Deuteronomy 33:21

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

He chose the best for himself, for there the lawgiver's portion was reserved; he came with the leaders of the people. He carried out the righteousness of the Lord and His judgments for Israel.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַיַּ֤רְא רֵאשִׁית֙ ל֔וֹ כִּי־שָׁ֛ם חֶלְקַ֥ת מְחֹקֵ֖ק סָפ֑וּן וַיֵּתֵא֙ רָ֣אשֵׁי עָ֔ם צִדְקַ֤ת יְהוָה֙ עָשָׂ֔ה וּמִשְׁפָּטָ֖יו עִם־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ ס

Transliteration

And-wayyarʾ rēʾšît to-him for-there ḥelqat məḥōqēq sāpûn and-wayyētēʾ rāʾšê ʿām ṣidqat YHWH ʿāśāh and-mišpāṭâw with-Yiśrāʾēl

Grammar Details

• *wa-yarʾ*: conjunction + qal imperfect, 3rd masculine singular - and he saw
• *rēʾšît*: noun, feminine singular - first/beginning/best part
• *lô*: preposition + 3rd masculine singular suffix - for himself
• *kî-šām*: conjunction + adverb - for there
• *ḥelqat*: noun, feminine singular construct - portion of
• *məḥōqēq*: poel participle, masculine singular - lawgiver
• *sāpûn*: qal passive participle, masculine singular - hidden/reserved
• *wa-yētēʾ*: conjunction + qal imperfect, 3rd masculine singular - and he came
• *rāʾšê*: noun, masculine plural construct - heads of
• *ʿām*: noun, masculine singular - people
• *ṣidqat*: noun, feminine singular construct - righteousness of
• *YHWH*: proper noun - LORD/Yahweh
• *ʿāśāh*: qal perfect, 3rd masculine singular - he did/made
• *û-mišpāṭâw*: conjunction + noun, masculine plural + 3rd masculine singular suffix - and his judgments
• *ʿim-Yiśrāʾēl*: preposition + proper noun - with Israel

Word Meanings

• *rēʾšît*: first/beginning/best part/first fruits
• *ḥelqat*: portion/allotment/territory
• *məḥōqēq*: lawgiver/commander/ruler's staff
• *sāpûn*: hidden/reserved/stored
• *ṣidqâ*: righteousness/justice/righteous act

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  And he provid 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.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  And he provided the first part for himself, because there, in a portion of the lawgiver, he was settled; and he came with the heads of the people, he executed the justice of the LORD, and his judgments with Israel.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  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.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  And he provided the first part for himself, For there was the lawgiver's portion reserved; And he came [with] the heads of the people; He executed the righteousness of Jehovah, And his ordinances with Israel.

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  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.

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  He sawe his begynnynge, that a parte of the teachers were hyd there ad come with the heedes of the people, and executed the righteousnes of the Lorde and his iudgementes with Israel.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  And he sawe his begynnynge, that ye heape of the teachers laye hydd there, and came with the rulers of the people, and executed the righteousnesse of the LORDE, and his iudgment on Israel.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  And hee looked to himselfe at the beginning, because there was a portion of the Lawe-giuer hid: yet hee shall come with the heades of the people, to execute the iustice of the Lord, and his iudgements with Israel.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  He loked to hym selfe at the beginning, because there was a portion of the lawgeuer hid, & he came with the heades of the people, and executed the ryghteousnesse of the Lorde, and his iudgementes with Israel.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  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.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  He provided the first part for himself, For there was the lawgiver's portion reserved; He came [with] the heads of the people; He executed the righteousness of Yahweh, His ordinances with Israel.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  And he provideth the first part for himself, For there the portion of the lawgiver is covered, And he cometh `with' the heads of the people; The righteousness of Jehovah he hath done, And His judgments with Israel.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And he provided the first part for himself, For there was the lawgiver's portion reserved; And he came `with' the heads of the people; He executed the righteousness of Jehovah, And his ordinances with Israel.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And he provided the first part for himself, For there was the lawgiver's portion reserved; And he came [with] the heads of the people; He executed the righteousness of Jehovah, And his ordinances with Israel.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  He kept for himself the first part, for his was the ruler's right: he put in force the righteousness of the Lord, and his decisions for Israel.

• World English Bible (2000)

  He provided the first part for himself, for there was the lawgiver's portion reserved. He came [with] the heads of the people. He executed the righteousness of Yahweh, His ordinances with Israel."

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  He has selected the best part for himself, for the portion of the ruler is set aside there; he came with the leaders of the people, he obeyed the righteous laws of the LORD and his ordinances with Israel.

Referenced Verses

• Josh 1:14 : 14 Your wives, your children, and your livestock may remain in the land that Moses gave you on the east side of the Jordan. But you, all your strong warriors, fully armed, must cross ahead of your brothers and help them.
• Josh 4:12-13 : 12 The Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over, armed for battle, in front of the Israelites, as Moses had directed them. 13 About forty thousand armed for battle crossed over before the LORD to the plains of Jericho, ready for war.
• Josh 22:1-4 : 1 Then Joshua called the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. 2 He said to them, 'You have kept all that Moses, the servant of the LORD, commanded you and have obeyed my voice in everything I commanded you.' 3 You have not abandoned your brothers these many days up until today, but you have been careful to keep the charge of the commandment of the LORD your God. 4 And now the LORD your God has given rest to your brothers, just as He promised them. So now turn and go back to your tents in the land of your possession, which Moses, the servant of the LORD, gave you beyond the Jordan.
• Judg 5:2 : 2 When the leaders in Israel take charge, when the people willingly offer themselves—praise the Lord!
• Judg 5:11 : 11 The voices of the archers at the watering places recount the righteous acts of the Lord, the righteous acts of His villagers in Israel. Then the people of the Lord went down to the city gates.
• Num 32:1-6 : 1 The sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad had a very large amount of livestock. When they saw the land of Jazer and the land of Gilead, they noticed that the place was suitable for livestock. 2 The sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben came and spoke to Moses, Eleazar the priest, and the leaders of the congregation, saying: 3 "Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon— 4 this land that the Lord defeated before the congregation of Israel—is a land suitable for livestock, and your servants have livestock." 5 They said, "If we have found favor in your sight, let this land be given to your servants as a possession. Do not make us cross the Jordan." 6 But Moses replied to the sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben, "Should your brothers go to war while you stay here?
• Num 32:16-42 : 16 Then they approached him and said, "We will build sheepfolds here for our livestock and cities for our children. 17 But we will arm ourselves quickly and go before the Israelites until we bring them to their place. Meanwhile our children will stay in fortified cities, safe from the inhabitants of the land. 18 We will not return to our homes until every Israelite has received their inheritance. 19 For we will not inherit any land with them beyond the Jordan, because our inheritance is on the east side of the Jordan. 20 Moses said to them, "If you will do this—if you arm yourselves for battle before the Lord, 21 and all your armed men cross over the Jordan before the Lord until He has driven out His enemies from His presence— 22 then the land will be subdued before the Lord, and afterward you may return and be free from obligation to the Lord and Israel. This land will then be your possession before the Lord. 23 But if you do not do this, you will have sinned against the Lord. Be sure your sin will find you out. 24 Build cities for your children and pens for your flocks, but do what you have promised. 25 The sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben said to Moses, "Your servants will do just as my lord commands. 26 Our children, wives, livestock, and all our animals will remain here in the cities of Gilead, 27 but your servants, every armed man of war, will cross over before the Lord to battle, just as my lord says." 28 So Moses gave orders about them to Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the leaders of the tribes of Israel. 29 Moses said to them, "If the sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben cross the Jordan with you, every man armed for battle before the Lord, and the land is subdued before you, then you shall give them the land of Gilead as a possession. 30 But if they do not cross over armed with you, they must take their possession among you in the land of Canaan." 31 The sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben answered, "As the Lord has said to your servants, so we will do. 32 We will cross over armed before the Lord into the land of Canaan, but the possession of our inheritance will be on this side of the Jordan." 33 Then Moses gave to the sons of Gad, the sons of Reuben, and half the tribe of Manasseh son of Joseph the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan—the land with its cities and the territories surrounding them. 34 The sons of Gad built Dibon, Ataroth, and Aroer— 35 also Atroth-shophan, Jazer, and Jogbehah. 36 They also built Beth-nimrah and Beth-haran as fortified cities, and sheepfolds. 37 The sons of Reuben rebuilt Heshbon, Elealeh, and Kiriathaim— 38 as well as Nebo, Baal-meon (with their names changed), and Sibmah, and they gave new names to the cities they rebuilt. 39 The sons of Machir son of Manasseh went to Gilead, captured it, and drove out the Amorites who were there. 40 So Moses gave Gilead to Machir son of Manasseh, and he settled there. 41 Jair son of Manasseh went and captured their settlements, and he called them Havvoth-jair. 42 Nobah went and captured Kenath and its surrounding villages, and he called it Nobah after his own name.