The Wilderness Years

Of Gad he said: "Blessed is he who makes Gad so large; he lies there like a lion, tearing arm and scalp.

He chose the best for himself when the princely portion was assigned. When the leaders of the people came, he carried out ADONAI's justice and his rulings concerning Isra'el."

Of Dan he said: "Dan is a lion cub leaping forth from Bashan."

Of Naftali he said: "You, Naftali, satisfied with favor and full of blessing from ADONAI, take possession of the sea and the south."

Of Asher he said: "May Asher be most blessed of sons, may he be the favorite among his brothers and bathe his feet in oil.

May your bolts be of iron and bronze and your strength last as long as you live.

"Yeshurun, there is no one like God, riding through the heavens to help you, riding on the clouds in his majesty.

The God of old is a dwelling-place, with everlasting arms beneath. He expelled the enemy before you and he said, 'Destroy!'

So Isra'el lives in security; the fountain of Ya'akov is alone in a land of grain and new wine, where the skies drip with dew.

Happy are you, Isra'el! "Who is like you, a people saved by ADONAI, your defender helping you and your sword of triumph? Your enemies will cringe before you, but you will trample down their high places."

Moshe ascended from the plains of Mo'av to Mount N'vo, to the summit of Pisgah, across from Yericho. There ADONAI showed him all the land -Gil'ad as far as Dan,

all Naftali, the land of Efrayim and M'nasheh, the land of Y'hudah all the way to the sea beyond,

the Negev, and the 'Aravah, including the valley where Yericho, the City of Date-Palms, as far away as Tzo'ar.

ADONAI said to him, "This is the land concerning which I swore to Avraham, Yitz'chak and Ya'akov, 'I will give it to your descendants.' I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not cross over there."

So Moshe, the servant of ADONAI, died there in the land of Mo'av, as ADONAI had said.

He was buried in the valley across from Beit-P'or in the land of Mo'av, but to this day no one knows where his grave is.

Moshe was 120 years old when he died, with eyes undimmed and vigor undiminished.

The people of Isra'el mourned Moshe on the plains of Mo'av for thirty days; after this, the days of crying and mourning for Moshe ended.

Y'hoshua the son of Nun was full of the Spirit of wisdom, for Moshe had laid his hands on him, and the people of Isra'el heeded him and did what ADONAI had ordered Moshe.

Since that time there has not arisen in Isra'el a prophet like Moshe, whom ADONAI knew face to face.

What signs and wonders ADONAI sent him to perform in the land of Egypt upon Pharaoh, all his servants and all his land!

What might was in his hand! What great terror he evoked before the eyes of all Isra'el!