“The people” are the twelve tribes, not the Gentiles; and his saints refer to God’s chosen people just before spoken of. Compare Deuteronomy 7:18, Deuteronomy 7:21; Exodus 19:6; Daniel 7:8-21. read more
Deuteronomy 33:3. He loved the people The tribes of Israel. The sense is, this law, though delivered with fire, and smoke, and thunder, which might seem to portend nothing but hatred and terror, yet in truth was given to Israel in great love, as being the great mean of their temporal and eternal salvation. Yea, he embraced the people, and laid them in his bosom! So the word signifies, which speaks not only the dearest love, but the most tender and careful protection. All God’s saints or... read more
The blessing of Moses (32:48-33:29)As God had announced earlier, the time for Moses to die had come (48-52; see Numbers 27:12-14). The prophetic blessings that he gave Israel before he died foresaw the favours that God would give the various tribes. But first Moses recalled the giving of the law at Sinai. God appeared in flaming majesty, bursting forth in glory brighter than the rising sun. Accompanying him were multitudes of heavenly servants who carry out God’s purposes in the lives of... read more
loved. Hebrew "loveth". Chabab, used only here, and only of Jehovah's love to Israel. hand . . . feet. Figure of speech Anthropopatheia. App-6 . they sat down. Figure of speech Synecdoche (of Part). App-6 . Put for teaching thus received. shall receive = bore, or carried away. read more
Ver. 3. Yea, he loved the people— Durell, in agreement with Houbigant, after the Samaritan, renders this verse thus; O loving Father of the people! All the saints are at thy hand; They shall fall down at thy feet; They shall receive of thy words. All the saints seem to mean, the most righteous among the multitudes of the house of Israel, the people, mentioned in the line preceding. At thy hand may be either rendered so, or near thy hand: to indicate the waiting and constant readiness of good... read more
After a brief introduction to the blessing (Deuteronomy 33:1), Moses began by presenting God. He pictured Him as the source of all blessing in the figure of the sun rising on His people gathered at Sinai. The sun is the source of physical blessing. Seir (Deuteronomy 33:2) refers to the mountain range in Edom over which the sun would apparently rise as seen from Sinai. Paran (Deuteronomy 33:2) refers to the mountains near Kadesh Barnea that separated the Sinai wilderness from Canaan."The... read more
D. Moses’ blessing of the tribes ch. 33After receiving this announcement of his death, and as one of his final official acts as Israel’s leader, Moses pronounced a prophetic blessing on the tribes of Israel (cf. Jacob’s blessing of the tribes in Genesis 49)."In the ancient Near East, a dying father’s final blessings spoken to his sons were an irrevocable legal testament, accepted as decisive evidence in court disputes. In the case of the Biblical patriarchs, the authority and potency of their... read more
The Blessing of MosesThis chapter contains the last words or ’swan-song’ of Moses. Immediately before his death he takes farewell of the people, and blesses each of the tribes in turn, as Jacob had done on his deathbed: see Genesis 49. The two blessings should be compared; see also on Deuteronomy 33:4.2-5. Introduction, describing the majestic appearance of Jehovah to His chosen people.2. Cp. Judges 5:4; Habakkuk 3:3. Seir] Edom (see on Numbers 20:22-29). Mount Paran] the S. boundary of Canaan.... read more
(3) Yea, he loved.—The connection appears to be this—“From His right hand went a fire, a law for them (Israel).Loving the peoples also; (i.e., all who should hereafter become His people)All His saints are in Thy hand: (the hand of Him who spake on Sinai, and now “speaketh from heaven”)And they are seated at Thy feet;(the feet of the same heavenly Prophet. Comp. Matthew 5:1-2)Every one shall receive of Thy words.”Or, possibly, He, that prophet, will take of thy (i.e., of Moses’) words, We know... read more
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The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 33:3
God's saints. 1. Their happiness— loved of God. 2. Their safety— in God's hand. 3. Their attitude— sitting at God's feet—at the feet of God's Son ( Luke 10:3 , Luke 10:9 ). The receiving to be of the practical kind of hiding God's words in the heart, and going on to put them in practice ( Matthew 13:23 ).—J.O. read more