¹tn Or “shone forth.”
²tc Heb “to him.” The LXX reads “to us” (Wnl* for oml*), but the reading of the MT is acceptable since it no doubt has in mind Israel as a collective singular.
tn Heb “him”; the referent (Israel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
³tc With slight alteration (vd}q* tb^r]m=m! for the MT’s vd#qo tb)b=r]m@) the translation would be “from Meribah Kadesh” (see Deut 32:51). However, the language of holy war in the immediate context favors the reading of the MT, which views the Lord as accompanied by angelic hosts.
⁴tc The mispointed Hebrew term tD*vA@ should perhaps be construed as th^vA@ with the SP.
⁵tc Heb “peoples.” The apparent plural form is probably a misunderstood singular (perhaps with a pronominal suffix) with enclitic mem. See HALOT 838.
⁶tc Heb “his holy ones.” The third person masculine singular suffix of the Hebrew MT is problematic in light of the second person masculine singular suffix on ;d#y`B=, “your hands.” The LXX versions by Lucian and Origen read, therefore, “the holy ones.” The LXX version by Theodotion and the Vulgate, however, presuppose third masculine singular suffix on wyd`y`B= (“his hands”), and thus retain “his holy ones.” The efforts to bring pronominal harmony into the line is commendable but unnecessary given the Hebrew tendency to be untroubled by such grammatical inconsistencies. However, the translation harmonizes the first pronoun with the second so that the referent (the Lord) is clear.
<sup>7</sup>tn Heb “hands.” For the problem of the pronoun see note on the term “holy ones” earlier in this verse.
<sup>8</sup>tn The Hebrew term WKT% (probably Pual perfect of hkT) is otherwise unknown. The present translation is based on the reference to feet and, apparently, receiving instruction in God’s words.
<sup>9</sup>tn The singular verbal form in the Hebrew text (lit. “he lifts up”) is understood in a distributive manner, focusing on the action of each individual within the group.
<sup>10</sup>tn The Hebrew term hr`oT here should be understood more broadly as instruction.
¹¹tn Heb “he was king.” The present translation avoids the sudden shift in person and the mistaken impression that Moses is the referent by specifying the referent as “the Lord.”
¹²sn Jeshurun is a term of affection referring to Israel, derived from the Hebrew verb rv^y` (y`v^r, “be upright”). See note on the term in Deut 32:15.
¹³sn The following blessing is given to the tribes in order, although the tribe of Simeon is curiously missing from the list.
¹⁴tn Heb “and [not] may his men be few.”
¹⁵tn The words “the blessing” are supplied in the translation for clarity and stylistic reasons.
¹⁶sn Thummim and Urim. These terms, whose meaning is uncertain, refer to sacred stones carried in a pouch on the breastplate of the high priest and examined on occasion as a means of ascertaining God’s will or direction. See Exod 28:30; Lev 8:8; Num 27:21; 1 Sam 28:6. See also C. Van Dam, NIDOTTE 1:329-31.
¹⁷tn Heb “godly man.” The reference is probably to Moses as representative of the whole tribe of Levi.
¹⁸sn Massah means “testing” in Hebrew; the name is a wordplay on what took place there. Cf. Exod 17:7; Deut 6:16; 9:22; Ps 95:8-9.
¹⁹sn Meribah means “contention, argument” in Hebrew; this is another wordplay on the incident that took place there. Cf. Num 20:13, 24; Ps 106:32.
²⁰sn This statement no doubt alludes to the Levites’ destruction of their own fellow tribesmen following the golden calf incident (Exod 32:25-29).
²¹tn Heb “smash the sinews [or “loins”].” This part of the body was considered to be center of one’s strength (cf. Job 40:16; Ps 69:24; Prov 31:17; Nah 2:2, 11). See J. Tigay, Deuteronomy, 325.
²²tn Heb “he”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
²³tn Heb “between his shoulders.” For a scene similar in its tender affection see John 13:23.
²⁴tn Heb “from the harvest of the heavens.” The referent appears to be good crops produced by the rain that falls from the sky.
²⁵tn Heb “goings forth of the sun.”
²⁶tn Heb “and from the harvest of the yield of.”
²⁷tn Heb “moon.”
²⁸tn Heb “head” or “top.”
²⁹sn The expression him who resided in the bush is frequently understood as a reference to the appearance of the Lord to Moses at Sinai from a burning bush (cf. Exod 2:2-6; 3:2, 4).
³⁰sn This apparently refers to Joseph’s special status among his brothers as a result of his being chosen by God to save the family from the famine and to lead Egypt.
³¹sn Ephraim and Manasseh were the sons of Joseph who became founders of the two tribes into which Joseph’s descendants were split (Gen 48:19-20). Jacob’s blessing granted favored status to Ephraim; this is probably why Ephraim is viewed here as more numerous than Manasseh.
³²tn Or “acceptable”; Heb “righteous.”
³³tn Heb “suck.”
³⁴tn Heb “sand.”
³⁵tn Heb “forehead,” picturing Gad attacking prey.
³⁶tn The Hebrew term qq@j)m= (Poel participle of qqj, “to inscribe”) reflects the idea that the recorder of allotments is able to set aside for himself the largest and best. See E. H. Merrill, Deuteronomy, 444-45.
³⁷tn Heb “covered in” (if from the root /ps; cf. HALOT 664-65).
³⁸sn He will leap forth from Bashan. This may refer to Dan’s conquest of Laish, a region just to the west of Bashan (Judg 18:27-28).
³⁹sn Dip his foot in olive oil. This is a metaphor for prosperity, one especially apt in light of the abundance of olive groves in the area settled by Asher. The Hebrew term refers to olive oil, which symbolizes blessing in the OT. See R. Way, NIDOTTE 4:171-73.
⁴⁰tn The words “of your gates” have been supplied in the translation to clarify the referent of “bars.”
⁴¹sn Jeshurun is a term of affection referring to Israel, derived from the Hebrew verb rv^y` (y`v^r, “be upright”). See note on the term in Deut 32:15.
⁴²tn Or “(who) rides (on) the heavens.” This title depicts Israel’s God as sovereign over the elements of the storm (cf. Ps 68:33). The use of the phrase here may be polemical; Moses may be asserting that Israel’s God, not Baal (called the “rider of the clouds” in the Ugaritic myths), is the true divine king (cf. v. 5) who controls the elements of the storm, grants agricultural prosperity, and delivers his people from their enemies. See Robert B. Chisholm, Jr., “The Polemic against Baalism in Israel’s Early History and Literature,” BSac 151 (1994): 275.
⁴³tn Heb “and from under, arms of perpetuity.” The words “you” and “his” are supplied in the translation for clarification. Some have perceived this line to be problematic and have offered alternative translations that differ significantly from the present translation: “He spread out the primeval tent; he extended the ancient canopy” (NAB); “He subdues the ancient gods, shatters the forces of old” (NRSV). These are based on alternate meanings or conjectural emendations rather than textual variants in the mss and versions.
⁴⁴tn Heb “all alone.” The idea is that such vital resources as water will some day no longer need protection because God will provide security.
⁴⁵tn Or perhaps “drizzle, showers.” See note at Deut 32:2.