Deuteronomy 33:19
in Deuteronomy 33They will call the peoples to a mountain; there they will offer sacrifices of righteousness. For they will feast on the abundance of the seas and the hidden treasures of the sand.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
They shall call the peoples unto the mountain; There shall they offer sacrifices of righteousness: For they shall suck the abundance of the seas, And the hidden treasures of the sand.
KJV
They shall call the people unto the mountain; there they shall offer sacrifices of righteousness: for they shall suck of the abundance of the seas, and of treasures hid in the sand.
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This verse in Deuteronomy 33
Commentary
8 notes on this verseThey shall call the people unto the mountain - By their traffic with the Gentiles (for so I think עמים ammim should be understood here) they shall be the instruments in God’s hands of converting many to the true faith; so that instead of sacrificing to idols, they should offer sacrifices of righteousness. They shall suck of the abundance of the seas - That is, grow wealthy by merchandise.
This site's exposition
Rejoice, Zebulun, in your journeys
on Deuteronomy 33:18-19
Two tribes share one blessing, split between going out and staying in tents, as Genesis 49:13-15 had drawn them. They call peoples to a mountain for “sacrifices of righteousness”, so their trade feeds worship. The “hidden treasures of the sand” have been read of glass, purple dye or shipping.
This site's exposition
They will call the peoples to a mountain
The word rendered peoples, ammim, is plural, and Adam Clarke takes it of Gentile nations met through trade on the coast. On that reading the sea routes of Zebulun carry outsiders toward the worship of Israel's God. Isaiah 60:5 pictures the abundance of the sea turned toward Zion.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
A commentator
BonaventureCollations on the Hexaemeron, Collation 18 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
Hence, if charity is patient, long-suffering and good, then it "shall suck as milk the abundance of the sea." In this way did Lawrence rejoice over the glowing embers as if they had been flowers. These fruits are in the spirit, not in the flesh.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
This prophecy concerning Zebulun perhaps looks as far as the preaching of Christ and his apostles, which began in the land of Zebulun ( Matt. iv. 14, 15 ); then they called the people to the mountain, that is, to the kingdom of the Messiah, which is called the mountain of the Lord's house, Isa. ii.
The mountain - That is, to the temple, which Moses knew was to be seated upon a mountain. Sacrifices of righteousness - Such as God requires. Their trafficking abroad with Heathen nations shall not make them forget their duty at home, nor shall their distance from the place of sacrifice hinder them from coming to it to discharge that duty.
They shall call the people unto the mountain,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
In the forest region, south of the Jabbok, "he dwelt as a lion" (compare Ge 30:11; Notwithstanding, they faithfully kept their engagement to join the "heads of the people" [De 33:21] in the invasion of Canaan.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
The words behind it
14 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| עַמִּים֙ | ʾamim | peoples | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| הַר־ | har- | a mountain | H2022 → | 546 times |
| יִקְרָ֔אוּ | yikrau | they will summon | H7121 → | 733 times |
| שָׁ֖ם | sham | there | H8033 → | 834 times |
| יִזְבְּח֣וּ | yizbechu | they will sacrifice | H2076 → | 134 times |
| זִבְחֵי־ | zivchei- | sacrifices of | H2077 → | 162 times |
| צֶ֑דֶק | tzedek | righteousness | H6664 → | 119 times |
| כִּ֣י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| שֶׁ֤פַע | shefa' | [the] abundance of | H8228 → | |
| יַמִּים֙ | yamim | [the] seas | H3220 → | 396 times |
| יִינָ֔קוּ | yinaku | they will suck | H3243 → | 33 times |
| וּשְׂפוּנֵ֖י | usefunei | and hidden [things] of | H8226 → | |
| טְמ֥וּנֵי | temunei | hidden [things] of | H2934 → | |
| חֽוֹל׃ ס | chol | sand | H2344 → |
עַמִּים֙peoples
ʾamimH5971 →1873 times
הַר־a mountain
har-H2022 →546 times
יִקְרָ֔אוּthey will summon
yikrauH7121 →733 times
שָׁ֖םthere
shamH8033 →834 times
יִזְבְּח֣וּthey will sacrifice
yizbechuH2076 →134 times
זִבְחֵי־sacrifices of
zivchei-H2077 →162 times
צֶ֑דֶקrighteousness
tzedekH6664 →119 times
כִּ֣יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
שֶׁ֤פַע[the] abundance of
shefa'H8228 →
יַמִּים֙[the] seas
yamimH3220 →396 times
יִינָ֔קוּthey will suck
yinakuH3243 →33 times
וּשְׂפוּנֵ֖יand hidden [things] of
usefuneiH8226 →
טְמ֥וּנֵיhidden [things] of
temuneiH2934 →
חֽוֹל׃ סsand
cholH2344 →
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
Isaiah 2:3And many peoples will come and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us His ways so that…
it leads to
- Jeremiah 50:4–5
“In those days and at that time, declares the LORD, the children of Israel and the children of Judah will come together, weeping as they come, and will seek the LORD their God.
- Luke 24:47
and in His name repentance and forgiveness of sins will be proclaimed to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem.
- Zechariah 8:20–23
This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Peoples will yet come—the residents of many cities—
- Isaiah 51:4–5
Pay attention to Me, My people, and listen to Me, My nation; for a law will go out from Me, and My justice will become a light to the nations; I will bring it…
- Psalms 25:8–9
Good and upright is the LORD; therefore He shows sinners the way.
- Jeremiah 50:4–5
Through
Psalms 4:5Offer the sacrifices of the righteous and trust in the LORD.
it leads to
- Hebrews 13:15–16
Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise, the fruit of lips that confess His name.
- Psalms 37:3
Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.
- Psalms 51:19
Then You will delight in righteous sacrifices, in whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on Your altar.
- Hebrews 13:15–16
Where this verse is studied
About Deuteronomy
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Bonaventure, Collations on the Hexaemeron, Collation 18; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.