Study Desk

"They provoked Him to jealousy with strange gods [by denying Him the honor and loyalty that is rightfully and uniquely His]; And with repulsive acts they provoked Him to anger.

"The LORD saw it, and rejected them, Out of indignation with His sons and His daughters.

"For the LORD will vindicate His people, And will have compassion on His servants, When He sees that their strength (hand) is gone, And none remains, whether bond or free.

"Rejoice, O nations, with His people; For He will avenge the blood of His servants, And will render vengeance on His adversaries, And will atone for His land and His people."

"Then die on the mountain which you climb, and be gathered to your people [in death], just as Aaron your brother died on Mount Hor and was gathered to his people,

This is the blessing with which Moses the man of God blessed the sons of Israel before his death.

He said, "The LORD came from Sinai, And dawned on them from Seir; He shone forth from Mount Paran, And He came from among ten thousand holy ones; At His right hand was a flaming fire, a law, for them.

"Indeed, He loves His people; All Your holy ones are in Your hand. They followed in Your steps; They accept and receive direction from You.

"May [the tribe of] Reuben live and not die out, But let his men be few."

And [Moses said] this of Judah: "Hear, O LORD, the voice of Judah, And bring him to his people. With his hands he contended for them, And may You be a help against his enemies."

Who said of his father and mother, 'I did not consider them'; Nor did he acknowledge his brothers, Nor did he regard his own sons, For the priests observed Your word, And kept Your covenant.

"O LORD, bless Levi's substance (ability), And accept and take pleasure in the work of his hands; Crush and shatter the loins of those who rise up against him, And of those who hate him, so that they do not rise again."

Of Benjamin he said, "May the beloved of the LORD dwell in safety by Him; He shields and covers him all the day long, And he dwells between His shoulders."

And of Joseph he said, "Blessed by the LORD be his land, With the precious things of heaven, with the dew, And from the deep water that lies beneath,

With the precious things of the earth and its fullness, And the favor and goodwill of Him who dwelt in the bush. Let these blessings come upon the head of Joseph, And upon the crown of the head of him who was distinguished [as a prince] among his brothers.

"His majesty is like a firstborn young bull, And his horns like the horns of the wild ox; With them he will gore the peoples, All of them together, to the ends of the earth. And those are the ten thousands of Ephraim, And those are the thousands of Manasseh."

"He selected the best [land] for himself, For there the leader's portion was reserved; Yet he came with the leaders of the people; He carried out the justice (righteous will) of the LORD, And His ordinances (judgments) with Israel."

Of Asher he said, "More blessed than sons is Asher; May he be favored by his brothers, And may he dip his foot in oil.

"There is none like the God of Jeshurun (Israel), Who rides the heavens to your help, And through the skies in His majestic glory.

"So Israel dwells in safety and security, The fountain of Jacob alone and secluded, In a land of grain and new wine; His heavens also drop down dew.