Bilangan 3:4

3:4 Nadab and Abihu died ¹  before the Lord ²  when they offered ³  strange ⁴  fire ⁵  before the Lord in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children. ⁶  So Eleazar and Ithamar ministered as priests ⁷  in the presence of ⁸  Aaron their father.

Bilangan 4:15

4:15 “When Aaron and his sons have finished ⁹  covering ¹⁰  the sanctuary and all the furnishings of the sanctuary, when the camp is ready to journey, then ¹¹  the Kohathites will come to carry them; ¹²  but they must not touch ¹³  any ¹⁴  holy thing, or they will die. ¹⁵  These are the responsibilities ¹⁶  of the Kohathites with the tent of meeting.

Bilangan 4:19

4:19 but in order that they will live ¹⁷  and not die when they approach the most holy things, do this for them: Aaron and his sons will go in and appoint ¹⁸  each man ¹⁹  to his service and his responsibility.

Bilangan 5:14

5:14 and if jealous feelings ²⁰  come over him and he becomes suspicious ²¹  of his wife, when she is defiled; ²²  or if jealous feelings come over him and he becomes suspicious of his wife, when she is not defiled –

Bilangan 6:5

6:5 “‘All the days of the vow ²³  of his separation no razor may be used on his head ²⁴  until the time ²⁵  is fulfilled for which he separated himself to the Lord. He will be holy, ²⁶  and he must let ²⁷  the locks of hair on his head grow long.

Bilangan 8:19

8:19 I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and his sons from among the Israelites, to do the work for the Israelites in the tent of meeting, and to make atonement for the Israelites, so there will be no plague among the Israelites when the Israelites come near the sanctuary.” ²⁸ 

Bilangan 9:6

9:6 It happened that some men ²⁹  who were ceremonially defiled ³⁰  by the dead body of a man ³¹  could not keep ³²  the Passover on that day, so they came before Moses and before Aaron on that day.

Bilangan 9:22

9:22 Whether it was for two days, or a month, or a year, ³³  that the cloud prolonged its stay ³⁴  over the tabernacle, the Israelites remained camped without traveling; ³⁵  but when it was taken up, they traveled on.

Bilangan 11:11

11:11 And Moses said to the Lord, “Why have you afflicted ³⁶  your servant? Why have I not found favor in your sight, that ³⁷  you lay the burden of this entire people on me?

Bilangan 11:17

11:17 Then I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take part of the spirit that is on you, and will put it on them, and they will bear some of the burden of the people with you, so that you do not bear it ³⁸  all by yourself.

Bilangan 11:25-26

11:25 And the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to them, and he took some of the Spirit that was on Moses ³⁹  and put it on the seventy elders. When the Spirit rested on them, ⁴⁰  they prophesied, ⁴¹  but did not do so again. ⁴² 

Eldad and Medad

11:26 But two men remained in the camp; one’s name was Eldad, and the other’s name was Medad. And the spirit rested on them. (Now they were among those in the registration, ⁴³  but had not gone to the tabernacle.) So they prophesied in the camp.

Bilangan 12:14

12:14 The Lord said to Moses, “If her father had only spit ⁴⁴  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 14:11

The Punishment from God

14:11 The Lord said to Moses, “How long will this people despise ⁴⁵  me, and how long will they not believe ⁴⁶  in me, in spite of the signs that I have done among them?

Bilangan 14:18

14:18 ‘The Lord is slow to anger and abounding in loyal love, ⁴⁷  forgiving iniquity and transgression, ⁴⁸  but by no means clearing ⁴⁹  the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children until the third and fourth generations.’ ⁵⁰ 

Bilangan 14:22

14:22 For all the people have seen my glory and my signs that I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and yet have tempted ⁵¹  me now these ten times, ⁵²  and have not obeyed me, ⁵³ 

Bilangan 15:39

15:39 You must have this tassel so that you may look at it and remember all the commandments of the Lord and obey them and so that you do not follow ⁵⁴  after your own heart and your own eyes that lead you to unfaithfulness. ⁵⁵ 

Bilangan 17:10

The Memorial

17:10 The Lord said to Moses, “Bring Aaron’s staff back before the testimony to be preserved for a sign to the rebels, so that you may bring their murmurings to an end ⁵⁶  before me, that they will not die.” ⁵⁷ 

Bilangan 18:17

18:17 But you must not redeem the firstborn of a cow or a sheep or a goat; they are holy. You must splash ⁵⁸  their blood on the altar and burn their fat for an offering made by fire for a pleasing aroma to the Lord.

Bilangan 18:23-24

18:23 But the Levites must perform the service ⁵⁹  of the tent of meeting, and they must bear their iniquity. ⁶⁰  It will be a perpetual ordinance throughout your generations that among the Israelites the Levites ⁶¹  have no inheritance. ⁶²  18:24 But I have given ⁶³  to the Levites for an inheritance the tithes of the Israelites that are offered ⁶⁴  to the Lord as a raised offering. That is why I said to them that among the Israelites they are to have no inheritance.”

Bilangan 19:2

19:2 “This is the ordinance of the law which the Lord has commanded: ‘Instruct ⁶⁵  the Israelites to bring ⁶⁶  you a red ⁶⁷  heifer ⁶⁸  without blemish, which has no defect ⁶⁹  and has never carried a yoke.

Bilangan 20:24

20:24 “Aaron will be gathered to his ancestors, ⁷⁰  for he will not enter into the land I have given to the Israelites because both of you ⁷¹  rebelled against my word ⁷²  at the waters of Meribah.

Bilangan 21:23

21:23 But Sihon did not permit Israel to pass through his border; he ⁷³  gathered all his forces ⁷⁴  together and went out against Israel into the wilderness. When ⁷⁵  he came to Jahaz, he fought against Israel.

Bilangan 22:18

22:18 Balaam replied ⁷⁶  to the servants of Balak, “Even if Balak would give me his palace full of silver and gold, I could not transgress the commandment ⁷⁷  of the Lord my God ⁷⁸  to do less or more.

Bilangan 22:34

22:34 Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned, for I did not know that you stood against me in the road. ⁷⁹  So now, if it is evil in your sight, ⁸⁰  I will go back home.” ⁸¹ 

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 24:1

Balaam Prophesies Yet Again

24:1 ⁸² When Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, ⁸³  he did not go as at the other times ⁸⁴  to seek for omens, ⁸⁵  but he set his face ⁸⁶  toward the wilderness.

Bilangan 24:13

24:13 ‘If Balak would give me his palace full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond ⁸⁷  the commandment ⁸⁸  of the Lord to do either good or evil of my own will, ⁸⁹  but whatever the Lord tells me I must speak’?

Bilangan 25:11

25:11 “Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned my anger away from the Israelites, when he manifested such zeal ⁹⁰  for my sake among them, so that I did not consume the Israelites in my zeal. ⁹¹ 

Bilangan 26:65

26:65 For the Lord had said of them, “They will surely die in the wilderness.” And there was not left a single man of them, except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.

Bilangan 27:17

27:17 who will go out before them, and who will come in before them, ⁹²  and who will lead them out, and who will bring them in, so that ⁹³  the community of the Lord may not be like sheep that have no shepherd.”

Bilangan 29:12

The Feast of Temporary Shelters

29:12 “‘On the fifteenth day of the seventh month you are to have a holy assembly; you must do no ordinary work, and you must keep a festival to the Lord for seven days.

Bilangan 30:2

30:2 If a man ⁹⁴  makes a vow ⁹⁵  to the Lord or takes an oath ⁹⁶  of binding obligation on himself, ⁹⁷  he must not break his word, but must do whatever he has promised. ⁹⁸ 

Bilangan 30:5

30:5 But if her father overrules her when he hears ⁹⁹  about it, then none ¹⁰⁰  of her vows or her obligations which she has pledged for herself will stand. And the Lord will release ¹⁰¹  her from it, because her father overruled her.

Bilangan 30:12

30:12 But if her husband clearly nullifies ¹⁰²  them when he hears them, then whatever she says ¹⁰³  by way of vows or obligations will not stand. Her husband has made them void, and the Lord will release her from them.

Bilangan 31:23

31:23 everything that may stand the fire, you are to pass through the fire, ¹⁰⁴  and it will be ceremonially clean, but it must still be purified with the water of purification. Anything that cannot withstand the fire you must pass through the water.

Bilangan 32:11

32:11 ‘Because they have not followed me wholeheartedly, ¹⁰⁵  not ¹⁰⁶  one of the men twenty years old and upward ¹⁰⁷  who came from Egypt will see the land that I swore to give ¹⁰⁸  to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,

Bilangan 33:55

33:55 But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land before you, then those whom you allow to remain will be irritants in your eyes and thorns in your side, and will cause you trouble in the land where you will be living.

Bilangan 35:34

35:34 Therefore do not defile the land that you will inhabit, in which I live, for I the Lord live among the Israelites.”

[3:4]  ¹ tn The verb form is the preterite with vav (ו) consecutive, literally “and Nadab died.” Some commentators wish to make the verb a past perfect, rendering it “and Nadab had died,” but this is not necessary. In tracing through the line from Aaron it simply reports that the first two sons died. The reference is to the event recorded in Lev 10 where the sons brought “strange” or foreign” fire to the sanctuary.

[3:4]  ² tc This initial clause is omitted in one Hebrew ms, Smr, and the Vulgate.

[3:4]  ³ tn The form בְּהַקְרִבָם (bÿhaqrivam) is the Hiphil infinitive construct functioning as a temporal clause: “when they brought near,” meaning, “when they offered.” The verb קָרַב (qarav) is familiar to students of the NT because of “corban” in Mark 7:11.

[3:4]  ⁴ tn Or “prohibited.” See HALOT 279 s.v. זָר 3.

[3:4]  ⁵ tn The expression אֵשׁ זָרָה (’esh zarah, “strange fire”) seems imprecise and has been interpreted numerous ways (see the helpful summary in J. E. Hartley, Leviticus [WBC 4], 132-33). The infraction may have involved any of the following or a combination thereof: (1) using coals from some place other than the burnt offering altar (i.e., “unauthorized coals” according to J. Milgrom, Leviticus [AB], 1:598; cf. Lev 16:12 and cf. “unauthorized person” [אִישׁ זָר, ’ish zar] in Num 16:40 [17:5 HT], NASB “layman”), (2) using the wrong kind of incense (cf. the Exod 30:9 regulation against “strange incense” [קְטֹרֶת זָרָה, qÿtoret zarah] on the incense altar and the possible connection to Exod 30:34-38), (3) performing an incense offering at an unprescribed time (B. A. Levine, Leviticus [JPSTC], 59), or (4) entering the Holy of Holies at an inappropriate time (Lev 16:1-2).

[3:4]  sn This event is narrated in Lev 10:1-7.

[3:4]  ⁶ sn The two young priests had been cut down before they had children; the ranks of the family of Aaron were thereby cut in half in one judgment from God. The significance of the act of judgment was to show that the priests had to sanctify the Lord before the people – they were to be examples that the sanctuary and its contents were distinct.

[3:4]  ⁷ tn The verb is the Piel preterite from the root כָּהַן (kahan): “to function as a priest” or “to minister.”

[3:4]  ⁸ tn The expression “in the presence of” can also mean “during the lifetime of” (see Gen 11:28; see also BDB 818 s.v. פָּנֶה II.7.a; cf. NASB, NIV, NCV, NRSV, TEV).

[4:15]  ⁹ tn The verb form is the Piel perfect with a vav (ו) consecutive; it continues the future sequence, but in this verse forms a subordinate clause to the parallel sequential verb to follow.

[4:15]  ¹⁰ tn The Piel infinitive construct with the preposition serves as the direct object of the preceding verbal form, answering the question of what it was that they finished.

[4:15]  ¹¹ tn Heb “after this.”

[4:15]  ¹² tn The form is the Qal infinitive construct from נָשָׂא (nasa’, “to lift, carry”); here it indicates the purpose clause after the verb “come.”

[4:15]  ¹³ tn The imperfect tense may be given the nuance of negated instruction (“they are not to”) or negated obligation (“they must not”).

[4:15]  ¹⁴ tn Here the article expresses the generic idea of any holy thing (R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 19, §92).

[4:15]  ¹⁵ tn The verb is the perfect tense with a vav (ו) consecutive, following the imperfect tense warning against touching the holy thing. The form shows the consequence of touching the holy thing, and so could be translated “or they will die” or “lest they die.” The first is stronger.

[4:15]  ¹⁶ tn The word מַשָּׂא (massa’) is normally rendered “burden,” especially in prophetic literature. It indicates the load that one must carry, whether an oracle, or here the physical responsibility.

[4:19]  ¹⁷ tn The word order is different in the Hebrew text: Do this…and they will live. Consequently, the verb “and they will live” is a perfect tense with a vav (ו) consecutive to express the future consequence of “doing this” for them.

[4:19]  ¹⁸ tn The perfect tense with vav (ו) consecutive continues the instruction for Aaron.

[4:19]  ¹⁹ tn The distributive sense is obtained by the repetition, “a man” and “a man.”

[5:14]  ²⁰ tn The Hebrew text has the construct case, “spirit of jealousy.” The word “spirit” here has the sense of attitude, mood, feelings. The word קִנְאָה (qin’ah) is the genitive of attribute, modifying what kind of feelings they are. The word means either “zeal” or “jealousy,” depending on the context. It is a passionate feeling to guard or protect an institution or relationship. It can also express strong emotional possessiveness such as envy and coveting. Here there is a feeling of jealousy, but no proof of infidelity.

[5:14]  ²¹ tn The word is now used in the Piel stem; the connotation is certainly “suspicious,” for his jealousy seems now to have some basis, even if it is merely suspicion.

[5:14]  ²² tn The noun clause begins with the conjunction and the pronoun; here it is forming a circumstantial clause, either temporal or causal.

[6:5]  ²³ tc The parallel expression in v. 8 (“all the days of his separation”) lacks the word “vow.” This word is also absent in v. 5 in a few medieval Hebrew manuscripts. The presence of the word in v. 5 may be due to dittography.

[6:5]  ²⁴ sn There is an interesting parallel between this prohibition and the planting of trees. They could not be pruned or trimmed for three years, but allowed to grow free (Lev 20:23). Only then could the tree be cut and the fruit eaten. The natural condition was to be a sign that it was the Lord’s. It was to be undisturbed by humans. Since the Nazirite was to be consecrated to the Lord, that meant his whole person, hair included. In the pagan world the trimming of the beard and the cutting of the hair was often a sign of devotion to some deity.

[6:5]  ²⁵ tn Heb “days.”

[6:5]  ²⁶ tn The word “holy” here has the sense of distinct, different, set apart.

[6:5]  ²⁷ tn The Piel infinitive absolute functions as a verb in this passage; the Piel carries the sense of “grow lengthy” or “let grow long.”

[8:19]  ²⁸ sn The firstborn were those that were essentially redeemed from death in Egypt when the blood was put on the doors. So in the very real sense they belonged to God (Exod 13:2,12). The firstborn was one who stood in special relationship to the father, being the successive offspring. Here, the Levites would stand in for the firstborn in that special role and special relationship. God also made it clear that the nation of Israel was his firstborn son (Exod 4:22-23), and so they stood in that relationship before all the nations. The tribe of Reuben was to have been the firstborn tribe, but in view of the presumptuous attempt to take over the leadership through pagan methods (Gen 35:22; 49:3-4), was passed over. The tribes of Levi and Simeon were also put down for their ancestors’ activities, but sanctuary service was still given to Levi.

[9:6]  ²⁹ tn In the Hebrew text the noun has no definite article, and so it signifies “some” or “certain” men.

[9:6]  ³⁰ tn The meaning, of course, is to be ceremonially unclean, and therefore disqualified from entering the sanctuary.

[9:6]  ³¹ tn Or “a human corpse” (so NAB, NKJV). So also in v.7; cf. v. 10.

[9:6]  ³² tn This clause begins with the vav (ו) conjunction and negative before the perfect tense. Here is the main verb of the sentence: They were not able to observe the Passover. The first part of the verse provides the explanation for their problem.

[9:22]  ³³ tn The MT has אוֹ־יָמִים (’o-yamim). Most translators use “or a year” to interpret this expression in view of the sequence of words leading up to it, as well as in comparison with passages like Judg 17:10 and 1 Sam 1:3 and 27:7. See also the uses in Gen 40:4 and 1 Kgs 17:15. For the view that it means four months, see F. S. North, “Four Month Season of the Hebrew Bible,” VT 11 (1961): 446-48.

[9:22]  ³⁴ tn In the Hebrew text this sentence has a temporal clause using the preposition with the Hiphil infinitive construct of אָרַךְ (’arakh) followed by the subjective genitive, “the cloud.” But this infinitive is followed by the infinitive construct לִשְׁכֹּן (lishkon), the two of them forming a verbal hendiadys: “the cloud made long to stay” becomes “the cloud prolonged its stay.”

[9:22]  ³⁵ tn Heb “and they would not journey”; the clause can be taken adverbially, explaining the preceding verbal clause.

[11:11]  ³⁶ tn The verb is the Hiphil of רָעַע (ra’a’, “to be evil”). Moses laments (with the rhetorical question) that God seems to have caused him evil.

[11:11]  ³⁷ tn The infinitive construct with the preposition is expressing the result of not finding favor with God (see R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 12-13, §57). What Moses is claiming is that because he has been given this burden God did not show him favor.

[11:17]  ³⁸ tn The imperfect tense here is to be classified as a final imperfect, showing the result of this action by God. Moses would be relieved of some of the responsibility when these others were given the grace to understand and to resolve cases.

[11:25]  ³⁹ tn Heb “on him”; the referent (Moses) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[11:25]  ⁴⁰ tn The temporal clause is introduced by the temporal indicator וַיְהִי (vayÿhi), which need not be translated. It introduces the time of the infinitive as past time narrative. The infinitive construct is from נוּחַ (nuakh, “to rest”). The figurative expression of the Spirit resting upon them indicates the temporary indwelling and empowering by the Spirit in their lives.

[11:25]  ⁴¹ tn The text may mean that these men gave ecstatic utterances, much like Saul did when the Spirit came upon him and he made the same prophetic utterances (see 1 Sam 10:10-13). But there is no strong evidence for this (see K. L. Barker, “Zechariah,” EBC 7:605-6). In fact there is no consensus among scholars as to the origin and meaning of the verb “prophesy” or the noun “prophet.” It has something to do with speech, being God’s spokesman or spokeswoman or making predictions or authoritative utterances or ecstatic utterances. It certainly does mean that the same Holy Spirit, the same divine provision that was for Moses to enable him to do the things that God had commanded him to do, was now given to them. It would have included wisdom and power with what they were saying and doing – in a way that was visible and demonstrable to the people! The people needed to know that the same provision was given to these men, authenticating their leadership among the clans. And so it could not simply be a change in their understanding and wisdom.

[11:25]  ⁴² tn The final verb of the clause stresses that this was not repeated: “they did not add” is the literal rendering of וְלֹא יָסָפוּ (vÿlo’ yasafu). It was a one-time spiritual experience associated with their installation.

[11:26]  ⁴³ tn The form of the word is the passive participle כְּתֻבִים (kÿtuvim, “written”). It is normally taken to mean “among those registered,” but it is not clear if that means they were to be among the seventy or not. That seems unlikely since there is no mention of the seventy being registered, and vv. 24-25 says all seventy went out and prophesied. The registration may be to eldership, or the role of the officer.

[12:14]  ⁴⁴ 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.

[14:11]  ⁴⁵ tn The verb נָאַץ (na’ats) means “to condemn, spurn” (BDB 610 s.v.). Coats suggests that in some contexts the word means actual rejection or renunciation (Rebellion in the Wilderness, 146, 7). This would include the idea of distaste.

[14:11]  ⁴⁶ tn The verb “to believe” (root אָמַן, ’aman) has the basic idea of support, dependability for the root. The Hiphil has a declarative sense, namely, to consider something reliable or dependable and to act on it. The people did not trust what the Lord said.

[14:18]  ⁴⁷ tn The expression is רַב־חֶסֶד (rav khesed) means “much of loyal love,” or “faithful love.” Some have it “totally faithful,” but that omits the aspect of his love.

[14:18]  ⁴⁸ tn Or “rebellion.”

[14:18]  ⁴⁹ tn The infinitive absolute emphasizes the verbal activity of the imperfect tense, which here serves as a habitual imperfect. Negated it states what God does not do; and the infinitive makes that certain.

[14:18]  ⁵⁰ sn The Decalogue adds “to those who hate me.” The point of the line is that the effects of sin, if not the sinful traits themselves, are passed on to the next generation.

[14:22]  ⁵¹ tn The verb נָסָה (nasah) means “to test, to tempt, to prove.” It can be used to indicate things are tried or proven, or for testing in a good sense, or tempting in the bad sense, i.e., putting God to the test. In all uses there is uncertainty or doubt about the outcome. Some uses of the verb are positive: If God tests Abraham in Genesis 22:1, it is because there is uncertainty whether he fears the Lord or not; if people like Gideon put out the fleece and test the Lord, it is done by faith but in order to be certain of the Lord’s presence. But here, when these people put God to the test ten times, it was because they doubted the goodness and ability of God, and this was a major weakness. They had proof to the contrary, but chose to challenge God.

[14:22]  ⁵² tn “Ten” is here a round figure, emphasizing the complete testing. But see F. V. Winnett, The Mosaic Tradition, 121-54.

[14:22]  ⁵³ tn Heb “listened to my voice.”

[15:39]  ⁵⁴ tn Heb “seek out, look into.”

[15:39]  ⁵⁵ tn This last clause is a relative clause explaining the influence of the human heart and physical sight. It literally says, “which you go whoring after them.” The verb for “whoring” may be interpreted to mean “act unfaithfully.” So, the idea is these influences lead to unfaithful activity: “after which you act unfaithfully.”

[17:10]  ⁵⁶ tn The verb means “to finish; to complete” and here “to bring to an end.” It is the imperfect following the imperative, and so introduces a purpose clause (as a final imperfect).

[17:10]  ⁵⁷ tn This is another final imperfect in a purpose clause.

[18:17]  ⁵⁸ tn Or “throw, toss.”

[18:23]  ⁵⁹ tn The verse begins with the perfect tense of עָבַד (’avad) with vav (ו) consecutive, making the form equal to the instructions preceding it. As its object the verb has the cognate accusative “service.”

[18:23]  ⁶⁰ sn The Levites have the care of the tent of meeting, and so they are responsible for any transgressions against it.

[18:23]  ⁶¹ tn Heb “they”; the referent (the Levites) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[18:23]  ⁶² tn The Hebrew text uses both the verb and the object from the same root to stress the point: They will not inherit an inheritance. The inheritance refers to land.

[18:24]  ⁶³ tn The classification of the perfect tense here too could be the perfect of resolve, since this law is declaring what will be their portion – “I have decided to give.”

[18:24]  ⁶⁴ tn In the Hebrew text the verb has no expressed subject (although the “Israelites” is certainly intended), and so it can be rendered as a passive.

[19:2]  ⁶⁵ tn Heb “speak to.”

[19:2]  ⁶⁶ tn The line literally reads, “speak to the Israelites that [and] they bring [will bring].” The imperfect [or jussive] is subordinated to the imperative either as a purpose clause, or as the object of the instruction – speak to them that they bring, or tell them to bring.

[19:2]  ⁶⁷ tn The color is designated as red, although the actual color would be a tanned red-brown color for the animal (see the usage in Isa 1:18 and Song 5:10). The reddish color suggested the blood of ritual purification; see J. Milgrom, “The Paradox of the Red Cow (Num 19),” VT 31 (1981): 62-72.

[19:2]  ⁶⁸ sn Some modern commentators prefer “cow” to “heifer,” thinking that the latter came from the influence of the Greek. Young animals were usually prescribed for the ritual, especially here, and so “heifer” is the better translation. A bull could not be given for this purification ritual because that is what was given for the high priests or the community according to Lev 4.

[19:2]  ⁶⁹ tn Heb “wherein there is no defect.”

[20:24]  ⁷⁰ sn This is the standard poetic expression for death. The bones would be buried, often with the bones of relatives in the same tomb, giving rise to the expression.

[20:24]  ⁷¹ tn The verb is in the second person plural form, and so it is Moses and Aaron who rebelled, and so now because of that Aaron first and then Moses would die without going into the land.

[20:24]  ⁷² tn Heb “mouth.”

[21:23]  ⁷³ tn Heb “Sihon.”

[21:23]  ⁷⁴ tn Heb “people.”

[21:23]  ⁷⁵ tn The clause begins with a preterite with vav (ו) consecutive, but may be subordinated to the next preterite as a temporal clause.

[22:18]  ⁷⁶ tn Heb “answered and said.”

[22:18]  ⁷⁷ tn Heb “mouth.”

[22:18]  ⁷⁸ 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.

[22:34]  ⁷⁹ sn Balaam is not here making a general confession of sin. What he is admitting to is a procedural mistake. The basic meaning of the word is “to miss the mark.” He now knows he took the wrong way, i.e., in coming to curse Israel.

[22:34]  ⁸⁰ sn The reference is to Balaam’s way. He is saying that if what he is doing is so perverse, so evil, he will turn around and go home. Of course, it did not appear that he had much of a chance of going forward.

[22:34]  ⁸¹ tn The verb is the cohortative from “return”: I will return [me].

[24:1]  ⁸² sn For a thorough study of the arrangement of this passage, see E. B. Smick, “A Study of the Structure of the Third Balaam Oracle,” The Law and the Prophets, 242-52. He sees the oracle as having an introductory strophe (vv. 3, 4), followed by two stanzas (vv. 5, 6) that introduce the body (vv. 7b-9b) before the final benediction (v. 9b).

[24:1]  ⁸³ tn Heb “it was good in the eyes of the Lord.”

[24:1]  ⁸⁴ tn Heb “as time after time.”

[24:1]  ⁸⁵ tn The word נְחָשִׁים (nÿkhashim) means “omens,” or possibly “auguries.” Balaam is not even making a pretense now of looking for such things, because they are not going to work. God has overruled them.

[24:1]  ⁸⁶ tn The idiom signifies that he had a determination and resolution to look out over where the Israelites were, so that he could appreciate more their presence and use that as the basis for his expressing of the oracle.

[24:13]  ⁸⁷ tn Heb “I am not able to go beyond.”

[24:13]  ⁸⁸ tn Heb “mouth.”

[24:13]  ⁸⁹ tn Heb “from my heart.”

[25:11]  ⁹⁰ tn Heb “he was zealous with my zeal.” The repetition of forms for “zeal” in the line stresses the passion of Phinehas. The word “zeal” means a passionate intensity to protect or preserve divine or social institutions.

[25:11]  ⁹¹ tn The word for “zeal” now occurs a third time. While some English versions translate this word here as “jealousy” (KJV, ASV, NASB, NRSV), it carries the force of God’s passionate determination to defend his rights and what is right about the covenant and the community and parallels the “zeal” that Phinehas had just demonstrated.

[27:17]  ⁹² sn This is probably technical terminology for a military leader (Josh 14:11; 1 Sam 18:13-16; 1 Kgs 3:7; 2 Kgs 11:9). The image of a shepherd can also be military in nature (1 Kgs 22:17).

[27:17]  ⁹³ tn The Hebrew text has the conjunction with the negated imperfect tense, “and it will not be.” This clause should be subordinated to the preceding to form a result clause, and the imperfect then function as a final imperfect.

[30:2]  ⁹⁴ tn The legal construction states the class to which the law applies, and then lays down the condition: “men [man] – if….”

[30:2]  ⁹⁵ tn The Hebrew text uses a cognate accusative construction to express this: “a man if he vows a vow.”

[30:2]  ⁹⁶ tn The expression is “swear an oath” (הִשָּׁבַע שְׁבֻעָה, hishava’ shÿvu’ah). The vow (נֵדֶר, neder) was a promise to donate something of oneself or one’s substance to the Lord. The solemn oath seals the vow before the Lord, perhaps with sacrifice. The vocabulary recalls Abraham’s treaty with Abimelech and the naming of Beer Sheba with the word (see Gen 21).

[30:2]  ⁹⁷ tn The Hebrew text hasלֶאְסֹר אִסָּר (le’sor ’issar), meaning “to take a binding obligation.” This is usually interpreted to mean a negative vow, i.e., the person attempts to abstain from something that is otherwise permissible. It might involve fasting, or abstaining from marital sex, but it might also involve some goal to be achieved, and the abstaining from distractions until the vow is fulfilled (see Ps 132). The נֶדֶר (neder) may have been more for religious matters, and the אִסָּר more for social concerns, but this cannot be documented with certainty.

[30:2]  ⁹⁸ tn Heb “according to all that goes out of his mouth.”

[30:5]  ⁹⁹ tn The idiom is “in the day of,” but it is used in place of a preposition before the infinitive construct with its suffixed subjective genitive. The clause is temporal.

[30:5]  ¹⁰⁰ tn The Hebrew “all will not stand” is best rendered “none will stand.”

[30:5]  ¹⁰¹ tn The verb has often been translated “forgive” (cf. KJV, ASV, NASB, NRSV, NLT), but that would suggest a sin that needed forgiving. The idea of “release from obligation” is better; the idea is like that of having a debt “forgiven” or “retired.” In other words, she is free from the vow she had made. The Lord will not hold the woman responsible to do what she vowed.

[30:12]  ¹⁰² tn The verb is the imperfect tense in the conditional clause. It is intensified with the infinitive absolute, which would have the force of saying that he nullified them unequivocally, or he made them null and void.

[30:12]  ¹⁰³ tn Heb whatever proceeds from her lips.”

[31:23]  ¹⁰⁴ sn Purification by fire is unique to this event. Making these metallic objects “pass through the fire” was not only a way of purifying (burning off impurities), but it seems to be a dedicatory rite as well to the Lord and his people. The aspect of passing through the fire is one used by these pagans for child sacrifice.

[32:11]  ¹⁰⁵ tn The clause is difficult; it means essentially that “they have not made full [their coming] after” the Lord.

[32:11]  ¹⁰⁶ tn The sentence begins with “if they see….” This is the normal way for Hebrew to express a negative oath – “they will by no means see….” The sentence is elliptical; it is saying something like “[May God do so to me] if they see,” meaning they won’t see. Of course here God is taking the oath, which is an anthropomorphic act. He does not need to take an oath, and certainly could not swear by anyone greater, but it communicates to people his resolve.

[32:11]  ¹⁰⁷ tc The LXX adds “those knowing bad and good.”

[32:11]  ¹⁰⁸ tn The words “to give” are not in the Hebrew text but have been supplied in the translation for clarity.