Bilangan 11:31

Provision of Quail

11:31 Now a wind ¹  went out ²  from the Lord and brought quail ³  from the sea, and let them fall ⁴  near the camp, about a day’s journey on this side, and about a day’s journey on the other side, all around the camp, and about three feet ⁵  high on the surface of the ground.

Bilangan 24:13

24:13 ‘If Balak would give me his palace full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond ⁶  the commandment ⁷  of the Lord to do either good or evil of my own will, ⁸  but whatever the Lord tells me I must speak’?

Bilangan 36:3

36:3 Now if they should be married to one of the men ⁹  from another Israelite tribe, their inheritance would be taken from the inheritance of our fathers and added to the inheritance of the tribe into which they marry. ¹⁰  As a result, it will be taken from the lot of our inheritance.

Bilangan 11:15

11:15 But if you are going to deal ¹¹  with me like this, then kill me immediately. ¹²  If I have found favor in your sight then do not let me see my trouble.” ¹³ 

Bilangan 14:2

14:2 And all the Israelites murmured ¹⁴  against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, “If only we had died ¹⁵  in the land of Egypt, or if only we had perished ¹⁶  in this wilderness!

Bilangan 22:18

22:18 Balaam replied ¹⁷  to the servants of Balak, “Even if Balak would give me his palace full of silver and gold, I could not transgress the commandment ¹⁸  of the Lord my God ¹⁹  to do less or more.

Bilangan 20:3

20:3 The people contended ²⁰  with Moses, saying, ²¹  “If only ²²  we had died when our brothers died before the Lord!

Bilangan 22:29

22:29 And Balaam said to the donkey, “You have made me look stupid; I wish ²³  there were a sword in my hand, for I would kill you right now.”

Bilangan 5:21

5:21 Then the priest will put the woman under the oath of the curse ²⁴  and will say ²⁵  to the her, “The Lord make you an attested curse ²⁶  among your people, ²⁷  if the Lord makes ²⁸  your thigh fall away ²⁹  and your abdomen swell; ³⁰ 

Bilangan 16:30

16:30 But if the Lord does something entirely new, ³¹  and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them up ³²  along with all that they have, and they ³³  go down alive to the grave, ³⁴  then you will know that these men have despised the Lord!”

Bilangan 23:10

23:10 Who ³⁵  can count ³⁶  the dust ³⁷  of Jacob,

Or number ³⁸  the fourth part of Israel?

Let me ³⁹  die the death of the upright, ⁴⁰ 

and let the end of my life ⁴¹  be like theirs.” ⁴² 

Bilangan 27:16

27:16 “Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all humankind, ⁴³  appoint ⁴⁴  a man over the community,

Bilangan 14:17

14:17 So now, let the power of my Lord ⁴⁵  be great, just as you have said,

Bilangan 12:12

12:12 Do not let her be like a baby born dead, whose flesh is half-consumed when it comes out of its ⁴⁶  mother’s womb!”

Bilangan 14:15

14:15 If you kill ⁴⁷  this entire people at once, ⁴⁸  then the nations that have heard of your fame will say,

Bilangan 12:11

The Intercession of Moses

12:11 So Aaron said to Moses, “O my lord, ⁴⁹  please do not hold this sin against us, in which we have acted foolishly and have sinned!

Bilangan 15:27

15:27 “‘If any person ⁵⁰  sins unintentionally, then he must bring a yearling female goat for a purification offering.

Bilangan 10:31

10:31 Moses ⁵¹  said, “Do not leave us, ⁵²  because you know places for us to camp in the wilderness, and you could be our guide. ⁵³ 

Bilangan 10:36

10:36 And when it came to rest he would say, “Return, O Lord, to the many thousands of Israel!” ⁵⁴ 

Bilangan 24:9

24:9 They crouch and lie down like a lion,

and as a lioness, ⁵⁵  who can stir him?

Blessed is the one who blesses you,

and cursed is the one who curses you!’”

Bilangan 32:23

32:23 “But if you do not do this, then look, you will have sinned ⁵⁶  against the Lord. And know that your sin will find you out.

Bilangan 27:6

27:6 The Lord said to Moses:

Bilangan 20:17

20:17 Please let us pass through ⁵⁷  your country. We will not pass through the fields or through the vineyards, nor will we drink water from any well. We will go by the King’s Highway; ⁵⁸  we will not turn to the right or the left until we have passed through your region.’” ⁵⁹ 

Bilangan 14:8

14:8 If the Lord delights in us, then he will bring us into this land and give it to us – a land that is flowing with milk and honey. ⁶⁰ 

Bilangan 15:22

Rules for Unintentional Offenses

15:22 ⁶¹ “‘If you ⁶²  sin unintentionally and do not observe all these commandments that the Lord has spoken to Moses –

Bilangan 10:35

10:35 And when the ark traveled, Moses would say, “Rise up, O Lord! May your enemies be scattered, and may those who hate you flee before you!”

Bilangan 23:18

Balaam Prophesies Again

23:18 Balaam ⁶³  uttered ⁶⁴  his oracle, and said,

“Rise up, ⁶⁵  Balak, and hear;

Listen to me, son of Zippor:

Bilangan 22:33

22:33 The donkey saw me and turned from me these three times. If ⁶⁶  she had not turned from me, I would have killed you but saved her alive.”

Bilangan 22:17

22:17 For I will honor you greatly, ⁶⁷  and whatever you tell me I will do. So come, put a curse on this nation for me.’”

Bilangan 22:19

22:19 Now therefore, please stay ⁶⁸  the night here also, that I may know what more the Lord might say to me.” ⁶⁹ 

Bilangan 22:6

22:6 So ⁷⁰  now, please come and curse this nation ⁷¹  for me, for they are too powerful for me. Perhaps I will prevail so that we may conquer them ⁷²  and drive them out of the land. For I know that whoever you bless is blessed, ⁷³  and whoever you curse is cursed.”

Bilangan 16:26

16:26 And he said to the community, “Move away from the tents of these wicked ⁷⁴  men, and do not touch anything they have, lest you be destroyed because ⁷⁵  of all their sins.” ⁷⁶ 

Bilangan 15:24

15:24 then if anything is done unintentionally ⁷⁷  without the knowledge of ⁷⁸  the community, the whole community must prepare one young bull for a burnt offering – for a pleasing aroma to the Lord – along with its grain offering and its customary drink offering, and one male goat for a purification offering.

Bilangan 22:16

22:16 And they came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak son of Zippor: ‘Please do not let anything hinder you from coming ⁷⁹  to me.

Bilangan 23:13

23:13 Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place from which you can observe them. You will see only a part of them, but you will not see all of them. Curse them for me from there.”

Bilangan 23:27

23:27 Balak said to Balaam, “Come, please; I will take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God ⁸⁰  to let you curse them for me from there.” ⁸¹ 

Bilangan 32:15

32:15 For if you turn away from following him, he will once again abandon ⁸²  them in the wilderness, and you will be the reason for their destruction.” ⁸³ 

Bilangan 7:84

Summary

7:84 This was the dedication for the altar from the leaders of Israel, when it was anointed: twelve silver platters, twelve silver sprinkling bowls, and twelve gold pans.

Bilangan 5:8

5:8 But if the individual has no close relative ⁸⁴  to whom reparation can be made for the wrong, the reparation for the wrong must be paid to the Lord ⁸⁵  for the priest, in addition to the ram of atonement by which atonement is made for him.

Bilangan 16:15

16:15 Moses was very angry, and he said to the Lord, “Have no respect ⁸⁶  for their offering! I have not taken so much as one donkey from them, nor have I harmed any one of them!”

Bilangan 21:2

21:2 So Israel made a vow ⁸⁷  to the Lord and said, “If you will indeed deliver ⁸⁸  this people into our ⁸⁹  hand, then we will utterly destroy ⁹⁰  their cities.”

Bilangan 32:19

32:19 For we will not accept any inheritance on the other side of the Jordan River ⁹¹  and beyond, because our inheritance has come to us on this eastern side of the Jordan.”

Bilangan 32:17

32:17 but we will maintain ourselves in armed readiness ⁹²  and go before the Israelites until whenever we have brought them to their place. Our descendants will be living in fortified towns as a protection against ⁹³  the inhabitants of the land.

Bilangan 20:19

20:19 Then the Israelites said to him, “We will go along the highway, and if we ⁹⁴  or our cattle drink any of your water, we will pay for it. We will only pass through on our feet, without doing anything else.”

Bilangan 16:29

16:29 If these men die a natural death, ⁹⁵  or if they share the fate ⁹⁶  of all men, then the Lord has not sent me.

Bilangan 32:6

Moses’ Response

32:6 Moses said to the Gadites and the Reubenites, “Must your brothers go to war while you ⁹⁷  remain here?

Bilangan 12:13

12:13 Then Moses cried to the Lord, “Heal her now, O God.” ⁹⁸ 

Bilangan 14:19

14:19 Please forgive ⁹⁹  the iniquity of this people according to your great loyal love, ¹⁰⁰  just as you have forgiven this people from Egypt even until now.”

Bilangan 6:24-26

6:24 “The Lord bless you ¹⁰¹  and protect ¹⁰²  you;

6:25 The Lord make his face to shine upon you,

and be gracious to you; ¹⁰³ 

6:26 The Lord lift up his countenance upon you ¹⁰⁴ 

and give you peace.”’

Bilangan 11:29

11:29 Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for me? ¹⁰⁵  I wish that ¹⁰⁶  all the Lord’s people were prophets, that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!”

Bilangan 21:7

21:7 Then the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you. Pray to the Lord that he would take away ¹⁰⁷  the snakes from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.

Bilangan 23:1

Balaam Blesses Israel

23:1 ¹⁰⁸ Balaam said to Balak, “Build me seven altars here, and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams.”

Bilangan 32:5

32:5 So they said, “If we have found favor in your sight, ¹⁰⁹  let this land be given to your servants for our inheritance. Do not have us cross ¹¹⁰  the Jordan River.” ¹¹¹ 

Bilangan 14:42

14:42 Do not go up, for the Lord is not among you, and you will be ¹¹²  defeated before your enemies.

Bilangan 23:25

Balaam Relocates Yet Again

23:25 Balak said to Balaam, “Neither curse them at all ¹¹³  nor bless them at all!” ¹¹⁴ 

Bilangan 12:14

12:14 The Lord said to Moses, “If her father had only spit ¹¹⁵  in her face, would she not have been disgraced for seven days? Shut her out from the camp seven days, and afterward she can be brought back in again.”

Bilangan 27:4

27:4 Why should the name of our father be lost from among his family because he had no son? Give us a possession ¹¹⁶  among the relatives ¹¹⁷  of our father.”

[11:31]  ¹ sn The irony in this chapter is expressed in part by the use of the word רוּחַ (ruakh). In the last episode it clearly meant the Spirit of the Lord that empowered the men for their spiritual service. But here the word is “wind.” Both the spiritual service and the judgment come from God.

[11:31]  ² tn The verb means “burst forth” or “sprang up.” See the ways it is used in Gen 33:12, Judg 16:3, 14; Isa 33:20.

[11:31]  ³ sn The “quail” ordinarily cross the Sinai at various times of the year, but what is described here is not the natural phenomenon. Biblical scholars looking for natural explanations usually note that these birds fly at a low height and can be swatted down easily. But the description here is more of a supernatural supply and provision. See J. Gray, “The Desert Sojourn of the Hebrews and the Sinai Horeb Tradition,” VT 4 (1954): 148-54.

[11:31]  ⁴ tn Or “left them fluttering.”

[11:31]  ⁵ tn Heb “two cubits.” The standard cubit in the OT is assumed by most authorities to be about eighteen inches (45 cm) in length.

[24:13]  ⁶ tn Heb “I am not able to go beyond.”

[24:13]  ⁷ tn Heb “mouth.”

[24:13]  ⁸ tn Heb “from my heart.”

[36:3]  ⁹ tn “Men” is understood; it says “to one from the sons of the tribes of the Israelites for a wife,” or if he has her for a wife.

[36:3]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “which they will be to them,” meaning, to those who have them, i.e., the marriages.

[11:15]  ¹¹ tn The participle expresses the future idea of what God is doing, or what he is going to be doing. Moses would rather be killed than be given a totally impossible duty over a people that were not his.

[11:15]  ¹² tn The imperative of הָרַג (harag) is followed by the infinitive absolute for emphasis. The point is more that the infinitive adds to the emphasis of the imperative mood, which would be immediate compliance.

[11:15]  ¹³ tn Or “my own ruin” (NIV). The word “trouble” here probably refers to the stress and difficulty of caring for a complaining group of people. The suffix on the noun would be objective, perhaps stressing the indirect object of the noun – trouble for me. The expression “on my trouble” (בְּרָעָתִי, bÿra’ati) is one of the so-called tiqqune sopherim, or “emendations of the scribes.” According to this tradition the original reading in v. 15 was [to look] “on your evil” (בְּרָעָתֶךָ, bÿra’atekha), meaning “the calamity that you bring about” for Israel. However, since such an expression could be mistakenly thought to attribute evil to the Lord, the ancient scribes changed it to the reading found in the MT.

[14:2]  ¹⁴ tn The Hebrew verb “to murmur” is לוּן (lun). It is a strong word, signifying far more than complaining or grumbling, as some of the modern translations have it. The word is most often connected to the wilderness experience. It is paralleled in the literature with the word “to rebel.” The murmuring is like a parliamentary vote of no confidence, for they no longer trusted their leaders and wished to choose a new leader and return. This “return to Egypt” becomes a symbol of their lack of faith in the Lord.

[14:2]  ¹⁵ tn The optative is expressed by לוּ (lu) and then the verb, here the perfect tense מַתְנוּ (matnu) – “O that we had died….” Had they wanted to die in Egypt they should not have cried out to the Lord to deliver them from bondage. Here the people became consumed with the fear and worry of what lay ahead, and in their panic they revealed a lack of trust in God.

[14:2]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “died.”

[22:18]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “answered and said.”

[22:18]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “mouth.”

[22:18]  ¹⁹ sn In the light of subsequent events one should not take too seriously that Balaam referred to Yahweh as his God. He is referring properly to the deity for which he is acting as the agent.

[20:3]  ²⁰ tn The verb is רִיב (riv); it is often used in the Bible for a legal complaint, a law suit, at least in form. But it can also describe a quarrel, or strife, like that between Abram’s men and Lot’s men in Genesis 13. It will be the main verb behind the commemorative name Meribah, the place where the people strove with God. It is a far more serious thing than grumbling – it is directed, intentional, and well-argued. For further discussion, see J. Limburg, “The Root ‘rib’ and the Prophetic Lawsuit Speeches,” JBL 88 (1969): 291-304.

[20:3]  ²¹ tn Heb “and they said, saying.”

[20:3]  ²² tn The particle לוּ (lu) indicates the optative nuance of the line – the wishing or longing for death. It is certainly an absurdity to want to have died, but God took them at their word and they died in the wilderness.

[22:29]  ²³ tn The optative clause is introduced with the particle לוּ (lu).

[5:21]  ²⁴ sn For information on such curses, see M. R. Lehmann, “Biblical Oaths,” ZAW 81 (1969): 74-92; A. C. Thiselton, “The Supposed Power of Words in the Biblical Writings,” JTS 25 (1974): 283-99; and F. C. Fensham, “Malediction and Benediction in Ancient Vassal Treaties and the Old Testament,” ZAW 74 (1962): 1-9.

[5:21]  ²⁵ tn Heb “the priest will say.”

[5:21]  ²⁶ tn This interpretation takes the two nouns as a hendiadys. The literal wording is “the Lord make you a curse and an oath among the people.” In what sense would she be an oath? The point of the whole passage is that the priest is making her take an oath to see if she has been sinful and will be cursed.

[5:21]  ²⁷ sn The outcome of this would be that she would be quoted by people in such forms of expression as an oath or a curse (see Jer 29:22).

[5:21]  ²⁸ tn The construction uses the infinitive construct with the preposition to form an adverbial clause: “in the giving of the Lord…,” meaning, “if and when the Lord makes such and such to happen.”

[5:21]  ²⁹ tn TEV takes the expression “your thigh” as a euphemism for the genitals: “cause your genital organs to shrink.”

[5:21]  ³⁰ sn Most commentators take the expressions to be euphemisms of miscarriage or stillbirth, meaning that there would be no fruit from an illegitimate union. The idea of the abdomen swelling has been reinterpreted by NEB to mean “fall away.” If this interpretation stands, then the idea is that the woman has become pregnant, and that has aroused the suspicion of the husband for some reason. R. K. Harrison (Numbers [WEC], 111-13) discusses a variety of other explanations for diseases and conditions that might be described by these terms. He translates it with “miscarriage,” but leaves open what the description might actually be. Cf. NRSV “makes your uterus drop, your womb discharge.”

[16:30]  ³¹ tn The verb בָּרָא (bara’) is normally translated “create” in the Bible. More specifically it means to fashion or make or do something new and fresh. Here the verb is joined with its cognate accusative to underscore that this will be so different everyone will know it is of God.

[16:30]  ³² tn The figures are personifications. But they vividly describe the catastrophe to follow – which was very much like a mouth swallowing them.

[16:30]  ³³ tn The word is “life” or “lifetime”; it certainly means their lives – they themselves. But the presence of this word suggest more. It is an accusative specifying the state of the subject – they will go down alive to Sheol.

[16:30]  ³⁴ tn The word “Sheol” in the Bible can be used four different ways: the grave, the realm of the departed [wicked] spirits or Hell, death in general, or a place of extreme danger (one that will lead to the grave if God does not intervene). The usage here is certainly the first, and very likely the second as well. A translation of “pit” would not be inappropriate. Since they will go down there alive, it is likely that they will sense the deprivation and the separation from the land above. See H. W. Robinson, Inspiration and Revelation in the Old Testament; N. J. Tromp, Primitive Conceptions of Death and the Netherworld in the Old Testament (BibOr 21), 21-23; and A. Heidel, The Gilgamesh Epic, especially ch. 3.

[23:10]  ³⁵ tn The question is again rhetorical; it means no one can count them – they are innumerable.

[23:10]  ³⁶ tn The perfect tense can also be classified as a potential nuance. It does not occur very often, but does occur several times.

[23:10]  ³⁷ sn The reference in the oracle is back to Gen 13:16, which would not be clear to Balaam. But God had described their growth like the dust of the earth. Here it is part of the description of the vast numbers.

[23:10]  ³⁸ tn Heb “and as a number, the fourth part of Israel.” The noun in the MT is not in the construct state, and so it should be taken as an adverbial accusative, forming a parallel with the verb “count.” The second object of the verse then follows, “the fourth part of Israel.” Smr and the LXX have “and who has numbered” (וּמִסְפָּר, umispar), making this colon more parallel to the preceding one. The editor of BHS prefers this reading.

[23:10]  ³⁹ tn The use of נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) for the subject of the verb stresses the personal nature – me.

[23:10]  ⁴⁰ sn Here the seer’s words link with the promise of Gen 12:3, that whoever blesses Israel will be blessed. Since the blessing belongs to them, the upright (and not Balak), Balaam would like his lot to be with them.

[23:10]  ⁴¹ tn Heb “my latter end.”

[23:10]  ⁴² tn Heb “his.”

[27:16]  ⁴³ tn Heb “flesh”; cf. NAB, NIV “all mankind”; NCV “all people”; NLT “all living things.”

[27:16]  ⁴⁴ tn This is the same verb פָּקַד (paqad) that is used throughout the book for the aspect of “numbering” the people.

[14:17]  ⁴⁵ tc The form in the text is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay), the word that is usually used in place of the tetragrammaton. It is the plural form with the pronominal suffix, and so must refer to God.

[12:12]  ⁴⁶ tc The words “its mother” and “its flesh” are among the so-called tiqqune sopherim, or “emendations of the scribes.” According to this tradition the text originally had here “our mother” and “our flesh,” but the ancient scribes changed these pronouns from the first person to the third person. Apparently they were concerned that the image of Moses’ mother giving birth to a baby with physical defects of the sort described here was somehow inappropriate, given the stature and importance of Moses.

[14:15]  ⁴⁷ tn The verb is the Hiphil perfect of מוּת (mut), וְהֵמַתָּה (vÿhemattah). The vav (ו) consecutive makes this also a future time sequence verb, but again in a conditional clause.

[14:15]  ⁴⁸ tn Heb “as one man.”

[12:11]  ⁴⁹ tn The expression בִּי אֲדֹנִי (bi ’adoni, “O my lord”) shows a good deal of respect for Moses by Aaron. The expression is often used in addressing God.

[15:27]  ⁵⁰ tn The Hebrew text hasוְאִם־נֶפֶשׁ אַחַת (vÿ’im-nefesh ’akhat), sometime translated “and if any soul.” But the word describes the whole person, the soul in the body; it refers here to the individual who sins.

[10:31]  ⁵¹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Moses) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[10:31]  ⁵² 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]  ⁵³ 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.

[10:36]  ⁵⁴ sn These two formulaic prayers were offered by Moses at the beginning and at the end of the journeys. They prayed for the Lord to fight ahead of the nation when it was on the move, and to protect them when they camped. The theme of the first is found in Ps 68:1. The prayers reflect the true mentality of holy war, that it was the Lord who fought for Israel and defended her. The prayers have been included in the prayer book for synagogue services.

[24:9]  ⁵⁵ tn On the usage of this word see HALOT 517 s.v. לָבִיא.

[32:23]  ⁵⁶ tn The nuance of the perfect tense here has to be the future perfect.

[20:17]  ⁵⁷ tn The request is expressed by the use of the cohortative, “let us pass through.” It is the proper way to seek permission.

[20:17]  ⁵⁸ sn This a main highway running from Damascus in the north to the Gulf of Aqaba, along the ridge of the land. Some scholars suggest that the name may have been given by the later Assyrians (see B. Obed, “Observations on Methods of Assyrian Rule in Transjordan after the Palestinian Campaign of Tiglathpileser III,” JNES 29 [1970]: 177-86). Bronze Age fortresses have been discovered along this highway, attesting to its existence in the time of Moses. The original name came from the king who developed the highway, probably as a trading road (see S. Cohen, IDB 3:35-36).

[20:17]  ⁵⁹ tn Heb “borders.”

[14:8]  ⁶⁰ tn The subjective genitives “milk and honey” are symbols of the wealth of the land, second only to bread. Milk was a sign of such abundance (Gen 49:12; Isa 7:21,22). Because of the climate the milk would thicken quickly and become curds, eaten with bread or turned into butter. The honey mentioned here is the wild honey (see Deut 32:13; Judg 14:8-9). It signified sweetness, or the finer things of life (Ezek 3:3).

[15:22]  ⁶¹ sn These regulations supplement what was already ruled on in the Levitical code for the purification and reparation offerings. See those rulings in Lev 4-7 for all the details. Some biblical scholars view the rules in Leviticus as more elaborate and therefore later. However, this probably represents a misunderstanding of the purpose of each collection.

[15:22]  ⁶² tn The verb is the plural imperfect; the sin discussed here is a sin committed by the community, or the larger part of the community.

[23:18]  ⁶³ tn Heb “he.” The antecedent has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[23:18]  ⁶⁴ tn Heb “took up.”

[23:18]  ⁶⁵ tn The verb probably means “pay attention” in this verse.

[22:33]  ⁶⁶ tc Many commentators consider אוּלַי (’ulay, “perhaps”) to be a misspelling in the MT in place of לוּלֵי (luley, “if not”).

[22:17]  ⁶⁷ tn The construction uses the Piel infinitive כַּבֵּד (kabbed) to intensify the verb, which is the Piel imperfect/cohortative אֲכַבֶּדְךָ (’akhabbedkha). The great honor could have been wealth, prestige, or position.

[22:19]  ⁶⁸ tn In this case “lodge” is not used, but “remain, reside” (שְׁבוּ, shÿvu).

[22:19]  ⁶⁹ tn This clause is also a verbal hendiadys: “what the Lord might add to speak,” meaning, “what more the Lord might say.”

[22:6]  ⁷⁰ tn The two lines before this verse begin with the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh), and so they lay the foundation for these imperatives. In view of those circumstances, this is what should happen.

[22:6]  ⁷¹ tn Heb “people.” So also in vv. 10, 17, 41.

[22:6]  ⁷² tn The construction uses the imperfect tense אוּכַל (’ukhal, “I will be able”) followed by the imperfect tense נַכֶּה (nakkeh, “we will smite/attack/defeat”). The second verb is clearly the purpose or the result of the first, even though there is no conjunction or particle.

[22:6]  ⁷³ tn The verb is the Piel imperfect of בָּרַךְ (barakh), with the nuance of possibility: “whomever you may bless.” The Pual participle מְבֹרָךְ (mÿvorakh) serves as the predicate.

[16:26]  ⁷⁴ tn The word רָשָׁע (rasha’) has the sense of a guilty criminal. The word “wicked” sometimes gives the wrong connotation. These men were opposing the Lord, and so were condemned as criminals – they were guilty. The idea of “wickedness” therefore applies in that sense.

[16:26]  ⁷⁵ tn The preposition bet (בְּ) in this line is causal – “on account of their sins.”

[16:26]  ⁷⁶ sn The impression is that the people did not hear what the Lord said to Moses, but only what Moses said to the people as a result. They saw the brilliant cloud, and perhaps heard the sound of his voice, but the relaying of the instructions indicates they did not hear the actual instruction from the Lord himself.

[15:24]  ⁷⁷ tn The idea of לִשְׁגָגָה (lishgagah) seems to be that of “inadvertence” or “without intent.” The text gives no indication of how this offense might be committed, or what it might include. It probably describes any transgressions done in ignorance of the Law that involved a violation of tabernacle procedure or priestly protocol or social misdemeanor. Even though it was done unintentionally, it was still a violation and called for ritual purification.

[15:24]  ⁷⁸ tn Heb “[away] from the eyes of the community.”

[22:16]  ⁷⁹ tn The infinitive construct is the object of the preposition.

[23:27]  ⁸⁰ tn Heb “be pleasing in the eyes of God.”

[23:27]  ⁸¹ sn Balak is stubborn, as indeed Balaam is persistent. But Balak still thinks that if another location were used it just might work. Balaam had actually told Balak in the prophecy that other attempts would fail. But Balak refuses to give up so easily. So he insists they perform the ritual and try again. This time, however, Balaam will change his approach, and this will result in a dramatic outpouring of power on him.

[32:15]  ⁸² tn The construction uses a verbal hendiadys with the verb “to add” serving to modify the main verb.

[32:15]  ⁸³ tn Heb “and you will destroy all this people.”

[5:8]  ⁸⁴ sn For more information on the word, see A. R. Johnson, “The Primary Meaning of גאל,” VTSup 1 (1953): 67-77.

[5:8]  ⁸⁵ tc The editors of BHS prefer to follow the Greek, Syriac, and Latin and not read “for the Lord” here, but read a form of the verb “to be” instead. But the text makes more sense as it stands: The payment is to be made to the Lord for the benefit of the priests.

[16:15]  ⁸⁶ tn The verb means “to turn toward”; it is a figurative expression that means “to pay attention to” or “to have regard for.” So this is a prayer against Dathan and Abiram.

[21:2]  ⁸⁷ tn The Hebrew text uses a cognate accusative with the verb: They vowed a vow. The Israelites were therefore determined with God’s help to defeat Arad.

[21:2]  ⁸⁸ tn The Hebrew text has the infinitive absolute and the imperfect tense of נָתַן (natan) to stress the point – if you will surely/indeed give.”

[21:2]  ⁸⁹ tn Heb “my.”

[21:2]  ⁹⁰ tn On the surface this does not sound like much of a vow. But the key is in the use of the verb for “utterly destroy” – חָרַם (kharam). Whatever was put to this “ban” or “devotion” belonged to God, either for his use, or for destruction. The oath was in fact saying that they would take nothing from this for themselves. It would simply be the removal of what was alien to the faith, or to God’s program.

[32:19]  ⁹¹ tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[32:17]  ⁹² tn The MT has חֻשִׁים (khushim); the verbal root is חוּשׁ (khush, “to make haste” or “hurry”). But in light of the Greek and Latin Vulgate the Hebrew should probably be emended to חֲמֻשִׁים (hamushim), a qal passive participle meaning “in battle array.” See further BDB 301 s.v. I חוּשׁ, BDB 332 s.v. חֲמֻשִׁים; HALOT 300 s.v. I חושׁ, חישׁ; HALOT 331 s.v. I חמשׁ.

[32:17]  ⁹³ tn Heb “from before.”

[20:19]  ⁹⁴ tn The Hebrew text uses singular pronouns, “I” and “my,” but it is the people of Israel that are intended, and so it may be rendered in the plural. Similarly, Edom speaks in the first person, probably from the king. But it too could be rendered “we.”

[16:29]  ⁹⁵ tn Heb “if like the death of every man they die.”

[16:29]  ⁹⁶ tn The noun is פְּקֻדָּה (pÿquddah, “appointment, visitation”). The expression refers to a natural death, parallel to the first expression.

[32:6]  ⁹⁷ tn The vav (ו) is a vav disjunctive prefixed to the pronoun; it fits best here as a circumstantial clause, “while you stay here.”

[12:13]  ⁹⁸ tc Some scholars emend אֵל (’el, “God”) to עַל(’al, “no”). The effect of this change may be seen in the NAB: “‘Please, not this! Pray, heal her!’”

[14:19]  ⁹⁹ tn The verb סְלַח־נָא (selakh-na’), the imperative form, means “forgive” (see Ps 130:4), “pardon,” “excuse.” The imperative is of course a prayer, a desire, and not a command.

[14:19]  ¹⁰⁰ tn The construct unit is “the greatness of your loyal love.” This is the genitive of specification, the first word being the modifier.

[6:24]  ¹⁰¹ tn The short blessing uses the jussive throughout, here the Piel jussive with a pronominal suffix. While the jussive has quite a range of nuances, including wish, desire, prayer, or greeting, the jussives here are stronger. The formal subject of the verb is the Lord, and the speaker pronouncing the blessing is the priest, notably after emerging from the holy of holies where atonement has been made. The Lord says in this passage that when the priest says this, then the Lord will bless them. The jussive then is an oracle, not a wish or a prayer. It is a declaration of what the Lord imparts. It is as binding and sure as a patriarchal blessing which once said officially could not be taken back. The priest here is then pronouncing the word of the Lord, declaring to the congregation the outcome of the atonement.

[6:24]  ¹⁰² tn The verb “to keep” concerns the divine protection of the people; its basic meaning is “to exercise great care over,” “to guard,” or “to give attention to” (see TWOT 2:939). No doubt the priestly blessing informed the prayer and promise that makes up Ps 121, for the verb occurs six times in the eight verses. So in addition to the divine provision (“bless” basically means “enrich” in a number of ways) there is the assurance of divine protection.

[6:25]  ¹⁰³ tn Whereas the first line of the blessing had three Hebrew words, the second has five, and the third has seven. In this second line and the following third, the blessing takes the form of an emblem followed by the truth. For the Lord to make his face shine on them would mean to be gracious to them. M. Noth rightly calls this image of the shining face “a figure of speech for benevolence and favour” (Numbers [OTL], 59); see, for example, Pss 4:7; 31:17; 44:4; 67:2; 80:4, 8, 20; 119:135; Dan 9:17). The image may have its inspiration in the theophanies. The picture is of divine favor – the beaming face of a parent for his beloved.

[6:26]  ¹⁰⁴ tn The last line of the blessing also has first the image and then the parallel interpretation – for God to lift up his face is for God to give peace. The idea of the fallen face is one of anger (see Gen 4:6,7); and the idea of the hidden face is that of withholding support, favor, or peace (see Deut 31:18; Ps 30:8; Ps 44:25). If God lifts his face toward his people, it means he has given them peace – peace, prosperity, completeness, health, safety, general well-being, and the like.

[11:29]  ¹⁰⁵ tn The Piel participle מְקַנֵּא (mÿqanne’) serves as a verb here in this interrogative sentence. The word means “to be jealous; to be envious.” That can be in a good sense, such as with the translation “zeal,” or it can be in a negative sense as here. Joshua’s apparent “zeal” is questioned by Moses – was he zealous/envious for Moses sake, or for some other reason?

[11:29]  ¹⁰⁶ tn The optative is expressed by the interrogative clause in Hebrew, “who will give….” Moses expresses here the wish that the whole nation would have that portion of the Spirit. The new covenant, of course, would turn Moses’ wish into a certainty.

[21:7]  ¹⁰⁷ tn The verb is the Hiphil jussive with a vav (ו) consecutive from the verb סוּר (sur); after the imperative this form may be subordinated to become a purpose clause.

[23:1]  ¹⁰⁸ sn The first part of Balaam’s activity ends in disaster for Balak – he blesses Israel. The chapter falls into four units: the first prophecy (vv. 1-10), the relocation (vv. 11-17), the second prophecy (vv. 18-24), and a further location (vv. 25-30).

[32:5]  ¹⁰⁹ tn Heb “eyes.”

[32:5]  ¹¹⁰ tn The verb is the Hiphil jussive from עָבַר (’avar, “to cross over”). The idea of “cause to cross” or “make us cross” might be too harsh, but “take across” with the rest of the nation is what they are trying to avoid.

[32:5]  ¹¹¹ tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[14:42]  ¹¹² tn This verb could also be subordinated to the preceding: “that you be not smitten.”

[23:25]  ¹¹³ tn The verb is preceded by the infinitive absolute: “you shall by no means curse” or “do not curse them at all.” He brought him to curse, and when he tried to curse there was a blessing. Balak can only say it would be better not to bother.

[23:25]  ¹¹⁴ tn The same construction now works with “nor bless them at all.” The two together form a merism – “don’t say anything.” He does not want them blessed, so Balaam is not to do that, but the curse isn’t working either.

[12:14]  ¹¹⁵ tn The form is intensified by the infinitive absolute, but here the infinitive strengthens not simply the verbal idea but the conditional cause construction as well.

[27:4]  ¹¹⁶ tn That is, the possession of land, or property, among the other families of their tribe.

[27:4]  ¹¹⁷ tn The word is “brothers,” but this can be interpreted more loosely to relatives. So also in v. 7.