Deuteronomy 33:20-21 - Moses' Blessing.

As in the blessing of Shem by Noah, God is praised for Shem's prosperity ( Genesis 9:26 ), so here God is praised for the enlargement of the warlike tribe of Gad (cf. Genesis 49:19 ). He dwelleth as a lion ; rather, as a lioness . Though the noun לָבִיא has a masc. termination, usage shows that it was the female and not the male that was thereby designated (see e . g . Genesis 49:9 ; Numbers 24:9 , where it can hardly, be a mere synonym; and Job 4:11 ; Job 38:1-41 :89, where the reference to the young of the animal accords better with the lioness than with the lion, Gesenius). Deuteronomy 33:21 refers to Gad's obtaining an inheritance for himself from Moses beyond Jordan. And he provided the first part for himself ; literally, and he saw for himself (i.e. chose) the first , i . e . either the most excellent part or the firstfruits of the conquest. Because there, in a portion of the lawgiver, was he seated ; rather, for there the portion of the leader was reserved . The word rendered "lawgiver," or "leader" ( מְחֹקֵק ), signifies primarily one who ordains or appoints, and is used in both the above senses (cf. Exodus 33:22 ; 5:14 ); it is here applied to Gad, because that tribe displayed such promptitude and energy at the head of the tribes in the conquest of the land, that it might be regarded as their leader. An entirely different view of the passage has been taken by some, who by the mechokek understand Moses as the lawgiver, and his portion as the place of his grave, which was concealed, but was within the inheritance of Gad. But it is a fatal objection to this view that not only is the word rendered "portion" ( חֶלְקַת ) nowhere used of a grave, but the grave of Moses on Mount Nebo was in the territory of Reuben, not in that of Gad. Gesenius renders, "The portion of (assigned by) the lawgiver was preserved." But this does not tally with the immediately preceding statement, that Gad chose his portion for himself; at any rate, it could not be because of this that he chose it. Gad chose for himself a portion on the east of Jordan, and the portion he had chosen was sacredly kept for him, though he went with his brethren to the conquest of Canaan. And he came with the heads of the people ; i . e . his place of marching was with the leaders; his place was at the head of the tribes (cf. Numbers 32:17 , Numbers 32:21 , Numbers 32:32 , and Joshua 1:14 ; Joshua 4:12 ). He executed the justice of the Lord , etc.; i . e . he did what God required of him, obeying his commands, and thereby fulfilling all righteousness (cf. Matthew 3:15 ; Philippians 3:6 ). With Israel ; in the fellowship of Israel.