Original Meaning
Introduction and Exordium (33:1–5)
THE NARRATIVE PREAMBLE (V. 1) reminds readers that what follows is part of Moses’ preparations for his death. In contrast to leaders of the peoples around Israel, Moses is not concerned about his personal legacy.6 As Israel’s pastor and virtual father of this large household, he takes great pains to ensure the well-being of those who survive him.7 Explicitly classified a “blessing” (berâkâ), these utterances involve pronouncements of goodwill and invocations of divine favor on the tribes. Typically the favors invoked in such blessings revolve around fertility, status, peace, and security.8
Remarkably the narrator introduces Moses in relation to God rather than the people; he was “the man of God.”9 Although the phrase refers primarily to a person’s official standing with Yahweh, it is ambiguous and may also describe his character: Moses was a “godly man.” Placed immediately after Yahweh’s characterization of Moses as one who had broken faith with him and had not treated him as holy (32:51), the epithet reflects the narrator’s admiration for the man.
The exordium proper takes up verses 2–5, portraying Yahweh in glorious theophanic form, coming from the mountains in the desert, presumably to deliver his people and to be acknowledged as king over all the tribes of Israel. Verse 2 describes in cryptic form the divine warrior’s appearance to Israel. In this and other poems celebrating Yahweh’s military actions,10 he fights on Israel’s behalf, rescuing them from enemies who hold them in bondage (Egypt) and who interfere in their march toward destiny (Amalekites, Moabites, Amorites, etc.). Accompanied by his heavenly host, nothing can stop him.
Moses identifies the place from which Yahweh comes by three names: Sinai,11 Seir,12 and Mount Paran.13 To Moses and his people these names refer to the mountainous region to the south, where they had experienced the glory of Yahweh thirty-eight years ago. But here Yahweh’s appearance is a military moment.14 His movements are described with three verbs: he “came” from Sinai, he “dawned” on Israel from Seir, and he “shone forth” from Mount Paran. While the second verb normally applies to the rising of the sun, it may also apply to dawning light more generally.15 The verb “to shine forth” is relatively rare, being used elsewhere primarily of Yahweh’s glory radiating from him.16
The last two lines of verse 2 are difficult in Hebrew, but we should interpret what is actually a singular (“holy one”) as a collective designation for the “holy ones” (cf. NIV), which occurs in verse 3. These “holy ones” are the angelic host who serve Yahweh in his heavenly court and accompany the divine warrior as a royal entourage.17 The word ʾšdt in the last line is problematic. Although MT vocalizes it as two words (ʾēš and dât, “fire” and “law”) and its marginal note instructs readers to pronounce it as two,18 the Septuagint not only renders it as one but translates it incomprehensibly as “angels.”19 This reading reflects a late tradition that angels mediated the law Sinai.20 It seems best to treat dāt as a contracted feminine form of the verb dāʾâ (“to fly”), used of the flight of an eagle,21 which creates the image of Yahweh arriving in brilliant splendor, accompanied by a myriad of holy ones, and sending out fire from his right.22
Verse 3 highlights Yahweh’s special relationship to Israel, with the first line focusing on his love for the people and the second on their status. Whereas the singular “holy one” (v. 2) served as a collective expression for Yahweh’s heavenly entourage, here the plural “holy ones” refers to his earthly attendants. This characterization of the Israelites reflects their position as “a people holy to the LORD,”23 which means they are secure in his protective care, but also under his authority, following “at [his] feet” and receiving “instruction” from him.
Taken together verses 2–3 paint a picture of Yahweh’s universal authority, balancing his superiority over the heavenly hosts with his sovereignty over Israel. Moses emphasizes Israel’s role in Yahweh’s earthly agenda. What the angels are to his cosmic administration, the Israelites are to the earthly. This idealized picture of Yahweh’s holy ones investing their energies in the divine agenda provides significant background for interpreting the blessings.
The third person reference to Moses and the reference to the giving of the Torah in verse 4 catch the reader by surprise. If this represents the people’s response to the theophany and their privileged status,24 it expresses remarkable respect for the man and his mediatory role; as mediator of divine revelation, he is one of Yahweh’s attendants. The word tôrâ (NIV “law”) may allude to Moses’ addresses,25 and the verb “he gave [NIV ‘commanded’]” to Moses’ verbal activity in the addresses.26 However, linked to the previous verse, this Torah may be identified with his commands that have now become the special “possession” of the Israelites (cf. 4:8). Referring to the benefactors as “the assembly of Jacob” links this text even more closely with Genesis 49, where Jacob summons his sons to assemble.
The exordium closes by celebrating Yahweh’s kingship in Israel. Moses’ preceding proclamation of the Torah was the climactic episode in a series of events by which Yahweh’s royal authority over Israel was affirmed. Verse 5 suggests the gathering of the tribes on the plains of Moab was a royal event, the climactic moment in the march of a divine warrior from Sinai/Paran to the land that he and his hosts are about to conquer. Identifying Israel as “Jeshurun,”27 Yahweh’s special name for his people, reinforces the expression “you who love the people” in verse 3. This verse paints a colorful verbal picture of the exalted and triumphant King of Israel. In the face of his own imminent death, Moses hereby declares publicly that although he will be departing, the Israelites remain the objects of Yahweh’s affection, and they may cross the Jordan confidently, knowing that their divine King will lead the way into the enemy territory.
Bridging Contexts
MOSES’ FAREWELL ADDRESS. IN the ancient world nation states typically derived their name from the people’s perceived ancestor, and the people’s sense of cohesion was based on a sense of ethnic cohesion based on a sense of common descent from that ancestor (e.g., Moabites, Edomites, Israelites). Although Moses was obviously the first and founding leader of Israel as a nation, despite Yahweh’s offer to make of him a great nation (Ex. 32:10), Moses made no effort to change Israel’s story or to secure allegiance to himself. And in contrast to the leaders of other nations, he made no effort to secure his personal legacy by erecting memorials to himself.57 Instead in his final days he poured out his energies in “setting his house in order” and securing the well-being of the people he had led for forty years. These efforts involved primarily words: words of exhortation to fidelity to Israel’s gracious Redeemer and Lord (his three addresses), words of encouragement to the people and Joshua for the challenges they will soon face (31:1–8), words of song that serve as a national anthem (32:1–43), and words of blessing (33:1–26).
Moses’ blessing of the tribes follows the ancient pattern of heads of households gathering their clans around them for a final blessing before their demise. In the New Testament Jesus picked up the practice when, immediately prior to his own death, he called his disciples around him for final conversations and to bless them (John 13–16). Once Judas had left, Jesus began his lengthy address to the disciples who remained. Remarkably, although he repeatedly drew attention to his Father in heaven, he presented himself as the focus of the disciples’ trust and security: They trust in God; they must trust in him (14:1). He bequeathed to them his peace (14:27; 16:33), promising them that in him they would find all the resources needed to cope with a hostile world: (1) the hope of a future with him (14:3); (2) resources for any circumstance (14:13–14); (3) divine presence and aid in the person of the Holy Spirit (14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7); (4) his and the Father’s love (15:1–15; 16:25–27; cf. Deut. 33:3); (5) reminders of their divine election (15:15–19); (6) their ultimate triumph (16:33). All these notions are thoroughly Deuteronomic, and they also address universal concerns. Jesus, Yahweh incarnate, is indeed “the way and the truth and the life” (14:6).
Theological notions in the Blessing of Moses. The Blessing of Moses, especially the hymnic frame, reinforces many theological notions introduced earlier in Deuteronomy. First and foremost, Israel is uniquely privileged to have Yahweh as their God. He is the divine Warrior who comes from Sinai/Paran, arrayed in splendor and accompanied by his heavenly hosts. When he steps down on earth, to his forces he adds his earthly entourage, the nation of Israel, claiming them as his “holy ones” and committing himself to being their divine patron. This eternal God has appeared again in person in the latter days as the incarnate Son of God. Although the “Hymn to Christ” in Philippians 2:6–11 speaks of Christ’s emptying himself, taking on the form of a servant, and dying on a cross, other texts remind us that in his incarnation he shed none of his glory. After decades of reflection on the significance of Jesus’ life John wrote: “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). And the author of Hebrews declares:
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful hand. After he provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs. (Heb. 1:3–4)
Like the Song of Yahweh in chapter 32, the Blessing of Moses proclaims a theology that underlies all of Scripture. In contrast to pagan gods, images of which may be physically present and visible but who are impotent inventions of depraved imaginations, the imageless Yahweh reveals himself in glorious splendor and through verbal communication as sovereign Lord and King over all the powers of heaven and earth and as the divine Warrior who vanquishes all who oppose him. He is the one who has chosen for himself a people whom he sanctifies and declares his holy ones, whom he loves and addresses by the affectionate name, Jeshurun. If the Israelites will accept his grace and his lordship, their security and well-being are guaranteed.
Unfortunately, the history of the nation is a history of frustration and failure. Because Israel refused to trust Yahweh their God and spurned his protective grace, the reality of their history differed radically from the hope and the promise declared here. In the end, the divine Warrior who first appeared to deliver them and to bring them to the Promised Land became their enemy. The privileges of salvation, protection, well-being, and divine presence may not be taken for granted.
Contemporary Significance
DEPENDENCE ON GOD FOR all things. This text, particularly the blessings of the individual tribes, present considerable challenges for modern readers. What am I to do with the promise to Naphtali or Moses’ word for Dan? I am not a Danite; I do not live in the part of the world where the Danites lived; the issues I face day by day are quite different from the issues faced by the Reubenites or Asherites or Josephites.
Still, in surveying all these blessings, one hears a common theme expressed in a dozen variations. In the face of opposition from those who oppose God and his kingdom and represent the kingdom of darkness, God’s people are fully dependent on their divine patron for their well-being. They may rest in the strong arms of Yahweh, who rides above them (v. 26), who upholds them from below (v. 27), and who drives out the enemy before them. Our God does indeed supply all our needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:19). The people of Israel were probably not surprised to hear Moses warn them of the hostile world they face, but the coda declares that they will not face it alone. God’s people are secure in him.
A transformation of Moses’ promises. Even as we find our security in Christ and recognize that God assumes responsibility for our well-being, we are cautioned against the abuse of texts like this by claiming them as unconditional promises of material prosperity. When the New Testament church was established, the covenant community became an international community, which meant that God’s reputation and the advance of the gospel were no longer tied to one state or one people; this text’s promises of material well-being have been transformed. A transnational and global Christianity may not claim these promises of dipping feet in oil and other idioms of agricultural prosperity as literal and unconditional foundations for the health and wealth gospel peddled by so many today and exported around the world, particularly in places of desperate poverty.
One of America’s most popular preachers declares that by his death Jesus Christ frees us from our bad habits and addictions, fear and worry, discouragement and depression, poverty and lack, and low self-esteem,58 as if these freedoms are unconditional entitlements. But they never have been, not even for the ancient Israelites. True well-being and security are found in Jesus Christ, through whose death and resurrection a personal relationship with God is secured. This does not mean that we are immune from disaster, but that when disaster strikes, our well-being is ensured. The gospel calls us to take up the cross and to suffer for the cause of Christ. Making material prosperity and physical health our passion is idolatry, a modern version of Canaanite fertility religion.
Nevertheless, in Christ we do find glorious reassurance that God is as interested in the genuine well-being of his people as we are. Just as he fulfilled his Word in delivering the Promised Land into the Israelites’ hands, so he fulfills his Word in granting us every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ (Eph 1:3). The life of faith is indeed lived out in the everyday struggles of life. God does not promise to solve every problem, but he does promise to be there in those struggles.
Ecclesiology for the people of God. Above we addressed the picture of God that Moses paints with these blessings. But what about the people of God? For those with eyes to see, this benediction, particularly the framework, offers a profound ecclesiology, highlighting the privileges that come with membership in the assembly of God’s people. Like the faithful in ancient Israel, we are the recipients of the divine revelation (v. 2), the objects of his love, identified by a special name (vv. 3, 5), his holy ones held by his hand (v. 3), the people to whom God has revealed his will (vv. 3–4; cf. 4:7–8), citizens of his kingdom (v. 5), the secure beneficiaries of his defense (vv. 26–27), and his lavish provision (v. 28), but, most fundamentally, the undeserving recipients of his salvation.
As in the Lord’s Prayer, issues relating to physical well-being are framed by and subordinated to the sheer privilege of calling God our Father, King, Savior, and Defender. To bear the name of Christ and to hear him address us as his beloved are reasons enough to celebrate and keep our focus on him. Through Christ we claim the adoption as sons, the glory, the covenants, the revelation of God’s will, the service of worship, and the promises. May God be blessed forever! (Rom. 9:4–6).
Original Meaning
The Blessings of Reuben and Judah (33:6–7)
THE COLLECTION OF BENEDICTIONS opens unannounced with the blessing of Reuben. Reuben’s reputation is mixed in the narratives of Genesis (cf. Gen. 35:22; 37:18–29; 49:3–4), but Moses’ blessing is in effect a prayer for Reuben, implicitly appealing to Yahweh to spare him in the face of an apparently precarious future. While the troop records in Numbers 2 and 26 point to a relatively robust population, Moses envisions a reduction, perhaps because they will settle outside the actual Promised Land (Deut. 3:12–17).28
In contrast to Jacob’s clear vision of Judah (Gen. 49:8–12), Moses’ blessing is extremely modest. It consists of four lines, beginning with a plea to Yahweh to hear the Judahites’ prayers—apparently when they head into battle—and to provide protection so they may return safely from their campaigns. Whether we read line three concessively (“Though his hands contend for him”) or jussively (”Let his hands contend for him”), the blessing concludes with a plea for Yahweh to aid Judah against their adversaries. The tribe’s fate and fortune are in the hands of Yahweh, the nation’s divine Warrior.
Bridging Contexts
MOSES’ FAREWELL ADDRESS. IN the ancient world nation states typically derived their name from the people’s perceived ancestor, and the people’s sense of cohesion was based on a sense of ethnic cohesion based on a sense of common descent from that ancestor (e.g., Moabites, Edomites, Israelites). Although Moses was obviously the first and founding leader of Israel as a nation, despite Yahweh’s offer to make of him a great nation (Ex. 32:10), Moses made no effort to change Israel’s story or to secure allegiance to himself. And in contrast to the leaders of other nations, he made no effort to secure his personal legacy by erecting memorials to himself.57 Instead in his final days he poured out his energies in “setting his house in order” and securing the well-being of the people he had led for forty years. These efforts involved primarily words: words of exhortation to fidelity to Israel’s gracious Redeemer and Lord (his three addresses), words of encouragement to the people and Joshua for the challenges they will soon face (31:1–8), words of song that serve as a national anthem (32:1–43), and words of blessing (33:1–26).
Moses’ blessing of the tribes follows the ancient pattern of heads of households gathering their clans around them for a final blessing before their demise. In the New Testament Jesus picked up the practice when, immediately prior to his own death, he called his disciples around him for final conversations and to bless them (John 13–16). Once Judas had left, Jesus began his lengthy address to the disciples who remained. Remarkably, although he repeatedly drew attention to his Father in heaven, he presented himself as the focus of the disciples’ trust and security: They trust in God; they must trust in him (14:1). He bequeathed to them his peace (14:27; 16:33), promising them that in him they would find all the resources needed to cope with a hostile world: (1) the hope of a future with him (14:3); (2) resources for any circumstance (14:13–14); (3) divine presence and aid in the person of the Holy Spirit (14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7); (4) his and the Father’s love (15:1–15; 16:25–27; cf. Deut. 33:3); (5) reminders of their divine election (15:15–19); (6) their ultimate triumph (16:33). All these notions are thoroughly Deuteronomic, and they also address universal concerns. Jesus, Yahweh incarnate, is indeed “the way and the truth and the life” (14:6).
Theological notions in the Blessing of Moses. The Blessing of Moses, especially the hymnic frame, reinforces many theological notions introduced earlier in Deuteronomy. First and foremost, Israel is uniquely privileged to have Yahweh as their God. He is the divine Warrior who comes from Sinai/Paran, arrayed in splendor and accompanied by his heavenly hosts. When he steps down on earth, to his forces he adds his earthly entourage, the nation of Israel, claiming them as his “holy ones” and committing himself to being their divine patron. This eternal God has appeared again in person in the latter days as the incarnate Son of God. Although the “Hymn to Christ” in Philippians 2:6–11 speaks of Christ’s emptying himself, taking on the form of a servant, and dying on a cross, other texts remind us that in his incarnation he shed none of his glory. After decades of reflection on the significance of Jesus’ life John wrote: “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). And the author of Hebrews declares:
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful hand. After he provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs. (Heb. 1:3–4)
Like the Song of Yahweh in chapter 32, the Blessing of Moses proclaims a theology that underlies all of Scripture. In contrast to pagan gods, images of which may be physically present and visible but who are impotent inventions of depraved imaginations, the imageless Yahweh reveals himself in glorious splendor and through verbal communication as sovereign Lord and King over all the powers of heaven and earth and as the divine Warrior who vanquishes all who oppose him. He is the one who has chosen for himself a people whom he sanctifies and declares his holy ones, whom he loves and addresses by the affectionate name, Jeshurun. If the Israelites will accept his grace and his lordship, their security and well-being are guaranteed.
Unfortunately, the history of the nation is a history of frustration and failure. Because Israel refused to trust Yahweh their God and spurned his protective grace, the reality of their history differed radically from the hope and the promise declared here. In the end, the divine Warrior who first appeared to deliver them and to bring them to the Promised Land became their enemy. The privileges of salvation, protection, well-being, and divine presence may not be taken for granted.
Contemporary Significance
DEPENDENCE ON GOD FOR all things. This text, particularly the blessings of the individual tribes, present considerable challenges for modern readers. What am I to do with the promise to Naphtali or Moses’ word for Dan? I am not a Danite; I do not live in the part of the world where the Danites lived; the issues I face day by day are quite different from the issues faced by the Reubenites or Asherites or Josephites.
Still, in surveying all these blessings, one hears a common theme expressed in a dozen variations. In the face of opposition from those who oppose God and his kingdom and represent the kingdom of darkness, God’s people are fully dependent on their divine patron for their well-being. They may rest in the strong arms of Yahweh, who rides above them (v. 26), who upholds them from below (v. 27), and who drives out the enemy before them. Our God does indeed supply all our needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:19). The people of Israel were probably not surprised to hear Moses warn them of the hostile world they face, but the coda declares that they will not face it alone. God’s people are secure in him.
A transformation of Moses’ promises. Even as we find our security in Christ and recognize that God assumes responsibility for our well-being, we are cautioned against the abuse of texts like this by claiming them as unconditional promises of material prosperity. When the New Testament church was established, the covenant community became an international community, which meant that God’s reputation and the advance of the gospel were no longer tied to one state or one people; this text’s promises of material well-being have been transformed. A transnational and global Christianity may not claim these promises of dipping feet in oil and other idioms of agricultural prosperity as literal and unconditional foundations for the health and wealth gospel peddled by so many today and exported around the world, particularly in places of desperate poverty.
One of America’s most popular preachers declares that by his death Jesus Christ frees us from our bad habits and addictions, fear and worry, discouragement and depression, poverty and lack, and low self-esteem,58 as if these freedoms are unconditional entitlements. But they never have been, not even for the ancient Israelites. True well-being and security are found in Jesus Christ, through whose death and resurrection a personal relationship with God is secured. This does not mean that we are immune from disaster, but that when disaster strikes, our well-being is ensured. The gospel calls us to take up the cross and to suffer for the cause of Christ. Making material prosperity and physical health our passion is idolatry, a modern version of Canaanite fertility religion.
Nevertheless, in Christ we do find glorious reassurance that God is as interested in the genuine well-being of his people as we are. Just as he fulfilled his Word in delivering the Promised Land into the Israelites’ hands, so he fulfills his Word in granting us every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ (Eph 1:3). The life of faith is indeed lived out in the everyday struggles of life. God does not promise to solve every problem, but he does promise to be there in those struggles.
Ecclesiology for the people of God. Above we addressed the picture of God that Moses paints with these blessings. But what about the people of God? For those with eyes to see, this benediction, particularly the framework, offers a profound ecclesiology, highlighting the privileges that come with membership in the assembly of God’s people. Like the faithful in ancient Israel, we are the recipients of the divine revelation (v. 2), the objects of his love, identified by a special name (vv. 3, 5), his holy ones held by his hand (v. 3), the people to whom God has revealed his will (vv. 3–4; cf. 4:7–8), citizens of his kingdom (v. 5), the secure beneficiaries of his defense (vv. 26–27), and his lavish provision (v. 28), but, most fundamentally, the undeserving recipients of his salvation.
As in the Lord’s Prayer, issues relating to physical well-being are framed by and subordinated to the sheer privilege of calling God our Father, King, Savior, and Defender. To bear the name of Christ and to hear him address us as his beloved are reasons enough to celebrate and keep our focus on him. Through Christ we claim the adoption as sons, the glory, the covenants, the revelation of God’s will, the service of worship, and the promises. May God be blessed forever! (Rom. 9:4–6).
Original Meaning
The Blessing of Levi (33:8–11)
THE LENGTH OF THE Levites’ blessing reflects Moses’ relationship to this tribe (Ex. 6:16–27) and their spiritual role among the people. While verse 11 hints at a military role for this tribe, the emphasis is on their spiritual ministry among the people. This blessing envisions four responsibilities for the Levites, all of them custodial: of the Thummim and Urim (v. 8), the covenant (v. 9), divine revelation (v. 10a–b), and the sacrificial liturgy (v. 10c–d).
The verb seems to have dropped out of the opening line of verse 8, which should probably be reconstructed as follows: “Give to Levi your Thummim, and your Urim to the godly man.”29 Thummim and Urim30 identify the two small stones carried by the high priest in a pouch in his pectoral (Ex. 28:30; Lev. 8:8). The Old Testament does not give a clear picture of their nature or the manner in which they were to be manipulated. They seem to have been small stones or sticks cast like lots for binary decisions (cf. Num. 27:21; Ezra 2:63; Neh. 7:65).
Our text suggests the Levites were awarded custody of the Urim and Thummim because of the fidelity they demonstrated at Massah and Meribah. The term ḥâsîd (“godly, loyal one”; NIV “the man you favored”) identifies one who exhibits the loyalty and commitment that Yahweh himself demonstrates toward Israel by his keeping his covenant (7:9, 12). The names Massah (“place of testing”) and Meribah (“place of contention”) involve plays on words associated with two contexts in which Yahweh provided water for the people in the desert. The accounts of these events in Exodus 17:1–7 and Numbers 20:1–13 do not mention the involvement of the Levites, which suggests this image conflates elements of the events at these places of testing with Israel’s rebellion in the worship of the golden calf at Sinai (Ex. 32:25–29) and the immorality of Baal Peor (Num. 25:1–13). In both instances the Levites stood up to defend Yahweh. If the event in view is that reported in Numbers 20, then the place that proved Moses’ own undoing (cf. 32:50–52) was the place of the Levites’ elevation in stature with God.
In verse 9 Moses’ commendation of the Levites for sacrificing loyalty to family in defense of Yahweh’s word and covenant seems to have in mind the golden calf incident at Sinai (cf. Ex. 32:26–29; Num. 25:11–12). By their actions they kept the word of Yahweh and guarded his covenant, but also lived up to Moses’ charge in Deuteronomy 13 to execute anyone who would lead the people away from Yahweh.
Verse 10a-b highlights the charge to the Levites’ to teach Yahweh’s precepts and his Torah. These two expressions represent the divine revelation given at Sinai (cf. Ex. 21:1) and Moses’ exposition of that revelation (cf. Deut. 31:9–13). While the role of Levites as readers and teachers of Torah does not figure prominently in the biblical narratives,31 we hear accusations of failure in this regard in the prophets.32 Apparently one of the functions of the Levitical cities was to provide bases from which the Levites could teach Torah in every corner of the country.
The last two lines of verse 10 highlight the Levites’ liturgical role. The references to “incense” and “whole burnt offerings” are shorthand for the entire tabernacle ritual system prescribed in Exodus and Leviticus. The reference to “incense in your nostrils” alludes to the practice of waving incense before a deity’s image to evoke a smile of approval.
Reaching a climax in verse 11, the blessing of Levi involves two spheres of existence. (1) Moses invokes Yahweh’s blessing on the Levites’ substance. While the word rendered “skills” in the NIV is capable of a wide range of meanings,33 in this context “resources” captures the required sense. Because the Levites lacked their own territorial allotment, they were especially dependent on Yahweh. Verse 11b moves from what Yahweh does for the Levites to what they do for him. The plea for Yahweh to be pleased with the work of the Levites’ hands shows that not even professional clergy may presume acceptance before him.
(2) Moses invokes Yahweh’s protection of the Levites. Although Exodus 32:25–29 and Numbers 25:6–7 portray Levites wielding weapons of war in defense of Yahweh’s honor, as a rule they were probably unarmed. For their well-being they depended on the favor of the people and the protection of God. The present request for Yahweh to “smite the loins” of adversaries is idiomatic. This blessing assumes that to oppose the Levites is to oppose God.
Bridging Contexts
MOSES’ FAREWELL ADDRESS. IN the ancient world nation states typically derived their name from the people’s perceived ancestor, and the people’s sense of cohesion was based on a sense of ethnic cohesion based on a sense of common descent from that ancestor (e.g., Moabites, Edomites, Israelites). Although Moses was obviously the first and founding leader of Israel as a nation, despite Yahweh’s offer to make of him a great nation (Ex. 32:10), Moses made no effort to change Israel’s story or to secure allegiance to himself. And in contrast to the leaders of other nations, he made no effort to secure his personal legacy by erecting memorials to himself.57 Instead in his final days he poured out his energies in “setting his house in order” and securing the well-being of the people he had led for forty years. These efforts involved primarily words: words of exhortation to fidelity to Israel’s gracious Redeemer and Lord (his three addresses), words of encouragement to the people and Joshua for the challenges they will soon face (31:1–8), words of song that serve as a national anthem (32:1–43), and words of blessing (33:1–26).
Moses’ blessing of the tribes follows the ancient pattern of heads of households gathering their clans around them for a final blessing before their demise. In the New Testament Jesus picked up the practice when, immediately prior to his own death, he called his disciples around him for final conversations and to bless them (John 13–16). Once Judas had left, Jesus began his lengthy address to the disciples who remained. Remarkably, although he repeatedly drew attention to his Father in heaven, he presented himself as the focus of the disciples’ trust and security: They trust in God; they must trust in him (14:1). He bequeathed to them his peace (14:27; 16:33), promising them that in him they would find all the resources needed to cope with a hostile world: (1) the hope of a future with him (14:3); (2) resources for any circumstance (14:13–14); (3) divine presence and aid in the person of the Holy Spirit (14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7); (4) his and the Father’s love (15:1–15; 16:25–27; cf. Deut. 33:3); (5) reminders of their divine election (15:15–19); (6) their ultimate triumph (16:33). All these notions are thoroughly Deuteronomic, and they also address universal concerns. Jesus, Yahweh incarnate, is indeed “the way and the truth and the life” (14:6).
Theological notions in the Blessing of Moses. The Blessing of Moses, especially the hymnic frame, reinforces many theological notions introduced earlier in Deuteronomy. First and foremost, Israel is uniquely privileged to have Yahweh as their God. He is the divine Warrior who comes from Sinai/Paran, arrayed in splendor and accompanied by his heavenly hosts. When he steps down on earth, to his forces he adds his earthly entourage, the nation of Israel, claiming them as his “holy ones” and committing himself to being their divine patron. This eternal God has appeared again in person in the latter days as the incarnate Son of God. Although the “Hymn to Christ” in Philippians 2:6–11 speaks of Christ’s emptying himself, taking on the form of a servant, and dying on a cross, other texts remind us that in his incarnation he shed none of his glory. After decades of reflection on the significance of Jesus’ life John wrote: “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). And the author of Hebrews declares:
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful hand. After he provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs. (Heb. 1:3–4)
Like the Song of Yahweh in chapter 32, the Blessing of Moses proclaims a theology that underlies all of Scripture. In contrast to pagan gods, images of which may be physically present and visible but who are impotent inventions of depraved imaginations, the imageless Yahweh reveals himself in glorious splendor and through verbal communication as sovereign Lord and King over all the powers of heaven and earth and as the divine Warrior who vanquishes all who oppose him. He is the one who has chosen for himself a people whom he sanctifies and declares his holy ones, whom he loves and addresses by the affectionate name, Jeshurun. If the Israelites will accept his grace and his lordship, their security and well-being are guaranteed.
Unfortunately, the history of the nation is a history of frustration and failure. Because Israel refused to trust Yahweh their God and spurned his protective grace, the reality of their history differed radically from the hope and the promise declared here. In the end, the divine Warrior who first appeared to deliver them and to bring them to the Promised Land became their enemy. The privileges of salvation, protection, well-being, and divine presence may not be taken for granted.
Contemporary Significance
DEPENDENCE ON GOD FOR all things. This text, particularly the blessings of the individual tribes, present considerable challenges for modern readers. What am I to do with the promise to Naphtali or Moses’ word for Dan? I am not a Danite; I do not live in the part of the world where the Danites lived; the issues I face day by day are quite different from the issues faced by the Reubenites or Asherites or Josephites.
Still, in surveying all these blessings, one hears a common theme expressed in a dozen variations. In the face of opposition from those who oppose God and his kingdom and represent the kingdom of darkness, God’s people are fully dependent on their divine patron for their well-being. They may rest in the strong arms of Yahweh, who rides above them (v. 26), who upholds them from below (v. 27), and who drives out the enemy before them. Our God does indeed supply all our needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:19). The people of Israel were probably not surprised to hear Moses warn them of the hostile world they face, but the coda declares that they will not face it alone. God’s people are secure in him.
A transformation of Moses’ promises. Even as we find our security in Christ and recognize that God assumes responsibility for our well-being, we are cautioned against the abuse of texts like this by claiming them as unconditional promises of material prosperity. When the New Testament church was established, the covenant community became an international community, which meant that God’s reputation and the advance of the gospel were no longer tied to one state or one people; this text’s promises of material well-being have been transformed. A transnational and global Christianity may not claim these promises of dipping feet in oil and other idioms of agricultural prosperity as literal and unconditional foundations for the health and wealth gospel peddled by so many today and exported around the world, particularly in places of desperate poverty.
One of America’s most popular preachers declares that by his death Jesus Christ frees us from our bad habits and addictions, fear and worry, discouragement and depression, poverty and lack, and low self-esteem,58 as if these freedoms are unconditional entitlements. But they never have been, not even for the ancient Israelites. True well-being and security are found in Jesus Christ, through whose death and resurrection a personal relationship with God is secured. This does not mean that we are immune from disaster, but that when disaster strikes, our well-being is ensured. The gospel calls us to take up the cross and to suffer for the cause of Christ. Making material prosperity and physical health our passion is idolatry, a modern version of Canaanite fertility religion.
Nevertheless, in Christ we do find glorious reassurance that God is as interested in the genuine well-being of his people as we are. Just as he fulfilled his Word in delivering the Promised Land into the Israelites’ hands, so he fulfills his Word in granting us every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ (Eph 1:3). The life of faith is indeed lived out in the everyday struggles of life. God does not promise to solve every problem, but he does promise to be there in those struggles.
Ecclesiology for the people of God. Above we addressed the picture of God that Moses paints with these blessings. But what about the people of God? For those with eyes to see, this benediction, particularly the framework, offers a profound ecclesiology, highlighting the privileges that come with membership in the assembly of God’s people. Like the faithful in ancient Israel, we are the recipients of the divine revelation (v. 2), the objects of his love, identified by a special name (vv. 3, 5), his holy ones held by his hand (v. 3), the people to whom God has revealed his will (vv. 3–4; cf. 4:7–8), citizens of his kingdom (v. 5), the secure beneficiaries of his defense (vv. 26–27), and his lavish provision (v. 28), but, most fundamentally, the undeserving recipients of his salvation.
As in the Lord’s Prayer, issues relating to physical well-being are framed by and subordinated to the sheer privilege of calling God our Father, King, Savior, and Defender. To bear the name of Christ and to hear him address us as his beloved are reasons enough to celebrate and keep our focus on him. Through Christ we claim the adoption as sons, the glory, the covenants, the revelation of God’s will, the service of worship, and the promises. May God be blessed forever! (Rom. 9:4–6).
Original Meaning
The Blessings of Benjamin and Joseph (33:12–17)
AFTER BLESSING THREE LEAH tribes the benediction turns to the tribes descended from Rachel: Benjamin and Joseph. The blessing for Benjamin is fragmentary and textually problematic. The redundant ʿlyw (NIV “in him”) seems to be a scribal error for the divine name “Elyon,”34 suggesting an original something like the following:
The beloved of Yahweh dwells securely,
Elyon shields him all day,
and between his shoulders he dwells. (pers. trans.)
In any case, the blessing opens with an affectionate epithet. Here Benjamin is not merely the beloved son of his father (cf. Gen. 44:20), but the “beloved” of Yahweh (cf. 2 Sam. 12:25). The blessing proper focuses on Benjamin’s security under Yahweh’s protective care: “May he dwell securely, may Elyon protect him constantly; may Israel dwell between Yahweh’s shoulders.” The last statement evokes the image of a parent holding a child in protective embrace.35 Such a positive image of Benjamin would have been unthinkable after the events described in Judges 19–21, reinforcing the view that this entire benediction antedates the monarchy.
In the blessing of Joseph we reach a second center of gravity. Past and present history offer sufficient warrant for the amount of attention given to Joseph and the tribe’s status reflected here: (1) the benediction exhibits conceptual and lexical links with Genesis 49:22–26; (2) Joseph was the tribe of Joshua; (3) the narratives of Joseph dominate the last fifteen chapters of Genesis. The fact this blessing is identical in length to that of Levi (52 words) may reflect the nature of Israel’s leadership under Josephite and Levite tribes after Moses’ death (Joshua was an Ephraimite).
Whereas previous blessings focused on the security of particular tribes, this blessing opens with an effusive prayer for blessing of the land. This may have been inspired by the names of the eponymous ancestors: “Joseph” means “May he increase/add,” (cf. Gen. 30:24) and Ephraim means “to be fruitful” (cf. Gen. 41:52). But the tone is set by the key word meged (“choicest [fruit]”), which occurs five times in verses 13–16. From the same semantic field, verse 15a adds rōʾš (“head”) in the sense of “foremost things.” Although the opening line of this litany recognizes Yahweh as the source of all good things, the picture involves the covenantal triangle, with deity, people, and land all fulfilling their functions within this relationship.
The blessing marshals the entire cosmos in Joseph’s interest: the heavens, which yield their dew; the “deep waters” that lie below (cf. 8:7); the “sun,” which all ancients recognized as essential for the land to yield its produce; the “moon”; “the ancient mountains; the everlasting hills”;36 and “the earth and its fullness”—a comprehensive expression for living things, vegetation, and animals, which the earth yields in abundance. The list concludes with a declaration that prosperity is dependent on the good will of Yahweh, identified here by the unusual epithet, (lit.) “the one who inhabits the bush.” The NIV’s “who dwelt in the burning bush” fills out the allusion to the bush that would not burn up in Exodus 3:2–4.37
In verses 16–17 we hear several allusions to the portrayal of Joseph in Genesis. Verse 16 begins with a prayer that all these agricultural favors will rest like a diadem on the “head” of Joseph.38 The verse ends by characterizing Joseph as “prince among his brothers,” a phrase also borrowed from Genesis. While Genesis 45:8 describes Joseph’s status in Egypt, the present text identifies him as prince of his brothers (cf. 1 Chron. 5:1–2).
Verse 17 elaborates on Joseph’s status as firstborn with impressive bovine imagery.39 Joseph is a majestic specimen, with magnificent horns like a wild ox.40 The targets of Joseph’s rampage are the “nations” to “the ends of the earth.” The blessing concludes by clarifying the meaning of “his horns” (v. 17b). They are the “myriads” (NIV “ten thousands”) of Ephraim and the “thousands” of Manasseh. As Jacob does in Genesis 48:15–20, Moses gives pride of place to Ephraim by naming him first and ascribing to him “myriads” of troops.41
Bridging Contexts
MOSES’ FAREWELL ADDRESS. IN the ancient world nation states typically derived their name from the people’s perceived ancestor, and the people’s sense of cohesion was based on a sense of ethnic cohesion based on a sense of common descent from that ancestor (e.g., Moabites, Edomites, Israelites). Although Moses was obviously the first and founding leader of Israel as a nation, despite Yahweh’s offer to make of him a great nation (Ex. 32:10), Moses made no effort to change Israel’s story or to secure allegiance to himself. And in contrast to the leaders of other nations, he made no effort to secure his personal legacy by erecting memorials to himself.57 Instead in his final days he poured out his energies in “setting his house in order” and securing the well-being of the people he had led for forty years. These efforts involved primarily words: words of exhortation to fidelity to Israel’s gracious Redeemer and Lord (his three addresses), words of encouragement to the people and Joshua for the challenges they will soon face (31:1–8), words of song that serve as a national anthem (32:1–43), and words of blessing (33:1–26).
Moses’ blessing of the tribes follows the ancient pattern of heads of households gathering their clans around them for a final blessing before their demise. In the New Testament Jesus picked up the practice when, immediately prior to his own death, he called his disciples around him for final conversations and to bless them (John 13–16). Once Judas had left, Jesus began his lengthy address to the disciples who remained. Remarkably, although he repeatedly drew attention to his Father in heaven, he presented himself as the focus of the disciples’ trust and security: They trust in God; they must trust in him (14:1). He bequeathed to them his peace (14:27; 16:33), promising them that in him they would find all the resources needed to cope with a hostile world: (1) the hope of a future with him (14:3); (2) resources for any circumstance (14:13–14); (3) divine presence and aid in the person of the Holy Spirit (14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7); (4) his and the Father’s love (15:1–15; 16:25–27; cf. Deut. 33:3); (5) reminders of their divine election (15:15–19); (6) their ultimate triumph (16:33). All these notions are thoroughly Deuteronomic, and they also address universal concerns. Jesus, Yahweh incarnate, is indeed “the way and the truth and the life” (14:6).
Theological notions in the Blessing of Moses. The Blessing of Moses, especially the hymnic frame, reinforces many theological notions introduced earlier in Deuteronomy. First and foremost, Israel is uniquely privileged to have Yahweh as their God. He is the divine Warrior who comes from Sinai/Paran, arrayed in splendor and accompanied by his heavenly hosts. When he steps down on earth, to his forces he adds his earthly entourage, the nation of Israel, claiming them as his “holy ones” and committing himself to being their divine patron. This eternal God has appeared again in person in the latter days as the incarnate Son of God. Although the “Hymn to Christ” in Philippians 2:6–11 speaks of Christ’s emptying himself, taking on the form of a servant, and dying on a cross, other texts remind us that in his incarnation he shed none of his glory. After decades of reflection on the significance of Jesus’ life John wrote: “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). And the author of Hebrews declares:
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful hand. After he provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs. (Heb. 1:3–4)
Like the Song of Yahweh in chapter 32, the Blessing of Moses proclaims a theology that underlies all of Scripture. In contrast to pagan gods, images of which may be physically present and visible but who are impotent inventions of depraved imaginations, the imageless Yahweh reveals himself in glorious splendor and through verbal communication as sovereign Lord and King over all the powers of heaven and earth and as the divine Warrior who vanquishes all who oppose him. He is the one who has chosen for himself a people whom he sanctifies and declares his holy ones, whom he loves and addresses by the affectionate name, Jeshurun. If the Israelites will accept his grace and his lordship, their security and well-being are guaranteed.
Unfortunately, the history of the nation is a history of frustration and failure. Because Israel refused to trust Yahweh their God and spurned his protective grace, the reality of their history differed radically from the hope and the promise declared here. In the end, the divine Warrior who first appeared to deliver them and to bring them to the Promised Land became their enemy. The privileges of salvation, protection, well-being, and divine presence may not be taken for granted.
Contemporary Significance
DEPENDENCE ON GOD FOR all things. This text, particularly the blessings of the individual tribes, present considerable challenges for modern readers. What am I to do with the promise to Naphtali or Moses’ word for Dan? I am not a Danite; I do not live in the part of the world where the Danites lived; the issues I face day by day are quite different from the issues faced by the Reubenites or Asherites or Josephites.
Still, in surveying all these blessings, one hears a common theme expressed in a dozen variations. In the face of opposition from those who oppose God and his kingdom and represent the kingdom of darkness, God’s people are fully dependent on their divine patron for their well-being. They may rest in the strong arms of Yahweh, who rides above them (v. 26), who upholds them from below (v. 27), and who drives out the enemy before them. Our God does indeed supply all our needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:19). The people of Israel were probably not surprised to hear Moses warn them of the hostile world they face, but the coda declares that they will not face it alone. God’s people are secure in him.
A transformation of Moses’ promises. Even as we find our security in Christ and recognize that God assumes responsibility for our well-being, we are cautioned against the abuse of texts like this by claiming them as unconditional promises of material prosperity. When the New Testament church was established, the covenant community became an international community, which meant that God’s reputation and the advance of the gospel were no longer tied to one state or one people; this text’s promises of material well-being have been transformed. A transnational and global Christianity may not claim these promises of dipping feet in oil and other idioms of agricultural prosperity as literal and unconditional foundations for the health and wealth gospel peddled by so many today and exported around the world, particularly in places of desperate poverty.
One of America’s most popular preachers declares that by his death Jesus Christ frees us from our bad habits and addictions, fear and worry, discouragement and depression, poverty and lack, and low self-esteem,58 as if these freedoms are unconditional entitlements. But they never have been, not even for the ancient Israelites. True well-being and security are found in Jesus Christ, through whose death and resurrection a personal relationship with God is secured. This does not mean that we are immune from disaster, but that when disaster strikes, our well-being is ensured. The gospel calls us to take up the cross and to suffer for the cause of Christ. Making material prosperity and physical health our passion is idolatry, a modern version of Canaanite fertility religion.
Nevertheless, in Christ we do find glorious reassurance that God is as interested in the genuine well-being of his people as we are. Just as he fulfilled his Word in delivering the Promised Land into the Israelites’ hands, so he fulfills his Word in granting us every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ (Eph 1:3). The life of faith is indeed lived out in the everyday struggles of life. God does not promise to solve every problem, but he does promise to be there in those struggles.
Ecclesiology for the people of God. Above we addressed the picture of God that Moses paints with these blessings. But what about the people of God? For those with eyes to see, this benediction, particularly the framework, offers a profound ecclesiology, highlighting the privileges that come with membership in the assembly of God’s people. Like the faithful in ancient Israel, we are the recipients of the divine revelation (v. 2), the objects of his love, identified by a special name (vv. 3, 5), his holy ones held by his hand (v. 3), the people to whom God has revealed his will (vv. 3–4; cf. 4:7–8), citizens of his kingdom (v. 5), the secure beneficiaries of his defense (vv. 26–27), and his lavish provision (v. 28), but, most fundamentally, the undeserving recipients of his salvation.
As in the Lord’s Prayer, issues relating to physical well-being are framed by and subordinated to the sheer privilege of calling God our Father, King, Savior, and Defender. To bear the name of Christ and to hear him address us as his beloved are reasons enough to celebrate and keep our focus on him. Through Christ we claim the adoption as sons, the glory, the covenants, the revelation of God’s will, the service of worship, and the promises. May God be blessed forever! (Rom. 9:4–6).
Original Meaning
The Blessings of Zebulun, Issachar, and Gad (33:18–21)
IN VERSES 18–25 Moses addresses the six northern tribes in five short fragments. As with Ephraim and Manasseh, in verse 18 he honors Zebulun by departing from the birth order and naming the younger tribe first. The blessing of Zebulun and Issachar opens with a call to “rejoice,” followed by an enigmatic reference to Zebulun “going out” and Issachar “in your tents.” While the former may allude to Zebulun’s trading or fishing ventures, in contrast to Issachar’s nomadic dwellings, we should treat these two lines as a merism, equivalent to “when you go out and when you come in.”42 Zebulun and Issachar are to rejoice wherever they are.
Moses holds off the reason for the celebration until the end (v. 19b–c), where he speaks of these tribes harvesting the products of the sea and the seashore. The harvest would include primary marine resources like fish and shells (used for making jewelry, lamps, and dyes), as well as products of maritime trade: timber, precious metals, pottery, and agricultural products from abroad.43 He describes the mercantile enterprise strangely as “sucking” (NIV “feast on”) abundance from the seas and the hidden treasures of the sand. Like Genesis 49:13, this blessing envisions Zebulun and Issachar along the coast in Phoenician territory rather than inland as described in Joshua 19:10–23.
In the middle Moses refers enigmatically to calling peoples to the mountains to offer righteous sacrifices. This reference is uncertain. As in verse 3, “peoples” refers to kinsfolk, as opposed to outsiders (cf. v. 17). Presumably the “righteous sacrifices” involve celebrations called for by the verb “rejoice” at the beginning, but on which “mountain” is unclear.44 This is probably a generic expression for the location of the festivals, overlooking the sea and the seashore.
Strictly speaking the blessing involving Gad (vv. 20–21) actually pronounces the benediction on the one who enlarges Gad, that is, Yahweh himself, in which case “blessed is” means in effect “praise be” to God. The enlargement of Gad represents a fulfillment of the name, which means “good fortune,” and probably has more to do with increasing the population than expanding the territory. Though the vocabulary differs, the image of Gad as a lion borrows from Jacob’s blessing of Judah in Genesis 49:9. The two verbs reflect the two activities for which these large felines are known: sleeping and devouring prey.
Verse 21 anticipates Gad’s future commitments and challenges. The first two cola allude to Gad’s request to be granted a portion of the land of the Amorites east of the Jordan River (Num. 32:1–2). Joshua 22 shows that this decision would present serious challenges in the future, especially their relationship to the other tribes and their access to the spiritual heritage. But like Lot in Genesis 13:8–11, the Gadites “saw” this land and chose what they deemed best for themselves. Moses acceded to their request and reserved for them favorable territory, characterized as “the leader’s portion.”
The last three lines praise the Gadites for their spiritual commitments. When the heads of the people assembled, they fulfilled the ideals of the covenant by executing the righteousness of Yahweh and living according to his “judgments.” Many translations render the phrase ṣidqat yhwh as “the justice of the LORD” (NIV “the LORD’s righteous will”); this term does include the notion of social justice, but it should be interpreted more broadly as “righteousness” as laid down in the Sinai revelation and the Mosaic Torah (cf. 16:20). To be sure, righteousness involves justice, but it refers to conduct according to all his righteous “decrees” and “laws” (Deut. 4:8) and “walking in all the ways of the LORD,” which include religious, ceremonial, civil, social, and personal prescriptions as well.
Bridging Contexts
MOSES’ FAREWELL ADDRESS. IN the ancient world nation states typically derived their name from the people’s perceived ancestor, and the people’s sense of cohesion was based on a sense of ethnic cohesion based on a sense of common descent from that ancestor (e.g., Moabites, Edomites, Israelites). Although Moses was obviously the first and founding leader of Israel as a nation, despite Yahweh’s offer to make of him a great nation (Ex. 32:10), Moses made no effort to change Israel’s story or to secure allegiance to himself. And in contrast to the leaders of other nations, he made no effort to secure his personal legacy by erecting memorials to himself.57 Instead in his final days he poured out his energies in “setting his house in order” and securing the well-being of the people he had led for forty years. These efforts involved primarily words: words of exhortation to fidelity to Israel’s gracious Redeemer and Lord (his three addresses), words of encouragement to the people and Joshua for the challenges they will soon face (31:1–8), words of song that serve as a national anthem (32:1–43), and words of blessing (33:1–26).
Moses’ blessing of the tribes follows the ancient pattern of heads of households gathering their clans around them for a final blessing before their demise. In the New Testament Jesus picked up the practice when, immediately prior to his own death, he called his disciples around him for final conversations and to bless them (John 13–16). Once Judas had left, Jesus began his lengthy address to the disciples who remained. Remarkably, although he repeatedly drew attention to his Father in heaven, he presented himself as the focus of the disciples’ trust and security: They trust in God; they must trust in him (14:1). He bequeathed to them his peace (14:27; 16:33), promising them that in him they would find all the resources needed to cope with a hostile world: (1) the hope of a future with him (14:3); (2) resources for any circumstance (14:13–14); (3) divine presence and aid in the person of the Holy Spirit (14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7); (4) his and the Father’s love (15:1–15; 16:25–27; cf. Deut. 33:3); (5) reminders of their divine election (15:15–19); (6) their ultimate triumph (16:33). All these notions are thoroughly Deuteronomic, and they also address universal concerns. Jesus, Yahweh incarnate, is indeed “the way and the truth and the life” (14:6).
Theological notions in the Blessing of Moses. The Blessing of Moses, especially the hymnic frame, reinforces many theological notions introduced earlier in Deuteronomy. First and foremost, Israel is uniquely privileged to have Yahweh as their God. He is the divine Warrior who comes from Sinai/Paran, arrayed in splendor and accompanied by his heavenly hosts. When he steps down on earth, to his forces he adds his earthly entourage, the nation of Israel, claiming them as his “holy ones” and committing himself to being their divine patron. This eternal God has appeared again in person in the latter days as the incarnate Son of God. Although the “Hymn to Christ” in Philippians 2:6–11 speaks of Christ’s emptying himself, taking on the form of a servant, and dying on a cross, other texts remind us that in his incarnation he shed none of his glory. After decades of reflection on the significance of Jesus’ life John wrote: “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). And the author of Hebrews declares:
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful hand. After he provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs. (Heb. 1:3–4)
Like the Song of Yahweh in chapter 32, the Blessing of Moses proclaims a theology that underlies all of Scripture. In contrast to pagan gods, images of which may be physically present and visible but who are impotent inventions of depraved imaginations, the imageless Yahweh reveals himself in glorious splendor and through verbal communication as sovereign Lord and King over all the powers of heaven and earth and as the divine Warrior who vanquishes all who oppose him. He is the one who has chosen for himself a people whom he sanctifies and declares his holy ones, whom he loves and addresses by the affectionate name, Jeshurun. If the Israelites will accept his grace and his lordship, their security and well-being are guaranteed.
Unfortunately, the history of the nation is a history of frustration and failure. Because Israel refused to trust Yahweh their God and spurned his protective grace, the reality of their history differed radically from the hope and the promise declared here. In the end, the divine Warrior who first appeared to deliver them and to bring them to the Promised Land became their enemy. The privileges of salvation, protection, well-being, and divine presence may not be taken for granted.
Contemporary Significance
DEPENDENCE ON GOD FOR all things. This text, particularly the blessings of the individual tribes, present considerable challenges for modern readers. What am I to do with the promise to Naphtali or Moses’ word for Dan? I am not a Danite; I do not live in the part of the world where the Danites lived; the issues I face day by day are quite different from the issues faced by the Reubenites or Asherites or Josephites.
Still, in surveying all these blessings, one hears a common theme expressed in a dozen variations. In the face of opposition from those who oppose God and his kingdom and represent the kingdom of darkness, God’s people are fully dependent on their divine patron for their well-being. They may rest in the strong arms of Yahweh, who rides above them (v. 26), who upholds them from below (v. 27), and who drives out the enemy before them. Our God does indeed supply all our needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:19). The people of Israel were probably not surprised to hear Moses warn them of the hostile world they face, but the coda declares that they will not face it alone. God’s people are secure in him.
A transformation of Moses’ promises. Even as we find our security in Christ and recognize that God assumes responsibility for our well-being, we are cautioned against the abuse of texts like this by claiming them as unconditional promises of material prosperity. When the New Testament church was established, the covenant community became an international community, which meant that God’s reputation and the advance of the gospel were no longer tied to one state or one people; this text’s promises of material well-being have been transformed. A transnational and global Christianity may not claim these promises of dipping feet in oil and other idioms of agricultural prosperity as literal and unconditional foundations for the health and wealth gospel peddled by so many today and exported around the world, particularly in places of desperate poverty.
One of America’s most popular preachers declares that by his death Jesus Christ frees us from our bad habits and addictions, fear and worry, discouragement and depression, poverty and lack, and low self-esteem,58 as if these freedoms are unconditional entitlements. But they never have been, not even for the ancient Israelites. True well-being and security are found in Jesus Christ, through whose death and resurrection a personal relationship with God is secured. This does not mean that we are immune from disaster, but that when disaster strikes, our well-being is ensured. The gospel calls us to take up the cross and to suffer for the cause of Christ. Making material prosperity and physical health our passion is idolatry, a modern version of Canaanite fertility religion.
Nevertheless, in Christ we do find glorious reassurance that God is as interested in the genuine well-being of his people as we are. Just as he fulfilled his Word in delivering the Promised Land into the Israelites’ hands, so he fulfills his Word in granting us every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ (Eph 1:3). The life of faith is indeed lived out in the everyday struggles of life. God does not promise to solve every problem, but he does promise to be there in those struggles.
Ecclesiology for the people of God. Above we addressed the picture of God that Moses paints with these blessings. But what about the people of God? For those with eyes to see, this benediction, particularly the framework, offers a profound ecclesiology, highlighting the privileges that come with membership in the assembly of God’s people. Like the faithful in ancient Israel, we are the recipients of the divine revelation (v. 2), the objects of his love, identified by a special name (vv. 3, 5), his holy ones held by his hand (v. 3), the people to whom God has revealed his will (vv. 3–4; cf. 4:7–8), citizens of his kingdom (v. 5), the secure beneficiaries of his defense (vv. 26–27), and his lavish provision (v. 28), but, most fundamentally, the undeserving recipients of his salvation.
As in the Lord’s Prayer, issues relating to physical well-being are framed by and subordinated to the sheer privilege of calling God our Father, King, Savior, and Defender. To bear the name of Christ and to hear him address us as his beloved are reasons enough to celebrate and keep our focus on him. Through Christ we claim the adoption as sons, the glory, the covenants, the revelation of God’s will, the service of worship, and the promises. May God be blessed forever! (Rom. 9:4–6).
Original Meaning
The Blessings of Dan, Naphtali, and Asher (33:22–25)
MOSES’ BLESSING OF DAN is the shortest of all (v. 22). Although uttered by Moses, the placement of this fragment among the northern tribes suggests these blessings were gathered and arranged after the Danite’s migration to Laish (Judg. 18). However, there is additional logic in locating Dan after Gad. Like Gad (v. 20), Dan is compared to a lion cub leaping from Bashan (cf. Gen. 49:9).
The blessing of Naphtali (v. 23) sounds like a collage of expressions that have been heard earlier, but they are now combined in the first two lines to present an image of superlative well-being and satisfaction with the favor and the blessing of Yahweh (cf. Prov. 10:22). The last line charges Naphtali to take possession of the west and the southland. The NIV’s “southward to the lake” understands the first word in its normal sense. However, in this context involving directions, the word translated “lake” probably means “west.”45
In the blessing of Asher Moses prays for both fertility and security. The first two lines request for Asher’s supremacy among the tribes in the blessing and favor with God. The material dimension of that favor is expressed by a curious idiom, “let him bathe his feet in oil.” The expression imagines the olive trees of Galilee so productive that streams of oil run down the hills.46
Verse 25 pleads for Naphtali’s security, expressed in terms of bronze and iron gate-bolts. The expression for “bolts of your gates” reflects the fact that in ancient Palestine defensive gate structures were complex installations, consisting of double doors made of thick boards, barred by a heavy horizontal beam slid through slots in the doorposts. The reference to iron and bronze adds to the image of prosperity and security. Any town that could make its bolts of solid iron or copper was prosperous indeed.47 The blessing concludes with a proverb: “As your days, so your security” (pers. trans.) The meaning of the expression is somewhat difficult to ascertain, but the impulse reflected in early versions to render the word as “strength” is sound.48
Bridging Contexts
MOSES’ FAREWELL ADDRESS. IN the ancient world nation states typically derived their name from the people’s perceived ancestor, and the people’s sense of cohesion was based on a sense of ethnic cohesion based on a sense of common descent from that ancestor (e.g., Moabites, Edomites, Israelites). Although Moses was obviously the first and founding leader of Israel as a nation, despite Yahweh’s offer to make of him a great nation (Ex. 32:10), Moses made no effort to change Israel’s story or to secure allegiance to himself. And in contrast to the leaders of other nations, he made no effort to secure his personal legacy by erecting memorials to himself.57 Instead in his final days he poured out his energies in “setting his house in order” and securing the well-being of the people he had led for forty years. These efforts involved primarily words: words of exhortation to fidelity to Israel’s gracious Redeemer and Lord (his three addresses), words of encouragement to the people and Joshua for the challenges they will soon face (31:1–8), words of song that serve as a national anthem (32:1–43), and words of blessing (33:1–26).
Moses’ blessing of the tribes follows the ancient pattern of heads of households gathering their clans around them for a final blessing before their demise. In the New Testament Jesus picked up the practice when, immediately prior to his own death, he called his disciples around him for final conversations and to bless them (John 13–16). Once Judas had left, Jesus began his lengthy address to the disciples who remained. Remarkably, although he repeatedly drew attention to his Father in heaven, he presented himself as the focus of the disciples’ trust and security: They trust in God; they must trust in him (14:1). He bequeathed to them his peace (14:27; 16:33), promising them that in him they would find all the resources needed to cope with a hostile world: (1) the hope of a future with him (14:3); (2) resources for any circumstance (14:13–14); (3) divine presence and aid in the person of the Holy Spirit (14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7); (4) his and the Father’s love (15:1–15; 16:25–27; cf. Deut. 33:3); (5) reminders of their divine election (15:15–19); (6) their ultimate triumph (16:33). All these notions are thoroughly Deuteronomic, and they also address universal concerns. Jesus, Yahweh incarnate, is indeed “the way and the truth and the life” (14:6).
Theological notions in the Blessing of Moses. The Blessing of Moses, especially the hymnic frame, reinforces many theological notions introduced earlier in Deuteronomy. First and foremost, Israel is uniquely privileged to have Yahweh as their God. He is the divine Warrior who comes from Sinai/Paran, arrayed in splendor and accompanied by his heavenly hosts. When he steps down on earth, to his forces he adds his earthly entourage, the nation of Israel, claiming them as his “holy ones” and committing himself to being their divine patron. This eternal God has appeared again in person in the latter days as the incarnate Son of God. Although the “Hymn to Christ” in Philippians 2:6–11 speaks of Christ’s emptying himself, taking on the form of a servant, and dying on a cross, other texts remind us that in his incarnation he shed none of his glory. After decades of reflection on the significance of Jesus’ life John wrote: “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). And the author of Hebrews declares:
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful hand. After he provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs. (Heb. 1:3–4)
Like the Song of Yahweh in chapter 32, the Blessing of Moses proclaims a theology that underlies all of Scripture. In contrast to pagan gods, images of which may be physically present and visible but who are impotent inventions of depraved imaginations, the imageless Yahweh reveals himself in glorious splendor and through verbal communication as sovereign Lord and King over all the powers of heaven and earth and as the divine Warrior who vanquishes all who oppose him. He is the one who has chosen for himself a people whom he sanctifies and declares his holy ones, whom he loves and addresses by the affectionate name, Jeshurun. If the Israelites will accept his grace and his lordship, their security and well-being are guaranteed.
Unfortunately, the history of the nation is a history of frustration and failure. Because Israel refused to trust Yahweh their God and spurned his protective grace, the reality of their history differed radically from the hope and the promise declared here. In the end, the divine Warrior who first appeared to deliver them and to bring them to the Promised Land became their enemy. The privileges of salvation, protection, well-being, and divine presence may not be taken for granted.
Contemporary Significance
DEPENDENCE ON GOD FOR all things. This text, particularly the blessings of the individual tribes, present considerable challenges for modern readers. What am I to do with the promise to Naphtali or Moses’ word for Dan? I am not a Danite; I do not live in the part of the world where the Danites lived; the issues I face day by day are quite different from the issues faced by the Reubenites or Asherites or Josephites.
Still, in surveying all these blessings, one hears a common theme expressed in a dozen variations. In the face of opposition from those who oppose God and his kingdom and represent the kingdom of darkness, God’s people are fully dependent on their divine patron for their well-being. They may rest in the strong arms of Yahweh, who rides above them (v. 26), who upholds them from below (v. 27), and who drives out the enemy before them. Our God does indeed supply all our needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:19). The people of Israel were probably not surprised to hear Moses warn them of the hostile world they face, but the coda declares that they will not face it alone. God’s people are secure in him.
A transformation of Moses’ promises. Even as we find our security in Christ and recognize that God assumes responsibility for our well-being, we are cautioned against the abuse of texts like this by claiming them as unconditional promises of material prosperity. When the New Testament church was established, the covenant community became an international community, which meant that God’s reputation and the advance of the gospel were no longer tied to one state or one people; this text’s promises of material well-being have been transformed. A transnational and global Christianity may not claim these promises of dipping feet in oil and other idioms of agricultural prosperity as literal and unconditional foundations for the health and wealth gospel peddled by so many today and exported around the world, particularly in places of desperate poverty.
One of America’s most popular preachers declares that by his death Jesus Christ frees us from our bad habits and addictions, fear and worry, discouragement and depression, poverty and lack, and low self-esteem,58 as if these freedoms are unconditional entitlements. But they never have been, not even for the ancient Israelites. True well-being and security are found in Jesus Christ, through whose death and resurrection a personal relationship with God is secured. This does not mean that we are immune from disaster, but that when disaster strikes, our well-being is ensured. The gospel calls us to take up the cross and to suffer for the cause of Christ. Making material prosperity and physical health our passion is idolatry, a modern version of Canaanite fertility religion.
Nevertheless, in Christ we do find glorious reassurance that God is as interested in the genuine well-being of his people as we are. Just as he fulfilled his Word in delivering the Promised Land into the Israelites’ hands, so he fulfills his Word in granting us every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ (Eph 1:3). The life of faith is indeed lived out in the everyday struggles of life. God does not promise to solve every problem, but he does promise to be there in those struggles.
Ecclesiology for the people of God. Above we addressed the picture of God that Moses paints with these blessings. But what about the people of God? For those with eyes to see, this benediction, particularly the framework, offers a profound ecclesiology, highlighting the privileges that come with membership in the assembly of God’s people. Like the faithful in ancient Israel, we are the recipients of the divine revelation (v. 2), the objects of his love, identified by a special name (vv. 3, 5), his holy ones held by his hand (v. 3), the people to whom God has revealed his will (vv. 3–4; cf. 4:7–8), citizens of his kingdom (v. 5), the secure beneficiaries of his defense (vv. 26–27), and his lavish provision (v. 28), but, most fundamentally, the undeserving recipients of his salvation.
As in the Lord’s Prayer, issues relating to physical well-being are framed by and subordinated to the sheer privilege of calling God our Father, King, Savior, and Defender. To bear the name of Christ and to hear him address us as his beloved are reasons enough to celebrate and keep our focus on him. Through Christ we claim the adoption as sons, the glory, the covenants, the revelation of God’s will, the service of worship, and the promises. May God be blessed forever! (Rom. 9:4–6).
Original Meaning
The Coda (33:26–29)
THE CODA PICKS UP where the exordium had left off, praising Yahweh for his lavish support for Israel (vv. 26–27) and congratulating Israel for having a God like Yahweh (vv. 28–29). This stanza divides into three artfully composed parts, with the first (vv. 26–27) and last (v. 29) being identical in length by word count (19 words) framing the shorter center (v. 28). The outer parts both begin with a vocative address and highlight Yahweh’s rescue of Israel from her enemies, while the center focuses on Israel enjoying the security he has provided.
The opening line of verse 26 declares the incomparability of God. Here Moses uses the term “El,” which may either be a generic expression for deity or claim for him the title of the high God in Canaanite mythology. The following line, which speaks of Yahweh riding through the heavens/skies in “majesty”49 to come to the aid of his people, points in the latter direction (cf. Ps. 104:3). This imagery recalls Canaanite myths of the storm god Baal, one of whose stock epithets was “rider of the clouds.”50 By claiming these epithets for Yahweh, Moses declares his jurisdiction over all the spheres that Canaanites had distributed among the gods.
The first two lines of verse 27 declare in a nutshell the Israelites’ basis of security. (1) They know their God is eternal. With the epithet “eternal God,” Moses claims for Yahweh the status of El, whose titles included “king, father of years.”51 Inoculating his people against the virus of Canaanite fertility religion, Moses declares that Yahweh, not the otiose and aging Canaanite El, is the key to Israel’s well-being.
(2) The Israelites are secure because Yahweh is their defender. Defensively he provides a safe dwelling place52 and sustains them with his strong, “everlasting arms.” Taken together, Moses created the image of a strong father who provides a safe and secure home for his family and who holds them in a protective embrace.
(3) But Yahweh’s actions on Israel’s behalf are also offensive; he goes before Israel, defeating the enemy and sending out his agents with the charge “Destroy him!” It is difficult to know whether the charge is issued to Israel or to his nonhuman agents (32:23–24, 40–41). This is indeed a picture of total security. Yahweh rides above Israel, he upholds his people from below, and he marches on ahead of them.
Verse 28 functions as a fulcrum between two hymnic celebrations of privilege, describing a domestic scene of perfect bliss. While the meaning of the first of the opening parallel lines is clear, the second is enigmatic, until we recognize the precision of the parallelism. As is normally the case, the first line employs common vocabulary: the verb “to live” and the modifier “in safety” (cf. v. 12). But the second has long been a riddle. The NIV follows longstanding tradition in attaching “alone” to the preceding line and interpreting ʿên as “fountain, spring.” But this is difficult grammatically and conceptually. If “alone, secluded” is attached to the following line and ʿên treated as a verb “to reside,” synonymous with “live” (šâkan),53 the parallelism is complete: “So Israel lived in safety, Jacob lived alone” (cf. ESV), and the image of security is reinforced.
The last two lines of verse 28 highlight Israel’s prosperity, while subtly continuing the polemic against pagan religious notions. Israel is at home in a land that yields grain and high quality wine. As in 7:13–14, these words also serve a polemical function, being cognate to the names of the gods Dagan and Tirshu/Tirash, respectively. As staple agricultural products, grain and wine function as a merism referring to full prosperity.
Moses concludes his blessing of the tribes on a celebrative note, congratulating the Israelites for the privilege that is theirs of being the people of Yahweh. Whereas the coda had begun by declaring the incomparability of Israel’s God, it ends by declaring the incomparability of God’s people. They are the beneficiaries of his rescue and protection. The first statement is vague enough to include other experiences of rescue, but it alludes primarily to Israel’s deliverance from the Egyptians (cf. 4:32–40). The second statement identifies Yahweh metaphorically as Israel’s Shield of help and her Sword of triumph. Whereas “shield” is a common metaphor for Yahweh in the Old Testament,54 this is the only reference to him as “sword.” Whereas in verse 26 the word had spoken of Yahweh’s “preeminence,” here it applies to his people: Yahweh is the defender of Israel’s majesty.
The last two lines testify dramatically to the kind of preeminence Moses had spoken of earlier in 26:19 and 28:1, 10–14. The meaning of the rare word translated as “cower” in the NIV is determined by the context. With the last line, Moses presents the image of subjugated persons cringing prostrate before their victor and the victor placing his foot on their backs,55 a practice attested in both literary word and the iconography from the ancient Near East.56
Bridging Contexts
MOSES’ FAREWELL ADDRESS. IN the ancient world nation states typically derived their name from the people’s perceived ancestor, and the people’s sense of cohesion was based on a sense of ethnic cohesion based on a sense of common descent from that ancestor (e.g., Moabites, Edomites, Israelites). Although Moses was obviously the first and founding leader of Israel as a nation, despite Yahweh’s offer to make of him a great nation (Ex. 32:10), Moses made no effort to change Israel’s story or to secure allegiance to himself. And in contrast to the leaders of other nations, he made no effort to secure his personal legacy by erecting memorials to himself.57 Instead in his final days he poured out his energies in “setting his house in order” and securing the well-being of the people he had led for forty years. These efforts involved primarily words: words of exhortation to fidelity to Israel’s gracious Redeemer and Lord (his three addresses), words of encouragement to the people and Joshua for the challenges they will soon face (31:1–8), words of song that serve as a national anthem (32:1–43), and words of blessing (33:1–26).
Moses’ blessing of the tribes follows the ancient pattern of heads of households gathering their clans around them for a final blessing before their demise. In the New Testament Jesus picked up the practice when, immediately prior to his own death, he called his disciples around him for final conversations and to bless them (John 13–16). Once Judas had left, Jesus began his lengthy address to the disciples who remained. Remarkably, although he repeatedly drew attention to his Father in heaven, he presented himself as the focus of the disciples’ trust and security: They trust in God; they must trust in him (14:1). He bequeathed to them his peace (14:27; 16:33), promising them that in him they would find all the resources needed to cope with a hostile world: (1) the hope of a future with him (14:3); (2) resources for any circumstance (14:13–14); (3) divine presence and aid in the person of the Holy Spirit (14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7); (4) his and the Father’s love (15:1–15; 16:25–27; cf. Deut. 33:3); (5) reminders of their divine election (15:15–19); (6) their ultimate triumph (16:33). All these notions are thoroughly Deuteronomic, and they also address universal concerns. Jesus, Yahweh incarnate, is indeed “the way and the truth and the life” (14:6).
Theological notions in the Blessing of Moses. The Blessing of Moses, especially the hymnic frame, reinforces many theological notions introduced earlier in Deuteronomy. First and foremost, Israel is uniquely privileged to have Yahweh as their God. He is the divine Warrior who comes from Sinai/Paran, arrayed in splendor and accompanied by his heavenly hosts. When he steps down on earth, to his forces he adds his earthly entourage, the nation of Israel, claiming them as his “holy ones” and committing himself to being their divine patron. This eternal God has appeared again in person in the latter days as the incarnate Son of God. Although the “Hymn to Christ” in Philippians 2:6–11 speaks of Christ’s emptying himself, taking on the form of a servant, and dying on a cross, other texts remind us that in his incarnation he shed none of his glory. After decades of reflection on the significance of Jesus’ life John wrote: “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). And the author of Hebrews declares:
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful hand. After he provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs. (Heb. 1:3–4)
Like the Song of Yahweh in chapter 32, the Blessing of Moses proclaims a theology that underlies all of Scripture. In contrast to pagan gods, images of which may be physically present and visible but who are impotent inventions of depraved imaginations, the imageless Yahweh reveals himself in glorious splendor and through verbal communication as sovereign Lord and King over all the powers of heaven and earth and as the divine Warrior who vanquishes all who oppose him. He is the one who has chosen for himself a people whom he sanctifies and declares his holy ones, whom he loves and addresses by the affectionate name, Jeshurun. If the Israelites will accept his grace and his lordship, their security and well-being are guaranteed.
Unfortunately, the history of the nation is a history of frustration and failure. Because Israel refused to trust Yahweh their God and spurned his protective grace, the reality of their history differed radically from the hope and the promise declared here. In the end, the divine Warrior who first appeared to deliver them and to bring them to the Promised Land became their enemy. The privileges of salvation, protection, well-being, and divine presence may not be taken for granted.
Contemporary Significance
DEPENDENCE ON GOD FOR all things. This text, particularly the blessings of the individual tribes, present considerable challenges for modern readers. What am I to do with the promise to Naphtali or Moses’ word for Dan? I am not a Danite; I do not live in the part of the world where the Danites lived; the issues I face day by day are quite different from the issues faced by the Reubenites or Asherites or Josephites.
Still, in surveying all these blessings, one hears a common theme expressed in a dozen variations. In the face of opposition from those who oppose God and his kingdom and represent the kingdom of darkness, God’s people are fully dependent on their divine patron for their well-being. They may rest in the strong arms of Yahweh, who rides above them (v. 26), who upholds them from below (v. 27), and who drives out the enemy before them. Our God does indeed supply all our needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:19). The people of Israel were probably not surprised to hear Moses warn them of the hostile world they face, but the coda declares that they will not face it alone. God’s people are secure in him.
A transformation of Moses’ promises. Even as we find our security in Christ and recognize that God assumes responsibility for our well-being, we are cautioned against the abuse of texts like this by claiming them as unconditional promises of material prosperity. When the New Testament church was established, the covenant community became an international community, which meant that God’s reputation and the advance of the gospel were no longer tied to one state or one people; this text’s promises of material well-being have been transformed. A transnational and global Christianity may not claim these promises of dipping feet in oil and other idioms of agricultural prosperity as literal and unconditional foundations for the health and wealth gospel peddled by so many today and exported around the world, particularly in places of desperate poverty.
One of America’s most popular preachers declares that by his death Jesus Christ frees us from our bad habits and addictions, fear and worry, discouragement and depression, poverty and lack, and low self-esteem,58 as if these freedoms are unconditional entitlements. But they never have been, not even for the ancient Israelites. True well-being and security are found in Jesus Christ, through whose death and resurrection a personal relationship with God is secured. This does not mean that we are immune from disaster, but that when disaster strikes, our well-being is ensured. The gospel calls us to take up the cross and to suffer for the cause of Christ. Making material prosperity and physical health our passion is idolatry, a modern version of Canaanite fertility religion.
Nevertheless, in Christ we do find glorious reassurance that God is as interested in the genuine well-being of his people as we are. Just as he fulfilled his Word in delivering the Promised Land into the Israelites’ hands, so he fulfills his Word in granting us every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ (Eph 1:3). The life of faith is indeed lived out in the everyday struggles of life. God does not promise to solve every problem, but he does promise to be there in those struggles.
Ecclesiology for the people of God. Above we addressed the picture of God that Moses paints with these blessings. But what about the people of God? For those with eyes to see, this benediction, particularly the framework, offers a profound ecclesiology, highlighting the privileges that come with membership in the assembly of God’s people. Like the faithful in ancient Israel, we are the recipients of the divine revelation (v. 2), the objects of his love, identified by a special name (vv. 3, 5), his holy ones held by his hand (v. 3), the people to whom God has revealed his will (vv. 3–4; cf. 4:7–8), citizens of his kingdom (v. 5), the secure beneficiaries of his defense (vv. 26–27), and his lavish provision (v. 28), but, most fundamentally, the undeserving recipients of his salvation.
As in the Lord’s Prayer, issues relating to physical well-being are framed by and subordinated to the sheer privilege of calling God our Father, King, Savior, and Defender. To bear the name of Christ and to hear him address us as his beloved are reasons enough to celebrate and keep our focus on him. Through Christ we claim the adoption as sons, the glory, the covenants, the revelation of God’s will, the service of worship, and the promises. May God be blessed forever! (Rom. 9:4–6).