This is the blessing with which Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death.
He said, “Yahweh came from Sinai, and dawned upon them from Seir. He shone forth from Mount Paran. He came with ten thousands of holy ones. At his right hand there was flaming fire for them.
Indeed, he loves the people. All his holy ones are in his hand. They sat down at your feet; each receives your words.
Moses commanded us a law, a possession for the assembly of Jacob.
Let there be a king in Jeshurun, when the heads of the people were gathered; all the tribes of Israel together.
Let Reuben live, and not die; but let his men be few in number.
And this he said about Judah: ‘Hear, Yahweh, the voice of Judah. Bring him to his people. With his own hands he contended for himself. And may you be a help against his adversaries.’”
About Levi he said: “Your Thummim and your Urim are with your godly one whom you tested at Massah, with whom you contended at the waters of Meribah;
who said of his father and of his mother, ‘I have not seen them,’ nor did he recognize his brothers, nor did he acknowledge his own children. For they have kept your word, and guarded your covenant.
They will teach Jacob your ordinances and Israel your law. They will put incense in your nose, and whole burnt offering on your altar.
O Yahweh, bless his substance. and accept the work of his hands. Smash the loins of those who rise up against him, of those who hate him, so that they do not rise again.”
About Benjamin he said: “The beloved of Yahweh will dwell in safety by him. He covers him all day long. He dwells between his shoulders.”
About Joseph he said: “His land is blessed by Yahweh, by the choice things of heaven, by the dew, and by the deep waters crouching beneath,
and by the choice things of the produce of the sun, and by the choice things of the yield of the moon,
and by the best things from the ancient mountains, and by the choice things of the everlasting hills,
and by the choice things of the earth and its fullness, and the good will of him who dwelt in the burning bush. Let this come on the head of Joseph, on the top of the head of him who was separate from his brothers.
The firstborn of his herd, majesty is his. His horns are the horns of the wild ox. With them he will gore all of the peoples to the ends of the earth: They are the ten thousands of Ephraim. They are the thousands of Manasseh.”
About Zebulun he said: “Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out; and Issachar, in your tents.
They will call the peoples to the mountain. There they will offer sacrifices of righteousness, for they will draw out the abundance from the seas, the hidden treasures of the sand.”
About Gad he said: “He who enlarges Gad is blessed. He dwells as a lioness and tears the arm, yes, and the crown of the head.
He chose the best part for himself, for there the lawgiver’s portion was reserved for him. He came with the heads of the people. He executed the righteousness of Yahweh, his ordinances concerning Israel.”
About Dan he said: “Dan is a lion’s cub that leaps out from Bashan.”
About Naphtali he said: “Naphtali, satisfied with favor, full of the blessing of Yahweh; take possession of the sea and the south.”
About Asher he said: “Most blessed of sons is Asher. Let him be favored among his brothers. Let him dip his foot in oil.
Your bars will be iron and bronze. As your days, so your strength will be.”
“There is none like God, O Jeshurun, who rides through the heavens to your help, and through the skies in his majesty.
The eternal God is your refuge. Underneath are the everlasting arms. He thrust out the enemy from before you and said, ‘Destroy!’
So Israel will live in confidence; alone, the fountain of Jacob, in a land of grain and new wine, yes, his heavens drop down dew.
O your happiness, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by Yahweh, the shield of your help, the sword of your majesty! Your enemies will come cringing to you, and you will trample on their high places.”