Twelve tribes clock, Michael Silverstone Art Gallery. Wikimedia
The Two Blessings of the Twelve Tribes: Varying Perspectives, Similar Function
The Torah frames two different poetic descriptions of the tribes as the deathbed blessings of Jacob and Moses, pivotal points in Israel's history. Nevertheless, these poems express varying perspectives on the relative importance of the tribes and were once likely independent collections.
Published October 7, 2020
English translation here and below is based upon NRSV.
On the designation of Genesis 49:1-28 and Deuteronomy 33 as both ‘blessings’ and instructions, and on the role played by both the framing and the contents of these pericopes in these designations, see Jacqueline Vayntrub, Beyond Orality: Biblical Poetry on Its Own Terms (New York: Routledge, 2019), 109–110.
For more on the comparison of these two texts, their interrelation and function, and the similarities that justify reading them together, see, e.g., H.U. Steymans, “The Blessings in Genesis 49 and Deuteronomy 33: Awareness of Intertextuality,” in South African Perspectives on the Pentateuch between Synchrony and Diachrony, ed., J. le Roux and E. Otto, Library of Hebrew Bible/Old Testament Studies 463 (New York: T&T Clark, 2007), 71–89 [71, 77–79]; Joel S. Baden, The Composition of the Pentateuch: Renewing the Documentary Hypothesis (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2012), 73–74, 81.
Other cases of a father’s blessing to his sons, though not presented as full-fledged speeches, are Noah’s blessing of his sons Shem and Japhet and reprimand of Canaan, presented as the last action in Noah’s life (Gen 9:25-27), and Isaac’s blessings of Jacob and Esau (Gen 27:1-2, 27-29, 39-40), presented by Isaac to Esau as בַּעֲבוּר תְּבָרֶכְךָ נַפְשִׁי בְּטֶרֶם אָמוּת “so that my soul can bless you before I die” (Gen 27:4).
In this manner, his words are reminiscent of Moses’ song in Deuteronomy 32, and the speech that frames it (Deut 31:28-30; 32:44-47), which also speak of Israel’s future transgressions, prior to the blessings.
For further discussion of Genesis 49 and Deuteronomy 33 in context of “deathbed” speeches, see, e.g., Steven Weitzman, Song and Story in Biblical Narrative: The History of a Literary Convention in Ancient Israel (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1997), 31, 37–58, 119–120; and recently, also Vayntrub, Beyond Orality, 20.
Israel Knohl, השֵׁם [The Holy Name] (Or Yehudah: Kinneret/Zmora-Bitan/Dvir, 2012), 116; Casper J. Labuschagne, “The Tribes in the Blessing of Moses,” Oudtestamentische Studien 19 (1974): 97–112 [p. 103]. For an argument that the southern tribes are later additions in both texts, see Andrew Tobolowsky, “Did Israel Always Have Twelve Tribes?” TheTorah (2020).
The English translation here is based on J. W. Etheridge, trans., The Targum of Jonathan ben Uzziel (London 1862). Accessed via Sefaria.
Translation taken from Pentateuch with Rashi’s Commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, accessed via Sefaria. Nachmanides (Ramban) made a similar observation in his commentary of this verse. Judah’s placement as second, between Reuben and Levi, where Simeon would be according to the order of birth of Jacob’s sons, adds to the suggestion that Judah’s blessing is shared by the two tribes.
For more on these two blessings of Joseph, see Adriane Leveen “Mixed Blessings,” TheTorah (2014). See also Steymans, “The Blessings”, 74–77; David N. Freedman, “Divine Names and Titles in Early Hebrew Poetry,” in Magnalia Dei, The Mighty Acts of God: Essays on the Bible and Archaeology in Memory of G. Ernest Wright, ed., Frank M. Cross, Patrick D. Miller and Werner E. Lemke (Garden City: Doubleday, 1976), 55–107 [63, 68–70].
With Moses, the Levite, speaking those blessings that emphasize the importance of the Levites.
Jacob receives a similar blessing from YHWH in Beth-El:
בראשית כח:יג ...הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה שֹׁכֵב עָלֶיהָ לְךָ אֶתְּנֶנָּה וּלְזַרְעֶךָ. כח:יד וְהָיָה זַרְעֲךָ כַּעֲפַר הָאָרֶץ וּפָרַצְתָּ יָמָּה וָקֵדְמָה וְצָפֹנָה וָנֶגְבָּה....
Gen 28:13 …The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring; 28:14 and your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south….
For a discussion of how the blessings of in Genesis fit with other Pentateuchal narratives, see Joel S. Baden, The Promise to the Patriarchs (New York: Oxford University Press, 2013).
Many scholars believe that that the narrative arc of the promise and fulfillment demonstrates that Joshua was envisioned as part of the story. Thus, these scholars refer to an original Hexateuch, as opposed to a Pentateuch. See discussion in Marc Zvi Brettler, “Is the Torah a Pentateuch or a Hexateuch?” TheTorah (2013). Nevertheless, insofar as the current discussion of Deuteronomy 33 relates to the question of the Hexateuch, it suggests that the scribe that placed the blessing of Moses at the end of Deuteronomy, perceived the end of Deuteronomy as an end: of the Wilderness Period, and the Torah.
I wish to thank the editors of TheTorah.com/Project TABS for their meticulous work in editing this piece and their suggestions that have contributed to the presentation of my thoughts.
