Keraia
Deuteronomy 33

Deuteronomy 33:17

Moses Blesses the Twelve Tribes · Deuteronomy 33:1–29
Read Deuteronomy 33

Translations

Modern
His majesty is like a firstborn bull, and his horns are like those of a wild ox. With them he will gore the nations, even to the ends of the earth. Such are the myriads of Ephraim, and such are the thousands of Manasseh.”
Traditional
His glory is like the firstling of his bullock, and his horns are like the horns of unicorns: with them he shall push the people together to the ends of the earth: and they are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh.
Literal
Honor unto him is a firstling of his ox and the horns of the wild ox are his horns; with them he shall push the peoples together to the ends of the earth. And they are the myriads of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh.”
Latin
Quasi primogeniti tauri pulchritudo ejus, cornua rhinocerotis cornua illius: in ipsis ventilabit gentes usque ad terminos terræ. Hæ sunt multitudines Ephraim: et hæc millia Manasse.

Original

Hebrew
English
His majesty is like a firstborn bull, and his horns are like those of a wild ox. With them he will gore the nations, even to the ends of the earth. Such are the myriads of Ephraim, and such are the thousands of Manasseh.”

Notes

Deuteronomy 33:17

Ephraim is listed first because he received the blessing of the firstborn instead of Manasseh (Genesis 48:8–22). Manasseh was the older son. Normally, the firstborn son received a double portion of the inheritance (compare Deuteronomy 21:17). However, Jacob gave this special blessing to Ephraim, Joseph’s younger son.

The blessing of Moses follows the same pattern. He describes Ephraim as having myriads (literally tens of thousands) and Manasseh as having thousands. This shows greater strength and growth for Ephraim.

After Israel conquered the land and became a nation, Ephraim became the leading tribe in the north. Later, after Solomon died and the kingdom divided (1 Kings 12), the name Ephraim was often used to mean the northern kingdom of Israel.

Deuteronomy 33:13–17

Joseph was Jacob’s eleventh son and his favorite child (Genesis 30:23–24; Genesis 37:3). Joseph and his two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, received Jacob’s special blessing (Genesis 48; 49:22–26). Because of this, the tribes of Joseph prospered and multiplied. They became two separate tribes.

Deuteronomy 33:1–29

On the day before he died, Jacob blessed his 12 sons (Genesis 49:1–28). Many years later, Moses also blessed these same sons. By that time, they had become large and powerful tribes. Moses, like Jacob, spoke as a founding father of the nation.

People

Ephraim: Second son of Joseph, and a tribe of Israel Manasseh: Firstborn son of Joseph, blessed by Jacob

Glossary

Cattle Deuteronomy, Book of Ephraim (Place) Jeshurun Joshua, Book of Moses Poetry, Biblical Song of Moses Unicorn Wild Ox

Topics

Death: Scenes of Death of Moses Ephraim: A Tribe of Israel: Blessed by Moses Horns of Power of Ephraim Horns: (Pushing With) Conquests Intercession: Additional Instances of for Israel Joseph: Son of Jacob: His Sons Jointly Called Joseph Manasseh:: Blessing or Moses On The Ox: Bull or Bullock: (Firstling of) of the Glory of Joseph the Tribe of Manasseh: Predictions Respecting The Tribes of Israel: Predictions Respecting Each of Tribe of Ephraim: Predictions Respecting Wild Ox: (Horns of) of the Strength of the Descendants of Joseph Wild Ox: Horned Wild Ox: Sometimes Found with Two Horns