because he was guarding your sayings and watching over your Covenant.

¹⁰ and your Revelation to Israel, Let him keep the incense rising to your nostrils and the Whole-Burnt-Offerings on your Altar.

¹¹ stamp your seal of approval on what he does; Disable the loins of those who defy him, make sure we've heard the last from those who hate him."

¹² "God's beloved; God's permanent residence. Encircled by God all day long, within whom God is at home."

¹³ "Blessed by God be his land: The best fresh dew from high heaven, and fountains springing from the depths;

¹⁴ and the best the moon has to offer;

¹⁵ and the best from the everlasting hills;

¹⁶ the smile of the Burning-Bush Dweller. All this on the head of Joseph, on the brow of the consecrated one among his brothers.

¹⁷ his horns the horns of a wild ox; He'll gore the nations with those horns, push them all to the ends of the Earth. Ephraim by the ten thousands will do this, Manasseh by the thousands will do this."

¹⁸ "Celebrate, Zebulun, as you go out, and Issachar, as you stay home.

¹⁹ and offer sacrifices of right worship, For they will have hauled riches in from the sea and gleaned treasures from the beaches."

²⁰ "Blessed is he who makes Gad large. Gad roams like a lion, tears off an arm, rips open a skull.

²¹ the portion just made for someone in charge. He took his place at the head, carried out God's right ways and his rules for life in Israel."

²² "Dan is a lion's cub leaping out of Bashan."

²³ "Naphtali brims with blessings, spills over with God's blessings As he takes possession of the sea and southland."

²⁴ "Asher, best blessed of the sons! May he be the favorite of his brothers, his feet massaged in oil.

²⁵ your strength like iron as long as you live."

²⁶ riding to your rescue through the skies, his dignity haloed by clouds.

²⁷ on a foundation of everlasting arms. He drove out the enemy before you and commanded, "Destroy!"

²⁸ the fountain of Jacob undisturbed In grain and wine country and, oh yes, his heavens drip dew.

²⁹ A people saved by God! The Shield who defends you, the Sword who brings triumph. Your enemies will come crawling on their bellies and you'll march on their backs.