the Week of Proper 22 / Ordinary 27
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Deuteronomio 33:17
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from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
the firstling: 1 Chronicles 5:1
his horns: Numbers 23:22, Numbers 24:8, Job 39:9, Job 39:10, Psalms 22:21, Psalms 29:6, Psalms 92:10, Isaiah 34:7
unicorns: Heb. an unicorn
he shall push: 1 Kings 22:11, 2 Chronicles 18:10, Psalms 44:5
the ten thousands: Genesis 48:19, Numbers 26:34, Numbers 26:37, Hosea 5:3, Hosea 6:4, Hosea 7:1
Reciprocal: Genesis 41:51 - called Genesis 48:16 - a multitude Genesis 49:22 - a fruitful Numbers 1:32 - General Numbers 1:33 - the tribe Numbers 1:34 - Manasseh Numbers 2:18 - camp of Ephraim Judges 2:12 - forsook 1 Chronicles 12:20 - captains Psalms 60:7 - strength Psalms 108:8 - Ephraim Hosea 9:11 - their Hosea 13:15 - he be
Gill's Notes on the Bible
His glory [is like] the firstling of his bullock,.... Such as were in Bashan, a country possessed by the posterity of Joseph, see
Psalms 22:12; and so might be called "his" bullock, or a young bull, was reckoned both comely and majestic; so Menis or Mnevis, king of Egypt, preferred a bull above all animals to be worshipped, because the most beautiful of all, as Aelianus w relates; and Astarte, according to Sanchoniatho x, put a bull's head upon her own, as a sign of royalty or kingly power. The Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem refer this to the birthright which belonged to Reuben, and was taken from him, and given to Joseph, see 1 Chronicles 5:2. Some will have Joshua intended by the firstling of his bullock, so Jarchi; who was of the tribe of Ephraim, and so famous for his strength and courage, his warlike exploits and victories, and the glory, honour, and renown he obtained; and who was a type of Christ, the first and only begotten Son of God, the brightness of his Father's glory, and the express image of his person; this is applied to the Messiah in some ancient Jewish writings y:
and his horns [are like] the horns of unicorns; of the monoceros or rhinoceros; and as the strength of these creatures, as of others, lies in their horns, these are figures of the power and strength of the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, the sons of Joseph; see Numbers 23:22;
with them he shall push the people together to the ends of the earth; not to the ends of the world, as if the posterity of Joseph should carry their conquests and spread their dominion over all people to the ends of the world, as the Targum of Jonathan suggests; but to the ends of the land of Canaan, which was done by Joshua, when he smote the thirty one kings of that country. The word "push" is used in allusion to the horns of creatures, with which they push, drive away from them, or hurt and destroy those that annoy them:
and they [are] the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they [are] the thousands of Manasseh; though Manasseh was the eldest son of Joseph, fewer are ascribed to him than to Ephraim the younger, according to Jacob's prediction, Genesis 48:19. This has been in a spiritual sense verified in Christ, the antitype of Joseph, the horn of salvation, who by his great strength has vanquished all his, and the enemies of his people, and even spoiled principalities and powers.
w Hist. Animal. l. 11. c. 10. x Apud Euseb. Evangel. Praepar. l. 1. p. 38. y Zohar in Numb. fol. 103. 4. & in Deut. fol. 117. 3. & 118. 3. Bereshit Rabba, fol. 66. 2.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Comparing the words of Moses with those of Jacob, it will be seen that the patriarch dwells with emphasis on the severe conflicts which Joseph, i. e., Ephraim and Manasseh, would undergo (compare Genesis 49:23-24); while the lawgiver seems to look beyond, and to behold the two triumphant and established in their power.
Deuteronomy 33:17
Rather: “The first-born of his” (i. e. Joseph’s) “bullock is his glory”: the reference being to Ephraim, who was raised by Jacob to the honors of the firstborn (Genesis 48:20, and is here likened to the firstling of Joseph’s oxen, i. e., of Joseph’s offspring. The ox is a common emblem of power and strength.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Deuteronomy 33:17. His glory is like the firstling of his bullock — This similitude is very obscure. A bullock was the most excellent of animals among the Jews, not only because of its acceptableness in sacrifice to God, but because of its great usefulness in agriculture. There is something peculiarly noble and dignified in the appearance of the ox, and his greatest ornament are his fine horns; these the inspired penman has particularly in view, as the following clause proves; and it is well known that in Scriptural language horns are the emblem of strength, glory, and sovereignty; Psalms 75:5; Psalms 75:10; Psalms 89:17; Psalms 89:24; Psalms 112:9; Daniel 8:3, c. Luke 1:69; Revelation 17:3, c.
His horns are like the horns of unicorns — ראם reem, which we translate unicorn, from the μονοκερως monokeros of the Septuagint, signifies, according to Bochart, the mountain goat and according to others, the rhinoceros, a very large quadruped with one great horn on his nose, from which circumstance his name is derived. See the notes on Numbers 23:22; Numbers 24:8. Reem is in the singular number, and because the horns of a unicorn, a one-horned animal, would have appeared absurd, our translators, with an unfaithfulness not common to them, put the word in the plural number.
To the ends of the earth — Of the land of Canaan, for Joshua with his armies conquered all this land, and drove the ancient inhabitants out before him.
They are the ten thousands of Ephraim, c. — That is, The horns signify the ten thousands of Ephraim, and the thousands of Manasseh. Jacob prophesied, Genesis 48:19, that the younger should be greater than the elder so here TENS of thousands are given to Ephraim, and only thousands to Manasseh. See the census, Numbers 1:33-35.
