Bilangan 10:31

10:31 Moses ¹  said, “Do not leave us, ²  because you know places for us to camp in the wilderness, and you could be our guide. ³ 

Bilangan 14:14

14:14 then they will tell it to the inhabitants ⁴  of this land. They have heard that you, Lord, are among this people, that you, Lord, are seen face to face, ⁵  that your cloud stands over them, and that you go before them by day in a pillar of cloud and in a pillar of fire by night.

Bilangan 16:22

16:22 Then they threw themselves down with their faces to the ground ⁶  and said, “O God, the God of the spirits of all people, ⁷  will you be angry with the whole community when only one man sins?” ⁸ 

Bilangan 22:34

22:34 Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned, for I did not know that you stood against me in the road. ⁹  So now, if it is evil in your sight, ¹⁰  I will go back home.” ¹¹ 

[10:31]  ¹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Moses) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[10:31]  ² tn The form with אַל־נָא (’al-na’) is a jussive; negated it stresses a more immediate request, as if Hobab is starting to leave, or at least determined to leave.

[10:31]  ³ tn In the Hebrew text the expression is more graphic: “you will be for us for eyes.” Hobab was familiar with the entire Sinai region, and he could certainly direct the people where they were to go. The text does not record Hobab’s response. But the fact that Kenites were in Canaan as allies of Judah (Judg 1:16) would indicate that he gave in and came with Moses. The first refusal may simply be the polite Semitic practice of declining first so that the appeal might be made more urgently.

[14:14]  ⁴ tn The singular participle is to be taken here as a collective, representing all the inhabitants of the land.

[14:14]  ⁵ tn “Face to face” is literally “eye to eye.” It only occurs elsewhere in Isa 52:8. This expresses the closest communication possible.

[16:22]  ⁶ sn It is Moses and Aaron who prostrate themselves; they have the good of the people at heart.

[16:22]  ⁷ tn The expression “the God of the spirits of all humanity [flesh]” is somewhat difficult. The Hebrew text says אֱלֹהֵי הָרוּחֹת לְכָל־בָּשָׂר (’elohey harukhot lÿkhol-basar). This expression occurs in Num 27:16 again. It also occurs in some postbiblical texts, a fact which has prompted some scholars to conclude that it is a late addition. The words clearly show that Moses is interceding for the congregation. The appeal in the verse is that it is better for one man to die for the whole nation than the whole nation for one man (see also John 11:50).

[16:22]  ⁸ tn The verb is the Qal imperfect יֶחֱטָא (yekheta’); it refers to the sinful rebellion of Korah, but Moses is stating something of a principle: “One man sins, and will you be angry….” A past tense translation would assume that this is a preterite use of the imperfect (without vav [ו] consecutive).

[22:34]  ⁹ sn Balaam is not here making a general confession of sin. What he is admitting to is a procedural mistake. The basic meaning of the word is “to miss the mark.” He now knows he took the wrong way, i.e., in coming to curse Israel.

[22:34]  ¹⁰ sn The reference is to Balaam’s way. He is saying that if what he is doing is so perverse, so evil, he will turn around and go home. Of course, it did not appear that he had much of a chance of going forward.

[22:34]  ¹¹ tn The verb is the cohortative from “return”: I will return [me].