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1This is the blessing with which Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death. 2He said,

“Yahweh came from Sinai,

and rose from Seir to them.

He shone from Mount Paran.

He came from the ten thousands of holy ones.

At his right hand was a fiery law for them.

3Yes, he loves the people.

All his saints are in your hand.

They sat down at your feet.

Each receives your words.

4Moses commanded us a law,

an inheritance for the assembly of Jacob.

5He was king in Jeshurun,

when the heads of the people were gathered,

all the tribes of Israel together.

6“Let Reuben live, and not die;

Nor let his men be few.”

7This is for Judah. He said,

“Hear, Yahweh, the voice of Judah.

Bring him in to his people.

With his hands he contended for himself.

You shall be a help against his adversaries.”

8About Levi he said,

“Your Thummim and your Urim are with your godly one,

whom you proved at Massah,

with whom you contended at the waters of Meribah.

9He said of his father, and of his mother, ‘I have not seen him.’

He didn’t acknowledge his brothers,

nor did he know his own children;

for they have observed your word,

and keep your covenant.

10They shall teach Jacob your ordinances,

and Israel your law.

They shall put incense before you,

and whole burnt offering on your altar.

11Yahweh, bless his skills.

Accept the work of his hands.

Strike through the hips of those who rise up against him,

of those who hate him, that they not rise again.”

12About Benjamin he said,

“The beloved of Yahweh will dwell in safety by him.

He covers him all day long.

He dwells between his shoulders.”

13About Joseph he said,

“His land is blessed by Yahweh,

for the precious things of the heavens, for the dew,

for the deep that couches beneath,

14for the precious things of the fruits of the sun,

for the precious things that the moon can yield,

15for the best things of the ancient mountains,

for the precious things of the everlasting hills,

16for the precious things of the earth and its fullness,

the good will of him who lived in the bush.

Let this come on the head of Joseph,

on the crown of the head of him who was separated from his brothers.

17Majesty belongs to the firstborn of his herd.

His horns are the horns of the wild ox.

With them he will push all the peoples to the ends of the earth.

They are the ten thousands of Ephraim.

They are the thousands of Manasseh.”

18About Zebulun he said,

“Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out;

and Issachar, in your tents.

19They will call the peoples to the mountain.

There they will offer sacrifices of righteousness,

for they will draw out the abundance of the seas,

the hidden treasures of the sand.”

20About Gad he said,

“He who enlarges Gad is blessed.

He dwells as a lioness,

and tears the arm and the crown of the head.

21He provided the first part for himself,

for the lawgiver’s portion was reserved for him.

He came with the heads of the people.

He executed the righteousness of Yahweh,

His ordinances with Israel.”

22About Dan he said,

“Dan is a lion’s cub

that leaps out of Bashan.”

23About Naphtali he said,

“Naphtali, satisfied with favor,

full of Yahweh’s blessing,

Possess the west and the south.”

24About Asher he said,

“Asher is blessed with children.

Let him be acceptable to his brothers.

Let him dip his foot in oil.

25Your bars will be iron and bronze.

As your days, so your strength will be.

26“There is no one like God, Jeshurun,

who rides on the heavens for your help,

in his excellency on the skies.

27The eternal God is your dwelling place.

Underneath are the everlasting arms.

He thrust out the enemy from before you,

and said, ‘Destroy!’

28Israel dwells in safety,

the fountain of Jacob alone,

In a land of grain and new wine.

Yes, his heavens drop down dew.

29You are happy, Israel!

Who is like you, a people saved by Yahweh,

the shield of your help,

the sword of your excellency?

Your enemies will submit themselves to you.

You will tread on their high places.”

Biography of Jacob

Biography of Jacob

Biography | Deut 33:4 | Hershel Wayne House

Jacob was the son of Isaac and Rebekah, born immediately after Esau, and Abraham was his grandfather. He achieved the right of the firstborn by trickery, in offering his older brother, Esau, food in exchange for the birthright, who cared little for this position. He also received the blessing of firstborn from his father Jacob before his death by cunning, and with the assistance of his mother Rebekah.

After his deception of Esau, receiving the blessing from his father, Jacob escaped to his uncle Laban, who in turn deceived Jacob into working for fourteen years for the marriage of Jacob to Leah, and then his beloved Rachel. Laban also sought to deceive Jacob of wages, but God intervened to ensure he would prosper. In a time of trial, when he feared the wrath of Esau, upon returning to the land of Canaan, Jacob had an encounter with God, and his name was changed to Israel, the one who wrestles with God. Even though his early life was characterized by deception, God worked through the situation to ensure that Jacob would be the one in the line of the patriarchs, to create a great nation and ultimately fulfill His purposes in the earth, especially through the future Messiah. The Messiah would guarantee the promise of the land to Abram and a person who would rule over Abraham's descendants, but also He would bring blessings to all the people of the earth (Gen 12:1-3).

In spite of Jacob's early failure by deception, God worked through him, and finally, Jacob became a different type of man after his struggle with God. As one has said,

"Despite Jacob’s faults, God chose him to be the leader of a great nation that still bears his name today. But for this, it is unlikely that we would know much about Jacob, who appears to be in the middle of events while the key players are those around him. There is no great wisdom or bravery in Jacob to speak of, and we are tempted to see him as little more than God’s passive instrument. If we are tempted to think that, because we aren’t in the spotlight performing great acts for God, we are unimportant to Him, then we should consider the life of Jacob and know that, in spite of our failings, God can and will still use us in His plan."

For more on Jacob, see "Who was Jacob in the Bible?", https://www.gotquestions.org/life-Jacob.html