Bilangan 23:9

23:9 For from the top of the rocks I see them; ¹ 

from the hills I watch them. ² 

Indeed, a nation that lives alone,

and it will not be reckoned ³  among the nations.

Ulangan 33:12

Blessing on Benjamin

33:12 Of Benjamin he said:

The beloved of the Lord will live safely by him;

he protects him all the time,

and the Lord ⁴  places him on his chest. ⁵ 

Ulangan 33:28

33:28 Israel lives in safety,

the fountain of Jacob is quite secure, ⁶ 

in a land of grain and new wine;

indeed, its heavens ⁷  rain down dew. ⁸ 

Yeremia 23:6

23:6 Under his rule ⁹  Judah will enjoy safety ¹⁰ 

and Israel will live in security. ¹¹ 

This is the name he will go by:

‘The Lord has provided us with justice.’ ¹² 

[23:9]  ¹ tn Heb “him,” but here it refers to the Israelites (Israel).

[23:9]  ² sn Balaam reports his observation of the nation of Israel spread out below him in the valley. Based on that vision, and the Lord’s word, he announces the uniqueness of Israel – they are not just like one of the other nations. He was correct, of course; they were the only people linked with the living God by covenant.

[23:9]  ³ tn The verb could also be taken as a reflexive – Israel does not consider itself as among the nations, meaning, they consider themselves to be unique.

[33:12]  ⁴ tn Heb “he”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[33:12]  ⁵ tn Heb “between his shoulders.” This suggests the scene in John 13:23 with Jesus and the Beloved Disciple.

[33:28]  ⁶ tn Heb “all alone.” The idea is that such vital resources as water will some day no longer need protection because God will provide security.

[33:28]  ⁷ tn Or “skies.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heaven(s)” or “sky” depending on the context.

[33:28]  ⁸ tn Or perhaps “drizzle, showers.” See note at Deut 32:2.

[23:6]  ⁹ tn Heb “In his days [= during the time he rules].”

[23:6]  ¹⁰ tn Parallelism and context (cf. v. 4) suggest this nuance for the word often translated “be saved.” For this nuance elsewhere see Ps 119:117; Prov 28:18 for the verb (יָשַׁע [yasha’] in the Niphal); and Ps 12:6; Job 5:4, 11 for the related noun (יֶשַׁע, yesha’).

[23:6]  ¹¹ sn It should be noted that this brief oracle of deliverance implies the reunification of Israel and Judah under the future Davidic ruler. Jeremiah has already spoken about this reunification earlier in 3:18 and will have more to say about it in 30:3; 31:27, 31. This same ideal was espoused in the prophecies of Hosea (1:10-11 [2:1-2 HT]), Isaiah (11:1-4, 10-12), and Ezekiel (37:15-28) all of which have messianic and eschatological significance.

[23:6]  ¹² tn Heb “his name will be called ‘The Lord our righteousness’.”

[23:6]  sn The Hebrew word translated “justice” here is very broad in its usage, and it is hard to catch all the relevant nuances for this word in this context. It is used for “vindication” in legal contexts (see, e.g., Job 6:29), for “deliverance” or “salvation” in exilic contexts (see, e.g., Isa 58:8), and in the sense of ruling, judging with “justice” (see, e.g., Lev 19:15; Isa 32:1). Here it probably sums up the justice that the Lord provides through raising up this ruler as well as the safety, security, and well-being that result (see vv. 5-6a). In the NT this takes on soteriological connotations (see 1 Cor 1:31 in its context).