Deuteronomy 33:6-25

The arrangement of the tribes in this blessing is unusual. Kalland provided a chart of six lists of the tribes that appear in Genesis, Numbers, Deuteronomy, and Joshua, each of which contains a different order. [Note: Kalland, p. 222.] Evidently God based this list on a combination of the past and future histories of each tribe.

Reuben (Deuteronomy 33:6) was the first-born but did not enjoy greatness among the tribes because of his sin. He lost his father’s birthright and blessing.

Judah (Deuteronomy 33:7) received the position of leader among the tribes when his older brothers became ineligible.

Levi (Deuteronomy 33:8-11) received a blessing for being faithful to God at Massah and Meribah when the people complained because of lack of water.

"But these narratives [Exodus 17:1-7; Numbers 20:1-13] contain no reference to Levi, so that the precise meaning of the historical reference is not clear unless it be that in Moses and Aaron, leaders of the tribe of Levi, the whole tribe was on trial." [Note: Thompson, p. 310.]

The act of faithfulness to Yahweh that resulted in Levi’s being chosen as the priestly tribe occurred later. It was Levi’s standing with Moses and Aaron when the rest of the nation rebelled and worshipped the golden calf at Sinai (Exodus 32:25-29). The "godly man" (Deuteronomy 33:8) is probably Levi rather than Aaron (cf. Deuteronomy 33:9). The Levites’ special privileges and responsibilities included teaching the rest of the Israelites God’s law. They also involved burning incense before God, offering sacrifices (Deuteronomy 33:10), and discerning God’s will (Deuteronomy 33:8). "Shattering the loins" (Deuteronomy 33:11) probably refers to making one incapable of producing progeny as well as destroying one’s strength (cf. 1 Kings 12:10; Proverbs 31:17; Nahum 2:2).

Benjamin (Deuteronomy 33:12) was to enjoy God’s protection continually since God would carry this tribe on His back between His shoulders. As the warrior tribe Benjamin would enjoy God’s protection (cf. Judges 21).

Joseph (Deuteronomy 33:13-17) represented Ephraim and Manasseh. The "first-born of his ox" (Deuteronomy 33:17) probably refers to Joseph as the first-born son of Jacob, God’s servant, by Rachel. Ephraim was the stronger of Joseph’s sons who were both strong as the horns of oxen during the tribes’ conflict with Israel’s enemies.

Zebulun and Issachar (Deuteronomy 33:18-19) would become special channels of blessing to the other nations through their commercial wealth.

"While this cannot be documented as having taken place in biblical times, the promise has found startling fulfillment in the modern state of Israel, whose major port is Haifa, located in the area of ancient Zebulun." [Note: Merrill, Deuteronomy, p. 444.]

These tribes would experience God’s blessing as they brought riches into Israel. These tribes occupied the fertile Jezreel Valley. "In your going forth" and "in your tents" (Deuteronomy 33:18) is a merism meaning in all that you do. [Note: Driver, p. 408.]

Gad (Deuteronomy 33:20-21) possessed much area east of the Jordan that was suitable for development. Gad was a warring tribe that was very aggressive in conquering and subduing the land (Numbers 32:34-36).

Dan (Deuteronomy 33:22) settled in an area inhabited by lions (Judges 14:5) and migrated to northern Israel to an area that abounded in lions (Judges 18). [Note: Keil and Delitzsch, 3:510.] The people of the tribe were also similar to lions in their aggressiveness and strength.

Naphtali (Deuteronomy 33:23) would enjoy the benefits of a seacoast, the Sea of Chinnereth, and a comfortable area in relation to that body of water.

". . . but by far the most abundant blessing was the fact that the Messiah spent most of his life and exercised much of his ministry there or in nearby Zebulun (cf. Matthew 4:12-17). One can scarcely imagine greater evidence of divine favor." [Note: Merrill, Deuteronomy, p. 446.]

Asher (Deuteronomy 33:24) would benefit from the respect of his brethren and prosperity. His territory on the Mediterranean coast would require fortifications, but God would protect him. Oil is probably a metaphor for prosperity, as elsewhere (cf. Deuteronomy 32:13; Job 29:6).

Moses did not mention the Simeonites in this blessing. Jacob had prophesied that God would scatter the Simeonites in Israel (Genesis 49:7). Simeon received no tribal allotment of land, only a few cities in Judah, when Joshua divided the Promised Land. The Simeonites became absorbed into the other tribes, especially Judah.