Deuteronomy 33:18-22: a reflection

18About Zebulun he said, “Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out; and Issachar, in your tents. 19They will call the peoples to the mountain. There they will offer sacrifices of righteousness, for they will draw out the abundance of the seas, the hidden treasures of the sand.” 20About Gad he said, “He who enlarges Gad is blessed. He dwells as a lioness, and tears the arm and the crown of the head. 21He provided the first part for himself, for the lawgiver’s portion was reserved for him. He came with the heads of the people. He executed the righteousness of the LORD, His ordinances with Israel.” 22About Dan he said, “Dan is a lion’s cub that leaps out of Bashan.”

In blessing the tribes, Moses says to Zebulun and Issachar: Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out; and Issachar, in your tents. Notice the two spheres of blessing: the going out, and the tents. Zebulun is blessed in his going out, in venture and travel and trade abroad; Issachar in his tents, in home and settled life. God's blessing is invoked over both the active, outgoing life and the settled life at home, over both labor abroad and rest within.

Notice that the blessing covers both the going out and the staying in, both labor and home. Zebulun rejoices in his going out, his ventures and work in the wider world; Issachar rejoices in his tents, his settled life at home. Both are blessed; God's favor rests on both the outgoing, active life and the quiet life at home. Neither the venturing abroad nor the dwelling at home is outside God's blessing; both the going out and the staying in are places where God's people can rejoice in his favor.

That is worth taking to heart, for we can imagine God's blessing rests only on one sphere of life. We may think God's favor is on our active, outgoing work but not our quiet home life, or on our home but not our labor abroad; we may value one and neglect the other. But God's blessing rests on both the going out and the staying in, both our work and our home, as Zebulun rejoiced in his going out and Issachar in his tents. Rejoice in God's blessing over both spheres of your life, your going out and your staying in, your labor and your home; neither is outside his favor. Do not value only your outgoing work and neglect your home, or only your home and neglect your work; both your going out and your dwelling within are blessed by God, and both are places to rejoice in his favor, as Moses blessed Zebulun in his going out and Issachar in his tents.

Lord, in blessing the tribes, Moses says to Zebulun and Issachar: rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out; and Issachar, in your tents. Notice the two spheres of blessing: the going out, and the tents. Zebulun is blessed in his going out, in venture and travel and trade abroad; Issachar in his tents, in home and settled life. Your blessing is invoked over both the active, outgoing life and the settled life at home. Show me that the blessing covers both the going out and the staying in, both labor and home. Both are blessed; your favor rests on both the outgoing, active life and the quiet life at home. Neither the venturing abroad nor the dwelling at home is outside your blessing. Take that to my heart, for I can imagine your blessing rests only on one sphere of life. I may think your favor is on my active, outgoing work but not my quiet home life, or on my home but not my labor abroad; I may value one and neglect the other. But your blessing rests on both. Help me rejoice in your blessing over both spheres of my life, my going out and my staying in, my labor and my home; neither is outside your favor. Keep me from valuing only my outgoing work and neglecting my home, or only my home and neglecting my work; both my going out and my dwelling within are blessed by you, Lord, and both are places to rejoice in your favor.