Deuteronomy 33 · Verse 20

Deuteronomy 33:20

And of Gad he said, Blessed be he that enlargeth Gad: he dwelleth as a lion, and teareth the arm with the crown of the head.
Deuteronomy 33:20, King James Version

Deuteronomy 33:20 in other translations

BSBConcerning Gad he said: “Blessed is he who enlarges the domain of Gad! He lies down like a lion and tears off an arm or a head.
WEBAbout Gad he said, “He who enlarges Gad is blessed. He dwells as a lioness, and tears the arm and the crown of the head.
ASVAnd of Gad he said, Blessed be he that enlargeth Gad: He dwelleth as a lioness, And teareth the arm, yea, the crown of the head.
YLTAnd of Gad he said: --Blessed of the Enlarger is Gad, As a lioness he doth tabernacle, And hath torn the arm--also the crown!
DARBYAnd of Gad he said, Blessed be he that enlargeth Gad! As a lion doth he dwell, and teareth the arm, even the top of the head.
BBEOf Gad he said, A blessing be on him who makes wide the limits of Gad: he takes his rest like a she-lion, taking for himself the arm and the crown of the head.
WebsterAnd of Gad he said: Blessed be he that enlargeth Gad: he dwelleth as a lion, and teareth the arm with the crown of the head.

What does Deuteronomy 33:20 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Deuteronomy 33:20-21
20-21. of Gad he said--Its possessions were larger than they would have been had they lain west of Jordan; and this tribe had the honor of being settled by Moses himself in the first portion of land conquered. In the forest region, south of the Jabbok, "he dwelt as a lion" (compare Ge 30:11; 49:19). Notwithstanding, they faithfully kept their engagement to join the "heads of the people" [De 33:21] in the invasion of Canaan.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 20 Blessed be he that enlargeth Gad - As deliverance out of distress is termed enlarging, (see Psa 4:1), this may refer to God's deliverance of the tribe of Gad out of that distress mentioned Gen 49:19, and to the enlargement obtained through means of Jephthah, Jdg 11:33, and probably also to the victories obtained by Gad and Reuben over the Hagarites, 1Chr 5:18-20. He dwelleth as a lion - Probably the epithet of lion or lion-like was applied to this tribe from their fierce and warlike disposition. And on this supposition, 1Chr 12:8, will appear to be a sufficient comment: And of the Gadites there were men of might, men of war for the battle, that could handle shield and buckler, whose faces were Like The Faces Of Lions, and were as swift as the roes upon the mountains. Tearing the arm or shoulder with the crown of the head seems simply to mean that no force should be able to prevail over them, or stand against them; as the arm or shoulder signifies dominion, and the crown of the head, sovereign princes.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Deuteronomy 33:6-23

The order in which the tribes are here blessed, is not the same as is observed elsewhere. The blessing of Judah may refer to the whole tribe in general, or to David as a type of Christ. Moses largely blesses the tribe of Levi. Acceptance with God is what we should all aim at, and desire, in all our devotions, whether men accept us or not, 2Co 5:9. This prayer is a prophecy, that God will keep up a ministry in his…

Read the full comment on Deuteronomy 33:6-23 →

Deuteronomy 33:20 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וּלְגָ֣דu.le.Gadand of GadH1410
אָמַ֔ר'a.Marhe saidH559
בָּר֖וּךְba.Rukh[be] blessedH1288
מַרְחִ֣יבmar.Chiv[one who] enlargesH7337
גָּ֑דGadGadH1410
כְּלָבִ֣יאke.la.Vi'like a lionH3833
שָׁכֵ֔ןsha.Khenhe dwellsH7931
וְטָרַ֥ףve.ta.Rafand he tearsH2963
זְר֖וֹעַze.Ro.a'an armH2220
אַף\־'af-alsoH637
קָדְקֹֽד\׃ka.de.Koda scalpH6936

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Deuteronomy 33:20

  • Genesis 49:19

    Gad, a troop shall overcome him: but he shall overcome at the last.

  • 1 Chronicles 12:8-14

    And of the Gadites there separated themselves unto David into the hold to the wilderness men of might, and men of war fit for the battle, that could handle shield and buckler, whose faces were like the faces of lions, and were as swift as the roes upon the mountains; Ezer the first, Obadiah the second, Eliab the third, Mishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth, Attai the sixth, Eliel the seventh, …

  • Micah 5:8

    And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles in the midst of many people as a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep: who, if he go through, both treadeth down, and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver.

  • Joshua 13:8

    With whom the Reubenites and the Gadites have received their inheritance, which Moses gave them, beyond Jordan eastward, even as Moses the servant of the Lord gave them;

  • 1 Chronicles 12:37-38

    And on the other side of Jordan, of the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and of the half tribe of Manasseh, with all manner of instruments of war for the battle, an hundred and twenty thousand. All these men of war, that could keep rank, came with a perfect heart to Hebron, to make David king over all Israel: and all the rest also of Israel were of one heart to make David king.

  • 1 Chronicles 5:18-21

    The sons of Reuben, and the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh, of valiant men, men able to bear buckler and sword, and to shoot with bow, and skilful in war, were four and forty thousand seven hundred and threescore, that went out to the war. And they made war with the Hagarites, with Jetur, and Nephish, and Nodab. And they were helped against them, and the Hagarites were delivered into their hand, and all that were with them: for they cried to God in the battle, and he was intreated of them; because they put their trust in him. And they took away their cattle; of their camels fifty thousand, and of sheep two hundred and fifty thousand, and of asses two thousand, and of men an hundred thousand.

  • Joshua 13:10

    And all the cities of Sihon king of the Amorites, which reigned in Heshbon, unto the border of the children of Ammon;

  • Joshua 13:24-28

    And Moses gave inheritance unto the tribe of Gad, even unto the children of Gad according to their families. And their coast was Jazer, and all the cities of Gilead, and half the land of the children of Ammon, unto Aroer that is before Rabbah; And from Heshbon unto Ramath–mizpeh, and Betonim; and from Mahanaim unto the border of Debir; And in the valley, Beth–aram, and Beth–nimrah, and Succoth, and Zaphon, the rest of the kingdom of Sihon king of Heshbon, Jordan and his border, even unto the edge of the sea of Chinnereth on the other side Jordan eastward. …

  • 1 Chronicles 4:10

    And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.

  • Psalms 18:36

    Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip.

  • Genesis 9:26-27

    And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant. God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.

  • Psalms 18:19

    He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Blessed.
Ge 9:26,27; Jos 13:8,10,24-28; 1Ch 4:10; 12:8,37,38; Ps 18:19,36
he dwelleth.
1Ch 5:18-21; 12:8-14
teareth.
Mic 5:8

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Deuteronomy 33:19

    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.

  • Deuteronomy 33:20

    And of Gad he said, Blessed be he that enlargeth Gad: he dwelleth as a lion, and teareth the arm with the crown of the head.

  • Deuteronomy 33:21

    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.

Read all of Deuteronomy 33

Deuteronomy 33:20 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y á Gad dijo: Bendito el que hizo ensanchar á Gad: como león habitará, y arrebatará brazo y testa.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et de Gad il dit: Béni soit celui qui élargit Gad. Il habite comme une lionne, et il déchire le bras, même le sommet de la tête.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und von Gad sprach er: Gesegnet sei, der Gad Raum schafft! Wie eine Löwin lagert er und zerreißt Arm und Scheitel.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Et Gad ait: Benedictus in latitudine Gad: quasi leo requievit, cepitque brachium et verticem.