Bilangan 3:13

3:13 because all the firstborn are mine. When I destroyed ¹  all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I set apart for myself all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast. They belong to me. I am the Lord.” ² 

Bilangan 4:17-18

4:17 Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron: 4:18 “Do not allow the tribe of the families of the Kohathites to be cut off ³  from among the Levites;

Bilangan 8:17

8:17 For all the firstborn males among the Israelites are mine, both humans and animals; when I destroyed ⁴  all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I set them apart for myself.

Bilangan 11:1

The Israelites Complain

11:1 ⁵ When the people complained, ⁶  it displeased ⁷  the Lord. When the Lord heard ⁸  it, his anger burned, ⁹  and so ¹⁰  the fire of the Lord ¹¹  burned among them and consumed some of the outer parts of the camp.

Bilangan 11:33

11:33 But while the meat was still between their teeth, before they chewed it, ¹²  the anger of the Lord burned against the people, and the Lord struck the people with a very great plague.

Bilangan 14:3

14:3 Why has the Lord brought us into this land only to be killed by the sword, that our wives and our children should become plunder? Wouldn’t it be better for us to return to Egypt?”

Bilangan 14:12

14:12 I will strike them with the pestilence, ¹³  and I will disinherit them; I will make you into a nation that is greater and mightier than they!”

Bilangan 14:15

14:15 If you kill ¹⁴  this entire people at once, ¹⁵  then the nations that have heard of your fame will say,

Bilangan 14:33

14:33 and your children will wander ¹⁶  in the wilderness forty years and suffer for your unfaithfulness, ¹⁷  until your dead bodies lie finished ¹⁸  in the wilderness.

Bilangan 14:35-36

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!”’”

14:36 The men whom Moses sent to investigate the land, who returned and made the whole community murmur against him by producing ¹⁹  an evil report about the land,

Bilangan 15:30-31

Deliberate Sin

15:30 “‘But the person ²⁰  who acts defiantly, ²¹  whether native-born or a resident foreigner, insults ²²  the Lord. ²³  That person ²⁴  must be cut off ²⁵  from among his people. 15:31 Because he has despised ²⁶  the word of the Lord and has broken ²⁷  his commandment, that person ²⁸  must be completely cut off. ²⁹  His iniquity will be on him.’” ³⁰ 

Bilangan 16:21

16:21 “Separate yourselves ³¹  from among this community, ³²  that I may consume them in an instant.”

Bilangan 16:26

16:26 And he said to the community, “Move away from the tents of these wicked ³³  men, and do not touch anything they have, lest you be destroyed because ³⁴  of all their sins.” ³⁵ 

Bilangan 16:33

16:33 They and all that they had went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed over them. So they perished from among the community.

Bilangan 16:40

16:40 It was a memorial for the Israelites, that no outsider who is not a descendant of ³⁶  Aaron should approach to burn incense before the Lord, that he might not become like Korah and his company – just as the Lord had spoken by the authority ³⁷  of Moses.

Bilangan 16:45

16:45 “Get away from this community, so that I can consume them in an instant!” But they threw themselves down with their faces to the ground. ³⁸ 

Bilangan 16:49

16:49 Now 14,700 people died in the plague, in addition to those who died in the event with Korah.

Bilangan 17:10

The Memorial

17:10 The Lord said to Moses, “Bring Aaron’s staff back before the testimony to be preserved for a sign to the rebels, so that you may bring their murmurings to an end ³⁹  before me, that they will not die.” ⁴⁰ 

Bilangan 17:12-13

17:12 The Israelites said to Moses, “We are bound to die! ⁴¹  We perish, we all perish! 17:13 (17:28) ⁴²  Anyone who even comes close to the tabernacle of the Lord will die! Are we all to die?” ⁴³ 

Bilangan 18:14

18:14 “Everything devoted ⁴⁴  in Israel will be yours.

Bilangan 19:13

19:13 Anyone who touches the corpse of any dead person and does not purify himself defiles the tabernacle of the Lord. And that person must be cut off from Israel, ⁴⁵  because the water of purification was not sprinkled on him. He will be unclean; his uncleanness remains on him.

Bilangan 20:3

20:3 The people contended ⁴⁶  with Moses, saying, ⁴⁷  “If only ⁴⁸  we had died when our brothers died before the Lord!

Bilangan 21:2-3

21:2 So Israel made a vow ⁴⁹  to the Lord and said, “If you will indeed deliver ⁵⁰  this people into our ⁵¹  hand, then we will utterly destroy ⁵²  their cities.” 21:3 The Lord listened to the voice of Israel and delivered up the Canaanites, ⁵³  and they utterly destroyed them and their cities. So the name of the place was called ⁵⁴  Hormah.

Bilangan 21:29-30

21:29 Woe to you, Moab.

You are ruined, O people of Chemosh! ⁵⁵ 

He has made his sons fugitives,

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

21:30 We have overpowered them; ⁵⁶ 

Heshbon has perished as far as Dibon.

We have shattered them as far as Nophah,

which ⁵⁷  reaches to Medeba.”

Bilangan 22:5

22:5 And he sent messengers to Balaam ⁵⁸  son of Beor at Pethor, which is by the Euphrates River ⁵⁹  in the land of Amaw, ⁶⁰  to summon him, saying, “Look, a nation has come out of Egypt. They cover the face ⁶¹  of the earth, and they are settling next to me.

Bilangan 22:32

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 ⁶²  is perverse before me. ⁶³ 

Bilangan 23:7-8

23:7 Then Balaam ⁶⁴  uttered ⁶⁵  his oracle, saying,

“Balak, the king of Moab, brought me ⁶⁶  from Aram,

out of the mountains of the east, saying,

‘Come, pronounce a curse on Jacob for me;

come, denounce Israel.’ ⁶⁷ 

23:8 How ⁶⁸  can I curse ⁶⁹  one whom God has not cursed,

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

Bilangan 24:17

24:17 ‘I see him, but not now;

I behold him, but not close at hand. ⁷⁰ 

A star ⁷¹  will march forth ⁷²  out of Jacob,

and a scepter ⁷³  will rise out of Israel.

He will crush the skulls ⁷⁴  of Moab,

and the heads ⁷⁵  of all the sons of Sheth. ⁷⁶ 

Bilangan 24:19-20

24:19 A ruler will be established from Jacob;

he will destroy the remains of the city.’” ⁷⁷ 

Balaam’s Final Prophecies

24:20 Then Balaam ⁷⁸  looked on Amalek and delivered this oracle: ⁷⁹ 

“Amalek was the first ⁸⁰  of the nations,

but his end will be that he will perish.”

Bilangan 24:22

24:22 Nevertheless the Kenite will be consumed. ⁸¹ 

How long will Asshur take you away captive?”

Bilangan 24:24

24:24 Ships will come from the coast of Kittim, ⁸² 

and will afflict Asshur, ⁸³  and will afflict Eber,

and he will also perish forever.” ⁸⁴ 

Bilangan 25:10-11

The Aftermath

25:10 The Lord spoke to Moses: 25:11 “Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned my anger away from the Israelites, when he manifested such zeal ⁸⁵  for my sake among them, so that I did not consume the Israelites in my zeal. ⁸⁶ 

Bilangan 25:17-18

25:17 “Bring trouble ⁸⁷  to the Midianites, and destroy them, 25:18 because they bring trouble to you by their treachery with which they have deceived ⁸⁸  you in the matter of Peor, and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of a prince of Midian, ⁸⁹  their sister, who was killed on the day of the plague that happened as a result of Peor.”

Bilangan 26:5

Reuben

26:5 Reuben was the firstborn of Israel. The Reubenites: from ⁹⁰  Hanoch, the family of the Hanochites; from Pallu, the family of the Palluites;

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 27:3

27:3 “Our father died in the wilderness, although ⁹¹  he was not part of ⁹²  the company of those that gathered themselves together against the Lord in the company of Korah; but he died for his own sin, ⁹³  and he had no sons.

Bilangan 31:16

31:16 Look, these people through the counsel of Balaam caused the Israelites to act treacherously against the Lord in the matter of Peor – which resulted in the plague among the community of the Lord!

Bilangan 32:15

32:15 For if you turn away from following him, he will once again abandon ⁹⁴  them in the wilderness, and you will be the reason for their destruction.” ⁹⁵ 

Bilangan 33:3

33:3 They departed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the day ⁹⁶  after the Passover the Israelites went out defiantly ⁹⁷  in plain sight ⁹⁸  of all the Egyptians.

Bilangan 33:52

33:52 you must drive out all the inhabitants of the land before you. Destroy all their carved images, all their molten images, ⁹⁹  and demolish their high places.

Bilangan 33:56

33:56 And what I intended to do to them I will do to you.”

[3:13]  ¹ tn The form הַכֹּתִי (hakkoti) is the Hiphil infinitive construct of the verb נָכָה (nakhah, “to strike, smite, attack”). Here, after the idiomatic “in the day of,” the form functions in an adverbial clause of time – “when I destroyed.”

[3:13]  ² sn In the Exodus event of the Passover night the principle of substitution was presented. The firstborn child was redeemed by the blood of the Lamb and so belonged to God, but then God chose the Levites to serve in the place of the firstborn. The ritual of consecrating the firstborn son to the Lord was nevertheless carried out, even with Jesus, the firstborn son of Mary (Luke 2:22-23).

[4:18]  ³ sn The verb is simply the Qal, “do not cut off.” The context calls for a permissive nuance – “do not let them be cut off.” It was a difficult task to be handling the holy things correctly; Moses and Aaron were to see to it that they did it right and did not handle the objects, that is, Moses and Aaron were to safeguard their lives by making certain that proper procedures were followed.

[8:17]  ⁴ tn The idiomatic “on the day of” precedes the infinitive construct of נָכָה (nakhah) to form the temporal clause: “in the day of my striking…” becomes “when I struck.”

[11:1]  ⁵ sn The chapter includes the initial general complaints (vv. 1-3), the complaints about food (vv. 4-9), Moses’ own complaint to the Lord (vv. 10-15), God’s response to Moses (vv. 16-25), Eldad and Medad (vv. 26-29), and the quail (vv. 30-35). The first part records the burning of the camp, named Taberah. Here is one of the several naming narratives in the wilderness experience. The occasion for divine judgment is the complaining of the people. The passages serve to warn believers of all ages not to murmur as the Israelites did, for such complaining reveals a lack of faith in the power and goodness of God. For additional literature, see W. Brueggemann, “From Hurt to Joy, from Death to Life,” Int 28 (1974): 3-19; B. S. Childs, “The Etiological Tale Re-examined,” VT 24 (1974): 387-97; G. W. Coats, Rebellion in the Wilderness; and A. C. Tunyogi, “The Rebellions of Israel,” JBL 81 (1962): 385-90.

[11:1]  ⁶ tn The temporal clause uses the Hitpoel infinitive construct from אָנַן (’anan). It is a rare word, occurring in Lam 3:39. With this blunt introduction the constant emphasis of obedience to the word of the Lord found throughout the first ten chapters suddenly comes to an end. It is probable that the people were tired of moving for several days, the excitement of the new beginning died out quickly in the “great and terrible wilderness.” Resentment, frustration, discomfort – whatever it all involved – led to complaining and not gratitude.

[11:1]  ⁷ tn Heb “it was evil in the ears of the Lord.” The word רַע (ra’) is a much stronger word than “displeased” would suggest. The bold anthropomorphism shows that what the Lord heard was painful to him.

[11:1]  ⁸ tn The preterite with vav (ו) consecutive is here subordinated to the next verb as a temporal clause.

[11:1]  ⁹ tn The common Hebrew expression uses the verb חָרָה (harah, “to be hot, to burn, to be kindled”). The subject is אַפּוֹ (’appo), “his anger” or more literally, his nose, which in this anthropomorphic expression flares in rage. The emphasis is superlative – “his anger raged.”

[11:1]  ¹⁰ tn The vav (ו) consecutive does not simply show sequence in the verbs, but here expresses the result of the anger of the Lord for their complaining. With such a response to the complaining, one must conclude that it was unreasonable. There had been no long deprivation or endured suffering; the complaining was early and showed a rebellious spirit.

[11:1]  ¹¹ sn The “fire of the Lord” is supernatural, for it is said to come from the Lord and not from a natural source. God gave them something to complain about – something to fear. The other significant place where this “fire of the Lord” destroyed was in the case of Nadab and Abihu who brought strange fire to the altar (Lev 10:2).

[11:33]  ¹² tn The verb is a prefixed conjugation, normally an imperfect tense. But coming after the adverb טֶּרֶם (terem) it is treated as a preterite.

[14:12]  ¹³ tc The Greek version has “death.”

[14:15]  ¹⁴ tn The verb is the Hiphil perfect of מוּת (mut), וְהֵמַתָּה (vÿhemattah). The vav (ו) consecutive makes this also a future time sequence verb, but again in a conditional clause.

[14:15]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “as one man.”

[14:33]  ¹⁶ tn The word is “shepherds.” It means that the people would be wilderness nomads, grazing their flock on available land.

[14:33]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “you shall bear your whoredoms.” The imagery of prostitution is used throughout the Bible to reflect spiritual unfaithfulness, leaving the covenant relationship and following after false gods. Here it is used generally for their rebellion in the wilderness, but not for following other gods.

[14:33]  ¹⁸ tn The infinitive is from תָּמַם (tamam), which means “to be complete.” The word is often used to express completeness in a good sense – whole, blameless, or the like. Here and in v. 35 it seems to mean “until your deaths have been completed.” See also Gen 47:15; Deut 2:15.

[14:36]  ¹⁹ tn The verb is the Hiphil infinitive construct with a lamed (ל) preposition from the root יָצָא (yatsa’, “to bring out”). The use of the infinitive here is epexegetical, that is, explaining how they caused the people to murmur.

[15:30]  ²⁰ tn Heb “soul.”

[15:30]  ²¹ 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.

[15:30]  ²² tn The verb occurs only in the Piel; it means “to blaspheme,” “to revile.”

[15:30]  ²³ tn The word order in the Hebrew text places “Yahweh” first for emphasis – it is the Lord such a person insults.

[15:30]  ²⁴ tn Heb “soul.”

[15:30]  ²⁵ 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.

[15:31]  ²⁶ tn The verb בָּזָה (bazah, “to despise”) means to treat something as worthless, to treat it with contempt, to look down the nose at something as it were.

[15:31]  ²⁷ tn The verb פָּרַר (parar, “to break”) can mean to nullify, break, or violate a covenant.

[15:31]  ²⁸ tn Heb “soul.”

[15:31]  ²⁹ tn The construction uses the Niphal imperfect with the modifying Niphal infinitive absolute. The infinitive makes the sentence more emphatic. If the imperfect tense is taken as an instruction imperfect, then the infinitive makes the instruction more binding. If it is a simple future, then the future is certain. In either case, there is no exclusion from being cut off.

[15:31]  ³⁰ sn The point is that the person’s iniquity remains with him – he must pay for his sin. The judgment of God in such a case is both appropriate and unavoidable.

[16:21]  ³¹ tn The verb is הִבָּדְלוּ (hibbadÿlu), the Niphal imperative of בָּדַל (badal). This is the same word that was just used when Moses reminded the Levites that they had been separated from the community to serve the Lord.

[16:21]  ³² sn The group of people siding with Korah is meant, and not the entire community of the people of Israel. They are an assembly of rebels, their “community” consisting in their common plot.

[16:26]  ³³ tn The word רָשָׁע (rasha’) has the sense of a guilty criminal. The word “wicked” sometimes gives the wrong connotation. These men were opposing the Lord, and so were condemned as criminals – they were guilty. The idea of “wickedness” therefore applies in that sense.

[16:26]  ³⁴ tn The preposition bet (בְּ) in this line is causal – “on account of their sins.”

[16:26]  ³⁵ sn The impression is that the people did not hear what the Lord said to Moses, but only what Moses said to the people as a result. They saw the brilliant cloud, and perhaps heard the sound of his voice, but the relaying of the instructions indicates they did not hear the actual instruction from the Lord himself.

[16:40]  ³⁶ tn Heb “from the seed of.”

[16:40]  ³⁷ tn Heb “hand.”

[16:45]  ³⁸ tn Heb “they fell on their faces.”

[17:10]  ³⁹ tn The verb means “to finish; to complete” and here “to bring to an end.” It is the imperfect following the imperative, and so introduces a purpose clause (as a final imperfect).

[17:10]  ⁴⁰ tn This is another final imperfect in a purpose clause.

[17:12]  ⁴¹ tn The use of הֵן (hen) and the perfect tense in the nuance of a prophetic perfect expresses their conviction that they were bound to die – it was certain (see GKC 312-13 §106.n).

[17:13]  ⁴² sn Num 17:13 in the English Bible is 17:28 in the Hebrew text (BHS). See also the note on 16:36.

[17:13]  ⁴³ tn The verse stresses the completeness of their death: “will we be consumed by dying” (הַאִם תַּמְנוּ לִגְוֹעַ, ha’im tamnu ligvoa’).

[18:14]  ⁴⁴ tn The “ban” (חֵרֶם, kherem) in Hebrew describes that which is exclusively the Lord’s, either for his sanctuary use, or for his destruction. It seems to refer to an individual’s devoting something freely to God.

[19:13]  ⁴⁵ sn It is in passages like this that the view that being “cut off” meant the death penalty is the hardest to support. Would the Law prescribe death for someone who touches a corpse and fails to follow the ritual? Besides, the statement in this section that his uncleanness remains with him suggests that he still lives on.

[20:3]  ⁴⁶ tn The verb is רִיב (riv); it is often used in the Bible for a legal complaint, a law suit, at least in form. But it can also describe a quarrel, or strife, like that between Abram’s men and Lot’s men in Genesis 13. It will be the main verb behind the commemorative name Meribah, the place where the people strove with God. It is a far more serious thing than grumbling – it is directed, intentional, and well-argued. For further discussion, see J. Limburg, “The Root ‘rib’ and the Prophetic Lawsuit Speeches,” JBL 88 (1969): 291-304.

[20:3]  ⁴⁷ tn Heb “and they said, saying.”

[20:3]  ⁴⁸ tn The particle לוּ (lu) indicates the optative nuance of the line – the wishing or longing for death. It is certainly an absurdity to want to have died, but God took them at their word and they died in the wilderness.

[21:2]  ⁴⁹ tn The Hebrew text uses a cognate accusative with the verb: They vowed a vow. The Israelites were therefore determined with God’s help to defeat Arad.

[21:2]  ⁵⁰ tn The Hebrew text has the infinitive absolute and the imperfect tense of נָתַן (natan) to stress the point – if you will surely/indeed give.”

[21:2]  ⁵¹ tn Heb “my.”

[21:2]  ⁵² tn On the surface this does not sound like much of a vow. But the key is in the use of the verb for “utterly destroy” – חָרַם (kharam). Whatever was put to this “ban” or “devotion” belonged to God, either for his use, or for destruction. The oath was in fact saying that they would take nothing from this for themselves. It would simply be the removal of what was alien to the faith, or to God’s program.

[21:3]  ⁵³ tc Smr, Greek, and Syriac add “into his hand.”

[21:3]  ⁵⁴ tn In the Hebrew text the verb has no expressed subject, and so here too is made passive. The name “Hormah” is etymologically connected to the verb “utterly destroy,” forming the popular etymology (or paronomasia, a phonetic wordplay capturing the significance of the event).

[21:29]  ⁵⁵ sn The note of holy war emerges here as the victory is a victory over the local gods as well as over the people.

[21:30]  ⁵⁶ tc The first verb is difficult. MT has “we shot at them.” The Greek has “their posterity perished” (see GKC 218 §76.f).

[21:30]  ⁵⁷ tc The relative pronoun “which” (אֲשֶׁר, ’asher) posed a problem for the ancient scribes here, as indicated by the so-called extraordinary point (punta extraordinaria) over the letter ר (resh) of אֲשֶׁר. Smr and the LXX have “fire” (אֵשׁ, ’esh) here (cf. NAB, NJB, RSV, NRSV). Some modern scholars emend the word to שֹׁאָה (sho’ah, “devastation”).

[22:5]  ⁵⁸ 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]  ⁵⁹ tn Heb “by the river”; in most contexts this expression refers to the Euphrates River (cf. NAB, NCV, NRSV, TEV, CEV, NLT).

[22:5]  ⁶⁰ 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]  ⁶¹ tn Heb “eye.” So also in v. 11.

[22:32]  ⁶² tn Heb “your way.”

[22:32]  ⁶³ 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.

[23:7]  ⁶⁴ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Balaam) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[23:7]  ⁶⁵ tn Heb “took up.”

[23:7]  ⁶⁶ tn The passage calls for a past tense translation; since the verb form is a prefixed conjugation, this tense should be classified as a preterite without the vav (ו). Such forms do occur, especially in the ancient poetic passages.

[23:7]  ⁶⁷ sn The opening lines seem to be a formula for the seer to identify himself and the occasion for the oracle. The tension is laid out early; Balaam knows that God has intended to bless Israel, but he has been paid to curse them.

[23:8]  ⁶⁸ tn The figure is erotesis, a rhetorical question. He is actually saying he cannot curse them because God has not cursed them.

[23:8]  ⁶⁹ tn The imperfect tense should here be classified as a potential imperfect.

[24:17]  ⁷⁰ tn Heb “near.”

[24:17]  ⁷¹ 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]  ⁷² 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]  ⁷³ 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]  ⁷⁴ tn The word is literally “corners,” but may refer to the corners of the head, and so “skull.”

[24:17]  ⁷⁵ 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]  ⁷⁶ 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.

[24:19]  ⁷⁷ tn Or, understanding the Hebrew word for “city” as a place name, “of Ir” (cf. NRSV, NLT).

[24:20]  ⁷⁸ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Balaam) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[24:20]  ⁷⁹ tn Heb “and he lifted up his oracle and said.” So also in vv. 21, 23.

[24:20]  ⁸⁰ 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.

[24:22]  ⁸¹ 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.

[24:24]  ⁸² 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]  ⁸³ tn Or perhaps “Assyria” (so NCV, TEV, CEV, NLT).

[24:24]  ⁸⁴ tn Or “it will end in utter destruction.”

[25:11]  ⁸⁵ tn Heb “he was zealous with my zeal.” The repetition of forms for “zeal” in the line stresses the passion of Phinehas. The word “zeal” means a passionate intensity to protect or preserve divine or social institutions.

[25:11]  ⁸⁶ tn The word for “zeal” now occurs a third time. While some English versions translate this word here as “jealousy” (KJV, ASV, NASB, NRSV), it carries the force of God’s passionate determination to defend his rights and what is right about the covenant and the community and parallels the “zeal” that Phinehas had just demonstrated.

[25:17]  ⁸⁷ tn The form is the infinitive absolute used in place of a verb here; it clearly is meant to be an instruction for Israel. The idea is that of causing trouble, harassing, vexing Midian. The verb is repeated as the active participle in the line, and so the punishment is talionic.

[25:18]  ⁸⁸ tn This is the same word as that translated “treachery.”

[25:18]  ⁸⁹ sn Cozbi’s father, Zur, was one of five Midianite kings who eventually succumbed to Israel (Num 31:8). When the text gives the name and family of a woman, it is asserting that she is important, at least for social reasons, among her people.

[26:5]  ⁹⁰ tc The Hebrew text has no preposition here, but one has been supplied in the translation for clarity. Cf. vv. 23, 30, 31, 32.

[27:3]  ⁹¹ tn This clause begins with a vav (ו) on a pronoun, marking it out as a disjunctive vav. In this context it fits best to take it as a circumstantial clause introducing concession.

[27:3]  ⁹² tn Heb “in the midst of.”

[27:3]  ⁹³ tn The word order is emphatic: “but in/on account of his own sins he died.”

[32:15]  ⁹⁴ tn The construction uses a verbal hendiadys with the verb “to add” serving to modify the main verb.

[32:15]  ⁹⁵ tn Heb “and you will destroy all this people.”

[33:3]  ⁹⁶ tn Heb “morrow.”

[33:3]  ⁹⁷ tn Heb “with a high hand”; the expression means “defiantly; boldly” or “with confidence.” The phrase is usually used for arrogant sin and pride, the defiant fist, as it were. The image of the high hand can also mean the hand raised to deliver the blow (Job 38:15).

[33:3]  ⁹⁸ tn Heb “in the eyes.”

[33:52]  ⁹⁹ tn The Hebrew text repeats the verb “you will destroy.”