Deuteronomy 33:1
33:1 And this [is] the {a} blessing, wherewith Moses the man of
     God blessed the children of Israel before his death.

     (a) This blessing contains not only a simple prayer, but an
         assurance of the effect of it.

Deuteronomy 33:2
33:2 And he said, The LORD came from Sinai, and rose up from
     Seir unto them; he shined forth from mount Paran, and he
     came with ten {b} thousands of saints: from his right hand
     [went] a fiery law for them.

     (b) Meaning, infinite angels.

Deuteronomy 33:3
33:3 Yea, he loved the people; {c} all his saints [are] in thy
     hand: and they sat down at {d} thy feet; [every one] shall
     receive of thy words.

     (c) Hebrew, his saints, that is, the children of Israel.
     (d) As thy disciples.

Deuteronomy 33:4
33:4 Moses commanded us a law, [even] the {e} inheritance of the
     congregation of Jacob.

     (e) To us and our successors.

Deuteronomy 33:6
33:6 Let {f} Reuben live, and not die; and let [not] his men be
     few.

     (f) Reuben will be one of the tribes of God's people,
         though for his sin his honour is diminished, and his
         family but small.

Deuteronomy 33:7
33:7 And this [is the blessing] of Judah: and he said, Hear,
     LORD, the voice of Judah, and bring him unto his people:
     let his hands be {g} sufficient for him; and be thou an
     help [to him] from his enemies.

     (g) Signifying, that he would barely obtain Jacob's
         promise, Genesis 49:8.

Deuteronomy 33:9
33:9 Who said unto his father and to his mother, {h} I have not
     seen him; neither did he acknowledge his brethren, nor knew
     his own children: for they have observed thy word, and kept
     thy covenant.

     (h) He preferred God's glory to all natural affection,
         Exodus 28:30.

Deuteronomy 33:11
33:11 Bless, LORD, his substance, and accept the work of his
      hands: smite {i} through the loins of them that rise
      against him, and of them that hate him, that they rise not
      again.

      (i) He declares that the ministers of God have many
          enemies, and therefore need to be prayed for.

Deuteronomy 33:12
33:12 [And] of Benjamin he said, The beloved of the LORD shall
      {k} dwell in safety by him; [and the LORD] shall cover him
      all the day long, and he shall dwell between his
      shoulders.

      (k) Because the temple would be built in Zion, which was
          in the tribe of Benjamin, he shows that God would
          dwell with him there.

Deuteronomy 33:16
33:16 And for the precious things of the earth and fulness
      thereof, and [for] the good will of him that dwelt in the
      {l} 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.

      (l) Which was God appearing to Moses, Exodus 3:2.

Deuteronomy 33:18
33:18 And of Zebulun he said, Rejoice, Zebulun, in thy {m} going
      out; and, Issachar, in thy tents.

      (m) In thy prosperous voyages on the sea, Genesis 49:13.

Deuteronomy 33:19
33:19 They shall call the people unto the mountain; there they
      shall offer sacrifices of righteousness: for {n} they
      shall suck [of] the abundance of the seas, and [of]
      treasures hid in the sand.

      (n) The tribe of Zebulun.

Deuteronomy 33:21
33:21 And he provided the first part for himself, because there,
      [in] a portion of the {o} lawgiver, [was he] seated; and
      he came with the heads of the people, he executed the
      justice of the LORD, and his judgments with Israel.

      (o) So the portion of the Gadites, and others on this side
          of the Jordan was God's, though it was not so known.

Deuteronomy 33:23
33:23 And of Naphtali he said, O Naphtali, satisfied with
      favour, and full with the blessing of the LORD: possess
      thou {p} the west and the south.

      (p) Meaning, near the sea.

Deuteronomy 33:25
33:25 Thy shoes [shall be] {q} iron and brass; and as thy days,
      [so shall] thy strength [be].

      (q) You will be strong or, your country full of metal. It
          seems that Simeon is left out, because he was under
          Judah, and his portion of his inheritance,
          Joshua 19:9.

Deuteronomy 33:28
33:28 Israel then shall dwell in safety alone: {r} the fountain
      of Jacob [shall be] upon a land of corn and wine; also his
      heavens shall drop down dew.

      (r) Who was plentiful in issue as a fountain.

Deuteronomy 33:29
33:29 Happy [art] thou, O Israel: who [is] like unto thee, O
      people saved by the LORD, the shield of thy help, and who
      [is] the sword of thy excellency! and {s} thine enemies
      shall be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon
      their high places.

      (s) Your enemies for fear shall lie and pretend to be in
          subjection.