Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 33:6

יחי ראובן. הנה החל מהבכור כי כן המשפט ולא הזכיר שמעון בעבור בעל פעור כי העובדים היו שמעונים ומספרם לעד גם נשיאם נהרג או הלך על דרך יעקב שלא ברך שמעון ולוי ובעבור כבוד אהרן נתלה השבט ממנו ולא היה בשבט שמעון גדול כמותו. ואם יטעון טוען למה בירך ראובן. התשובה כי יעקב ברכו והברכ' היא אל תותר שיהיה כאחד מאחיו. ואחר ראובן הזכיר יהוד' שהוא בעל דגל והוא עולה בתחלה למלחמה ואחר כן לוי ואחריו בנימין בעבור היות הלוים דרים בירושלים שהיתה בין יהודה ובין בנימין כן כתוב. ואחר כן שבט יוסף שלא יאחרנו וכבר הקדים אחיו הקטן ואחר כן זבולון בעבור שהוא נלחם ואחר כן יששכר. וכאשר תמו בני הגבירות החל מגד שהוא עם דגל בני הגבירו' ואחר כן דן שהוא בעל דגל ואחר כן נפתלי כי הוא גדול מאשר: LET REUBEN LIVE. Moses starts with the first-born, for this is the proper practice. He does not mention Simeon because of the incident of Baal-peor,⁵⁹See Num. 25:1-9. for those who served Baalpeor were from the tribe of Simeon.⁶⁰See Num. 25:14. Their number⁶¹Their drop in number. proves this.⁶²When the tribe of Simeon was counted in the second year after the Exodus, they numbered 59,300. (Num. 1:23). When they were counted following the incident of Baal-peor, they numbered 22,200 (Num. 26:14). In other words, the number of the tribe was diminished by 37,100. Also, their prince was killed.⁶³Num. 25:14. It is also possible that Moses followed in the footsteps of Jacob,⁶⁴On his deathbed. See Gen. 49:5-7. who did not bless Simeon and Levi. The tribe of Levi was blessed out of respect for Aaron. Simeon had no one as great as Aaron.⁶⁵Hence they were not blessed. Should one who disputes argue, “Why did Moses bless Reuben?”⁶⁶When Jacob apparently did not bless him. See Gen. 49:3,4. The answer is that Jacob blessed Reuben. The blessing was have not thou the excellency (Gen. 49:4).⁶⁷Of dignity and power. The meaning of the latter is that Reuben shall be like one of his brothers. Moses mentions Judah after Reuben⁶⁸Even though Levi was born before Judah. because he was in charge of a standard⁶⁹For committing harlotry with a Midianite princess. The point is that the leader of the tribe of Simeon as well as a large proportion of the sinners at Baal-peor were Simeonites. Hence Moses did not bless them. See Num. 2:3-9. and he was the first to lead in battle. Next Levi and then Benjamin are mentioned⁷⁰After Judah. because the Levites dwelled in Jerusalem, which was situated between Judah and Benjamin. Scripture clearly states this.⁷¹See Josh. 15:8. Moses then mentions the tribe of Joseph so as not to delay naming him. He had already mentioned his younger brother.⁷²Benjamin. He next mentioned Zebulun because he waged war.⁷³Zebulun is a people that jeoparded their lives unto death (Jud. 5:18). He then mentioned Issachar.⁷⁴Who, like Zebulun, was a son of Leah. After Moses finished mentioning the children of the wives, he commenced with Gad,⁷⁵That is, he commenced the listing of the children of the handmaids with Gad. who camped among the standard of the children of the wives.⁷⁶He camped under the banner of Reuben. See Num. 2:14. Moses then mentions Dan, who was in charge of a standard.⁷⁷See Num. 2:25. He then mentioned Naphtali because he was older than Asher.⁷⁸See Gen. 30:8-13.

יחי ראובן. תפלה: LET REUBEN LIVE. A prayer.

ואל ימות שיתכן שיהיה כבן אדם לחיות שנים קצובות וימות: AND NOT DIE. For it is possible that he will be as a person who lives a certain number of years and then dies.⁷⁹In other words, Moses prayed that the tribe of Reuben exist forever and not disappear with the death of the present generation.

ויהי מתיו מספר. ואל יהי מתיו מספר כמו ולא למדתי חכמה ובי״‎ת באל שדי כאשר פירשתי רבים כי יתכן שיחיה לעולם ויהיו מעטים וכל דבר שיספר הוא מעט. וכן ואני מתי מספר: IN THAT HIS MEN BECOME FEW.⁸⁰Literally, and let his men be numbered. Ve-yehi metav mispar⁸¹Ve-yehi metav mispar literally means and let his men be numbered (few). is to be rendered, and let his men not be numbered (few).⁸²For the word al (not) which precedes yamot is to be inserted after the vav of ve-yehi. Our clause is to be read as if written va-al yehi metav mispar. It is similar to And I have not learned wisdom (Prov. 30:3)⁸³Wherein the word lo (not, no) is to read as if written twice. Prov. 30:3 literally reads: I have not learned wisdom and I have knowledge of the Holy One. The verse should be read as if written: I have not learned wisdom and I have no knowledge of the Holy One. and to the bet of be-el shaddai (as God Almighty) (Ex. 6:3)⁸⁴Ex. 6:3 reads u-shemi. According to I.E. this is be interpreted as if written u-veshemi, for the bet of be-El also applies to the word u-shemi. See I.E. on Ex. 6:3 (Vol. 2, pp. 131,132.) as I have explained many times. Moses said this⁸⁵That Reuben’s men not be few. because it is possible for the tribe of Reuben to live forever but consist of few people. All things that are numbered are few. Compare, And I am men of number(Gen. 34:30).⁸⁶Translated literally.