John Calvin Commentary Deuteronomy 33:12

"Of Benjamin he said, The beloved of Jehovah shall dwell in safety by him; He covereth him all the day long, And he dwelleth between his shoulders." — Deuteronomy 33:12 (ASV)

And of Benjamin he said. It is probable that Moses alludes to the inheritance which fell to the lot of the children of Benjamin, for the part of Jerusalem in which the temple stood was contained in it.

Since, therefore, God assigned them a dwelling-place, in which He in a manner protected them and cherished them beneath His wings, they are not without reason called His beloved, for this was no ordinary pledge of His love.

To dwell upon God,³¹⁹ and between his shoulders, is equivalent to reposing upon Him; an analogy taken from fathers who carry their children while they are still small and tender.

Others extract a different meaning, namely, that God would dwell upon the shoulders of Benjamin; but this is very unnatural.³²⁰

³¹⁹ A. V.., “by God.”God.”

³²⁰ It is, nevertheless, the exposition of the great majority of commentators, who suppose that by shoulders are figuratively meant are figuratively meant mountains, or coasts.