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Deuteronomy 33:9

Old Testament Law (Torah) ASV (1901)

What does Deuteronomy 33:9 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “Who said of his father, and of his mother, I have not seen him; Neither did he acknowledge his brethren, Nor knew he his own children: For they have observed thy word, And keep thy covenant.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

Who said of his father, and of his mother, I have not seen him; Neither did he acknowledge his brethren, Nor knew he his own children: For they have observed thy word, And keep thy covenant.
Deuteronomy 33:9 — American Standard Version

Context — Deuteronomy 33

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
6Let Reuben live, and not die; Nor let his men be few.
7And this is [the blessing] of Judah: and he said, Hear, Jehovah, the voice of Judah, And bring him in unto his people. With his hands he contended for himself; And thou shalt be a help against his adversaries.
8And of Levi he said, Thy Thummim and thy Urim are with thy godly one, Whom thou didst prove at Massah, With whom thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah;
9Who said of his father, and of his mother, I have not seen him; Neither did he acknowledge his brethren, Nor knew he his own children: For they have observed thy word, And keep thy covenant.
10They shall teach Jacob thine ordinances, And Israel thy law: They shall put incense before thee, And whole burnt-offering upon thine altar.
11Bless, Jehovah, his substance, And accept the work of his hands: Smite through the loins of them that rise up against him, And of them that hate him, that they rise not again.
12Of 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 33:8Deuteronomy 33:10 →
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What do historical commentaries say?

Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Who said unto his father and to his mother - Compare Matthew 10:37; Luke 14:26. return to 'Top of Page'”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“I have not seen him - That is, I have no respect unto them. The sense is, who followed God and his command fully, and executed the judgment enjoined by God without any respect of persons, Exo 32:26-27. They kept thy covenant - When the rest broke their covenant with God by that foul sin of idolatry with the calf, that tribe kept themselves pure from that infection, and adhered to God and his worship. Deuteronomy 33:11”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“33:9 guarded your covenant: The verse alludes to the incident of the gold calf at Mount Sinai (Exod 32:25-29) and to the affair at Baal-peor (Num 25:6-9). The Levites’ love for the Lord and loyalty to his covenant eclipsed their devotion to their own families, averted God’s judgment, and brought them the honor expressed here.”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“Who said: Exo 32:25-29; Lev 10:6, Lev 21:11; Mat 10:37, Mat 12:48, Mat 22:16; Luk 14:26; Co2 5:16; Gal 1:10; Th1 2:4; Ti1 5:21 I have not: Gen 29:32; Ch1 17:17; Job 37:24 for they: Jer 18:18; Mal 2:5-7 Deuteronomy 33:10”
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Related study paths

Read Deuteronomy 33 in contextBrowse Hebrew word studiesOpen this verse in the study reader

Sources and verification