Moses blesses the tribes
1This is the blessing that Moses the man of God pronounced on the Israelites before his death. 2He said:
‘The Lord came from Sinai
and dawned over them from Seir;
he shone forth from Mount Paran.
He came with33:2 Or from myriads of holy ones
from the south, from his mountain slopes.33:2 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
3Surely it is you who love the people;
all the holy ones are in your hand.
At your feet they all bow down,
and from you receive instruction,
4the law that Moses gave us,
the possession of the assembly of Jacob.
5He was king over Jeshurun33:5 Jeshurun means the upright one, that is, Israel; also in verse 26.
when the leaders of the people assembled,
along with the tribes of Israel.
6‘Let Reuben live and not die,
nor33:6 Or but let his people be few.’
7And this he said about Judah:
‘Hear, Lord, the cry of Judah;
bring him to his people.
With his own hands he defends his cause.
Oh, be his help against his foes!’
8About Levi he said:
‘Your Thummim and Urim belong
to your faithful servant.
You tested him at Massah;
you contended with him at the waters of Meribah.
9He said of his father and mother,
“I have no regard for them.”
He did not recognise his brothers
or acknowledge his own children,
but he watched over your word
and guarded your covenant.
10He teaches your precepts to Jacob
and your law to Israel.
He offers incense before you
and whole burnt offerings on your altar.
11Bless all his skills, Lord,
and be pleased with the work of his hands.
Strike down those who rise against him,
his foes till they rise no more.’
12About Benjamin he said:
‘Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in him,
for he shields him all day long,
and the one the Lord loves rests between his shoulders.’
13About Joseph he said:
‘May the Lord bless his land
with the precious dew from heaven above
and with the deep waters that lie below;
14with the best the sun brings forth
and the finest the moon can yield;
15with the choicest gifts of the ancient mountains
and the fruitfulness of the everlasting hills;
16with the best gifts of the earth and its fullness
and the favour of him who dwelt in the burning bush.
Let all these rest on the head of Joseph,
on the brow of the prince among33:16 Or of the one separated from his brothers.
17In majesty he is like a firstborn bull;
his horns are the horns of a wild ox.
With them he will gore the nations,
even those at the ends of the earth.
Such are the ten thousands of Ephraim;
such are the thousands of Manasseh.’
18About Zebulun he said:
‘Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out,
and you, Issachar, in your tents.
19They will summon peoples to the mountain
and there offer the sacrifices of the righteous;
they will feast on the abundance of the seas,
on the treasures hidden in the sand.’
20About Gad he said:
‘Blessed is he who enlarges Gad’s domain!
Gad lives there like a lion,
tearing at arm or head.
21He chose the best land for himself;
the leader’s portion was kept for him.
When the heads of the people assembled,
he carried out the Lord’s righteous will,
and his judgments concerning Israel.’
22About Dan he said:
‘Dan is a lion’s cub,
springing out of Bashan.’
23About Naphtali he said:
‘Naphtali is abounding with the favour of the Lord
and is full of his blessing;
he will inherit southward to the lake.’
24About Asher he said:
‘Most blessed of sons is Asher;
let him be favoured by his brothers,
and let him bathe his feet in oil.
25The bolts of your gates will be iron and bronze,
and your strength will equal your days.
26‘There is no-one like the God of Jeshurun,
who rides across the heavens to help you
and on the clouds in his majesty.
27The eternal God is your refuge,
and underneath are the everlasting arms.
He will drive out your enemies before you,
saying, “Destroy them!”
28So Israel will live in safety;
Jacob will dwell33:28 Septuagint; Hebrew Jacob’s spring is secure
in a land of grain and new wine,
where the heavens drop dew.
29Blessed are you, Israel!
Who is like you,
a people saved by the Lord?
He is your shield and helper
and your glorious sword.
Your enemies will cower before you,
and you will tread on their heights.’
Mose Hyira Mmusuakuo No
1Yei ne nhyira a Onyankopɔn onipa Mose de hyiraa Israelfoɔ no ansa na ɔrewu: 2Ɔkaa sɛ,
“Awurade firi Sinai ba bɛpuee
yɛn so firii Seir;
ɔhran firii Paran bepɔ so.
Ɔde akronkronfoɔ pii ba firii
anafoɔ fam ne mmepɔ nsianeɛ so.
3Nokorɛ mu, wo wodɔ wo nnipa no,
akronkronfoɔ nyinaa wɔ wo nsam.
Wɔkoto wo nan ase,
na wɔnya nkyerɛkyerɛ firi wo hɔ;
4mmara a Mose de maa yɛn no:
Yakob nkurɔfoɔ agyapadeɛ.
5Awurade yɛɛ ɔhene wɔ Yeshurun
ɛberɛ a nnipa no ntuanofoɔ hyiaa
Israel mmusuakuo no.
6“Ma Ruben nya nkwa. Mma nʼase ntɔre.
Na ne mmarima nso, mma wɔn so nhwan.”
7Asɛm a Mose ka faa Yuda abusuakuo ho nie:
“Tie Ao Awurade, tie Yuda sufrɛ
fa no brɛ ne nkurɔfoɔ.
Ɔde nʼankasa ahoɔden bɔ ne ho ban.
Yɛ ne ɔboafoɔ na tia nʼatamfoɔ!”
8Asɛm a Mose ka faa Lewi abusuakuo ho nie:
“Ao Awurade, wode ade kronkron
ama wʼasomfoɔ nokwafoɔ Lewifoɔ.
Wosɔɔ wɔn hwɛɛ wɔ Masa
wone wɔn koeɛ wɔ Meriba asuo ho.
9Lewifoɔ tiee wʼasɛm
bɔɔ wʼapam no ho ban.
Wɔdii wo nokorɛ
sene sɛdeɛ wɔdii wɔn awofoɔ,
wɔn abusuafoɔ ne wɔn mma nokorɛ.
10Afei, ma wɔnkyerɛ Yakob wo mmara no.
Ma wɔmfa wo nkyerɛkyerɛ no mma Israelfoɔ.
Wɔde aduhwam bɛba wʼanim
Abɛbɔ ɔhyeɛ afɔdeɛ wɔ afɔrebukyia so.
11Hyira Lewifoɔ, Ao Awurade
na ma wɔn nnwuma nyinaa nsɔ wʼani.
Bubu wɔn atamfoɔ nnwonku;
bɔ wɔn atamfoɔ hwe fam a wɔnsɔre bio.”
12Asɛm a Mose ka faa Benyamin abusuakuo ho nie:
“Awurade dɔ Benyamin nkurɔfoɔ
na wɔnya banbɔ wɔ ne mu.
Ɔtwa wɔn ho hyia ɛberɛ biara
na ɔbɔ wɔn ho ban firi ɔhaw biara mu.”
13Asɛm a Mose ka faa Yosef mmusuakuo ho nie:
“Awurade nhyira wɔn nsase;
ɔmfa ne bosuo pa a ɛfiri sorosoro
ne nsuo a ɛfiri asase ase pɛɛ no,
14ne nnepa a ɛnyini wɔ owia mu
ne adonneɛ a ɛba ɔbosome biara mu;
15ne nnɔbaeɛ pa a ɛfiri tete mmepɔ mu
ne deɛ abu so wɔ nkokoɔ a ɛtim hɔ daa mu
16ne akyɛdeɛ amapa dodoɔ a ɛfiri asase mu,
ne adom a ɛfiri deɛ ɔpuee wɔ ogya a ɛrederɛ no mu.
Saa nhyira yi nyinaa mmra Yosef so
nhyɛ no ahenkyɛ wɔ ne nuanom mu.
17Yosef wɔ ahoɔden ne tumi sɛ nantwie ba.
Nʼahoɔden te sɛ ɔtrɔm mmɛn.
Ɔde bɛwowɔ akyirikyiri aman,
apamo wɔn akɔ asase ano.
Yei ne me nhyira a
mede rema Efraim bebrebe
ne Manase mpempem no.”
18Asɛm a Mose ka faa Sebulon ne Isakar mmusuakuo ho nie:
“Sebulon asefoɔ, monnya nkɔsoɔ wɔ mo akwantuo biara mu.
Isakar asefoɔ, monnya nkɔsoɔ wɔ mo fie ntomadan mu.
19Wɔfrɛ nnipa no kɔ bepɔ no so
kɔbɔ afɔdeɛ a ɛdi mu wɔ hɔ.
Wɔnya mfasoɔ firi ɛpo mu nnepa
ne ademudeɛ a ahinta wɔ anwea mu.”
20Asɛm a Mose ka faa Gad abusuakuo ho nie:
“Nhyira nka obi a ɔtrɛ Gad mantam mu!
Gad ayɛ krado sɛ gyata
a ɔrebɛtu abasa anaa wate etire.
21Gad nkurɔfoɔ gyee asase pa no maa wɔn ho;
ɔkannifoɔ kyɛfa na wɔde maa wɔn.
Ɛberɛ a nkurɔfoɔ no mpanimfoɔ hyiaeɛ no,
wɔde Awurade atɛntenenee yɛɛ adwuma,
na wɔdii mmara a wɔde maa Israelfoɔ no so.”
22Asɛm a Mose ka faa Dan abusuakuo ho nie:
“Dan yɛ gyata ba a
ɔrehurihuri firi Basan.”
23Asɛm a Mose ka faa Naftali abusuakuo ho nie:
“Ao Naftali, wowɔ adom bebree
na Awurade nhyira ayɛ wo ma;
atɔeɛ fam ne anafoɔ fam bɛyɛ wo kyɛfa.”
24Asɛm a Mose ka faa Aser abusuakuo ho nie:
“Aser nnya animuonyam wɔ ne nuanom anim;
ne nuanom mfa anidie mma no;
wɔmfa ngo nsra ne nan ho.
25Wʼapono ho nkyerewa nyɛ dadeɛ ne kɔbere mfrafraeɛ;
Awurade mmɔ wo ho ban wo nkwa nna nyinaa.
26“Onyankopɔn biara nni hɔ sɛ Yeshurun Onyankopɔn;
Ɔnam ɔsorosoro bɛboa wo,
ɔde ne tumi nante omununkum mu.
27Onyankopɔn a ɔwɔ hɔ daa yɛ wo dwanekɔbea;
nʼabasa a ɛwɔ hɔ daa no kura wo.
Ɔbɛpam wʼatamfoɔ afiri wʼanim;
Ɔno na ɔteaam sɛ, ‘Sɛe wɔn!’
28Enti, Israel bɛtena ase asomdwoeɛ mu;
Yakob a wanya nkɔsoɔ bɛnya banbɔ
wɔ asase a aduane ne nsã wɔ so,
na ɔsoro tɔ bosuo gu so.
29Nhyira nka mo, Ao Israel!
Hwan na ɔte sɛ mo,
nnipa a Awurade agye mo nkwa.
Ɔyɛ mo akokyɛm ne mo ɔboafoɔ
ne mo nkonimdie akofena!
Mo atamfoɔ bɛkoto mo anim,
na moatiatia wɔn so.”
