The Meaning of Deuteronomy 33:21 Explained

Deuteronomy 33:21

KJV: 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.

YLT: 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.

Darby: And he provided the first part for himself, For there was reserved the portion of the lawgiver; And he came with the heads of the people; The justice of Jehovah and his judgments Hath he executed with Israel.

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Deuteronomy 33:21 Mean?

Context Summary

Deuteronomy 33:18-29 - Israel's Happy Future Promised
Zebulun and Issachar, sons of Leah, were neighbors in Canaan, and, being on the seaboard, became wealthy by commerce. The calling of the peoples may refer to the Gentile proselytes who were influenced by these tribes, 1 Kings 5:1-6; Mark 7:26.
The blessing of the other tribes is suggested by their position in Canaan: Gad, the leader of the west; Dan standing on the southern frontier, like a lion at bay; Naphtali, possessing the sea of Galilee, see r.v. margin; Asher on the northwest, with mountain, barriers against invasion. "Iron and brass!"
Let your soul dwell in the timeless, changeless, tireless God. There is none like Him. He will ride through heaven to help you, will thrust out the enemies that resist your progress, will be your fountain and dew, your corn and wine, and will place beneath you arms as tender as they are loving. However low you fall, they will always be underneath. As your day, so your strength! [source]

Chapter Summary: Deuteronomy 33

1  The majesty of God
6  The blessings of the twelve tribes
26  The excellence of Israel

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 33:21 mean?

And He provided the first [part] for himself because there a portion of lawgiver was reserved and He came [with] the heads of the people the justice of Yahweh He administered and His judgments with Israel -
וַיַּ֤רְא רֵאשִׁית֙ ל֔וֹ כִּי־ שָׁ֛ם חֶלְקַ֥ת מְחֹקֵ֖ק סָפ֑וּן וַיֵּתֵא֙ רָ֣אשֵׁי עָ֔ם צִדְקַ֤ת יְהוָה֙ עָשָׂ֔ה וּמִשְׁפָּטָ֖יו עִם־ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל ס

וַיַּ֤רְא  And  He  provided 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
רֵאשִׁית֙  the  first  [part] 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: רֵאשִׁית  
Sense: first, beginning, best, chief.
ל֔וֹ  for  himself 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
כִּי־  because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
חֶלְקַ֥ת  a  portion 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: חֶלְקָה 
Sense: portion, parcel.
מְחֹקֵ֖ק  of  lawgiver 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine singular
Root: חָקַק  
Sense: to cut out, decree, inscribe, set, engrave, portray, govern.
סָפ֑וּן  was  reserved 
Parse: Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine singular
Root: סָפֹון 
Sense: to cover, cover in, wainscotted, covered with boards or panelling.
וַיֵּתֵא֙  and  He  came 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָתָה  
Sense: to come, arrive.
רָ֣אשֵׁי  [with]  the  heads 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
עָ֔ם  of  the  people 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
צִדְקַ֤ת  the  justice 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: צְדָקָה  
Sense: justice, righteousness.
יְהוָה֙  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
עָשָׂ֔ה  He  administered 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
וּמִשְׁפָּטָ֖יו  and  His  judgments 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: מִשְׁפָּט  
Sense: judgment, justice, ordinance.
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation