Bilangan 22:4

22:4 So the Moabites said to the elders of Midian, “Now this mass of people ¹  will lick up everything around us, as the bull devours the grass of the field. Now Balak son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at this time.

Bilangan 23:24

23:24 Indeed, the people will rise up like a lioness,

and like a lion raises himself up;

they will not lie down until they eat their ²  prey,

and drink the blood of the slain.” ³ 

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 ⁴ 

and will break their bones

and will pierce them through with arrows.

[22:4]  ¹ tn The word is simply “company,” but in the context he must mean a vast company – a horde of people.

[23:24]  ² tn The pronoun “their” has been supplied for clarity; it is not present in the Hebrew text.

[23:24]  ³ sn The oracle compares Israel first to a lion, or better, lioness, because she does the tracking and hunting of food while the lion moves up and down roaring and distracting the prey. But the lion is also the traditional emblem of Judah, Dan and Gad, as well as the symbol of royalty. So this also supports the motif of royalty as well as power for Israel.

[24:8]  ⁴ tn Heb “they will devour nations,” their adversaries.