Theological Commentary: Click Here
At first
glance, this chapter appears to be a blessing upon the tribes. You can clearly get a sense for the standing
of each tribe as the song is read.
Certainly the Levites are elevated, as are the people of Joseph. The people of Judah – too become one of the
most important tribes in David – are all but ignored in this passage. Gad seems to be the vicious warriors who take
the best. The people of Reuben seem to
be important, but there is something within them that needs to be kept in check
and restrained. There are others, but
you can see what I mean. The tribes each
get their own blessing and the blessing is unique to their identity.
However, I
don’t think the tribes are actually the overarching thrust of this
chapter. They are a central idea, of
course. Look at how this chapter begins
and ends. Look at what it is that
bookends the speech regarding the tribes.
Words about God begin and end the talk about the tribes.
Moses has
done an excellent job using rhetoric to make his point. Just as the words in this chapter nestle
within words about God, the people of God nestle within the presence of
God. We are best when we are within His
hands. We are best when He is protecting
us and guiding us. We are best when He
is God and we are obediently following Him.
As this
chapter says, God is our dwelling place.
It is God whose arms protect us.
It is God who keeps our enemies at bay.
It is god who loves us and invites us to follow Him to become more like
Him. We may be unique, but we are His
people. That is the overarching point of
this chapter.
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