33:1
Moses now gives a blessing on each of the tribes of Israel. There are some parallels with Jacob’s blessings to his sons at the end of his life. With Moses the tribe of Levi receives special attention, this is in keeping with the whole tenor of Deuteronomy.
33:2
Moses’ blessings begin with God. Without God and what He has done, what He does and what He will do there is no basis for any blessing whatsoever. This is the only direct mention of Sinai in the book of Deuteronomy, elsewhere it is called Horeb. Seir is Edom, which is where Mount Sinai is. The holy ones are angels. The Jewish tradition is that the law was mediated to Moses via angels, and this may be part of the basis for that tradition.
33:3,4
God loved Israel, which is why the nation existed at all, it is why He brought them out of captivity in Egypt, and why He led them to the Promised Land. Holy ones here refers to the people of Israel. NIV says they fell down at God’s feet, while ESV has “followed”. They received instruction from the Lord. This was the Law that Moses gave them. It is described as a possession for the “assembly of Jacob”. The Law should have been valued, similarly we should value the gospel, and not corrupt it.
Moses now gives a blessing on each of the tribes of Israel. There are some parallels with Jacob’s blessings to his sons at the end of his life. With Moses the tribe of Levi receives special attention, this is in keeping with the whole tenor of Deuteronomy.
33:2
Moses’ blessings begin with God. Without God and what He has done, what He does and what He will do there is no basis for any blessing whatsoever. This is the only direct mention of Sinai in the book of Deuteronomy, elsewhere it is called Horeb. Seir is Edom, which is where Mount Sinai is. The holy ones are angels. The Jewish tradition is that the law was mediated to Moses via angels, and this may be part of the basis for that tradition.
33:3,4
God loved Israel, which is why the nation existed at all, it is why He brought them out of captivity in Egypt, and why He led them to the Promised Land. Holy ones here refers to the people of Israel. NIV says they fell down at God’s feet, while ESV has “followed”. They received instruction from the Lord. This was the Law that Moses gave them. It is described as a possession for the “assembly of Jacob”. The Law should have been valued, similarly we should value the gospel, and not corrupt it.
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