Bilangan 21:29

21:29 Woe to you, Moab.

You are ruined, O people of Chemosh! ¹ 

He has made his sons fugitives,

and his daughters the prisoners of King Sihon of the Amorites.

Bilangan 22:1-41

Balaam Refuses to Curse Israel

22:1 ² The Israelites traveled on ³  and camped in the plains of Moab on the side of the Jordan River ⁴  across from Jericho. ⁵  22:2 Balak son of Zippor saw all that the Israelites had done to the Amorites. 22:3 And the Moabites were greatly afraid of the people, because they were so numerous. The Moabites were sick with fear because of the Israelites.

22:4 So the Moabites said to the elders of Midian, “Now this mass of people ⁶  will lick up everything around us, as the bull devours the grass of the field. Now Balak son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at this time. 22:5 And he sent messengers to Balaam ⁷  son of Beor at Pethor, which is by the Euphrates River ⁸  in the land of Amaw, ⁹  to summon him, saying, “Look, a nation has come out of Egypt. They cover the face ¹⁰  of the earth, and they are settling next to me. 22:6 So ¹¹  now, please come and curse this nation ¹²  for me, for they are too powerful for me. Perhaps I will prevail so that we may conquer them ¹³  and drive them out of the land. For I know that whoever you bless is blessed, ¹⁴  and whoever you curse is cursed.”

22:7 So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the fee for divination in their hand. They came to Balaam and reported ¹⁵  to him the words of Balak. 22:8 He replied to them, “Stay ¹⁶  here tonight, and I will bring back to you whatever word the Lord may speak to me.” So the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam. 22:9 And God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?” 22:10 Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent a message to me, saying, 22:11 “Look, a nation has come out ¹⁷  of Egypt, and it covers the face of the earth. Come now and put a curse on them for me; perhaps I will be able to defeat them ¹⁸  and drive them out.” ¹⁹  22:12 But God said to Balaam, “You must not go with them; you must not curse the people, ²⁰  for they are blessed.” ²¹ 

22:13 So Balaam got up in the morning, and said to the princes of Balak, “Go to your land, ²²  for the Lord has refused to permit me to go ²³  with you.” 22:14 So the princes of Moab departed ²⁴  and went back to Balak and said, “Balaam refused to come with us.”

Balaam Accompanies the Moabite Princes

22:15 Balak again sent princes, ²⁵  more numerous and more distinguished than the first. ²⁶  22:16 And they came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak son of Zippor: ‘Please do not let anything hinder you from coming ²⁷  to me. 22:17 For I will honor you greatly, ²⁸  and whatever you tell me I will do. So come, put a curse on this nation for me.’”

22:18 Balaam replied ²⁹  to the servants of Balak, “Even if Balak would give me his palace full of silver and gold, I could not transgress the commandment ³⁰  of the Lord my God ³¹  to do less or more. 22:19 Now therefore, please stay ³²  the night here also, that I may know what more the Lord might say to me.” ³³  22:20 God came to Balaam that night, and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, get up and go with them; but the word that I will say to you, that you must do.” 22:21 So Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.

God Opposes Balaam

22:22 Then God’s anger was kindled ³⁴  because he went, and the angel of the Lord stood in the road to oppose ³⁵  him. Now he was riding on his donkey and his two servants were with him. 22:23 And the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with ³⁶  his sword drawn in his hand, so the donkey turned aside from the road and went into the field. But Balaam beat the donkey, to make her turn back to the road.

22:24 Then the angel of the Lord stood in a path ³⁷  among the vineyards, where there was a wall on either side. ³⁸  22:25 And when the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, she pressed herself into the wall, and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall. So he beat her again. ³⁹ 

22:26 Then the angel of the Lord went farther, and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right or to the left. 22:27 When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, she crouched down under Balaam. Then Balaam was angry, and he beat his donkey with a staff.

22:28 Then the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you that you have beaten me these three times?” 22:29 And Balaam said to the donkey, “You have made me look stupid; I wish ⁴⁰  there were a sword in my hand, for I would kill you right now.” 22:30 The donkey said to Balaam, “Am not I your donkey that you have ridden ever since I was yours until this day? Have I ever attempted ⁴¹  to treat you this way?” ⁴²  And he said, “No.” 22:31 Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way with his sword drawn in his hand; so he bowed his head and threw himself down with his face to the ground. ⁴³  22:32 The angel of the Lord said to him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? Look, I came out to oppose you because what you are doing ⁴⁴  is perverse before me. ⁴⁵  22:33 The donkey saw me and turned from me these three times. If ⁴⁶  she had not turned from me, I would have killed you but saved her alive.” 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. ⁴⁷  So now, if it is evil in your sight, ⁴⁸  I will go back home.” ⁴⁹  22:35 But the angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but you may only speak ⁵⁰  the word that I will speak to you.” ⁵¹  So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.

Balaam Meets Balak

22:36 When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at a city of Moab which was on the border of the Arnon at the boundary of his territory. 22:37 Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not send again and again ⁵²  to you to summon you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not able to honor you?” ⁵³  22:38 Balaam said to Balak, “Look, I have come to you. Now, am I able ⁵⁴  to speak ⁵⁵  just anything? I must speak ⁵⁶  only the word that God puts in my mouth.” 22:39 So Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth. 22:40 And Balak sacrificed bulls and sheep, and sent some ⁵⁷  to Balaam, and to the princes who were with him. 22:41 Then on the next morning Balak took Balaam, and brought him up to Bamoth Baal. ⁵⁸  From there he saw the extent of the nation.

Bilangan 24:1-25

Balaam Prophesies Yet Again

24:1 ⁵⁹ When Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, ⁶⁰  he did not go as at the other times ⁶¹  to seek for omens, ⁶²  but he set his face ⁶³  toward the wilderness. 24:2 When Balaam lifted up his eyes, he saw Israel camped tribe by tribe; ⁶⁴  and the Spirit of God came upon him. 24:3 Then he uttered this oracle: ⁶⁵ 

“The oracle ⁶⁶  of Balaam son of Beor;

the oracle of the man whose eyes are open; ⁶⁷ 

24:4 the oracle of the one who hears the words of God,

who sees a vision from the Almighty,

although falling flat on the ground ⁶⁸  with eyes open: ⁶⁹ 

24:5 ‘How ⁷⁰  beautiful are your tents, O Jacob,

and your dwelling places, O Israel!

24:6 They are like ⁷¹  valleys ⁷²  stretched forth,

like gardens by the river’s side,

like aloes ⁷³  that the Lord has planted,

and like cedar trees beside the waters.

24:7 He will pour the water out of his buckets, ⁷⁴ 

and their descendants will be like abundant ⁷⁵  water; ⁷⁶ 

their king will be greater than Agag, ⁷⁷ 

and their kingdom will be exalted.

24:8 God brought them out of Egypt.

They have, as it were, the strength of a young bull;

they will devour hostile people ⁷⁸ 

and will break their bones

and will pierce them through with arrows.

24:9 They crouch and lie down like a lion,

and as a lioness, ⁷⁹  who can stir him?

Blessed is the one who blesses you,

and cursed is the one who curses you!’”

24:10 Then Balak became very angry at Balaam, and he struck his hands together. ⁸⁰  Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, and look, you have done nothing but bless ⁸¹  them these three times! 24:11 So now, go back where you came from! ⁸²  I said that I would greatly honor you; but now the Lord has stood in the way of your honor.”

24:12 Balaam said to Balak, “Did I not also tell your messengers whom you sent to me, 24:13 ‘If Balak would give me his palace full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond ⁸³  the commandment ⁸⁴  of the Lord to do either good or evil of my own will, ⁸⁵  but whatever the Lord tells me I must speak’? 24:14 And now, I am about to go ⁸⁶  back to my own people. Come now, and I will advise you as to what this people will do to your people in the future.” ⁸⁷ 

Balaam Prophesies a Fourth Time

24:15 Then he uttered this oracle: ⁸⁸ 

“The oracle of Balaam son of Beor;

the oracle of the man whose eyes are open;

24:16 the oracle of the one who hears the words of God,

and who knows the knowledge of the Most High,

who sees a vision from the Almighty,

although falling flat on the ground with eyes open:

24:17 ‘I see him, but not now;

I behold him, but not close at hand. ⁸⁹ 

A star ⁹⁰  will march forth ⁹¹  out of Jacob,

and a scepter ⁹²  will rise out of Israel.

He will crush the skulls ⁹³  of Moab,

and the heads ⁹⁴  of all the sons of Sheth. ⁹⁵ 

24:18 Edom will be a possession,

Seir, ⁹⁶  his enemies, will also be a possession;

but Israel will act valiantly.

24:19 A ruler will be established from Jacob;

he will destroy the remains of the city.’” ⁹⁷ 

Balaam’s Final Prophecies

24:20 Then Balaam ⁹⁸  looked on Amalek and delivered this oracle: ⁹⁹ 

“Amalek was the first ¹⁰⁰  of the nations,

but his end will be that he will perish.”

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

“Your dwelling place seems strong,

and your nest ¹⁰¹  is set on a rocky cliff.

24:22 Nevertheless the Kenite will be consumed. ¹⁰² 

How long will Asshur take you away captive?”

24:23 Then he uttered this oracle:

“O, who will survive when God does this! ¹⁰³ 

24:24 Ships will come from the coast of Kittim, ¹⁰⁴ 

and will afflict Asshur, ¹⁰⁵  and will afflict Eber,

and he will also perish forever.” ¹⁰⁶ 

24:25 Balaam got up and departed and returned to his home, ¹⁰⁷  and Balak also went his way.

Ulangan 2:9

2:9 Then the Lord said to me, “Do not harass Moab and provoke them to war, for I will not give you any of their land as your territory. This is because I have given Ar ¹⁰⁸  to the descendants of Lot ¹⁰⁹  as their possession.

Ulangan 2:19

2:19 But when you come close to the Ammonites, do not harass or provoke them because I am not giving you any of the Ammonites’ land as your possession; I have already given it to Lot’s descendants ¹¹⁰  as their possession.

Ulangan 23:3

23:3 An Ammonite or Moabite ¹¹¹  may not enter the assembly of the Lord; to the tenth generation none of their descendants shall ever ¹¹²  do so, ¹¹³ 

Yudas 1:1

Salutation

1:1 From Jude, ¹¹⁴  a slave ¹¹⁵  of Jesus Christ and brother of James, ¹¹⁶  to those who are called, wrapped in the love of ¹¹⁷  God the Father and kept for ¹¹⁸  Jesus Christ.

Rut 4:10

4:10 I have also acquired Ruth the Moabite, the wife of Mahlon, as my wife to raise up a descendant who will inherit his property ¹¹⁹  so the name of the deceased might not disappear ¹²⁰  from among his relatives and from his village. ¹²¹  You are witnesses today.”

Rut 4:2

4:2 Boaz chose ten of the village leaders ¹²²  and said, “Sit down here!” So they sat down.

1 Samuel 8:1-18

Israel Seeks a King

8:1 In his old age Samuel appointed his sons as judges over Israel. 8:2 The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second son was Abijah. They were judges in Beer Sheba. 8:3 But his sons did not follow ¹²³  his ways. Instead, they made money dishonestly, accepted bribes, and perverted justice. ¹²⁴ 

8:4 So all the elders of Israel gathered together and approached Samuel at Ramah. 8:5 They said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons don’t follow your ways. So now appoint over us a king to lead ¹²⁵  us, just like all the other nations have.”

8:6 But this request displeased Samuel, for ¹²⁶  they said, “Give us a king to lead us.” So Samuel prayed to the Lord. 8:7 The Lord said to Samuel, “Do everything the people request of you. ¹²⁷  For it is not you that they have rejected, but it is me that they have rejected as their king. 8:8 Just as they have done ¹²⁸  from the day that I brought them up from Egypt until this very day, they have rejected me and have served other gods. This is what they are also doing to you. 8:9 So now do as they say. ¹²⁹  But seriously warn ¹³⁰  them and make them aware of the policies of the king who will rule over them.” ¹³¹ 

8:10 So Samuel spoke all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking him for a king. 8:11 He said, “Here are the policies of the king who will rule over you: He will conscript your sons and put them in his chariot forces and in his cavalry; they will run in front of his chariot. 8:12 He will appoint for himself leaders of thousands and leaders of fifties, ¹³²  as well as those who plow his ground, reap his harvest, and make his weapons of war and his chariot equipment. 8:13 He will take your daughters to be ointment makers, cooks, and bakers. 8:14 He will take your best fields and vineyards and give them to his own servants. 8:15 He will demand a tenth of your seed and of the produce of your vineyards and give it to his administrators ¹³³  and his servants. 8:16 He will take your male and female servants, as well as your best cattle and your donkeys, and assign them for his own use. 8:17 He will demand a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will be his servants. 8:18 In that day you will cry out because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the Lord won’t answer you in that day.” ¹³⁴ 

1 Samuel 8:2

8:2 The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second son was Abijah. They were judges in Beer Sheba.

Kisah Para Rasul 3:1

Peter and John Heal a Lame Man at the Temple

3:1 Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time ¹³⁵  for prayer, ¹³⁶  at three o’clock in the afternoon. ¹³⁷ 

[21:29]  ¹ sn The note of holy war emerges here as the victory is a victory over the local gods as well as over the people.

[22:1]  ² sn The fifth section of the book (22:1-33:56) traces the Israelite activities in Transjordan. It is hard to determine how long they were in Transjordan, but a good amount of time must have elapsed for the number of moves they made and the wars they fought. There is a considerable amount of information available on this section of the book. Some of the most helpful works include: H. C. Brichto, The Problem of “Curse” in the Hebrew Bible (JBLMS); E. Burrows, The Oracles of Jacob and Balaam; G. W. Coats, “Balaam, Sinner or Saint?” BR 18 (1973): 21-29; P. C. Craigie, “The Conquest and Early Hebrew Poetry,” TynBul 20 (1969): 76-94; I. Parker, “The Way of God and the Way of Balaam,” ExpTim 17 (1905): 45; and J. A. Wharton, “The Command to Bless: An Exposition of Numbers 22:41–23:25,” Int 13 (1959): 37-48. This first part introduces the characters and sets the stage for the oracles. It can be divided into four sections: the invitation declined (vv. 1-14), the second invitation extended (vv. 15-21), God opposes Balaam (vv. 22-35), and Balaam meets Balak (vv. 36-41).

[22:1]  ³ tn The verse begins with the vav (ו) consecutive.

[22:1]  ⁴ tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[22:1]  ⁵ map For the location of Jericho see Map5 B2; Map6 E1; Map7 E1; Map8 E3; Map10 A2; Map11 A1.

[22:4]  ⁶ tn The word is simply “company,” but in the context he must mean a vast company – a horde of people.

[22:5]  ⁷ sn There is much literature on pagan diviners and especially prophecy in places in the east like Mari (see, for example, H. B. Huffmon, “Prophecy in the Mari Letters,” BA 31 [1968]: 101-24). Balaam appears to be a pagan diviner who was of some reputation; he was called to curse the Israelites, but God intervened and gave him blessings only. The passage forms a nice complement to texts that deal with blessings and curses. It shows that no one can curse someone whom God has blessed.

[22:5]  ⁸ tn Heb “by the river”; in most contexts this expression refers to the Euphrates River (cf. NAB, NCV, NRSV, TEV, CEV, NLT).

[22:5]  ⁹ tn Heb “in the land of Amaw” (cf. NAB, NRSV, TEV); traditionally “in the land of the sons of his people.” The LXX has “by the river of the land.”

[22:5]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “eye.” So also in v. 11.

[22:6]  ¹¹ tn The two lines before this verse begin with the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh), and so they lay the foundation for these imperatives. In view of those circumstances, this is what should happen.

[22:6]  ¹² tn Heb “people.” So also in vv. 10, 17, 41.

[22:6]  ¹³ tn The construction uses the imperfect tense אוּכַל (’ukhal, “I will be able”) followed by the imperfect tense נַכֶּה (nakkeh, “we will smite/attack/defeat”). The second verb is clearly the purpose or the result of the first, even though there is no conjunction or particle.

[22:6]  ¹⁴ tn The verb is the Piel imperfect of בָּרַךְ (barakh), with the nuance of possibility: “whomever you may bless.” The Pual participle מְבֹרָךְ (mÿvorakh) serves as the predicate.

[22:7]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “spoke.”

[22:8]  ¹⁶ tn The verb לִין (lin) means “to lodge, spend the night.” The related noun is “a lodge” – a hotel of sorts. Balaam needed to consider the offer. And after darkness was considered the best time for diviners to consult with their deities. Balaam apparently knows of the Lord; he testifies to this effect in 22:18.

[22:11]  ¹⁷ tn In this passage the text differs slightly; here it is “the nation that comes out,” using the article on the noun, and the active participle in the attributive adjective usage.

[22:11]  ¹⁸ tn Here the infinitive construct is used to express the object or complement of the verb “to be able” (it answers the question of what he will be able to do).

[22:11]  ¹⁹ tn The verb is the Piel perfect with vav (ו) consecutive. It either carries the force of an imperfect tense, or it may be subordinated to the preceding verbs.

[22:12]  ²⁰ tn The two verbs are negated imperfects; they have the nuance of prohibition: You must not go and you must not curse.

[22:12]  ²¹ tn The word בָּרוּךְ (barukh) is the Qal passive participle, serving here as the predicate adjective after the supplied verb “to be.” The verb means “enrich,” in any way, materially, spiritually, physically. But the indication here is that the blessing includes the promised blessing of the patriarchs, a blessing that gave Israel the land. See further, C. Westermann, Blessing in the Bible and the Life of the Church (OBT).

[22:13]  ²² tc The LXX adds “to your lord.”

[22:13]  ²³ tn The main verb is the Piel perfect, “he has refused.” This is followed by two infinitives. The first (לְתִתִּי, lÿtitti) serves as a complement or direct object of the verb, answering the question of what he refused to do – “to give me.” The second infinitive (לַהֲלֹךְ, lahalokh) provides the object for the preceding infinitive: “to grant me to go.”

[22:14]  ²⁴ tn Heb “rose up.”

[22:15]  ²⁵ tn The construction is a verbal hendiadys. It uses the Hiphil preterite of the verb “to add” followed by the Qal infinitive “to send.” The infinitive becomes the main verb, and the preterite an adverb: “he added to send” means “he sent again.”

[22:15]  ²⁶ tn Heb “than these.”

[22:16]  ²⁷ tn The infinitive construct is the object of the preposition.

[22:17]  ²⁸ tn The construction uses the Piel infinitive כַּבֵּד (kabbed) to intensify the verb, which is the Piel imperfect/cohortative אֲכַבֶּדְךָ (’akhabbedkha). The great honor could have been wealth, prestige, or position.

[22:18]  ²⁹ tn Heb “answered and said.”

[22:18]  ³⁰ tn Heb “mouth.”

[22:18]  ³¹ 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.

[22:19]  ³² tn In this case “lodge” is not used, but “remain, reside” (שְׁבוּ, shÿvu).

[22:19]  ³³ tn This clause is also a verbal hendiadys: “what the Lord might add to speak,” meaning, “what more the Lord might say.”

[22:22]  ³⁴ sn God’s anger now seems to contradict the permission he gave Balaam just before this. Some commentators argue that God’s anger is a response to Balaam’s character in setting out – which the Bible does not explain. God saw in him greed and pleasure for the riches, which is why he was so willing to go.

[22:22]  ³⁵ tn The word is שָׂטָן (satan, “to be an adversary, to oppose”).

[22:23]  ³⁶ tn The word has the conjunction “and” on the noun, indicating this is a disjunctive vav (ו), here serving as a circumstantial clause.

[22:24]  ³⁷ tn The word means a “narrow place,” having the root meaning “to be deep.” The Greek thought it was in a field in a narrow furrow.

[22:24]  ³⁸ tn Heb “a wall on this side, and a wall on that side.”

[22:25]  ³⁹ tn Heb “he added to beat her,” another verbal hendiadys.

[22:29]  ⁴⁰ tn The optative clause is introduced with the particle לוּ (lu).

[22:30]  ⁴¹ tn Here the Hiphil perfect is preceded by the Hiphil infinitive absolute for emphasis in the sentence.

[22:30]  ⁴² tn Heb “to do thus to you.”

[22:31]  ⁴³ tn The Hishtaphel verb חָוָה (khavah) – שָׁחָה (shakhah) with metathesis – has a basic idea of “bow oneself low to the ground,” and perhaps in some cases the idea of “coil up.” This is the normal posture of prayer and of deep humility in the ancient religious world.

[22:32]  ⁴⁴ tn Heb “your way.”

[22:32]  ⁴⁵ tn The verb יָרַט (yarat) occurs only here and in Job 16:11. Balaam is embarking on a foolish mission with base motives. The old rendering “perverse” is still acceptable.

[22:33]  ⁴⁶ tc Many commentators consider אוּלַי (’ulay, “perhaps”) to be a misspelling in the MT in place of לוּלֵי (luley, “if not”).

[22:34]  ⁴⁷ 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]  ⁴⁸ 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]  ⁴⁹ tn The verb is the cohortative from “return”: I will return [me].

[22:35]  ⁵⁰ tn The imperfect tense here can be given the nuance of permission.

[22:35]  ⁵¹ tn The Hebrew word order is a little more emphatic than this: “but only the word which I speak to you, it you shall speak.”

[22:37]  ⁵² tn The emphatic construction is made of the infinitive absolute and the perfect tense from the verb שָׁלַח (shalakh, “to send”). The idea must be more intense than something like, “Did I not certainly send.” Balak is showing frustration with Balaam for refusing him.

[22:37]  ⁵³ sn Balak again refers to his ability to “honor” the seer. This certainly meant payment for his service, usually gold ornaments, rings and jewelry, as well as some animals.

[22:38]  ⁵⁴ 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]  ⁵⁵ 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]  ⁵⁶ tn The imperfect tense is here taken as an obligatory imperfect.

[22:40]  ⁵⁷ sn The understanding is that Balak was making a sacrifice for a covenant relationship, and so he gave some of the meat to the men and to the seer.

[22:41]  ⁵⁸ sn The name Bamoth Baal means “the high places of Baal.”

[24:1]  ⁵⁹ 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]  ⁶⁰ tn Heb “it was good in the eyes of the Lord.”

[24:1]  ⁶¹ tn Heb “as time after time.”

[24:1]  ⁶² 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]  ⁶³ 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.

[24:2]  ⁶⁴ tn Heb “living according to their tribes.”

[24:3]  ⁶⁵ tn Heb “and he took up his oracle and said.”

[24:3]  ⁶⁶ tn The word נְאֻם (nÿ’um) is an “oracle.” It is usually followed by a subjective genitive, indicating the doer of the action. The word could be rendered “says,” but this translations is more specific.

[24:3]  ⁶⁷ tn The Greek version reads “the one who sees truly.” The word has been interpreted in both ways, “shut” or “open.”

[24:4]  ⁶⁸ tn The phrase “flat on the ground” is supplied in the translation for clarity. The Greek version interprets the line to mean “falling asleep.” It may mean falling into a trance.

[24:4]  ⁶⁹ tn The last colon simply has “falling, but opened eyes.” The falling may simply refer to lying prone; and the opened eyes may refer to his receiving a vision. See H. E. Freeman, An Introduction to the Old Testament Prophets, 37-41.

[24:5]  ⁷⁰ tn Here מָה (mah) has an exclamatory sense: “How!” (see Gen 28:17).

[24:6]  ⁷¹ tn Heb “as valleys they spread forth.”

[24:6]  ⁷² tn Or “rows of palms.”

[24:6]  ⁷³ sn The language seems to be more poetic than precise. N. H. Snaith notes that cedars do not grow beside water; he also connects “aloes” to the eaglewood that is more exotic, and capable of giving off an aroma (Leviticus and Numbers [NCB], 298).

[24:7]  ⁷⁴ tc For this colon the LXX has “a man shall come out of his seed.” Cf. the Syriac Peshitta and Targum.

[24:7]  ⁷⁵ tn Heb “many.”

[24:7]  ⁷⁶ sn These two lines are difficult, but the general sense is that of irrigation buckets and a well-watered land. The point is that Israel will be prosperous and fruitful.

[24:7]  ⁷⁷ sn Many commentators see this as a reference to Agag of 1 Sam 15:32-33, the Amalekite king slain by Samuel, for that is the one we know. But that is by no means clear, for this text does not identify this Agag. If it is that king, then this poem, or this line in this poem, would have to be later, unless one were to try to argue for a specific prophecy. Whoever this Agag is, he is a symbol of power.

[24:8]  ⁷⁸ tn Heb “they will devour nations,” their adversaries.

[24:9]  ⁷⁹ tn On the usage of this word see HALOT 517 s.v. לָבִיא.

[24:10]  ⁸⁰ sn This is apparently a sign of contempt or derision (see Job 27:23; and Lam 2:15).

[24:10]  ⁸¹ tn The construction is emphatic, using the infinitive absolute with the perfect tense for “bless.”

[24:11]  ⁸² tn Heb “flee to your place.”

[24:13]  ⁸³ tn Heb “I am not able to go beyond.”

[24:13]  ⁸⁴ tn Heb “mouth.”

[24:13]  ⁸⁵ tn Heb “from my heart.”

[24:14]  ⁸⁶ tn The construction is the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) suffixed followed by the active participle. This is the futur instans use of the participle, to express something that is about to happen: “I am about to go.”

[24:14]  ⁸⁷ tn Heb “in the latter days.” For more on this expression, see E. Lipinski, “באחרית הימים dans les textes préexiliques,” VT 20 (1970): 445-50.

[24:15]  ⁸⁸ tn Heb “and he took up his oracle and said.”

[24:17]  ⁸⁹ tn Heb “near.”

[24:17]  ⁹⁰ sn This is a figure for a king (see also Isa 14:12) not only in the Bible but in the ancient Near Eastern literature as a whole. The immediate reference of the prophecy seems to be to David, but the eschatological theme goes beyond him. There is to be a connection made between this passage and the sighting of a star in its ascendancy by the magi, who then traveled to Bethlehem to see the one born King of the Jews (Matt 2:2). The expression “son of a star” (Aram Bar Kochba) became a title for a later claimant to kingship, but he was doomed by the Romans in a.d. 135.

[24:17]  ⁹¹ tn The verb is the perfect tense with vav (ו) consecutive; it is equal to the imperfect expressing the future. The verb דָּרַךְ (darakh), related to the noun “way, road,” seems to mean something like tread on, walk, march.”

[24:17]  ⁹² sn The “scepter” is metonymical for a king who will rise to power. NEB strangely rendered this as “comet” to make a parallel with “star.”

[24:17]  ⁹³ tn The word is literally “corners,” but may refer to the corners of the head, and so “skull.”

[24:17]  ⁹⁴ tc The MT reads “shatter, devastate.” Smr reads קֹדְקֹד (qodqod, “head; crown; pate”). Smr follows Jer 48:45 which appears to reflect Num 24:17.

[24:17]  ⁹⁵ sn The prophecy begins to be fulfilled when David defeated Moab and Edom and established an empire including them. But the Messianic promise extends far beyond that to the end of the age and the inclusion of these defeated people in the program of the coming King.

[24:18]  ⁹⁶ sn Seir is the chief mountain range of Edom (Deut 33:2), and so the reference here is to the general area of Edom.

[24:19]  ⁹⁷ tn Or, understanding the Hebrew word for “city” as a place name, “of Ir” (cf. NRSV, NLT).

[24:20]  ⁹⁸ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Balaam) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[24:20]  ⁹⁹ tn Heb “and he lifted up his oracle and said.” So also in vv. 21, 23.

[24:20]  ¹⁰⁰ sn This probably means that it held first place, or it thought that it was “the first of the nations.” It was not the first, either in order or greatness.

[24:21]  ¹⁰¹ 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.

[24:22]  ¹⁰² 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.

[24:23]  ¹⁰³ tc Because there is no parallel line, some have thought that it dropped out (see de Vaulx, Les Nombres, 296).

[24:24]  ¹⁰⁴ tc The MT is difficult. The Kittim refers normally to Cyprus, or any maritime people to the west. W. F. Albright proposed emending the line to “islands will gather in the north, ships from the distant sea” (“The Oracles of Balaam,” JBL 63 [1944]: 222-23). Some commentators accept that reading as the original state of the text, since the present MT makes little sense.

[24:24]  ¹⁰⁵ tn Or perhaps “Assyria” (so NCV, TEV, CEV, NLT).

[24:24]  ¹⁰⁶ tn Or “it will end in utter destruction.”

[24:25]  ¹⁰⁷ tn Heb “place.”

[2:9]  ¹⁰⁸ sn Ar was a Moabite city on the Arnon River east of the Dead Sea. It is mentioned elsewhere in the “Book of the Wars of Yahweh” (Num 21:15; cf. 21:28; Isa 15:1). Here it is synonymous with the whole land of Moab.

[2:9]  ¹⁰⁹ sn The descendants of Lot. Following the destruction of the cities of the plain, Sodom and Gomorrah, as God’s judgment, Lot fathered two sons by his two daughters, namely, Moab and Ammon (Gen 19:30-38). Thus, these descendants of Lot in and around Ar were the Moabites.

[2:19]  ¹¹⁰ sn Lot’s descendants. See note on this phrase in Deut 2:9.

[23:3]  ¹¹¹ sn An Ammonite or Moabite. These descendants of Lot by his two daughters (cf. Gen 19:30-38) were thereby the products of incest and therefore excluded from the worshiping community. However, these two nations also failed to show proper hospitality to Israel on their way to Canaan (v. 4).

[23:3]  ¹¹² tn The Hebrew term translated “ever” (עַד־עוֹלָם, ’ad-’olam) suggests that “tenth generation” (vv. 2, 3) also means “forever.” However, in the OT sense “forever” means not “for eternity” but for an indeterminate future time. See A. Tomasino, NIDOTTE 3:346.

[23:3]  ¹¹³ tn Heb “enter the assembly of the Lord.” The phrase “do so” has been used in the translation for stylistic reasons to avoid redundancy.

[1:1]  ¹¹⁴ tn Grk “Judas,” traditionally “Jude” in English versions to distinguish him from the one who betrayed Jesus. The word “From” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.

[1:1]  ¹¹⁵ tn Though δοῦλος (doulos) is normally translated “servant,” the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. BDAG notes that “‘servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical transl. and early American times…in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished” (BDAG 260 s.v.). At the same time, perhaps “servant” is apt in that the δοῦλος of Jesus Christ took on that role voluntarily, unlike a slave. The most accurate translation is “bondservant” (sometimes found in the ASV for δοῦλος), in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force.

[1:1]  sn Undoubtedly the background for the concept of being the Lord’s slave or servant is to be found in the Old Testament scriptures. For a Jew this concept did not connote drudgery, but honor and privilege. It was used of national Israel at times (Isa 43:10), but was especially associated with famous OT personalities, including such great men as Moses (Josh 14:7), David (Ps 89:3; cf. 2 Sam 7:5, 8) and Elijah (2 Kgs 10:10); all these men were “servants (or slaves) of the Lord.”

[1:1]  ¹¹⁶ sn Although Jude was half-brother of Jesus, he humbly associates himself with James, his full brother. By first calling himself a slave of Jesus Christ, it is evident that he wants no one to place stock in his physical connections. At the same time, he must identify himself further: Since Jude was a common name in the 1st century (two of Jesus’ disciples were so named, including his betrayer), more information was needed, that is to say, brother of James.

[1:1]  ¹¹⁷ tn Grk “loved in.” The perfect passive participle suggests that the audience’s relationship to God is not recent; the preposition ἐν (en) before πατρί (patri) could be taken as sphere or instrument (agency is unlikely, however). Another possible translation would be “dear to God.”

[1:1]  ¹¹⁸ tn Or “by.” Datives of agency are quite rare in the NT (and other ancient Greek), almost always found with a perfect verb. Although this text qualifies, in light of the well-worn idiom of τηρέω (threw) in eschatological contexts, in which God or Christ keeps the believer safe until the parousia (cf. 1 Thess 5:23; 1 Pet 1:4; Rev 3:10; other terms meaning “to guard,” “to keep” are also found in similar eschatological contexts [cf. 2 Thess 3:3; 2 Tim 1:12; 1 Pet 1:5; Jude 24]), it is probably better to understand this verse as having such an eschatological tinge. It is at the same time possible that Jude’s language was intentionally ambiguous, implying both ideas (“kept by Jesus Christ [so that they might be] kept for Jesus Christ”). Elsewhere he displays a certain fondness for wordplays; this may be a hint of things to come.

[4:10]  ¹¹⁹ tn Heb “in order to raise up the name of the deceased over his inheritance” (NASB similar).

[4:10]  ¹²⁰ tn Heb “be cut off” (so NASB, NRSV); NAB “may not perish.”

[4:10]  ¹²¹ tn Heb “and from the gate of his place” (so KJV, ASV); NASB “from the court of his birth place”; NIV “from the town records.”

[4:2]  ¹²² tn Heb “and he took ten men from the elders of the town.”

[8:3]  ¹²³ tn Heb “walk in” (also in v. 5).

[8:3]  ¹²⁴ tn Heb “and they turned aside after unjust gain and took bribes and perverted justice.”

[8:5]  ¹²⁵ tn Heb “judge” (also in v. 6).

[8:6]  ¹²⁶ tn Heb “when.”

[8:7]  ¹²⁷ tn Heb “Listen to the voice of the people, to all which they say to you.”

[8:8]  ¹²⁸ tn Heb “according to all the deeds which they have done.”

[8:9]  ¹²⁹ tn Heb “and now, listen to their voice.”

[8:9]  ¹³⁰ tn The infinitive absolute appears before the imperative for emphasis.

[8:9]  ¹³¹ tn Heb “and tell them the manner of the king who will rule over them.”

[8:12]  ¹³² tc The numbers of v. 12 are confused in the Greek and Syriac versions. For “fifties” the LXX has “hundreds.” The Syriac Peshitta has “heads of thousands and heads of hundreds and heads of fifties and heads of tens,” perhaps reflecting influence from Deut 1:15.

[8:15]  ¹³³ tn Or “eunuchs” (so NAB); NIV “officials”; KJV, NASB, NRSV, NLT “officers.”

[8:18]  ¹³⁴ tc The LXX adds “because you have chosen for yourselves a king.”

[3:1]  ¹³⁵ tn Grk “hour.”

[3:1]  ¹³⁶ sn Going up to the temple at the time for prayer. The earliest Christians, being of Jewish roots, were still participating in the institutions of Judaism at this point. Their faith in Christ did not make them non-Jewish in their practices.

[3:1]  ¹³⁷ tn Grk “at the ninth hour.” This is calculated from sunrise (Josephus, Ant. 14.4.3 [14.65]; Dan 9:21).