Глава 33

Moses' blessing to the people of Israel. Deut.33:2. He said: The Lord came from Sinai, revealed himself to them from Seir, shone forth from Mount Paran and walked with ten thousand saints; at His right hand is the fire of the law. This refers to the moments of miraculous manifestation of omnipotence, wisdom and divine goodness during the journey of the Jews from Egypt to Canaan. Deut.33:3. Truly He loves [His] people; all his saints are in Your hand, and they have fallen at Your feet to listen to Your words. Deut.33:5. And he was the king of Israel, when the heads of the people gathered together with the tribes of Israel. “And he (Moses) was (as it were) the king of Israel, when the heads of the people gathered around him along with the tribes of Israel.” Deut.33:6. May Reuben live and not die, and may [Simeon] not be few in number! In the Hebrew text, Simeon's name is omitted. “Simeon is not blessed,” notes St. Ephraim the Syrian - because he was cursed by his father Jacob for beating the Shechemites and, instead of repenting of his first crime, he added a new crime in the person of Zimri, the son of Salmon, exterminating twenty-four thousand (Num. 25.9), who, for his sins, were struck with a plague. Levi, although he was cursed along with Simeon, received a blessing from Moses, firstly, for the jealousy of the Levites, who struck those who worshiped the calf; secondly, for the jealousy of the Levite Phinehas, with which he rushed at Zimri, the son of Salmon, and killed him” (Interpretation of the book Deut., ch. XXXIII); finally, due to God’s chosenness of the tribe of Levi to serve at the tabernacle of Jehovah. In the Greek text of the LXX translation, Simeon's name is not omitted. Deut.33:7. But he said this about Judas: Hear, O Lord, the voice of Judas and bring him to his people; Let him protect himself with his own hands, and let You be a helper against his enemies. “Bring him to his people” as a leader and protector, protected by help from above. Deut.33:8. And of Levi he said, Let us Thummim and Thy Urim upon Thy holy man, whom Thou didst tempt at Massa, with whom Thou didst contend at the waters of Meribah, “On Your holy man (Aaron), whom You tempted (together with Moses) at Massah (Ex. 17.1–7), with whom You disputed at the waters of Meribah” (Num. 20.1–13, 22–24). Deut.33:9. who says about his father and mother: “I do not look at them,” and does not recognize his brothers, and does not know his sons; For they, the Levites, keep Your words and keep Your covenant, Deut.33:10. They teach Your laws to Jacob and Your commandments to Israel, they offer incense before You and burnt offerings on Your altar; This refers to the selfless service of the Levites at the tabernacle of Jehovah and among the people. Deut.33:12. About Benjamin he said: the beloved of the Lord dwells safely with Him, [God] protects him every day, and he rests between His shoulders. In the expression “and He rests between his shoulders,” some commentators see a foreshadowing of the Temple of Jerusalem, built in the inheritance of Benjamin, on Mount Moriah, between the peaks of Zion and the Mount of Olives. Deut.33:19. They call the people to the mountain, there they slaughter the legal sacrifices, for they feed on the wealth of the sea and the treasures hidden in the sand. By “treasures hidden in the sand” we mean: 1) wealth obtained through agriculture; 2) wealth obtained by making glass, known since ancient times in Egypt, Phenicia and other countries; 3) wealth obtained by trading purple shells found on the Phoenician coast. Deut.33:21. he chose for himself the firstfruits of the land, there he was honored as an inheritance by the lawgiver, and he came with the heads of the people, and fulfilled the righteousness of the Lord and judgments with Israel. Gad “chose for himself the firstfruits of the land,” i.e. (together with Reuben and the half-tribe of Manasseh) received before the other tribes the allotment of land due to him (within the first conquests of Israel). “There (in Eastern Transjordan) he is honored as a inheritance from the legislator.” “And he came with the heads of the people, and fulfilled the righteousness of the Lord and the judgments with Israel,” that is, he fulfilled everything that was presented to him as an indispensable condition for the granting of a land plot (Num. 32.1; Deut. 3.12–20; Josh. 4.12, 22.1–9). Deut.33:22. About Dan he said: Dan is a young lion who runs out of Bashan. A comparison expressing the strength and courage of the Danites. Deut.33:23. About Naphtali he said: Naphtali is filled with favor and filled with the blessing of the Lord; the sea and the south are his possession. "The sea and the south are in his possession". By the name of the sea we must mean the Sea of ​​Kinneret, i.e. Lake Genissaret. In the word “south”, many commentators see an indication of the luxurious southern climate and rich vegetation of the surroundings of Lake Genissaret. Deut.33:24. About Asher he said: Blessed is Asher among the sons, he will be loved by his brothers, and will dip his foot in oil; Deut.33:25. iron and copper are your locks; As your days, your wealth will increase. “He shall dip his foot in oil; iron and copper are your locks” A figurative indication of the material prosperity of Asher: “his wealth will increase every day.” Deut.33:28. Israel lives safely, alone; The eye of Jacob sees before him a land abundant with bread and wine, and his heavens are dripping with dew. Wed. Number 23.9. “Israel lives safely, alone,” being “under the arms” of divine Providence (Deut. 33:27, 29). You might be interested in: