Bilangan 19:2

19:2 “This is the ordinance of the law which the Lord has commanded: ‘Instruct ¹  the Israelites to bring ²  you a red ³  heifer ⁴  without blemish, which has no defect ⁵  and has never carried a yoke.

Bilangan 23:1

Balaam Blesses Israel

23:1 ⁶ Balaam said to Balak, “Build me seven altars here, and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams.”

Bilangan 23:14

23:14 So Balak brought Balaam ⁷  to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, ⁸  where ⁹  he built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

Bilangan 23:29

23:29 Then Balaam said to Balak, “Build seven altars here for me, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams.”

Bilangan 29:20

29:20 “‘On the third day you must offer ¹⁰  eleven bulls, two rams, fourteen lambs one year old, all without blemish,

Bilangan 29:23

29:23 “‘On the fourth day you must offer ten bulls, two rams, and fourteen lambs one year old, all without blemish,

Bilangan 29:26

29:26 “‘On the fifth day you must offer nine bulls, two rams, and fourteen lambs one year old, all without blemish,

Bilangan 29:29

29:29 “‘On the sixth day you must offer eight bulls, two rams, and fourteen lambs one year old, all without blemish,

Bilangan 29:32

29:32 “‘On the seventh day you must offer seven bulls, two rams, and fourteen lambs one year old, all without blemish,

[19:2]  ¹ tn Heb “speak to.”

[19:2]  ² tn The line literally reads, “speak to the Israelites that [and] they bring [will bring].” The imperfect [or jussive] is subordinated to the imperative either as a purpose clause, or as the object of the instruction – speak to them that they bring, or tell them to bring.

[19:2]  ³ tn The color is designated as red, although the actual color would be a tanned red-brown color for the animal (see the usage in Isa 1:18 and Song 5:10). The reddish color suggested the blood of ritual purification; see J. Milgrom, “The Paradox of the Red Cow (Num 19),” VT 31 (1981): 62-72.

[19:2]  ⁴ sn Some modern commentators prefer “cow” to “heifer,” thinking that the latter came from the influence of the Greek. Young animals were usually prescribed for the ritual, especially here, and so “heifer” is the better translation. A bull could not be given for this purification ritual because that is what was given for the high priests or the community according to Lev 4.

[19:2]  ⁵ tn Heb “wherein there is no defect.”

[23:1]  ⁶ sn The first part of Balaam’s activity ends in disaster for Balak – he blesses Israel. The chapter falls into four units: the first prophecy (vv. 1-10), the relocation (vv. 11-17), the second prophecy (vv. 18-24), and a further location (vv. 25-30).

[23:14]  ⁷ tn Heb “he brought him”; the referents (Balak and Balaam) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

[23:14]  ⁸ tn Some scholars do not translate this word as “Pisgah,” but rather as a “lookout post” or an “elevated place.”

[23:14]  ⁹ tn Heb “and he built.”

[29:20]  ¹⁰ tn The words “you must offer” are implied.