Bilangan 11:6

11:6 But now we ¹  are dried up, ²  and there is nothing at all before us ³  except this manna!”

Bilangan 11:14

11:14 I am not able to bear this entire people alone, ⁴  because it ⁵  is too heavy for me!

Bilangan 16:12

16:12 Then Moses summoned ⁶  Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, but they said, “We will not come up. ⁷ 

Bilangan 17:13

17:13 (17:28) ⁸  Anyone who even comes close to the tabernacle of the Lord will die! Are we all to die?” ⁹ 

Bilangan 23:20

23:20 Indeed, I have received a command ¹⁰  to bless;

he has blessed, ¹¹  and I cannot reverse it. ¹² 

Bilangan 23:25

Balaam Relocates Yet Again

23:25 Balak said to Balaam, “Neither curse them at all ¹³  nor bless them at all!” ¹⁴ 

Bilangan 24:22

24:22 Nevertheless the Kenite will be consumed. ¹⁵ 

How long will Asshur take you away captive?”

[11:6]  ¹ tn Heb “our souls.”

[11:6]  ² sn The Hebrews were complaining both about the bland taste of the manna and dehydration – they were parched in the wilderness.

[11:6]  ³ tn Heb “before our eyes,” meaning that “we see nothing except this manna.”

[11:14]  ⁴ tn The word order shows the emphasis: “I am not able, I by myself, to bear all this people.” The infinitive לָשֵׂאת (lase’t) serves as the direct object of the verb. The expression is figurative, for bearing or carrying the people means being responsible for all their needs and cares.

[11:14]  ⁵ tn The subject of the verb “heavy” is unstated; in the context it probably refers to the people, or the burden of caring for the people. This responsibility was turning out to be a heavier responsibility than Moses anticipated. Alone he was totally inadequate.

[16:12]  ⁶ tn Heb “Moses sent to summon.” The verb קָרָא (qara’) followed by the lamed (ל) preposition does not mean “call to” but “summon.” This is a command performance; for them to appear would be to submit to Moses’ authority. This they will not do.

[16:12]  ⁷ tn The imperfect tense נַעֲלֶה (na’aleh) expresses their unwillingness to report: “we are not willing,” or “we will not.” The verb means “to go up.” It is used in the sense of appearing before an authority or a superior (see, e.g., Gen 46:31; Deut 25:7; Judg 4:5).

[17:13]  ⁸ sn Num 17:13 in the English Bible is 17:28 in the Hebrew text (BHS). See also the note on 16:36.

[17:13]  ⁹ tn The verse stresses the completeness of their death: “will we be consumed by dying” (הַאִם תַּמְנוּ לִגְוֹעַ, ha’im tamnu ligvoa’).

[23:20]  ¹⁰ tn The Hebrew text simply has “I have received [to] bless.” The infinitive is the object of the verb, telling what he received. Balaam was not actually commanded to bless, but was given the word of blessing so that he was given a divine decree that would bless Israel.

[23:20]  ¹¹ sn The reference is probably to the first speech, where the Lord blessed Israel. Balaam knows that there is nothing he can do to reverse what God has said.

[23:20]  ¹² tn The verb is the Hiphil of שׁוּב (shuv), meaning “to cause to return.” He cannot return God’s word to him, for it has been given, and it will be fulfilled.

[23:25]  ¹³ 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]  ¹⁴ 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.

[24:22]  ¹⁵ tc Heb “Nevertheless Cain will be wasted; how long will Asshur take you captive?” Cain was believed to be the ancestor of the Kenites. The NAB has “yet destined for burning, even as I watch, are your inhabitants.” Asshur may refer to a north Arabian group of people of Abrahamic stock (Gen 25:3), and not the Assyrian empire.