Deuteronomy 33:14
in Deuteronomy 33with the bountiful harvest from the sun and the abundant yield of the seasons,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And for the precious things of the fruits of the sun, And for the precious things of the growth of the moons,
KJV
And for the precious fruits brought forth by the sun, and for the precious things put forth by the moon,
⋯
This verse in Deuteronomy 33
Commentary
7 notes on this verseA commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
"The firstling of the bullock and the horns of the unicorn" (rhinoceros), indicate glory and strength, and it is supposed that under these emblems were shadowed forth the triumphs of Joshua and the new kingdom of Jeroboam, both of whom were of Ephraim (compare Ge 48:20).
This site's exposition
Blessed of the Lord be his land
on Deuteronomy 33:13-15
Joseph's blessing runs so close to Genesis 49:25-26 that the two can be laid side by side line for line, with the deep that coucheth beneath, the everlasting hills and the head of him separated from his brethren all held in common. What Moses adds is farming: dew, the fruits the sun brings forth, what the moon puts forth month by month, and the chief things of the ancient mountains. The word rendered precious falls five times across verses 13 to 16, more often than in any other tribe's blessing here.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
By the sun - Which opens and warms the earth, cherishes and improves and in due time ripens the seeds and fruits of it. The moon - Which by its moisture refreshes and promotes them. Of the moons, or months, that is, which it bringeth forth in the several months or seasons of the year.
He prays, [1.] For seasonable rains and dews, the precious things of heaven; and so precious they are, though but pure water, that without them the fruits of the earth would all fail and be cut off. [2.] For plentiful springs, which help to make the earth fruitful, called here the deep that coucheth beneath; both are the rivers of God ( Ps. lxv.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
), for the precious fruits (the word signifies that which is most excellent, and the best in its kind) put forth by the quickening heat of the sun, and the cooling moisture of the moon. "Let them have the yearly fruits in their several months, according to the course of nature, in one month olives, in another dates," &c.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
And for the precious fruits brought forth by the sun,.... Which has a wonderful influence upon many and most of the fruits of the earth, to produce them out of their seeds in it, to bring them forward, to ripen and perfect them, and to make them rich and excellent.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
The precious fruits brought forth by the sun - All excellent and important productions of the earth, which come to perfection once in the year. So the precious things put forth by the moon may imply those vegetables which require but about a month to bring them to perfection, or vegetables of which several crops may be had in the course of a year.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
“ Meged is an expression for dainty food and sweets. ‘UMIMEGED’ OF THE FRUITS OF THE SUN — for Joseph’s land was exposed to the sun and it sweetened the fruit. ‘GERESH YERACHIM’ (THE YIELD OF THE MOONS).
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 5 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
6 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וּמִמֶּ֖גֶד | umimeged | and from [the] excellent gift of | H4022 → | 8 times |
| תְּבוּאֹ֣ת | tevuot | [the] produce<s> of | H8393 → | 42 times |
| שָׁ֑מֶשׁ | shamesh | [the] sun | H8121 → | 134 times |
| וּמִמֶּ֖גֶד | umimeged | and from [the] excellent gift of | H4022 → | 8 times |
| גֶּ֥רֶשׁ | geresh | [the] yield of | H1645 → | |
| יְרָחִֽים׃ | yerachim | [the] months | H3391 → |
וּמִמֶּ֖גֶדand from [the] excellent gift of
umimegedH4022 →8 times
תְּבוּאֹ֣ת[the] produce<s> of
tevuotH8393 →42 times
שָׁ֑מֶשׁ[the] sun
shameshH8121 →134 times
וּמִמֶּ֖גֶדand from [the] excellent gift of
umimegedH4022 →8 times
גֶּ֥רֶשׁ[the] yield of
gereshH1645 →
יְרָחִֽים׃[the] months
yerachimH3391 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Timothy 6:17Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be conceited and not to put their hope in the uncertainty of wealth, but in God, who richly provides all things for us…
it leads to
- Proverbs 11:28
He who trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like foliage.
- Acts 14:17
Yet He has not left Himself without testimony to His goodness: He gives you rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling your hearts with food and gladness.”
- Matthew 19:23
Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.
- James 1:9–10
The brother in humble circumstances should exult in his high position.
- Proverbs 27:24
for riches are not forever, nor does a crown endure to every generation.
- Proverbs 11:28
Through
Psalms 104:19He made the moon to mark the seasons; the sun knows when to set.
it leads to
- Genesis 1:14–18
And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to distinguish between the day and the night, and let them be signs to mark the seasons and days and years.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 136:7–9
He made the great lights— His loving devotion endures forever.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Jeremiah 31:35
Thus says the LORD, who gives the sun for light by day, who sets in order the moon and stars for light by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—the…
- Genesis 1:14–18
About Deuteronomy
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.