This is the blessing with which Moses the man of God blessed the people of Israel before his death.
English Standard Version (ESV)
All verses
Deuteronomy 33:1
What does Deuteronomy 33:1 mean?
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Deuteronomy 33:1
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This isn't just a concluding farewell; Moses, the "man of God," is delivering a prophetic charge, imbuing his final words with divine authority. The text emphasizes that this isn't merely Moses' personal sentiment but a blessing directly from God, meant to resonate with them as if God Himself were speaking.
This is the blessing with which Moses the man of God blessed the people of Israel before his death.
English Standard Version (ESV)
As Moses stands on the brink of death, he gathers the people of Israel for one final act of leadership and love. Before he passes from the scene, he delivers a powerful prophetic blessing, detailing God's favor upon each tribe and ultimately upon Israel as a whole, looking toward their future inheritance and God's enduring protection.
Why is Moses called 'the man of God' right before delivering this blessing? What does this title signify about the weight and authority of his words?
Moses is identified as 'the man of God' here, a title that elevates him beyond a mere human leader. It signifies that he is divinely appointed and directly commissioned by God.
The blessing begins by recalling God's manifestation at Sinai. Why is this foundational event so crucial to understanding Moses' final words to Israel?
The blessing doesn't start with human achievements but with the glorious self-revelation of God.
Ask a follow-up
Moses declares God 'loved the people' and that He is their 'eternal refuge.' What does this reveal about the nature of God's relationship with Israel, especially as they faced an uncertain future?
This blessing is steeped in the reality of God's deep and unwavering love for His people.
Understand the original words
ish elohim · Hebrew Noun phrase
A term of honor for a prophet or servant of the Lord, signifying one who stands in God's presence, receives His word, and acts as a mediator between God and His people.
berakah · Hebrew Noun
A formal declaration of divine favor, prosperity, and protection spoken over others; it often functions as a prophetic oracle predicting the future state or character of the recipient.
This blessing is Moses' final act as Israel's leader, a prophetic testament to God's faithfulness delivered at the cusp of their entry into the Promised Land, just before his own death.
c. 1406 BC
Israel enters Canaan
After 40 years in the wilderness, Joshua leads the Israelites across the Jordan River into the Promised Land.
c. 1400-1360 BC
Period of the Judges
A time of tribal confederation and intermittent conflict, with leaders called 'judges' rising to defend Israel.
c. 1400 BC
Joshua's death
The death of the successor to Moses, marking the end of the generation that entered the land.
c. 1375 BC— this verse
Moses' final address to Israel
Moses delivers his farewell blessings and prophecies to the tribes of Israel on the plains of Moab, just before his death.
c. 1375 BC
Death of Moses
Moses dies on Mount Nebo, after seeing the Promised Land but not entering it himself.
This passage parallels Deuteronomy 33:1 as it describes Jacob, the patriarch, giving a final blessing to his twelve sons before his death, setting a precedent for Moses' final blessing to the tribes of Israel.
2 Samuel 23:1-7This text presents David's final words, a prophetic blessing to Israel, which shares the theme of a leader's culminating words of blessing and prophecy before death.
John 13:1This verse introduces Jesus' final hours with his disciples, highlighting the significance of His actions and words during this critical period, similar to Moses' final blessing.
Hebrews 11:20This verse speaks of Jacob blessing Joseph's sons by faith, illustrating the power and prophetic nature of a blessing given in faith by a leader before death, which resonates with Moses' act.
calvinDeuteronomy 33:1-29: "And this is the blessing, wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death."
And for the precious things of the earth, and fullness thereof, and for the good-will of him that dwelt in the bush: let the blessing come upon the head of Joseph, and upon the top of the head of him that was separated from his brethren.
Et ob prastantiam terrae, et ob plenitudinem ejus: et beneplacitum habitatoris rubi veniat super caput Joseph, et super ver…
clarkeDeuteronomy 33:1: "And this is the blessing, wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death."
And this is the blessing wherewith Moses - blessed, etc. - The general nature of this solemn introduction, says Dr. Kennicott, is to show the foundation which Moses had for blessing his brethren, viz., because God had frequently manifested his glory in their behalf; and the several parts of this introduction are disposed in the following order: - 1. The manifestation of…
This isn't just a concluding farewell; Moses, the "man of God," is delivering a prophetic charge, imbuing his final words with divine authority. The text emphasizes that this isn't merely Moses' personal sentiment but a blessing directly from God, meant to resonate with them as if God Himself were speaking.
As Moses stands on the brink of death, he gathers the people of Israel for one final act of leadership and love. Before he passes from the scene, he delivers a powerful prophetic blessing, detailing God's favor upon each tribe and ultimately upon Israel as a whole, looking toward their future inheritance and God's enduring protection.
As Moses stands on the brink of death, he gathers the people of Israel for one final act of leadership and love. Before he passes from the scene, he delivers a powerful prophetic blessing, detailing God's favor upon each tribe and ultimately upon Israel as a whole, looking toward their future inheritance and God's enduring protection.
"This is the blessing with which Moses the man of God blessed the people of Israel before his death." — This isn't just a concluding farewell; Moses, the "man of God," is delivering a prophetic charge, imbuing his final words with divine authority. The text emphasizes that this isn't merely Moses' pers…
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Last reviewed October 2026