Bilangan 11:33

11:33 But while the meat was still between their teeth, before they chewed it, ¹  the anger of the Lord burned against the people, and the Lord struck the people with a very great plague.

Bilangan 13:23-24

13:23 When they came to the valley of Eshcol, they cut down from there a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they carried it on a staff ²  between two men, as well as some of the pomegranates and the figs. 13:24 That place was called ³  the Eshcol Valley, ⁴  because of the cluster ⁵  of grapes that the Israelites cut from there.

Bilangan 15:30

Deliberate Sin

15:30 “‘But the person ⁶  who acts defiantly, ⁷  whether native-born or a resident foreigner, insults ⁸  the Lord. ⁹  That person ¹⁰  must be cut off ¹¹  from among his people.

¹ tn The verb is a prefixed conjugation, normally an imperfect tense. But coming after the adverb טֶּרֶם (terem) it is treated as a preterite.

² tn The word is related etymologically to the verb for “slip, slide, bend, totter.” This would fit the use very well. A pole that would not bend would be hard to use to carry things, but a pole or stave that was flexible would serve well.

³ tn The verb is rendered as a passive because there is no expressed subject.

⁴ tn Or “Wadi Eshcol.” The translation “brook” is too generous; the Hebrew term refers to a river bed, a ravine or valley through which torrents of rain would rush in the rainy season; at other times it might be completely dry.

⁵ tn The word “Eshcol” is drawn from the Hebrew expression concerning the “cluster of grapes.” The word is probably retained in the name Burj Haskeh, two miles north of Damascus.

⁶ tn Heb “soul.”

⁷ tn The sin is described literally as acting “with a high hand” – בְּיָד רָמָה (bÿyad ramah). The expression means that someone would do something with deliberate defiance, with an arrogance in spite of what the Lord said. It is as if the sinner was about to attack God, or at least lifting his hand against God. The implication of the expression is that it was done in full knowledge of the Law (especially since this contrasts throughout with the sins of ignorance). Blatant defiance of the word of the Lord is dealt with differently. For similar expressions, see Exod 14:8 and Num 33:3.

⁸ tn The verb occurs only in the Piel; it means “to blaspheme,” “to revile.”

⁹ tn The word order in the Hebrew text places “Yahweh” first for emphasis – it is the Lord such a person insults.

¹⁰ tn Heb “soul.”

¹¹ tn The clause begins with “and” because the verb is the perfect tense with vav (ו) consecutive. As discussed with Num 9:13, to be cut off could mean excommunication from the community, death by the community, or death by divine intervention.