Deuteronomy 32:48-34:12
International Standard Version
Moses Forbidden to Enter Canaan
48 Later that day, the Lord told Moses, 49 “Ascend this Abarim mountain range[a] toward Mount Nebo in the land of Moab across from Jericho, and look out over the land of Canaan that I’m about to give to the Israelis as a possession. 50 You will die on the mountain that you are about to ascend and be taken to be with your ancestors, just as your brother Aaron died on Mount Hor and was taken to be with his ancestors. 51 Both of you acted unfaithfully against me among the Israelis at Meribah-kadesh in the desert of Zin, when you failed to uphold my holiness among the Israelis. 52 You’ll see the land from a distance, but you won’t be able to enter the land that I am about to give to the Israelis.”
Moses Reviews the Tribes of Israel
33 This is the blessing with which Moses, the man of God, blessed the Israelis before his death. 2 He said:
“The Lord came from Sinai.
Rising from Seir upon us,[b]
he shone forth from Mount Paran,
accompanied[c] by a myriad[d] of his holy ones,
with flaming fire from his right hand for them.
3 Indeed, lover of people,
all of his holy ones are in your control.[e]
They gather at your feet
to do as you have instructed.[f]
4 Moses commanded with the Law,
an inheritance for the community of Jacob.
5 The Lord[g] was king of Jeshurun[h]
when the leaders of the people—
all the tribes of Israel—gathered together.”
Reuben
6 “May Reuben live and not die,
though his numbers are few.”
Judah
7 He declared this about Judah:
“Hear, Lord, the voice of Judah
and return him to his people.
With his own strength he fights for himself,
and you will be of assistance[i] against[j] his enemies.”
Levi
8 About Levi he said:
“Let your Thummim and Urim[k] be with the man
to whom you showed gracious love,
whom you tested at Massah
and with whom you struggled
at the waters of Meribah,
9 the one who told his mother and father,
‘I don’t know[l] them,’
and who would neither acknowledge his brothers
nor know his own children.
For they kept your word
and guarded your covenant.
10 They will teach your ordinances to Jacob,
and your Law to Israel.
They will offer incense as a pleasant aroma to you[m]
and a whole burnt offering upon your altar.
11 Lord, bless his substance
and approve the work that he undertakes.[n]
Shatter the legs[o] of those who oppose against him;
may those who hate him stand no more.”
Benjamin
12 About Benjamin he said:
“The beloved of the Lord will live confidently,
the Most High protecting[p] him all day long,
and resting in his bosom.[q]”
Joseph
13 About Joseph he said:
“May the blessing of the Lord be on his land:
dew from the choicest of the heavens,
and from the depths beneath;
14 from the choicest products of the sun,
the rich fruit of the harvest moon,[r]
15 the choicest portion[s] of the eternal mountains,
and the best of the everlasting hills;
16 from the choicest of the earth and its fullness,
and the favor of the one who lived in the burning[t] bush.
May blessing[u] rest on Joseph’s head,
and on the crown of the head
of the one set apart from his brothers.
17 May the firstborn of his bull be honorable to him,
and may his horns be those of a wild ox.
With them may he push people all together,
to the ends of the earth.
These are the myriads[v] of Ephraim
and the thousands of Manasseh.”
Zebulun and Issachar
18 About Zebulun he said:
“Zebulun, rejoice as you go out
and Issachar, in being inside your tents.
19 They will call the nations[w] to the mountain,
and there they will offer righteous sacrifices,
for they’ll draw from the abundance of the sea
and from the hidden treasures of the sand.”
Gad
20 About Gad he said:
“Blessed be the one who enlarges Gad!
Like a roaring lion, he crouches,
tearing arm and scalp.
21 He chose the best part for himself,
when the leader’s portion was assigned.
He came at the head of the people,
carrying out the Lord’s justice
and his ordinances concerning Israel.”
Dan
22 About Dan he said:
“Dan is a lion’s cub,
leaping forth from Bashan.”
Naphtali
23 About Naphtali he said:
“Naphtali, full of favor and the Lord’s blessing,
take possession of the west[x] and south.”
Asher
24 About Asher he said:
“May Asher be blessed, along with his descendants,
may his brothers be pleased with him,
may he dip his feet in oil,
25 may your bolts be made of iron and bronze,
and may your strength be sufficient for each day you live.”
Israel’s Defender
26 “There is no one like the God of Jeshurun,[y]
who rides through the heavens
with its lofty clouds to help you.
27 The God of old is a dwelling place,
with everlasting arms underneath.
He drove out your enemies before you
and said: ‘Destroy them!’
28 So Israel lives in confidence,
isolated as the fountain of Jacob
in a land of grain and new wine,
where the heavens rain down dew.
29 How blessed are you, Israel!
Who can be like you,
a people delivered by the Lord,
your shield of help and
your finely crafted sword.
May your enemies cower before you.
You will tread down their high places.”
Moses Ascends Pisgah
34 Moses ascended from the desert plain of Moab toward Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, across from Jericho. There[z] the Lord showed him the entire land, from Gilgal as far as Dan, 2 all of Naphtali, the territories[aa] of Ephraim and Manasseh, and the entire territory[ab] of Judah all the way to out over the sea,[ac] 3 including the Negev,[ad] the Arabah, the valley of Jericho, and the city of the palm trees as far as Zoar. 4 Then the Lord told him: “This is the land that I promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob by an oath when I said, ‘I’ll give it to your descendants.’ I’ll let you see it with your eyes, but you won’t cross over there.”
Moses Dies
5 So Moses, the servant of the Lord, died there in the land of Moab, just as the Lord had said.[ae] 6 He was buried in the valley opposite Beth Peor, in the land of Moab, but no one knows to this day where his burial place is. 7 Moses was 120 years old when he died. His eyesight wasn’t impaired and he was still vigorous and strong. 8 The Israelis mourned for Moses at the desert plain of Moab for 30 days, after which the period of mourning for Moses was completed.
The Epitaph for Moses
9 Now Nun’s son Joshua was full of the spirit of wisdom, because Moses had placed his hands on him, so the Israelis listened to him and did what the Lord had commanded Moses. 10 No prophet ever rose again in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew with such great intimacy.[af]
11 What signs and wonders the Lord sent him to do throughout the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh, and to all of his servants who lived in the whole land!
12 What great power[ag] and great terror Moses displayed on behalf of all Israel!
Footnotes
- Deuteronomy 32:49 The Heb. lacks range
- Deuteronomy 33:2 So LXX. MT reads them
- Deuteronomy 33:2 Lit. came or brought
- Deuteronomy 33:2 Or by countless; Lit. by ten thousands
- Deuteronomy 33:3 Lit. hand
- Deuteronomy 33:3 Lit. to do your word
- Deuteronomy 33:5 The Heb. lacks The Lord
- Deuteronomy 33:5 I.e. a poetic term for national Israel; the Heb. name means Upright One
- Deuteronomy 33:7 So LXX. MT reads be his helper
- Deuteronomy 33:7 Lit. from
- Deuteronomy 33:8 I.e. the jewel-encrusted breastplate worn by the high priest by which the will of God could be revealed; cf. Ezra 2:63, Neh 7:65
- Deuteronomy 33:9 Lit. see
- Deuteronomy 33:10 Lit. for your nose
- Deuteronomy 33:11 Lit. work of his hands
- Deuteronomy 33:11 Or loins
- Deuteronomy 33:12 Or shading
- Deuteronomy 33:12 Lit. between his shoulders
- Deuteronomy 33:14 Lit. the month
- Deuteronomy 33:15 The Heb. lacks portion
- Deuteronomy 33:16 The Heb. lacks burning
- Deuteronomy 33:16 Lit. it
- Deuteronomy 33:17 Or the countless ones; Lit. the ten thousands
- Deuteronomy 33:19 Lit. peoples
- Deuteronomy 33:23 Or sea
- Deuteronomy 33:26 I.e. a poetic term for national Israel; the Heb. name means Upright One
- Deuteronomy 34:1 The Heb. lacks There
- Deuteronomy 34:2 Lit. land
- Deuteronomy 34:2 Lit. land
- Deuteronomy 34:2 I.e. the Mediterranean Sea
- Deuteronomy 34:3 I.e. the southern region of Israel; cf. Josh 10:40
- Deuteronomy 34:5 Lit. Moab, according to the word of the Lord
- Deuteronomy 34:10 Lit. knew face to face
- Deuteronomy 34:12 Lit. What a mighty hand
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