Bilangan 12:13

12:13 Then Moses cried to the Lord, “Heal her now, O God.” ¹ 

Bilangan 16:22

16:22 Then they threw themselves down with their faces to the ground ²  and said, “O God, the God of the spirits of all people, ³  will you be angry with the whole community when only one man sins?” ⁴ 

Bilangan 23:8

23:8 How ⁵  can I curse ⁶  one whom God has not cursed,

or how can I denounce one whom the Lord has not denounced?

Bilangan 23:19

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

nor a human being, ⁷  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? ⁸ 

Bilangan 23:22-23

23:22 God brought them ⁹  out of Egypt.

They have, as it were, the strength of a wild bull. ¹⁰ 

23:23 For there is no spell against ¹¹  Jacob,

nor is there any divination against Israel.

At this time ¹²  it must be said ¹³  of Jacob

and of Israel, ‘Look at ¹⁴  what God has done!’

Bilangan 24:4

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 ¹⁵  with eyes open: ¹⁶ 

Bilangan 24:8

24:8 God brought them out of Egypt.

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

they will devour hostile people ¹⁷ 

and will break their bones

and will pierce them through with arrows.

Bilangan 24:16

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:

Bilangan 24:23

24:23 Then he uttered this oracle:

“O, who will survive when God does this! ¹⁸ 

[12:13]  ¹ tc Some scholars emend אֵל (’el, “God”) to עַל(’al, “no”). The effect of this change may be seen in the NAB: “‘Please, not this! Pray, heal her!’”

[16:22]  ² sn It is Moses and Aaron who prostrate themselves; they have the good of the people at heart.

[16:22]  ³ tn The expression “the God of the spirits of all humanity [flesh]” is somewhat difficult. The Hebrew text says אֱלֹהֵי הָרוּחֹת לְכָל־בָּשָׂר (’elohey harukhot lÿkhol-basar). This expression occurs in Num 27:16 again. It also occurs in some postbiblical texts, a fact which has prompted some scholars to conclude that it is a late addition. The words clearly show that Moses is interceding for the congregation. The appeal in the verse is that it is better for one man to die for the whole nation than the whole nation for one man (see also John 11:50).

[16:22]  ⁴ tn The verb is the Qal imperfect יֶחֱטָא (yekheta’); it refers to the sinful rebellion of Korah, but Moses is stating something of a principle: “One man sins, and will you be angry….” A past tense translation would assume that this is a preterite use of the imperfect (without vav [ו] consecutive).

[23:8]  ⁵ tn The figure is erotesis, a rhetorical question. He is actually saying he cannot curse them because God has not cursed them.

[23:8]  ⁶ tn The imperfect tense should here be classified as a potential imperfect.

[23:19]  ⁷ tn Heb “son of man.”

[23:19]  ⁸ 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.

[23:22]  ⁹ tn The form is the Hiphil participle from יָצַא (yatsa’) with the object suffix. He is the one who brought them out.

[23:22]  ¹⁰ sn The expression is “the horns of the wild ox” (KJV “unicorn”). The point of the image is strength or power. Horns are also used in the Bible to represent kingship (see Pss 89 and 132).

[23:23]  ¹¹ tn Or “in Jacob.” But given the context the meaning “against” is preferable. The words describe two techniques of consulting God; the first has to do with observing omens in general (“enchantments”), and the second with casting lots or arrows of the like (“divinations” [Ezek 21:26]). See N. H. Snaith, Leviticus and Numbers (NCB), 295-96.

[23:23]  ¹² tn The form is the preposition “like, as” and the word for “time” – according to the time, about this time, now.

[23:23]  ¹³ tn The Niphal imperfect here carries the nuance of obligation – one has to say in amazement that God has done something marvelous or “it must be said.”

[23:23]  ¹⁴ tn The words “look at” are not in the Hebrew text but have been added in the translation for clarity.

[24:4]  ¹⁵ 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]  ¹⁶ 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.

[24:8]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “they will devour nations,” their adversaries.

[24:23]  ¹⁸ tc Because there is no parallel line, some have thought that it dropped out (see de Vaulx, Les Nombres, 296).