Deuteronomy 33:7-17

Easy-to-Read Version

“Lord, listen to the leader from Judah when he calls for help.
    Bring him to his people.
Make him strong,
    and help him defeat his enemies!”

“Levi is your true follower.
    He keeps the Urim and Thummim.
At Massah you tested the people of Levi.
    At the waters of Meribah,^[a] you challenged them.
⁹ They were more loyal to you, Lord, than to their own families.
    They ignored their fathers and mothers.
They did not recognize their brothers.
    They did not pay attention to their children.
But they obeyed your commands.
    They kept your agreement.
¹⁰ They will teach your rules to Jacob
    and your Law to Israel.
They will burn incense before you.
    They will offer burnt offerings on your altar.

¹¹ “Lord, bless everything Levi has.
    Accept what he does.
Destroy those who attack him!
    Defeat his enemies so that they will never attack again.”

“Benjamin is loved by the Lord
    and lives close to him in safety.
The Lord protects him all the time
    like a child at rest on its mother’s back.”^[b]

“May the Lord bless Joseph’s land
    with rain from the skies above
    and water from the ground below.
¹⁴ Let the sun give them good fruit.
    Let each month bring its best fruit.
¹⁵ Let the hills and ancient mountains
    produce their best fruit.
¹⁶ Let the earth give its best to Joseph.
    He was separated from his brothers.
    So may the Lord in the burning bush give his best to Joseph.
¹⁷ Joseph is like a powerful bull.
    His two sons are like bull’s horns.
They will attack other people
    and push them to the ends of the earth!
Yes, Manasseh has thousands of people,
    and Ephraim has ten thousands.”