Deuteronomy 33 · Verse 6

Deuteronomy 33:6

Let Reuben live, and not die; and let not his men be few.

Deuteronomy 33:6, King James Version

Deuteronomy 33:6 in other translations

BSB	Let Reuben live and not die, nor his men be few.”
WEB	“Let Reuben live, and not die; Nor let his men be few.”
ASV	Let Reuben live, and not die; Nor let his men be few.
YLT	Let Reuben live, and not die, And let his men be a number.
DARBY	Let Reuben live, and not die; And let his men be few.
BBE	Let life not death be Reuben's, let not the number of his men be small.
Webster	Let Reuben live, and not die; and let not his men be few.

What does Deuteronomy 33:6 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

6. Let Reuben live, and not die--Although deprived of the honor and privileges of primogeniture, he was still to hold rank as one of the tribes of Israel. He was more numerous than several other tribes (Nu 1:21; 2:11). Yet gradually he sank into a mere nomadic tribe, which had enough to do merely "to live and not die." Many eminent biblical scholars, resting on the most ancient and approved manuscripts of the Septuagint, consider the latter clause as referring to Simeon; "and Simeon, let his men be few," a reading of the text which is in harmony with other statements of Scripture respecting this tribe (Nu 25:6-14; 1:23; 26:14; Jos 19:1).

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 6 Let Reuben live, and not die - Though his life and his blessings have been forfeited by his transgression with his father's concubine, Gen 49:3, Gen 49:4; and in his rebellion with Korah, Num 16:1-3, etc., let him not become extinct as a tribe in Israel. "It is very usual," says Mr. Ainsworth, "in the Scripture, to set down things of importance and earnestness, by affirmation of the one part, and denial of the other; Isa 38:1 : Thou shalt die, and not live; Num 4:19 : That they may live, and not die; Psa 118:17 : I shall not die, but live; Gen 43:8 : That we may live, and not die; Jer 20:14 : Cursed be the day - let not that day be blessed; 1Jn 2:4 : He is a liar, and the truth is not in him; 1Jn 2:27 : Is truth, and no lie; Joh 1:20 : He confessed, and denied not; 1Sam 1:11 : Remember me, and not forget thy handmaid; Deu 9:7 : Remember, forget not; Deu 32:6 : O foolish people, and unwise. In all these places it is evident that there is a peculiar emphasis in this form of expression, as if he had said, Let him not only not die, but let him live in great and increasing peace and prosperity. Do not only not forget me, but keep me continually in remembrance. He denied not, but confessed Fully and Particularly. O foolish people - silly and stupid, and unwise - destitute of all true wisdom." And let not his men be few - It is possible that this clause belongs to Simeon. In the Alexandrian copy of the Septuagint the clause stands thus: Και Συμεων εστω πολυς εν αριτμῳ, and let Simeon be very numerous, but none of the other versions insert the word. As the negative particle is not in the Hebrew, but is supplied in our translation, and the word Simeon is found in one of the most ancient and most authentic copies of the Septuagint version; and as Simeon is nowhere else mentioned here, if not implied in this place, probably the clause anciently stood: Let Reuben live, and not die; but let the men of Simeon be few. That this tribe was small when compared with the rest, and with what it once was, is evident enough from the first census, taken after they came out of Egypt, and that in the plains of Moab nearly forty years after. In the first, Simeon was 59,300; in the last, 22,200, a decrease of 37,100 men!

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 church to the end of time. The tribe of Benjamin had their inheritance close to mount Zion. To be situated near the ordinances, is a precious gift from the Lord, a privilege not to be exchanged for any worldly advantage, or indulgence. We should thankfully receive the earthly blessings sent to us, through the successive seasons. But those good gifts which come down from the Father of lights, through the rising of the Sun of righteousness, and the pouring out of his Spirit like the rain which makes fruitful, are infinitely more precious, as the tokens of his special love. The precious things here prayed for, are figures of spiritual blessing in heavenly things by Christ, the gifts, graces, and comforts of the Spirit. When Moses prays for the good will of Him that dwelt in the bush, he refers to the covenant, on which all our hopes of God's favour must be founded. The providence of God appoints men's habitations, and wisely disposes men to different employments for the public good. Whatever our place and business are, it is our wisdom and duty to apply thereto; and it is happiness to be well pleased therewith. We should not only invite others to the service of God, but abound in it. The blessing of Naphtali. The favour of God is the only favour satisfying to the soul. Those are happy indeed, who have the favour of God; and those shall have it, who reckon that in having it they have enough, and desire no more.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Deuteronomy 33:6 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.

יְחִ֥יye.Chilet him liveH2421

רְאוּבֵ֖ןre.'u.VenReubenH7205

וְאַל\־ve.'al-and may notH408

יָמֹ֑תya.Mothe dieH4191

וִיהִ֥יvi.Hiand let it beH1961

מְתָ֖יוme.Tavmen hisH4962

מִסְפָּֽר\׃\ \סmis.ParnumberH4557

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

Cross references for Deuteronomy 33:6

Genesis 49:8
Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father’s children shall bow down before thee.
Numbers 32:31-32
And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben answered, saying, As the Lord hath said unto thy servants, so will we do. We will pass over armed before the Lord into the land of Canaan, that the possession of our inheritance on this side Jordan may be ours.
Joshua 22:1-9
Then Joshua called the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, And said unto them, Ye have kept all that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, and have obeyed my voice in all that I commanded you: Ye have not left your brethren these many days unto this day, but have kept the charge of the commandment of the Lord your God. And now the Lord your God hath given rest unto your brethren, as he promised them: therefore now return ye, and get you unto your tents, and unto the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of the Lord gave you on the other side Jordan. …
Genesis 49:3-4
Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power: Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father’s bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Ge 49:3,4,8; Nu 32:31,32; Jos 22:1-9

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

Context

Deuteronomy 33:5
And he was king in Jeshurun, when the heads of the people and the tribes of Israel were gathered together.
Deuteronomy 33:6
Let Reuben live, and not die; and let not his men be few.
Deuteronomy 33:7
And this is the blessing of Judah: and he said, Hear, Lord, the voice of Judah, and bring him unto his people: let his hands be sufficient for him; and be thou an help to him from his enemies.

Read all of Deuteronomy 33

Deuteronomy 33:6 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Viva Rubén, y no muera; y sean sus varones en número.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Que Ruben vive et ne meure pas, et que ses hommes soient en petit nombre.
German Elberfelder 1871	Ruben lebe und sterbe nicht, und seiner Männer sei eine Zahl!
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Vivat Ruben, et non moriatur, et sit parvus in numero.