Bilangan 1:51

1:51 Whenever the tabernacle is to move, ¹  the Levites must take it down, and whenever the tabernacle is to be reassembled, ²  the Levites must set it up. ³  Any unauthorized person ⁴  who approaches it must be killed.

Bilangan 3:7

3:7 They are responsible for his needs ⁵  and the needs of the whole community before the tent of meeting, by attending ⁶  to the service of the tabernacle.

Bilangan 3:10

3:10 So you are to appoint Aaron and his sons, and they will be responsible for their priesthood; ⁷  but the unauthorized person ⁸  who comes near must be put to death.”

Bilangan 4:23

4:23 You must number them from thirty years old and upward to fifty years old, all who enter the company to do the work of the tent of meeting.

Bilangan 4:25-26

4:25 They must carry the curtains for the tabernacle and the tent of meeting with its covering, the covering of fine leather that is over it, the curtains for the entrance of the tent of meeting, 4:26 the hangings for the courtyard, the curtain for the entrance of the gate of the court, ⁹  which is around the tabernacle and the altar, and their ropes, along with all the furnishings for their service and everything that is made for them. So they are to serve. ¹⁰ 

Bilangan 4:30

4:30 You must number them from thirty years old and upward to fifty years old, all who enter the company to do the work of the tent of meeting.

Bilangan 5:17

5:17 The priest will then take holy water ¹¹  in a pottery jar, and take some ¹²  of the dust ¹³  that is on the floor of the tabernacle, and put it into the water.

Bilangan 6:17

6:17 Then he must offer the ram as a peace offering ¹⁴  to the Lord, with the basket of bread made without yeast; the priest must also offer his grain offering and his drink offering.

Bilangan 9:1

Passover Regulations

9:1 ¹⁵ The Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they had come out ¹⁶  of the land of Egypt:

Bilangan 9:11

9:11 They may observe it on the fourteenth day of the second month ¹⁷  at twilight; they are to eat it with bread made without yeast and with bitter herbs.

Bilangan 9:15

The Leading of the Lord

9:15 ¹⁸ On ¹⁹  the day that the tabernacle was set up, ²⁰  the cloud ²¹  covered the tabernacle – the tent of the testimony ²²  – and from evening until morning there was ²³  a fiery appearance ²⁴  over the tabernacle.

Bilangan 9:20

9:20 When ²⁵  the cloud remained over the tabernacle a number of days, ²⁶  they remained camped according to the Lord’s commandment, ²⁷  and according to the Lord’s commandment they would journey.

Bilangan 11:11

11:11 And Moses said to the Lord, “Why have you afflicted ²⁸  your servant? Why have I not found favor in your sight, that ²⁹  you lay the burden of this entire people on me?

Bilangan 11:33

11:33 But while the meat was still between their teeth, before they chewed it, ³⁰  the anger of the Lord burned against the people, and the Lord struck the people with a very great plague.

Bilangan 12:6

12:6 The Lord ³¹  said, “Hear now my words: If there is a prophet among you, ³²  I the Lord ³³  will make myself known to him in a vision; I will speak with him in a dream.

Bilangan 12:8

12:8 With him I will speak face to face, ³⁴  openly, ³⁵  and not in riddles; and he will see the form ³⁶  of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?”

Bilangan 13:26-27

The Spies’ Reports

13:26 They came back ³⁷  to Moses and Aaron and to the whole community of the Israelites in the wilderness of Paran at Kadesh. ³⁸  They reported ³⁹  to the whole community and showed the fruit of the land. 13:27 They told Moses, ⁴⁰  “We went to the land where you sent us. ⁴¹  It is indeed flowing with milk and honey, ⁴²  and this is its fruit.

Bilangan 14:11

The Punishment from God

14:11 The Lord said to Moses, “How long will this people despise ⁴³  me, and how long will they not believe ⁴⁴  in me, in spite of the signs that I have done among them?

Bilangan 14:35

14:35 I, the Lord, have said, “I will surely do so to all this evil congregation that has gathered together against me. In this wilderness they will be finished, and there they will die!”’”

Bilangan 14:43

14:43 For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you, and you will fall by the sword. Because you have turned away from the Lord, the Lord will not be with you.”

Bilangan 15:24

15:24 then if anything is done unintentionally ⁴⁵  without the knowledge of ⁴⁶  the community, the whole community must prepare one young bull for a burnt offering – for a pleasing aroma to the Lord – along with its grain offering and its customary drink offering, and one male goat for a purification offering.

Bilangan 16:1

The Rebellion of Korah

16:1 ⁴⁷ Now Korah son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth, who were Reubenites, ⁴⁸  took men ⁴⁹ 

Bilangan 16:28

16:28 Then Moses said, “This is how ⁵⁰  you will know that the Lord has sent me to do all these works, for I have not done them of my own will. ⁵¹ 

Bilangan 18:2-3

18:2 “Bring with you your brothers, the tribe of Levi, the tribe of your father, so that they may join ⁵²  with you and minister to you while ⁵³  you and your sons with you are before the tent of the testimony. 18:3 They must be responsible to care for you and to care for the entire tabernacle. However, they must not come near the furnishings of the sanctuary and the altar, or both they and you will die.

Bilangan 18:13

18:13 And whatever first ripe fruit in their land they bring to the Lord will be yours; everyone who is ceremonially clean in your household may eat of it.

Bilangan 19:14

19:14 “‘This is the law: When a man dies ⁵⁴  in a tent, anyone who comes into the tent and all who are in the tent will be ceremonially unclean seven days.

Bilangan 20:1

The Israelites Complain Again

20:1 ⁵⁵ Then the entire community of Israel ⁵⁶  entered the wilderness of Zin in the first month, ⁵⁷  and the people stayed in Kadesh. ⁵⁸  Miriam died and was buried there. ⁵⁹ 

Bilangan 20:14

Rejection by the Edomites

20:14 ⁶⁰ Moses ⁶¹  sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom: ⁶²  “Thus says your brother Israel: ‘You know all the hardships we have experienced, ⁶³ 

Bilangan 21:7

21:7 Then the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you. Pray to the Lord that he would take away ⁶⁴  the snakes from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.

Bilangan 21:16

21:16 And from there they traveled ⁶⁵  to Beer; ⁶⁶  that is the well where the Lord spoke to Moses, “Gather the people and I will give them water.”

Bilangan 21:18

21:18 The well which the princes ⁶⁷  dug,

which the leaders of the people opened

with their scepters and their staffs.”

And from the wilderness they traveled to Mattanah;

Bilangan 21:29

21:29 Woe to you, Moab.

You are ruined, O people of Chemosh! ⁶⁸ 

He has made his sons fugitives,

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

Bilangan 22:7

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 ⁶⁹  to him the words of Balak.

Bilangan 22:16

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 ⁷⁰  to me.

Bilangan 22:38

22:38 Balaam said to Balak, “Look, I have come to you. Now, am I able ⁷¹  to speak ⁷²  just anything? I must speak ⁷³  only the word that God puts in my mouth.”

Bilangan 26:10

26:10 The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them and Korah at the time that company died, when the fire consumed 250 men. So they became a warning.

Bilangan 26:12

Simeon

26:12 The Simeonites by their families: from Nemuel, the family of the Nemuelites; from Jamin, the family of the Jaminites; from Jakin, the family of the Jakinites;

Bilangan 26:15

Gad

26:15 The Gadites by their families: from Zephon, the family of the Zephonites; from Haggi, the family of the Haggites; from Shuni, the family of the Shunites;

Bilangan 26:19

Judah

26:19 The descendants of Judah were Er and Onan, but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan.

Bilangan 26:26

Zebulun

26:26 The Zebulunites by their families: from Sered, the family of the Sardites; from Elon, the family of the Elonites; from Jahleel, the family of the Jahleelites.

Bilangan 28:2

28:2 “Command the Israelites: ⁷⁴  ‘With regard to my offering, ⁷⁵  be sure to offer ⁷⁶  my food for my offering made by fire, as a pleasing aroma to me at its appointed time.’ ⁷⁷ 

Bilangan 28:8

28:8 And the second lamb you must offer in the late afternoon; just as you offered the grain offering and drink offering in the morning, ⁷⁸  you must offer it as an offering made by fire, as a pleasing aroma to the Lord.

Bilangan 28:31--29:1

28:31 You are to offer them with their drink offerings in addition to the continual burnt offering and its grain offering – they must be unblemished.

Blowing Trumpets

29:1 “‘On the first day of the seventh month, you are to hold a holy assembly. You must not do your ordinary work, for it is a day of blowing trumpets for you.

Bilangan 30:4

30:4 and her father hears of her vow or the obligation to which she has pledged herself, and her father remains silent about her, ⁷⁹  then all her vows will stand, ⁸⁰  and every obligation to which she has pledged herself will stand.

Bilangan 30:16

30:16 These are the statutes that the Lord commanded Moses, relating to ⁸¹  a man and his wife, and a father and his young daughter who is still living in her father’s house.

Bilangan 31:23

31:23 everything that may stand the fire, you are to pass through the fire, ⁸²  and it will be ceremonially clean, but it must still be purified with the water of purification. Anything that cannot withstand the fire you must pass through the water.

Bilangan 31:32

31:32 The spoil that remained of the plunder which the fighting men ⁸³  had gathered ⁸⁴  was 675,000 sheep,

Bilangan 31:42

31:42 From the Israelites’ half-share that Moses had separated from the fighting men, ⁸⁵ 

Bilangan 32:32

32:32 We will cross armed in the Lord’s presence into the land of Canaan, and then the possession of our inheritance that we inherit will be ours on this side of the Jordan River.” ⁸⁶ 

Bilangan 33:9

33:9 They traveled from Marah and came to Elim; in Elim there are twelve fountains of water and seventy palm trees, so they camped there.

Bilangan 34:3-4

34:3 your southern border ⁸⁷  will extend from the wilderness of Zin along the Edomite border, and your southern border will run eastward to the extremity of the Salt Sea, 34:4 and then the border will turn from the south to the Scorpion Ascent, ⁸⁸  continue to Zin, and then its direction ⁸⁹  will be from the south to Kadesh Barnea. Then it will go to Hazar Addar and pass over to Azmon.

Bilangan 35:30

35:30 “Whoever kills any person, the murderer must be put to death by the testimony ⁹⁰  of witnesses; but one witness cannot ⁹¹  testify against any person to cause him to be put to death.

Bilangan 36:2

36:2 They said, “The Lord commanded my lord to give ⁹²  the land as an inheritance by lot to the Israelites; and my lord was commanded by the Lord to give the inheritance of our brother Zelophehad to his daughters.

Bilangan 36:6

36:6 This is what ⁹³  the Lord has commanded for Zelophehad’s daughters: ‘Let them marry ⁹⁴  whomever they think best, ⁹⁵  only they must marry within the family of their father’s tribe.

Bilangan 36:8

36:8 And every daughter who possesses an inheritance from any of the tribes of the Israelites must become the wife of a man from any family in her father’s tribe, so that every Israelite ⁹⁶  may retain the inheritance of his fathers.

[1:51]  ¹ tn The construction uses the infinitive construct with the temporal preposition; the “tabernacle” is then the following genitive. Literally it is “and in the moving of the tabernacle,” meaning, “when the tabernacle is supposed to be moved,” i.e., when people are supposed to move it. The verb נָסָע (nasa’) means “pull up the tent pegs and move,” or more simply, “journey.”

[1:51]  ² tn Here we have the parallel construction using the infinitive construct in a temporal adverbial clause.

[1:51]  ³ tn Heb “raise it up.”

[1:51]  ⁴ tn The word used here is זָר (zar), normally translated “stranger” or “outsider.” It is most often used for a foreigner, an outsider, who does not belong in Israel, or who, although allowed in the land, may be viewed with suspicion. But here it seems to include even Israelites other than the tribe of Levi.

[3:7]  ⁵ tn The Hebrew text uses the perfect tense of שָׁמַר(shamar) with a vav (ו) consecutive to continue the instruction of the preceding verse. It may be translated “and they shall keep” or “they must/are to keep,” but in this context it refers to their appointed duties. The verb is followed by its cognate accusative – “they are to keep his keeping,” or as it is often translated, “his charge.” This would mean whatever Aaron needed them to do. But the noun is also used for the people in the next phrase, and so “charge” cannot be the meaning here. The verse is explaining that the Levites will have duties to perform to meet the needs of Aaron and the congregation.

[3:7]  ⁶ tn The form is the Qal infinitive construct from עָבַד (’avad, “to serve, to work”); it is taken here as a verbal noun and means “by (or in) serving” (see R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 36, §195). This explains the verb “keep [his charge].” Here too the form is followed by a cognate accusative; they will be there to “serve the service” or “work the work.”

[3:10]  ⁷ tc The LXX includes the following words here: “and all things pertaining to the altar and within the veil.” Cf. Num 18:7.

[3:10]  ⁸ tn The word is זָר (zar), usually rendered “stranger, foreigner, pagan.” But in this context it simply refers to anyone who is not a Levite or a priest, an unauthorized person or intruder in the tabernacle. That person would be put to death.

[4:26]  ⁹ tc This whole clause is not in the Greek text; it is likely missing due to homoioteleuton.

[4:26]  ¹⁰ tn The work of these people would have been very demanding, since the size and weight of the various curtains and courtyard hangings would have been great. For a detailed discussion of these, see the notes in the book of Exodus on the construction of the items.

[5:17]  ¹¹ tn This is probably water taken from the large bronze basin in the courtyard. It is water set apart for sacred service. “Clean water” (so NEB) does not capture the sense very well, but it does have the support of the Greek that has “pure running water.” That pure water would no doubt be from the bronze basin anyway.

[5:17]  ¹² tn Heb “from.” The preposition is used here with a partitive sense.

[5:17]  ¹³ sn The dust may have come from the sanctuary floor, but it is still dust, and therefore would have all the pollutants in it.

[6:17]  ¹⁴ tn The “peace offering” is usually written as “a sacrifice of peace” (זֶבַח שְׁלָמִים, zevakh shÿlamim). The word “sacrifice” is related to the word “to slaughter,” and so indicates that this is a bloody offering in celebration of peace with God.

[9:1]  ¹⁵ sn The chapter has just the two sections, the observance of the Passover (vv. 1-14) and the cloud that led the Israelites in the wilderness (vv. 15-23). It must be remembered that the material in vv. 7-9 is chronologically earlier than vv. 1-6, as the notices in the text will make clear. The two main discussions here are the last major issues to be reiterated before dealing with the commencement of the journey.

[9:1]  ¹⁶ tn The temporal clause is formed with the infinitive construct of יָצָא (yatsa’, “to go out; to leave”). This verse indicates that a full year had passed since the exodus and the original Passover; now a second ruling on the Passover is included at the beginning of the second year. This would have occurred immediately after the consecration of the tabernacle, in the month before the census at Sinai.

[9:11]  ¹⁷ sn The delay of four weeks for such people would have permitted enough time for them to return from their journey, or to recover from any short termed defilement such as is mentioned here. Apart from this provision, the Passover was to be kept precisely at the proper time.

[9:15]  ¹⁸ sn This section (Num 9:15-23) recapitulates the account in Exod 40:34 but also contains some additional detail about the cloud that signaled Israel’s journeys. Here again material from the book of Exodus is used to explain more of the laws for the camp in motion.

[9:15]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “and/now on the day.”

[9:15]  ²⁰ tn The construction uses the temporal expression with the Hiphil infinitive construct followed by the object, the tabernacle. “On the day of the setting up of the tabernacle” leaves the subject unstated, and so the entire clause may be expressed in the passive voice.

[9:15]  ²¹ sn The explanation and identification of this cloud has been a subject of much debate. Some commentators have concluded that it was identical with the cloud that led the Israelites away from Egypt and through the sea, but others have made a more compelling case that this is a different phenomenon (see ZPEB 4:796). A number of modern scholars see the description as a retrojection from later, perhaps Solomonic times (see G. H. Davies, IDB 3:817). Others have tried to connect it with Ugaritic terminology, but unconvincingly (see T. W. Mann, “The Pillar of Cloud in the Reed Sea Narrative,” JBL 90 [1971]: 15-30; G. E. Mendenhall, The Tenth Generation, 32-66, 209-13; and R. Good, “Cloud Messengers?” UF 10 [1978]: 436-37).

[9:15]  ²² sn The cloud apparently was centered over the tent, over the spot of the ark of the covenant in the most holy place. It thereafter spread over the whole tabernacle.

[9:15]  ²³ tn The imperfect tense in this and the next line should be classified as a customary imperfect, stressing incomplete action but in the past time – something that used to happen, or would happen.

[9:15]  ²⁴ tn Heb “like the appearance of fire.”

[9:20]  ²⁵ tn The sentence uses וְיֵשׁ (vÿyesh) followed by a noun clause introduced with אֲשֶׁר (’asher) to express an existing situation; it is best translated as an adverbial clause of time: “and it was when the cloud was….”

[9:20]  ²⁶ tn The word “number” is in apposition to the word “days” to indicate that their stay was prolonged for quite a few days.

[9:20]  ²⁷ tn Heb “mouth of the Lord.”

[11:11]  ²⁸ tn The verb is the Hiphil of רָעַע (ra’a’, “to be evil”). Moses laments (with the rhetorical question) that God seems to have caused him evil.

[11:11]  ²⁹ tn The infinitive construct with the preposition is expressing the result of not finding favor with God (see R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 12-13, §57). What Moses is claiming is that because he has been given this burden God did not show him favor.

[11:33]  ³⁰ tn The verb is a prefixed conjugation, normally an imperfect tense. But coming after the adverb טֶּרֶם (terem) it is treated as a preterite.

[12:6]  ³¹ tn Heb “he.”

[12:6]  ³² tn The form of this construction is rare: נְבִיאֲכֶם (nÿvi’akhem) would normally be rendered “your prophet.” The singular noun is suffixed with a plural pronominal suffix. Some commentators think the MT has condensed “a prophet” with “to you.”

[12:6]  ³³ tn The Hebrew syntax is difficult here. “The Lord” is separated from the verb by two intervening prepositional phrases. Some scholars conclude that this word belongs with the verb at the beginning of v. 6 (“And the Lord spoke”).

[12:8]  ³⁴ tn The emphasis of the line is clear enough – it begins literally “mouth to mouth” I will speak with him. In human communication this would mean equality of rank, but Moses is certainly not equal in rank with the Lord. And yet God is here stating that Moses has an immediacy and directness with communication with God. It goes beyond the idea of friendship, almost to that of a king’s confidant.

[12:8]  ³⁵ tn The word מַרְאֶה (mar’eh) refers to what is seen, a vision, an appearance. Here it would have the idea of that which is clearly visible, open, obvious.

[12:8]  ³⁶ tn The word “form” (תְּמוּנָה, tÿmunah) means “shape, image, form.” The Greek text took it metaphorically and rendered it “the glory of the Lord.” This line expresses even more the uniqueness of Moses. The elders saw God on one special occasion (Exod 24:10), and the people never (Deut 4:12, 15), but Moses has direct and familiar contact with God.

[13:26]  ³⁷ tn The construction literally has “and they went and they entered,” which may be smoothed out as a verbal hendiadys, the one verb modifying the other.

[13:26]  ³⁸ sn Kadesh is Ain Qadeis, about 50 miles (83 km) south of Beer Sheba. It is called Kadesh-barnea in Num 32:8.

[13:26]  ³⁹ tn Heb “They brought back word”; the verb is the Hiphil preterite of שׁוּב (shuv).

[13:27]  ⁴⁰ tn Heb “told him and said.” The referent (Moses) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:27]  ⁴¹ tn The relative clause modifies “the land.” It is constructed with the relative and the verb: “where you sent us.”

[13:27]  ⁴² sn This is the common expression for the material abundance of the land (see further, F. C. Fensham, “An Ancient Tradition of the Fertility of Palestine,” PEQ 98 [1966]: 166-67).

[14:11]  ⁴³ tn The verb נָאַץ (na’ats) means “to condemn, spurn” (BDB 610 s.v.). Coats suggests that in some contexts the word means actual rejection or renunciation (Rebellion in the Wilderness, 146, 7). This would include the idea of distaste.

[14:11]  ⁴⁴ tn The verb “to believe” (root אָמַן, ’aman) has the basic idea of support, dependability for the root. The Hiphil has a declarative sense, namely, to consider something reliable or dependable and to act on it. The people did not trust what the Lord said.

[15:24]  ⁴⁵ tn The idea of לִשְׁגָגָה (lishgagah) seems to be that of “inadvertence” or “without intent.” The text gives no indication of how this offense might be committed, or what it might include. It probably describes any transgressions done in ignorance of the Law that involved a violation of tabernacle procedure or priestly protocol or social misdemeanor. Even though it was done unintentionally, it was still a violation and called for ritual purification.

[15:24]  ⁴⁶ tn Heb “[away] from the eyes of the community.”

[16:1]  ⁴⁷ sn There are three main movements in the story of ch. 16. The first is the rebellion itself (vv. 1-19). The second is the judgment (vv. 20-35). Third is the atonement for the rebels (vv. 36-50). The whole chapter is a marvelous account of a massive rebellion against the leaders that concludes with reconciliation. For further study see G. Hort, “The Death of Qorah,” ABR 7 (1959): 2-26; and J. Liver, “Korah, Dathan and Abiram,” Studies in the Bible (ScrHier 8), 189-217.

[16:1]  ⁴⁸ tc The MT reading is plural (“the sons of Reuben”); the Smr and LXX have the singular (“the son of Reuben”).

[16:1]  ⁴⁹ tn In the Hebrew text there is no object for the verb “took.” The translation presented above supplies the word “men.” However, it is possible that the MT has suffered damage here. The LXX has “and he spoke.” The Syriac and Targum have “and he was divided.” The editor of BHS suggests that perhaps the MT should be emended to “and he arose.”

[16:28]  ⁵⁰ tn Heb “in this.”

[16:28]  ⁵¹ tn The Hebrew text simply has כִּי־לֹא מִלִּבִּי (ki-lo’ millibbi, “for not from my heart”). The heart is the center of the will, the place decisions are made (see H. W. Wolff, Anthropology of the Old Testament). Moses is saying that the things he has done have not come “from the will of man” so to speak – and certainly not from some secret desire on his part to seize power.

[18:2]  ⁵² sn The verb forms a wordplay on the name Levi, and makes an allusion to the naming of the tribe Levi by Leah in the book of Genesis. There Leah hoped that with the birth of Levi her husband would be attached to her. Here, with the selection of the tribe to serve in the sanctuary, there is the wordplay again showing that the Levites will be attached to Aaron and the priests. The verb is יִלָּווּ (yillavu), which forms a nice wordplay with Levi (לֵוִי). The tribe will now be attached to the sanctuary. The verb is the imperfect with a vav (ו) that shows volitive sequence after the imperative, here indicating a purpose clause.

[18:2]  ⁵³ tn The clause is a circumstantial clause because the disjunctive vav (ו) is on a nonverb to start the clause.

[19:14]  ⁵⁴ tn The word order gives the classification and then the condition: “a man, when he dies….”

[20:1]  ⁵⁵ sn This chapter is the account of how Moses struck the rock in disobedience to the Lord, and thereby was prohibited from entering the land. For additional literature on this part, see E. Arden, “How Moses Failed God,” JBL 76 (1957): 50-52; J. Gray, “The Desert Sojourn of the Hebrews and the Sinai Horeb Tradition,” VT 4 (1954): 148-54; T. W. Mann, “Theological Reflections on the Denial of Moses,” JBL 98 (1979): 481-94; and J. R. Porter, “The Role of Kadesh-Barnea in the Narrative of the Exodus,” JTS 44 (1943): 130-43.

[20:1]  ⁵⁶ tn The Hebrew text stresses this idea by use of apposition: “the Israelites entered, the entire community, the wilderness.”

[20:1]  ⁵⁷ sn The text does not indicate here what year this was, but from comparing the other passages about the itinerary, this is probably the end of the wanderings, the fortieth year, for Aaron died some forty years after the exodus. So in that year the people come through the wilderness of Zin and prepare for a journey through the Moabite plains.

[20:1]  ⁵⁸ sn The Israelites stayed in Kadesh for some time during the wandering; here the stop at Kadesh Barnea may have lasted several months. See the commentaries for the general itinerary.

[20:1]  ⁵⁹ sn The death of Miriam is recorded without any qualifications or epitaph. In her older age she had been self-willed and rebellious, and so no doubt humbled by the vivid rebuke from God. But she had made her contribution from the beginning.

[20:14]  ⁶⁰ sn For this particular section, see W. F. Albright, “From the Patriarchs to Moses: 2. Moses out of Egypt,” BA 36 (1973): 57-58; J. R. Bartlett, “The Land of Seir and the Brotherhood of Edom,” JTS 20 (1969): 1-20, and “The Rise and Fall of the Kingdom of Edom,” PEQ 104 (1972): 22-37, and “The Brotherhood of Edom,” JSOT 4 (1977): 2-7.

[20:14]  ⁶¹ tn Heb “And Moses sent.”

[20:14]  ⁶² sn Some modern biblical scholars are convinced, largely through arguments from silence, that there were no unified kingdoms in Edom until the 9th century, and no settlements there before the 12th century, and so the story must be late and largely fabricated. The evidence is beginning to point to the contrary. But the cities and residents of the region would largely be Bedouin, and so leave no real remains.

[20:14]  ⁶³ tn Heb “found.”

[21:7]  ⁶⁴ tn The verb is the Hiphil jussive with a vav (ו) consecutive from the verb סוּר (sur); after the imperative this form may be subordinated to become a purpose clause.

[21:16]  ⁶⁵ tn The words “they traveled” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied here because of English style. The same phrase is supplied at the end of v. 18.

[21:16]  ⁶⁶ sn Isa 15:8 mentions a Moabite Beerelim, which Simons suggests is Wadi Ettemed.

[21:18]  ⁶⁷ sn The brief song is supposed to be an old workers’ song, and so the mention of leaders and princes is unusual. Some think they are given credit because they directed where the workers were to dig. The scepter and staff might have served some symbolic or divining custom.

[21:29]  ⁶⁸ sn The note of holy war emerges here as the victory is a victory over the local gods as well as over the people.

[22:7]  ⁶⁹ tn Heb “spoke.”

[22:16]  ⁷⁰ tn The infinitive construct is the object of the preposition.

[22:38]  ⁷¹ 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]  ⁷² 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]  ⁷³ tn The imperfect tense is here taken as an obligatory imperfect.

[28:2]  ⁷⁴ tn Heb “and say to them.” These words have not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[28:2]  ⁷⁵ tn Th sentence begins with the accusative “my offering.” It is suspended at the beginning as an independent accusative to itemize the subject matter. The second accusative is the formal object of the verb. It could also be taken in apposition to the first accusative.

[28:2]  ⁷⁶ tn The construction uses the imperfect tense expressing instruction, followed by the infinitive construct used to express the complement of direct object.

[28:2]  ⁷⁷ sn See L. R. Fisher, “New Ritual Calendar from Ugarit,” HTR 63 (1970): 485-501.

[28:8]  ⁷⁸ tn Heb “as the grain offering of the morning and as its drink offering.”

[30:4]  ⁷⁹ tn The intent of this expression is that he does not object to the vow.

[30:4]  ⁸⁰ tn The verb קוּם (qum) is best translated “stand” here, but the idea with it is that what she vows is established as a genuine oath with the father’s approval (or acquiescence).

[30:16]  ⁸¹ tn Heb “between.”

[31:23]  ⁸² sn Purification by fire is unique to this event. Making these metallic objects “pass through the fire” was not only a way of purifying (burning off impurities), but it seems to be a dedicatory rite as well to the Lord and his people. The aspect of passing through the fire is one used by these pagans for child sacrifice.

[31:32]  ⁸³ tn Heb “people.”

[31:32]  ⁸⁴ tn Heb “had plundered.”

[31:42]  ⁸⁵ tn Heb “the men who were fighting.”

[32:32]  ⁸⁶ tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[34:3]  ⁸⁷ tn The expression refers to the corner or extremity of the Negev, the South.

[34:4]  ⁸⁸ tn Or “the Ascent of Scorpions” (עַקְרַבִּים [’aqrabbim] means “scorpions” in Hebrew).

[34:4]  ⁸⁹ tn Heb “its going forth,” or the way it runs.

[35:30]  ⁹⁰ tn Heb “ at the mouth of”; the metonymy stresses it is at their report.

[35:30]  ⁹¹ tn The verb should be given the nuance of imperfect of potentiality.

[36:2]  ⁹² tn The infinitive construct “to give” serves here as the complement or object of the verb, answering what the Lord had commanded Moses.

[36:6]  ⁹³ tn Heb “the word that.”

[36:6]  ⁹⁴ tn The idiom again is “let them be for wives for….”

[36:6]  ⁹⁵ tn Heb “to the one who is good in their eyes.”

[36:8]  ⁹⁶ tn The subject is “Israelites” and the verb is plural to agree with it, but the idea is collective as the word for “man” indicates: “so that the Israelites may possess – [each] man the inheritance of his fathers.”