Albert Barnes Commentary Deuteronomy 33

The title “the man of God” in the Old Testament is one who is favored with direct revelations, but not necessarily an official prophet. The occurrence of the title here is no doubt a token that the Blessing was not, as was the Song, transcribed by Moses himself. Compare (Deuteronomy 31:27).

By “Seir” is understood the mountain-land of the Edomites, and by “Mount Paran” the range that forms the northern boundary of the desert of Sinai (see note). Thus, the verse forms a poetical description of the vast arena on which the glorious manifestation of the Lord in the giving of the covenant took place.

With ten thousands of saints — Render as: from among ten thousands of holy ones (literally, from myriads of holiness, that is, holy Angels) . God is represented as leaving heaven, where He dwells among the host of the Angels (1 Kings 22:19), and descending in majesty to earth (Micah 1:3).

A fiery law — or, more literally, as noted in the margin, perhaps with an allusion to the pillar of fire (Exodus 13:21). The word is much disputed.

“The people” are the twelve tribes, not the Gentiles; and his saints refer to God’s chosen people just before spoken of. Compare Deuteronomy 7:18, Deuteronomy 7:21; Exodus 19:6; Daniel 7:8–21.

He was king—i.e., not Moses but the Lord became king.

Let not his men be few - literally, "a number," that is, "a small number," such as could be easily counted (compare Genesis 34:30 note). While the verse promises that the tribe shall endure and prosper, yet it is worded so as to carry a warning with it. The Reubenites, occupied with their herds and flocks, appear, soon after the days of Joshua, to have lost their early energy, until in later times its numbers, even when counted with the Gadites and the half of Manasseh, were fewer than that of the Reubenites alone at the census of Numbers 1:0 (Compare 1 Chronicles 5:18 with Numbers 1:20). No judge, prophet, or national hero arose from this tribe.

The tribe of Simeon, which according to the order of birth would come next, is not named here. This omission is explained by reference to the words of Jacob concerning Simeon (Genesis 49:7). This tribe with Levi was to be scattered in Israel. The fulfillment of this prediction was, in the case of Levi, so ordered as to carry honor and blessing with it; but no such reversal of punishment was granted to Simeon. Rather, this latter tribe had added new sins to those which Jacob denounced (compare Numbers 26:5 note). Accordingly, though very numerous at the Exodus, it had surprisingly diminished before the death of Moses (compare Numbers 1:22-23 with Numbers 26:12-14); and eventually it found territory adequate for its wants within the limits of another tribe, Judah. Compare Joshua 19:2-9.