Deuteronomy 33
DOYLYChap. XXXIV. ver. 1. — unto the mountain of Nebo, to the top of Pisgah,] The mountains Nebo, Pisgah, and Abarim make but one chain of mountains, in the country of Moab, near mount Peor, over against Jericho. Calmet.
— Dan,] It has been said, that some names, used in the Pentateuch, were not applied to the places which they describe till after the death of Moses. If the truth of this remark could be proved, we might suppose the modern names to have been substituted by Ezra, or by some Prophet, posterior to Moses, for the information of later times. But the assertion often proceeds from mistake, and from a want of distinction: for instance, the Dan, spoken of by Moses, might be different from the place afterwards so named in Judg. xviii. 29. Josephus conceives it to have been a river, one of the sources of the Jordan. Dr. Gray.
Deuteronomy 33:3
- — the city of palm trees,] Several of the ancient writers describe Jericho and its neighbourhood as abounding with palm trees. Several of these trees still remain there; for there is the convenience they require of being often watered; the climate likewise is warm, and the soil sandy, and such as they delight to grow in. Dr. Shaw.
Deuteronomy 33:5
- So Moses — died] The account of the death and burial of Moses, and some other seemingly posthumous particulars described in this chapter, have been produced to prove, that it could not have been written by Moses: and in all probability these circumstances may have been inserted by Joshua, to complete the history of this illustrious Prophet; or were afterwards added
Deuteronomy 33:19
- They shall call the people unto the mountain.] Here Moses predicts, that the house of God should be set upon a mountain; to which Zebulun should invite the rest of the tribes, by their forwardness and zeal, to go up and worship God at the three great festivals. Bp. Patrick.
— they shall suck of the abundance of the seas, &c.] They shall grow rich by importing abundance of commodities, particularly gold, silver, and precious stones, which are dug out of the earth. Dr. Wells, Bp. Patrick. Or, the former clause in this passage may have a particular reference to the produce of the seas, especially the shell-fish, called murex, the use of which is well known in dying of a purple colour: and the latter clause may refer to the art of making glass from sand. Jonathan in his paraphrase thus explains it: “They shall dwell near the sea, and feast on the tunny fish, and catch the chalson, (or murex;) with the blood of which they will die of a purple colour the threads of their cloths; and from the sand they will make looking-glasses and utensils of glass.” It is certain from various authors, that purple was found on the coast of Tyre, adjoining to Zebulun; and that glass was made from the sand of the river Belus, which ran by the border of this tribe. Dr. Durell.
Deuteronomy 33:20
- — Blessed be he that enlargeth Gad:] That is, Blessed be God, who hath allotted to him such a large inheritance, which he afterwards further enlarged, 1 Chron. v. 20. “He dwelleth as a lion;” lives secure and fearless, though encompassed by enemies: “and teareth the arm with the crown of the head;” kills the princes with their kings: for by “arms” are meant men of strength and power; and by “the crown of the head” is properly to be understood the chief commander, ruler, or king. Bp. Patrick.
Deuteronomy 33:21
- And he provided the first part for himself.] That is, he chose his inheritance with the first on this side Jordan, Numb. xxxii. 1, “in a portion of the lawgiver;” that is, that part of the country, which Moses the lawgiver entered upon, and which he divided, Numb. xxxii. 33. “And he came, &c.” that is, after he had made provision for the safety of his family and cattle, he accompanied the leaders and captains of the people; and assisted them in conquering the land, and destroying the inhabitants, who were justly devoted by God to destruction, Josh. i. 14. Bp. Kidder.
Deuteronomy 33:22
- — Dan is a lion’s whelp:] The Danites will be Vol. I.
Deuteronomy 33:23
- — possess thou the west and the south.] The tribe of Naphtali lay north and east: yet it was so situated, that by Zebulun, which lay next him, and upon the coast of the Great sea, he could easily be possessed of the commodities of the sea, which we here translate “west:” and lying on the river Jordan, Josh. xix. 33, he had the advantage of enjoying those commodities, which came by that river from the “southern” parts of the land. Bp. Kidder, Pyle.
Deuteronomy 33:24
- — Let Asher be blessed &c.] May the tribe of Asher truly answer the meaning of its name, “Happy,” by being blessed with a numerous posterity, and with a plenty of such products of the country where they live, that they may oblige the rest of the neighbouring tribes. God will plant them in a soil, where the choicest oil, and such like good things, shall be in the utmost fulness; and useful metals be dug from the bowels of their hills. Pyle.
— let him dip his foot in oil.] This figurative expression is allowed to denote such plenty, that oil would be very little regarded in this tribe; as in Jacob’s prophecy, where it is said of Judah, “he washed his garments in wine,” it is understood to signify that wine should be as plentiful as water. With respect to this promise it may be observed, not only that Asher’s portion was generally fertile in oil, as in corn, wine, &c.; but during a famine of three years and a half, when the Prophet Elijah wanted sustenance, he was directed by the Holy Spirit to go to a poor widow at Sarepta, in whose house he was supplied with bread and oil. Sarepta was a town of this tribe. Dr. Durell.
Deuteronomy 33:25
- Thy shoes shall be iron and brass:] This verse informs us that shoes clouted, as the old English expression is, were used as early as the days of Moses. We know that the Roman soldiers used braces or copper soles to their shoes; and clouted shoes, that is, shoes well coated with iron, were anciently part of a soldier’s dress in this country, from which, shoes well filled with nails, &c. for strength, are now called clouted. Script. illust. In the East at this day, all the people, both rich and poor, wear iron plates at the heels and toes of their shoes. Calvert.
— as thy days, so shall thy strength be.] Thy strength shall bear proportion to thy days. That shall be great; and these shall be many. Bp. Kidder.
Deuteronomy 33:26
- There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun,] Moses, having made an end of declaring to each tribe some of the particular circumstances, which would distinguish them from the rest, and having prayed for their respective prosperity, now concludes the whole with a general benediction. Dr. Durell.
— who rideth upon the heaven in thy help,] Who commandeth in the heavens, as well as in the earth; and sends help and succour to thee from thence by thunder, lightning, and hailstones. Thus had God done, Exod. ix. 23, and thus did He do afterwards, Josh. x. 10, 11. Compare Ps. xviii. 9, 10; lxviii. 33, 34. Bps. Patrick and Kidder. The Supreme Being is frequently described as “riding on the skies, and making the clouds His chariot,” in condescension to the gross conceptions of a carnal people, who were unable to consider the attributes of the Lord Jehovah abstractedly. Dr. Durell.
Deuteronomy 33:27
- — underneath are the everlasting arms:] To support all those with an unwearied power and care, who commit themselves unto Him. Bp. Patrick.
Deuteronomy 33:28
- Israel then shall dwell in safety alone:] The Israelites were separated from the rest of the world by their peculiar institutions, religious and civil; and they were sufficiently secure under the theocracy without entering into leagues, offensive or defensive, with any power. This seems to be an allusion to Balaam’s prophecy, Numb. xxiii. 9. Dr. Durell.
— the fountain of Jacob] That is, his posterity; who were derived from him, as a river from a fountain, Is. xviii. 1; li. 1. Bp. Patrick. Or, “the fountain” is taken literally, and opposed to “dew:” and the expression implies, that the land of Jacob should be a land of fountains, of corn, &c. according to the description of it, chap. viii. 7, 8. Dr. Durell.
Deuteronomy 33:29
- — thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee:] Shall be so afraid, that with feigned stories they shall court their friendship, as the Gibeonites did: or, more simply, shall submit to them, though not heartily, yet out of fear, Ps. xviii. 44; lxvi. 3. Bp. Patrick.
The last verse of this concluding benediction answers
Thirty days’ mourning for him. 9 Joshua succeedeth him. 10 The praise of Moses.
Before CHRIST 1451.
AND Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto the mountain of Nebo, to the top of || Pisgah, that is over against Jericho. And the LORD shewed him *all the land of Gilead, unto Dan,
Or, the hill. ⁴ Chap. 5. 27.