The Meaning of Deuteronomy 33:28 Explained

Deuteronomy 33:28

KJV: Israel then shall dwell in safety alone: the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine; also his heavens shall drop down dew.

YLT: And Israel doth tabernacle in confidence alone; The eye of Jacob is unto a land of corn and wine; Also His heavens drop down dew.

Darby: And Israel shall dwell in safety alone, The fountain of Jacob, in a land of corn and new wine; Also his heavens shall drop down dew.

ASV: And Israel dwelleth in safety, The fountain of Jacob alone, In a land of grain and new wine; Yea, his heavens drop down dew.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Israel  then shall dwell  in safety  alone:  the fountain  of Jacob  [shall be] upon a land  of corn  and wine;  also his heavens  shall drop down  dew. 

What does Deuteronomy 33:28 Mean?

Context Summary

Deuteronomy 33:18-29 - Israel's Happy Future Promised
Zebulun and Issachar, sons of Leah, were neighbors in Canaan, and, being on the seaboard, became wealthy by commerce. The calling of the peoples may refer to the Gentile proselytes who were influenced by these tribes, 1 Kings 5:1-6; Mark 7:26.
The blessing of the other tribes is suggested by their position in Canaan: Gad, the leader of the west; Dan standing on the southern frontier, like a lion at bay; Naphtali, possessing the sea of Galilee, see r.v. margin; Asher on the northwest, with mountain, barriers against invasion. "Iron and brass!"
Let your soul dwell in the timeless, changeless, tireless God. There is none like Him. He will ride through heaven to help you, will thrust out the enemies that resist your progress, will be your fountain and dew, your corn and wine, and will place beneath you arms as tender as they are loving. However low you fall, they will always be underneath. As your day, so your strength! [source]

Chapter Summary: Deuteronomy 33

1  The majesty of God
6  The blessings of the twelve tribes
26  The excellence of Israel

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 33:28 mean?

And shall dwell Israel in safety alone the fountain of Jacob in a land of grain and new wine also His heavens shall drop dew
וַיִּשְׁכֹּן֩ יִשְׂרָאֵ֨ל בֶּ֤טַח בָּדָד֙ עֵ֣ין יַעֲקֹ֔ב אֶל־ אֶ֖רֶץ דָּגָ֣ן וְתִיר֑וֹשׁ אַף־ שָׁמָ֖יו יַֽעַרְפוּ טָֽל

וַיִּשְׁכֹּן֩  And  shall  dwell 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁכַן  
Sense: to settle down, abide, dwell, tabernacle, reside.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֨ל  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
בֶּ֤טַח  in  safety 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: בֶּטַח  
Sense: security, safety adv.
בָּדָד֙  alone 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: בָּדָד  
Sense: isolation, withdrawal, separation.
עֵ֣ין  the  fountain 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
יַעֲקֹ֔ב  of  Jacob 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יַעֲקֹב  
Sense: son of Isaac, grandson of Abraham, and father of the 2 patriarchs of the tribes of Israel.
אֶ֖רֶץ  a  land 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
דָּגָ֣ן  of  grain 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּגָן  
Sense: wheat, cereal, grain, corn.
וְתִיר֑וֹשׁ  and  new  wine 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יָרַשׁ 
Sense: wine, fresh or new wine, must, freshly pressed wine.
אַף־  also 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: אַף  
Sense: also, yea, though, so much the more adv.
שָׁמָ֖יו  His  heavens 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַיִם  
Sense: heaven, heavens, sky.
יַֽעַרְפוּ  shall  drop 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: עָרַף  
Sense: to drop, drip.
טָֽל  dew 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: טַל  
Sense: dew, night mist.