Deuteronomy 33:7-8 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Deuteronomy 33:6-7

Here is, I. The blessing of Reuben. Though Reuben had lost the honour of his birthright, yet Moses begins with him; for we should not insult over those that are disgraced, nor desire to perpetuate marks of infamy upon any, though ever so justly fastened at first, Deut. 33:6. Moses desires and foretels, 1. The preserving of this tribe. Though a frontier tribe on the other side Jordan, yet, ?Let it live, and not be either ruined by its neighbours or lost among them.? And perhaps he refers to... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Deuteronomy 33:8-11

In blessing the tribe of Levi, Moses expresses himself more at large, not so much because it was his own tribe (for he takes no notice of his relation to it) as because it was God's tribe. The blessing of Levi has reference. I. To the high priest, here called God's holy one (Deut. 33:8), because his office was holy, in token of which, Holiness to the Lord was written upon his forehead. 1. He seems to acknowledge that God might justly have displaced Aaron and his seed, for his sin at Meribah,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 33:7

And this is the blessing of Judah ,.... Which follows; the same supplement of the words is made in the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem; but Aben Ezra thinks it refers to what goes before, that this, the same thing prayed for or prophesied of Reuben, belongs also to Judah, that he should live and not die; it may be in the wars in which that tribe would be and was engaged: and he said, hear, Lord, the voice of Judah ; in prayer, as all the Targums paraphrase it, which was eminently... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 33:8

And of Levi he said ,.... That is, Moses said of the tribe of Levi, as both the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem: let thy Thummim and thy Urim be with thy Holy One ; with Aaron, as the same Targums interpret it, who was of the tribe of Levi, and was a holy good man, a saint of the Lord, as he is called, Psalm 106:16 ; of the Urim and Thummim, which were with him and with every high priest; see Gill on Exodus 28:30 ; and though they were not in use under the second temple, yet... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 33:7

And this is the blessing of Judah - Though the word blessing is not in the text, yet it may be implied from Deuteronomy 33:1 ; but probably the words, he spake, are those which should be supplied: And this he spake of Judah, Lord, hear the voice of Judah; that is, says the Targum, receive his prayer when he goes out to battle, and let him be brought back in safety to his own people. Let his hands be sufficient for him - let him have a sufficiency of warriors always to support the tribe,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 33:8

Of Levi he said - Concerning the Urim and Thummim, see Exodus 28:30 ; (note). Thy holy one - Aaron primarily, who was anointed the high priest of God, and whose office was the most holy that man could be invested with. Therefore Aaron was called God's holy one, and the more especially so as he was the type of the Most Holy and blessed Jesus, from whom the Urim - all light and wisdom, and Thummim - all excellence, completion, and perfection, are derived. Whom thou didst prove, etc.... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 33:7

Verse 7 7.And this is the blessing of Judah. (312) Jerome has faithfully given the sense, “This is the blessing,” although it is not actually expressed. It might at first sight appear inconsistent that some abatement should be made from the splendid and abundant blessings which had been promised to the tribe of Judah. This, however, is by no means the case; for the inviolable decree respecting the supremacy of Judah is not thus altered; but Moses merely reminds them how difficult of... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 33:8

Verse 8 8And of Levi he said. This qualification, or modification of the harsher sentence of Jacob was introduced not only for the sake of the tribe of Levi, but rather of the whole people. Jacob had said, “Simeon and Levi are brethren: instruments of cruelty are in their habitations. O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, my tongue, (313) be not thou united,” (Genesis 49:5.) Assuredly their descendants might have been discouraged, or at least might have been... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 33:1-29

EXPOSITION The blessing consists of a series of benedictions on the several tribes ( Deuteronomy 33:6-25 ), preceded by an introduction ( Deuteronomy 33:1-5 ), and followed by a conclusion ( Deuteronomy 33:26-29 ). read more