Bilangan 4:17

4:17 Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron:

Bilangan 6:23

6:23 “Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is the way ¹  you are to bless ²  the Israelites. Say ³  to them:

Bilangan 11:35

11:35 The people traveled from Kibroth Hattaavah to Hazeroth, and they stayed at Hazeroth.

Bilangan 23:25

Balaam Relocates Yet Again

23:25 Balak said to Balaam, “Neither curse them at all ⁴  nor bless them at all!” ⁵ 

¹ tn Or “thus.”

² tn The Piel imperfect has the nuance of instruction. The particle “thus” explains that the following oracle is the form to use.

³ tn Here is the only use of the verb אָמַר (’amar) as an infinitive absolute; it functions as a verb form, an imperative or an imperfect of instruction. Several commentators have attempted to emend the text to get around the difficulty, but such emendations are unnecessary.

⁴ tn The verb is preceded by the infinitive absolute: “you shall by no means curse” or “do not curse them at all.” He brought him to curse, and when he tried to curse there was a blessing. Balak can only say it would be better not to bother.

⁵ tn The same construction now works with “nor bless them at all.” The two together form a merism – “don’t say anything.” He does not want them blessed, so Balaam is not to do that, but the curse isn’t working either.