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Deuteronomy 33:21

in Deuteronomy 33

He chose the best land for himself, because a ruler’s portion was reserved for him there. He came with the leaders of the people; he administered the LORD’s justice and His ordinances for Israel.”

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

And he provided the first part for himself, For there was the lawgiver’s portion reserved; And he came with the heads of the people; He executed the righteousness of Jehovah, And his ordinances with Israel.

KJV

And he provided the first part for himself, because there, in a portion of the lawgiver, was he seated; and he came with the heads of the people, he executed the justice of the Lord, and his judgments with Israel.

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This verse in Deuteronomy 33

Commentary

2 notes on this verse
The first fruits of the conquest made by Israel were assigned to Gad and Reuben by Moses, at their own request. Because ... seated - Render, because there was the leader’s portion reserved, i. e., there was reserved the fitting portion for Gad as a leader in war. And he came ... - i. e., he joined the other leaders to fulfill the commands of God respecting the conquest of Canaan (compare Num 32:17, Num 32:21, Num 32:32; Jos 1:14). Moses regards the promise of the Gadites to do this as already redeemed.

This site's exposition

Blessed be he that enlargeth Gad

on Deuteronomy 33:20-21

Gad asked for land east of Jordan at Numbers 32:1-5 and received it, and the first part he provided for himself is commonly read of that choice. The clause about a portion of the lawgiver is obscure in the Hebrew and translators have never settled it. What follows can be checked against the record: Gad came with the heads of the people and executed the justice of the Lord, which Joshua 4:12 gives as the eastern tribes crossing armed ahead of their brethren, and Joshua 22 as their going home afterward.

The words behind it

17 Hebrew words

Every 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.

  • וַיַּ֤רְאand he saw

    vaiyar'H7200 →1300 times

  • רֵאשִׁית֙[the] choicest

    reshitH7225 →51 times

  • ל֔וֹfor <the> himself

    lo

  • כִּי־for

    ki-H3588 →4482 times

  • שָׁ֛םthere

    shamH8033 →834 times

  • חֶלְקַ֥ת[the] portion of

    chelkatH2513 →

  • מְחֹקֵ֖קa commander

    mechokekH2710 →

  • סָפ֑וּן[was] reserved

    safunH5603 →

  • וַיֵּתֵא֙and he came

    vaiyete'H857 →

  • רָ֣אשֵׁי[the] chiefs of

    rasheiH7218 →599 times

  • עָ֔ם[the] people

    ʾamH5971 →1873 times

  • צִדְקַ֤ת[the] righteousness of

    tzidkatH6666 →157 times

  • יְהוָה֙Yahweh

    yahwehH3068 →6520 times

  • עָשָׂ֔הhe executed

    ʾasahH6213 →2628 times

  • וּמִשְׁפָּטָ֖יוand judgments his

    umishpatavH4941 →422 times

  • עִם־with

    ʾim-H5973 →1050 times

  • יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ סIsrael

    yisraelH3478 →2507 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

7 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Joshua 22:1–4Then Joshua summoned the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh2 worksJudges 5:11the voices of the singers at the watering places. There they shall recount the righteous acts of the LORD, the righteous deeds of His villagers in Israel. Then the people of the LORD went down to the gates:2 worksNumbers 32:16–42Then the Gadites and Reubenites approached Moses and said, “We want to build sheepfolds here for our livestock and cities for our little ones.2 worksJoshua 1:14Your wives, your young children, and your livestock may remain in the land that Moses gave you on this side of the Jordan. But all your mighty men of valor must be armed for battle to cross over ahead of your brothers and help them,2 worksJoshua 4:12–13The Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over before the Israelites, armed for battle as Moses had instructed them.2 worksNumbers 32:1–6Now the Reubenites and Gadites, who had very large herds and flocks, surveyed the lands of Jazer and Gilead, and they saw that the region was suitable for livestock.2 works
The other 1 cross-references, with their words ▾
Judges 5:2“When the princes take the lead in Israel, when the people volunteer, bless the LORD.2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each 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

    Judges 5:11

    the voices of the singers at the watering places. There they shall recount the righteous acts of the LORD, the righteous deeds of His villagers in Israel. Then the people of the LORD went…

    it leads to

    • Micah 6:5

      My people, remember what Balak king of Moab counseled and what Balaam son of Beor answered. Remember your journey from Shittim to Gilgal, so that you may acknowledge the righteousness of the LORD.’”

    • Judges 5:8

      When they chose new gods, then war came to their gates. Not a shield or spear was found among forty thousand in Israel.

    • 1 Samuel 12:7

      Now present yourselves, so that I may confront you before the LORD with all the righteous acts He has done for you and your fathers.

    • Deuteronomy 22:24

      you must take both of them out to the gate of that city and stone them to death—the young woman because she did not cry out in the city, and the man because he…

    • Lamentations 5:9

      We get our bread at the risk of our lives because of the sword in the wilderness.

  • Through

    Joshua 1:14

    Your wives, your young children, and your livestock may remain in the land that Moses gave you on this side of the Jordan. But all your mighty men of valor must be armed for…

    it leads to

    • Exodus 13:18

      So God led the people around by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea. And the Israelites left the land of Egypt arrayed for battle.

    • Deuteronomy 20:8

      Then the officers shall speak further to the army, saying, “Is any man afraid or fainthearted? Let him return home, so that the hearts of his brothers will not melt like his own.”

    • Revelation 17:4

      The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls. She held in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual…

About Deuteronomy

Moses Comes Down from Mount Sinai, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
Moses Comes Down from Mount Sinai, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
Deuteronomy: the study guide →Read Deuteronomy 33 →

This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament and Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch.

Read on in Deuteronomy 33 →