1This is the blessing that Moses the man of God pronounced on the Israelites before his death.2He said: ‘The Lord came from Sinai and dawned over them from Seir; he shone forth from Mount Paran. He came with[1] myriads of holy ones from the south, from his mountain slopes.[2]3Surely it is you who love the people; all the holy ones are in your hand. At your feet they all bow down, and from you receive instruction,4the law that Moses gave us, the possession of the assembly of Jacob.5He was king over Jeshurun[3] when the leaders of the people assembled, along with the tribes of Israel.6‘Let Reuben live and not die, nor[4] his people be few.’7And this he said about Judah: ‘Hear, Lord, the cry of Judah; bring him to his people. With his own hands he defends his cause. Oh, be his help against his foes!’8About Levi he said: ‘Your Thummim and Urim belong to your faithful servant. You tested him at Massah; you contended with him at the waters of Meribah.9He said of his father and mother, “I have no regard for them.” He did not recognise his brothers or acknowledge his own children, but he watched over your word and guarded your covenant.10He teaches your precepts to Jacob and your law to Israel. He offers incense before you and whole burnt offerings on your altar.11Bless all his skills, Lord, and be pleased with the work of his hands. Strike down those who rise against him, his foes till they rise no more.’12About Benjamin he said: ‘Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in him, for he shields him all day long, and the one the Lord loves rests between his shoulders.’13About Joseph he said: ‘May the Lord bless his land with the precious dew from heaven above and with the deep waters that lie below;14with the best the sun brings forth and the finest the moon can yield;15with the choicest gifts of the ancient mountains and the fruitfulness of the everlasting hills;16with the best gifts of the earth and its fullness and the favour of him who dwelt in the burning bush. Let all these rest on the head of Joseph, on the brow of the prince among[5] his brothers.17In majesty he is like a firstborn bull; his horns are the horns of a wild ox. With them he will gore the nations, even those at the ends of the earth. Such are the ten thousands of Ephraim; such are the thousands of Manasseh.’18About Zebulun he said: ‘Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out, and you, Issachar, in your tents.19They will summon peoples to the mountain and there offer the sacrifices of the righteous; they will feast on the abundance of the seas, on the treasures hidden in the sand.’20About Gad he said: ‘Blessed is he who enlarges Gad’s domain! Gad lives there like a lion, tearing at arm or head.21He chose the best land for himself; the leader’s portion was kept for him. When the heads of the people assembled, he carried out the Lord’s righteous will, and his judgments concerning Israel.’22About Dan he said: ‘Dan is a lion’s cub, springing out of Bashan.’23About Naphtali he said: ‘Naphtali is abounding with the favour of the Lord and is full of his blessing; he will inherit southward to the lake.’24About Asher he said: ‘Most blessed of sons is Asher; let him be favoured by his brothers, and let him bathe his feet in oil.25The bolts of your gates will be iron and bronze, and your strength will equal your days.26‘There is no-one like the God of Jeshurun, who rides across the heavens to help you and on the clouds in his majesty.27The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. He will drive out your enemies before you, saying, “Destroy them!”28So Israel will live in safety; Jacob will dwell[6] secure in a land of grain and new wine, where the heavens drop dew.29Blessed are you, Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord? He is your shield and helper and your glorious sword. Your enemies will cower before you, and you will tread on their heights.’
1Here is the blessing that Moses, the man of God, gave to the Israelites before he died.2He said, ‘The LORD came from Mount Sinai. Like the rising sun, he shone on his people from Mount Seir. He shone on them from Mount Paran. He came with large numbers of angels. He came from his mountain slopes in the south.3LORD, I’m sure you love your people. All the holy ones are in your hands. At your feet all of them bow down. And you teach them.4They learn the law Moses gave us. It belongs to the community of the people of Jacob.5The LORD was king over Israel when the leaders of the people came together. The tribes of Israel were also there.’6Here’s what Moses said about Reuben. ‘Let Reuben live. Don’t let him die. And do not let his people be few.’7Here’s what Moses said about Judah. ‘LORD, listen to Judah cry out. Bring him to his people. By his own power he stands up for himself. LORD, help him fight against his enemies!’8Here’s what Moses said about Levi. ‘Your Thummim and Urim belong to your faithful servant. You tested him at Massah. You argued with him at the waters of Meribah.9Levi didn’t show special favour to anyone. He did not spare his father and mother. He didn’t excuse his relatives or his children. But he watched over your word. He guarded your covenant.10He teaches your rules to the people of Jacob. He teaches your law to Israel. He offers incense to you. He sacrifices whole burnt offerings on your altar.11LORD, bless all his skills. Be pleased with everything he does. Destroy those who rise up against him. Strike down his enemies until they can’t get up.’12Here’s what Moses said about Benjamin. ‘Let the one the LORD loves rest safely in him. The LORD guards him all day long. The one the LORD loves rests in his arms.’13Here’s what Moses said about Joseph. ‘May the LORD bless Joseph’s land. May he bless it with dew from the highest heavens. May he bless it with water from the deepest oceans.14May he bless it with the best crops the sun can produce. May he bless it with the finest crops the moon can give.15May he bless it with the best products of the age-old mountains. May he bless it with the many crops of the ancient hills.16May he bless it with the best gifts that fill the earth. May he bless it with the favour of the God who spoke out of the burning bush. Let all these blessings rest on the head of Joseph. Let them rest on the head of the one who is prince among his brothers.17His glory is like the glory of a bull born first to its mother. His horns are like the horns of a wild ox. He will use them to destroy the nations. He’ll wipe out the nations that are very far away. The ten thousands of men in Ephraim’s army are like the bull and the ox. So are the thousands in the army of Manasseh.’18Here’s what Moses said about Zebulun and Issachar. ‘Zebulun, be filled with joy when you go out. Issachar, be joyful in your tents.19You will call for other people to go to the mountain. There you will offer the sacrifices of those who do what is right. You will enjoy the many good things your ships bring you. You will enjoy treasures that are hidden in the sand.’20Here’s what Moses said about Gad. ‘May the God who gives Gad more land be praised! Gad lives there like a lion that tears off arms and heads.21He chose the best land for his livestock. The leader’s share was kept for him. The leaders of the people came together. Then Gad carried out the LORD’s holy plan. He carried out the LORD’s decisions for Israel.’22Here’s what Moses said about Dan. ‘Dan is like a lion’s cub that charges out of the land of Bashan.’23Here’s what Moses said about Naphtali. ‘The LORD greatly favours Naphtali. The LORD fills him with his blessing. Naphtali’s land will reach south to the Sea of Galilee.’24Here’s what Moses said about Asher. ‘Asher is the most blessed of sons. Let his brothers be kind to him. Let Asher wash his feet with olive oil.25The bars of his gates will be made out of iron and bronze. His strength will last as long as he lives.26‘There is no one like the God of Israel. He rides across the heavens to help you. He rides on the clouds in his glory.27God lives for ever! You can run to him for safety. His powerful arms are always there to carry you. He will drive out your enemies to make room for you. He’ll say to you, “Destroy them!”28So Israel will live in safety. Jacob will live secure in a land that has corn and fresh wine. There the heavens drop their dew.29Israel, how blessed you are! Who is like you? The LORD has saved you. He keeps you safe. He helps you. He’s like a glorious sword to you. Your enemies will bow down to you in fear. You will walk on the highest places of their lands.’
1Und das ist der Segen, mit dem Mose, der Mann Gottes, die Söhne Israel vor seinem Tod segnete. (Ge 49:28; Jos 14:6; 1Sa 2:27; 1Ch 23:14; 2Ch 8:14; Ps 90:1)2Er sprach: Der HERR kam vom Sinai und leuchtete ihnen auf von Seïr. Er strahlte hervor vom Berg Paran und kam von heiligen Myriaden[1]. Zu seiner Rechten war feuriges Gesetz[2] für sie. (Ex 19:18; Jud 5:4; Ps 50:2; Ps 68:18; Hab 3:3; Jud 1:14)3Ja, er liebt sein Volk[3]! All seine Heiligen sind in deiner Hand; und sie folgen[4] deinen Füßen, jeder[5] empfängt von deinen Worten. (De 7:8; Jer 2:2; Jer 31:3; Ho 11:1; Lu 10:39; Joh 10:28)4Ein Gesetz hat uns Mose geboten, einen Besitz der Versammlung Jakobs. (Le 26:46; Ps 119:111; Ps 147:19; Mal 3:22)5Und er wurde König in Jeschurun[6], als sich die Häupter des Volkes versammelten, die Stämme Israels insgesamt. – (Ge 35:23; Ex 15:18; De 32:15; De 33:26)6Ruben lebe und sterbe nicht, sodass seine Männer wenige würden[7]!7Und dies für Juda: Und er sprach: Höre, HERR, die Stimme Judas und bring ihn zu seinem Volk! Seine Hände seien mächtig für ihn[8], und sei ⟨ihm⟩ Helfer[9] vor seinen Gegnern! (Ps 89:24)8Und für Levi sprach er: Deine Tummim und deine Urim sind für den Mann, der dir getreu ist, den du auf die Probe gestellt hast bei Massa, mit dem du gestritten hast bei dem Wasser von Meriba, (Ex 28:30; De 9:22)9der von seinem Vater und von seiner Mutter sagte: »Ich habe ihn nicht gesehen!«, und der seine Brüder nicht kannte und von seinen Söhnen nichts wusste. Denn sie haben dein Wort beachtet, und deinen Bund bewahren sie. (Ex 32:26; Mal 2:5; Mt 10:37)10Sie lehren Jakob deine Rechtsbestimmungen und Israel dein Gesetz. Sie legen Räucherwerk vor deine Nase und Ganzopfer auf deinen Altar. (Ex 30:7; Le 10:11; De 17:9; De 27:14; 2Ch 30:22; Ezr 7:10; Ne 8:7; Ps 51:21; Hag 2:12)11Segne, HERR, seine Kraft, und das Werk seiner Hände lass dir gefallen! Zerschmettere die Hüften derer, die sich gegen ihn erheben, und seiner Hasser, dass sie nicht mehr aufstehen! (Jer 17:18)12Für Benjamin sprach er: Der Liebling des HERRN! In Sicherheit wohnt er bei ihm. Er beschirmt ihn den ganzen Tag[10], und zwischen seinen Berghängen[11] wohnt er. (1Sa 10:20; 2Sa 12:24; Jer 12:7)13Und für Josef sprach er: Gesegnet vom HERRN ist sein Land! Vom Auserlesenen des Himmels, vom Tau, und von der Flut[12], die unten liegt,14und vom Auserlesenen der Erträge der Sonne und vom Auserlesenen der Früchte der Monate[13]15und vom Besten der uralten Berge und vom Auserlesenen der ewigen Hügel16und vom Auserlesenen der Erde und ihrer Fülle und das Wohlgefallen dessen, der im Dornbusch wohnt, ⟨all das⟩ komme auf das Haupt Josefs und auf den Scheitel des Abgesonderten[14] unter seinen Brüdern! (Ex 3:2)17Er ist herrlich wie sein erstgeborener Stier[15]; und Hörner des Büffels sind seine Hörner. Mit ihnen stößt er die Völker nieder, ⟨alle⟩ miteinander ⟨bis an⟩ die Enden der Erde. Das sind die Zehntausende Ephraims, das die Tausende Manasses. (Ge 48:19; Nu 23:22; Jos 17:14; Jos 17:18; 1Ki 22:11; 1Ch 5:1; 1Ch 5:23; 1Ch 12:31)18Und für Sebulon sprach er: Freue dich, Sebulon, über deinen Auszug und du, Issaschar, über deine Zelte!19Sie rufen Völker zum Berg. Dort opfern sie Opfer der Gerechtigkeit; denn den Überfluss der Meere saugen sie und die verborgenen Schätze des Sandes. (Ps 4:6; Isa 2:3; Isa 60:5)20Und für Gad sprach er: Gesegnet sei, der Gad Raum schafft! Wie eine Löwin lagert er und zerreißt den Arm und sogar den Scheitel. (1Ch 12:9)21Und er wählte sich einen Erstlingsanteil aus; denn dort war der Anteil eines Anführers aufbewahrt. Und er zog an die Spitze[16] des Volkes, er vollzog die Gerechtigkeit des HERRN und seine Gerichte mit[17] Israel. (Nu 32:1; Jos 4:12)22Und für Dan sprach er: Dan ist ein junger Löwe; er springt aus Baschan hervor. (Jos 19:47; Jud 18:27)23Und für Naftali sprach er: Naftali, gesättigt mit Huld[18] und voller Segen des HERRN! Westen und Süden nimm in Besitz! (Jer 31:14)24Und für Asser sprach er: Mehr als die ⟨andern⟩ Söhne sei Asser gesegnet! Er sei der Liebling seiner Brüder, er tauche in Öl seinen Fuß!25Eisen und Erz seien deine Riegel, und wie deine Tage, so deine Kraft[19]! (Jos 14:11; Isa 40:29)26Keiner ist wie der Gott Jeschuruns[20], der auf dem Himmel einherfährt zu deiner Hilfe und in seiner Hoheit auf den Wolken. (Ex 8:6; Ex 15:7; De 33:5; Ps 104:3; Isa 19:1; Hab 3:8)27Eine Zuflucht ist der Gott der Urzeit, und unter ⟨dir⟩ sind ewige Arme. Und er vertrieb vor dir den Feind und sprach: Vernichte! (Ex 23:28; Ps 68:34; Ps 90:1; Isa 26:4; Jer 50:21; Ho 11:3; Mic 5:1)28Und Israel wohnt sicher, abgesondert der Quell Jakobs, in einem Land von Korn und Most; auch sein Himmel träufelt Tau. (Ge 27:28; Nu 23:9; De 12:10; 1Ki 5:5; Jer 23:6; Zec 8:12; Zec 14:11)29Glücklich bist du, Israel! Wer ist wie du, ein Volk, gerettet durch den HERRN, ⟨der⟩ der Schild deiner Hilfe und der das Schwert deiner Hoheit ist? Schmeicheln[21] werden dir deine Feinde, du aber, du wirst einherschreiten über ihre Höhen. (De 4:7; Ps 18:45; Ps 33:12; Ps 115:9; Isa 33:16; Hab 3:19)