Bilangan 19:1

The Red Heifer Ritual

19:1 ¹ The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron:

Bilangan 22:12

22:12 But God said to Balaam, “You must not go with them; you must not curse the people, ²  for they are blessed.” ³ 

Bilangan 33:50

At the Border of Canaan

33:50 The Lord spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan, across from Jericho. He said:

[19:1]  ¹ sn In the last chapter the needs of the priests and Levites were addressed. Now the concern is for the people. This provision from the sacrifice of the red heifer is a precaution to ensure that the purity of the tabernacle was not violated by pollutions of impurity or death. This chapter has two main parts, both dealing with ceremonial purity: the ritual of the red heifer (vv. 1-10), and the purification from uncleanness (vv. 11-22). For further study see J. Milgrom, “The Paradox of the Red Cow (Num 19),” VT 31 (1981): 62-72.

[22:12]  ² tn The two verbs are negated imperfects; they have the nuance of prohibition: You must not go and you must not curse.

[22:12]  ³ tn The word בָּרוּךְ (barukh) is the Qal passive participle, serving here as the predicate adjective after the supplied verb “to be.” The verb means “enrich,” in any way, materially, spiritually, physically. But the indication here is that the blessing includes the promised blessing of the patriarchs, a blessing that gave Israel the land. See further, C. Westermann, Blessing in the Bible and the Life of the Church (OBT).