Bilangan 30:13

30:13 “Any vow or sworn obligation that would bring affliction to her, ¹  her husband can confirm or nullify. ² 

Bilangan 23:19

23:19 God is not a man, that he should lie,

nor a human being, ³  that he should change his mind.

Has he said, and will he not do it?

Or has he spoken, and will he not make it happen? ⁴ 

Bilangan 30:14

30:14 But if her husband remains completely silent ⁵  about her from day to day, he thus confirms all her vows or all her obligations which she is under; he confirms them because he remained silent about when he heard them.

Bilangan 21:24

21:24 But the Israelites ⁶  defeated him in battle ⁷  and took possession of his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, as far as the Ammonites, for the border of the Ammonites was strongly defended.

Bilangan 21:27

21:27 That is why those who speak in proverbs ⁸  say,

“Come to Heshbon, let it be built.

Let the city of Sihon be established! ⁹ 

Bilangan 24:21

24:21 Then he looked on the Kenites and uttered this oracle:

“Your dwelling place seems strong,

and your nest ¹⁰  is set on a rocky cliff.

[30:13]  ¹ tn The sentence uses the infinitive construct לְעַנֹּת (lÿ’annot, “to afflict”), which is the same word used in the instructions for the day of atonement in which people are to afflict themselves (their souls). The case here may be that the woman would take a religious vow on such an occasion to humble herself, to mortify her flesh, to abstain from certain things, perhaps even sexual relations within marriage.

[30:13]  ² tn Heb “or her husband can nullify.”

[23:19]  ³ tn Heb “son of man.”

[23:19]  ⁴ tn The verb is the Hiphil of קוּם (qum, “to cause to rise; to make stand”). The meaning here is more of the sense of fulfilling the promises made.

[30:14]  ⁵ tn The sentence uses the infinitive absolute to strengthen the idea.

[21:24]  ⁶ tn The Hebrew text has “Israel,” but the verb is plural.

[21:24]  ⁷ tn Heb “with the edge of the sword.”

[21:27]  ⁸ sn Proverbs of antiquity could include pithy sayings or longer songs, riddles, or poems composed to catch the significance or the irony of an event. This is a brief poem to remember the event, like an Egyptian victory song. It may have originated as an Amorite war taunt song; it was sung to commemorate this victory. It was cited later by Jeremiah (48:45-46). The composer invites his victorious people to rebuild the conquered city as a new capital for Sihon. He then turns to address the other cities which his God(s) has/have given to him. See P. D. Hanson, “The Song of Heshbon and David’s Nir,” HTR 61 (1968): 301.

[21:27]  ⁹ tn Meaning, “rebuilt and restored.”

[24:21]  ¹⁰ sn A pun is made on the name Kenite by using the word “your nest” (קִנֶּךָ, qinnekha); the location may be the rocky cliffs overlooking Petra.