23 And of Naphtali H5321 he said, H559 O Naphtali, H5321 satisfied H7649 with favour, H7522 and full H4392 with the blessing H1293 of the LORD: H3068 possess H3423 thou the west H3220 and the south. H1864
Naphtali H5321 is a hind H355 let loose: H7971 he giveth H5414 goodly H8233 words. H561
The sixth H8345 lot H1486 came out H3318 to the children H1121 of Naphtali, H5321 even for the children H1121 of Naphtali H5321 according to their families. H4940 And their coast H1366 was from Heleph, H2501 from Allon H438 to Zaanannim, H6815 and Adami, H129 Nekeb, H5346 and Jabneel, H2995 unto Lakum; H3946 and the outgoings H8444 thereof were at Jordan: H3383 And then the coast H1366 turneth H7725 westward H3220 to Aznothtabor, H243 and goeth out H3318 from thence to Hukkok, H2712 and reacheth H6293 to Zebulun H2074 on the south side, H5045 and reacheth H6293 to Asher H836 on the west side, H3220 and to Judah H3063 upon Jordan H3383 toward the sunrising. H4217 H8121 And the fenced H4013 cities H5892 are Ziddim, H6661 Zer, H6863 and Hammath, H2575 Rakkath, H7557 and Chinnereth, H3672 And Adamah, H128 and Ramah, H7414 and Hazor, H2674 And Kedesh, H6943 and Edrei, H154 and Enhazor, H5877 And Iron, H3375 and Migdalel, H4027 Horem, H2765 and Bethanath, H1043 and Bethshemesh; H1053 nineteen H8672 H6240 cities H5892 with their villages. H2691 This is the inheritance H5159 of the tribe H4294 of the children H1121 of Naphtali H5321 according to their families, H4940 the cities H5892 and their villages. H2691
O satisfy H7646 us early H1242 with thy mercy; H2617 that we may rejoice H7442 and be glad H8055 all our days. H3117
Nevertheless the dimness H4155 shall not be such as was in her vexation, H4164 when H6256 at the first H7223 he lightly afflicted H7043 the land H776 of Zebulun H2074 and the land H776 of Naphtali, H5321 and afterward H314 did more grievously afflict H3513 her by the way H1870 of the sea, H3220 beyond H5676 Jordan, H3383 in Galilee H1551 of the nations. H1471 The people H5971 that walked H1980 in darkness H2822 have seen H7200 a great H1419 light: H216 they that dwell H3427 in the land H776 of the shadow of death, H6757 upon them hath the light H216 shined. H5050
And G2532 leaving G2641 Nazareth, G3478 he came G2064 and dwelt G2730 in G1519 Capernaum, G2584 which G3588 is upon the sea coast, G3864 in G1722 the borders G3725 of Zabulon G2194 and G2532 Nephthalim: G3508
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Deuteronomy 33
Commentary on Deuteronomy 33 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 33
De 33:1-28. The Majesty of God.
1. Moses the man of God—This was a common designation of a prophet (1Sa 2:27; 9:6), and it is here applied to Moses, when, like Jacob, he was about to deliver ministerially before his death, a prophetic benediction to Israel.
2-4. The Lord came—Under a beautiful metaphor, borrowed from the dawn and progressive splendor of the sun, the Majesty of God is sublimely described as a divine light which appeared in Sinai and scattered its beams on all the adjoining region in directing Israel's march to Canaan. In these descriptions of a theophania, God is represented as coming from the south, and the allusion is in general to the thunderings and lightnings of Sinai; but other mountains in the same direction are mentioned with it. The location of Seir was on the east of the Ghor; mount Paran was either the chain on the west of the Ghor, or rather the mountains on the southern border of the desert towards the peninsula [Robinson]. (Compare Jud 5:4, 5; Ps 68:7, 8; Hab 3:3).
ten thousands of saints—rendered by some, "with the ten thousand of Kadesh," or perhaps better still, "from Meribah" [Ewald].
a fiery law—so called both because of the thunder and lightning which accompanied its promulgation (Ex 19:16-18; De 4:11), and the fierce, unrelenting curse denounced against the violation of its precepts (2Co 3:7-9). Notwithstanding those awe-inspiring symbols of Majesty that were displayed on Sinai, the law was really given in kindness and love (De 33:3), as a means of promoting both the temporal and eternal welfare of the people. And it was "the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob," not only from the hereditary obligation under which that people were laid to observe it, but from its being the grand distinction, the peculiar privilege of the nation.
6. Let Reuben live, and not die—Although deprived of the honor and privileges of primogeniture, he was still to hold rank as one of the tribes of Israel. He was more numerous than several other tribes (Nu 1:21; 2:11). Yet gradually he sank into a mere nomadic tribe, which had enough to do merely "to live and not die." Many eminent biblical scholars, resting on the most ancient and approved manuscripts of the Septuagint, consider the latter clause as referring to Simeon; "and Simeon, let his men be few," a reading of the text which is in harmony with other statements of Scripture respecting this tribe (Nu 25:6-14; 1:23; 26:14; Jos 19:1).
7. this is the blessing of Judah—Its general purport points to the great power and independence of Judah, as well as its taking the lead in all military expeditions.
8-10. of Levi he said—The burden of this blessing is the appointment of the Levites to the dignified and sacred office of the priesthood (Le 10:11; De 22:8; 17:8-11), a reward for their zeal in supporting the cause of God, and their unsparing severity in chastising even their nearest and dearest relatives who had participated in the idolatry of the molten calf (Ex 32:25-28; compare Mal 2:4-6).
12. of Benjamin he said—A distinguishing favor was conferred on this tribe in having its portion assigned near the temple of God.
between his shoulders—that is, on his sides or borders. Mount Zion, on which stood the city of Jerusalem, belonged to Judah; but Mount Moriah, the site of the sacred edifice, lay in the confines of Benjamin.
13-17. of Joseph he said—The territory of this tribe, diversified by hill and dale, wood and water, would be rich in all the productions—olives, grapes, figs, &c., which are reared in a mountainous region, as well as in the grain and herbs that grow in the level fields. "The firstling of the bullock and the horns of the unicorn" (rhinoceros), indicate glory and strength, and it is supposed that under these emblems were shadowed forth the triumphs of Joshua and the new kingdom of Jeroboam, both of whom were of Ephraim (compare Ge 48:20).
18, 19. Rejoice, Zebulun, in thy going out—on commercial enterprises and voyages by sea.
and, Issachar in thy tents—preferring to reside in their maritime towns.
19. shall suck of the abundance of the seas, and of treasures hid in the sand—Both tribes should traffic with the Phœnicians in gold and silver, pearl and coral, especially in murex, the shellfish that yielded the famous Tyrian dye, and in glass, which was manufactured from the sand of the river Belus, in their immediate neighborhood.
20, 21. of Gad he said—Its possessions were larger than they would have been had they lain west of Jordan; and this tribe had the honor of being settled by Moses himself in the first portion of land conquered. In the forest region, south of the Jabbok, "he dwelt as a lion" (compare Ge 30:11; 49:19). Notwithstanding, they faithfully kept their engagement to join the "heads of the people" [De 33:21] in the invasion of Canaan.
22. Dan is a lion's whelp—His proper settlement in the south of Canaan being too small, he by a sudden and successful irruption, established a colony in the northern extremity of the land. This might well be described as the leap of a young lion from the hills of Bashan.
23. of Naphtali he said—The pleasant and fertile territory of this tribe lay to "the west," on the borders of lakes Merom and Chinnereth, and to "the south" of the northern Danites.
24, 25. of Asher he said—The condition of this tribe is described as combining all the elements of earthly felicity.
dip his foot in oil—These words allude either to the process of extracting the oil by foot presses, or to his district as particularly fertile and adapted to the culture of the olive.
25. shoes of iron and brass—These shoes suited his rocky coast from Carmel to Sidon. Country people as well as ancient warriors had their lower extremities protected by metallic greaves (1Sa 17:6; Eph 6:15) and iron-soled shoes.
26-29. There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun—The chapter concludes with a congratulatory address to Israel on their peculiar happiness and privilege in having Jehovah for their God and protector.
who rideth upon the heaven in thy help—an evident allusion to the pillar of cloud and fire, which was both the guide and shelter of Israel.
28. the fountain of Jacob—The posterity of Israel shall dwell in a blessed and favored land.