Deuteronomy 33:29

Deuteronomy 33:29

Happy are you, O Israel:

Who is like to you, a people saved by Yahweh?

The shield of your help,

And the sword of your excellency!

And your enemies will submit themselves to you,

And you will tread on their high places.

He finishes his poem in confidence. What a happy position Israel are in, for they are unique among nations, they have been delivered by Yahweh. He is to them a shield and a sword, a shield to help and protect them and with which to thrust back the enemy, and a sword to fight on their behalf so that they might be triumphant. Thus will their enemies submit to them and their high places be trodden down.

“High places.” These were the places on which the Canaanites worshipped their gods and called for help against the invaders, known to Israel from their knowledge of Baalism in Egypt. They were the evidence that the land belonged to Baal and Asherah. Their treading down will demonstrate that those ‘nothings' have been defeated, and will expel them, destroy them and render them inoperative.

But ‘high places' (bamoth) may possibly be translated ‘backs' based on Ugaritic ‘bmt', and would then signify complete victory.

Note.

We have not tried to demonstrate the blessing in a chiastic pattern but there are reasons for thinking that it is so. Thus both near the beginning and towards the end are mentions of Jeshurun (Deuteronomy 33:5 and Deuteronomy 33:26). The blessing begins with Yahweh on Mount Sinai and closes with mention of ‘high places' (Deuteronomy 33:29 b). Yahweh comes forth as a deliverer and at the end his people delight in their deliverance (Deuteronomy 33:29 a). The first five verses indicate that Yahweh has come to bless His people and the last four verses indicate that He will do so. And in between are given the blessings on the individual tribes.

(End of note.)