Deuteronomy 33:17
in Deuteronomy 33His 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.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
The firstling of his herd, majesty is his; And his horns are the horns of the wild-ox: With them he shall push the peoples all of them, even the ends of the earth: And they are the ten thousands of Ephraim, And they are the thousands of Manasseh.
KJV
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.
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This verse in Deuteronomy 33
Commentary
7 notes on this verseHis glory is like the firstling of his bullock,.... Such as were in Bashan, a country possessed by the posterity of Joseph, see Psa 22:12; and so might be called "his" bullock, or a young bull, was reckoned both comely and majestic; so Menis or Mnevis, king of Egypt, preferred a bull above all animals to be worshipped, because the most beautiful of all, as Aelianus (w) relates; and Astarte, according to Sanchoniatho (x), put a bull's head upon her own, as a sign of royalty or kingly power.
This site's exposition
with the choice gifts of the land and everything in it
on Deuteronomy 33:16-17
God is named as “Him who dwelt in the burning bush”, a title found nowhere else in the Old Testament. Jesus points to the same passage at Mark 12:26.
This site's exposition
His majesty is like a firstborn bull
Bashan, known for its bulls at Psalm 22:12, fell to Manasseh, and John Gill ties the firstborn bull to those herds. Horns stand for strength throughout Scripture. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown see the horns that gore the nations fulfilled in Joshua and Jeroboam, both of Ephraim.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
A commentator
Ambrose of MilanOn the Blessings of the Patriarchs, Chapter XI · Written before 397.
proposed
Ten thousand, he said, Ephraim, and thousands of Manasseh (Deut. XXXIII, 17), that is, he should rule over both the Jews and the Gentiles, and acquire for himself the fullness of the Church from both peoples.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Here are three instances of his power foretold: (1.) His authority among his brethren: His glory is like the firstling of his bullock, or young bull, which is a stately creature, and therefore was formerly used as an emblem of royal majesty.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A 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).
His glory is like the firstling of his bullock - This similitude is very obscure. A bullock was the most excellent of animals among the Jews, not only because of its acceptableness in sacrifice to God, but because of its great usefulness in agriculture.
The words behind it
19 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| בְּכ֨וֹר | bekhor | [the] firstborn of | H1060 → | 122 times |
| שׁוֹר֜וֹ | shoro | ox his | H7794 → | 79 times |
| הָדָ֣ר | hadar | splendor | H1926 → | |
| ל֗וֹ | lo | [belongs] to <the> him | ||
| וְקַרְנֵ֤י | vekarnei | and [are the] horns of | H7161 → | |
| רְאֵם֙ | reem | a wild ox | H7214 → | |
| קַרְנָ֔יו | karnav | horns his | H7161 → | |
| בָּהֶ֗ם | bahem | with <the> them | ||
| עַמִּ֛ים | ʾamim | peoples | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| יְנַגַּ֥ח | yenagach | he will gore | H5055 → | |
| יַחְדָּ֖ו | yachdav | together | H3162 → | 141 times |
| אַפְסֵי־ | ʾafsei- | [the] ends of | H657 → | 44 times |
| אָ֑רֶץ | ʾaretz | [the] earth | H776 → | 2504 times |
| וְהֵם֙ | vehem | and they | H1992 → | 553 times |
| רִבְב֣וֹת | rivot | [are] [the] ten thousands of | H7233 → | 16 times |
| אֶפְרַ֔יִם | ʾefrayim | Ephraim | H669 → | |
| וְהֵ֖ם | vehem | and they | H1992 → | 553 times |
| אַלְפֵ֥י | ʾalfei | [are] [the] thousands of | H505 → | 505 times |
| מְנַשֶּֽׁה׃ ס | menasheh | Manasseh | H4519 → | 146 times |
בְּכ֨וֹר[the] firstborn of
bekhorH1060 →122 times
שׁוֹר֜וֹox his
shoroH7794 →79 times
הָדָ֣רsplendor
hadarH1926 →
ל֗וֹ[belongs] to <the> him
lo
וְקַרְנֵ֤יand [are the] horns of
vekarneiH7161 →
רְאֵם֙a wild ox
reemH7214 →
קַרְנָ֔יוhorns his
karnavH7161 →
בָּהֶ֗םwith <the> them
bahem
עַמִּ֛יםpeoples
ʾamimH5971 →1873 times
יְנַגַּ֥חhe will gore
yenagachH5055 →
יַחְדָּ֖וtogether
yachdavH3162 →141 times
אַפְסֵי־[the] ends of
ʾafsei-H657 →44 times
אָ֑רֶץ[the] earth
ʾaretzH776 →2504 times
וְהֵם֙and they
vehemH1992 →553 times
רִבְב֣וֹת[are] [the] ten thousands of
rivotH7233 →16 times
אֶפְרַ֔יִםEphraim
ʾefrayimH669 →
וְהֵ֖םand they
vehemH1992 →553 times
אַלְפֵ֥י[are] [the] thousands of
ʾalfeiH505 →505 times
מְנַשֶּֽׁה׃ סManasseh
menashehH4519 →146 times
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
Psalms 44:5Through You we repel our foes; through Your name we trample our enemies.
it leads to
- Psalms 108:13
With God we will perform with valor, and He will trample our enemies.
- Psalms 60:12
With God we will perform with valor, and He will trample our enemies.
- Psalms 118:10–13
All the nations surrounded me, but in the name of the LORD I cut them off.
- Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.
- Zechariah 10:5
They will be like mighty men in battle, trampling the enemy in the mire of the streets. They will fight because the LORD is with them, and they will put the horsemen to shame.
- Psalms 108:13
Through
Numbers 24:8God brought him out of Egypt with strength like a wild ox, to devour hostile nations and crush their bones, to pierce them with arrows.
it leads to
- Psalms 45:5
Your arrows pierce the hearts of the king’s foes; the nations fall beneath your feet.
- Jeremiah 50:17
Israel is a scattered flock, chased away by lions. The first to devour him was the king of Assyria; the last to crush his bones was Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.”
- Psalms 45:5
Through
Numbers 23:22God brought them out of Egypt with strength like a wild ox.
it leads to
- Numbers 24:8
God brought him out of Egypt with strength like a wild ox, to devour hostile nations and crush their bones, to pierce them with arrows.
- Numbers 24:8
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Deuteronomy
Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Ambrose of Milan, On the Blessings of the Patriarchs, Chapter XI; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.