Bilangan 14:13
Konteks14:13 Moses said to the Lord, “When the Egyptians hear 1 it – for you brought up this people by your power from among them –
Bilangan 22:38
Konteks22:38 Balaam said to Balak, “Look, I have come to you. Now, am I able 2 to speak 3 just anything? I must speak 4 only the word that God puts in my mouth.”
[14:13] 1 tn The construction is unusual in that we have here a perfect tense with a vav (ו) consecutive with no verb before it to establish the time sequence. The context requires that this be taken as a vav (ו) consecutive. It actually forms the protasis for the next verse, and would best be rendered “when…then they will say.”
[22:38] 2 tn The verb is אוּכַל (’ukhal) in a question – “am I able?” But emphasizing this is the infinitive absolute before it. So Balaam is saying something like, “Can I really say anything?”
[22:38] 3 tn The Piel infinitive construct (without the preposition) serves as the object of the verb “to be able.” The whole question is rhetorical – he is saying that he will not be able to say anything God does not allow him to say.
[22:38] 4 tn The imperfect tense is here taken as an obligatory imperfect.