Kejadian 25:22

25:22 But the children struggled ¹  inside her, and she said, “If it is going to be like this, I’m not so sure I want to be pregnant!” ²  So she asked the Lord, ³ 

Bilangan 27:21

27:21 And he will stand before Eleazar the priest, who ⁴  will seek counsel ⁵  for him before the Lord by the decision of the Urim. ⁶  At his command ⁷  they will go out, and at his command they will come in, he and all the Israelites with him, the whole community.”

[25:22]  ¹ tn The Hebrew word used here suggests a violent struggle that was out of the ordinary.

[25:22]  ² tn Heb “If [it is] so, why [am] I this [way]?” Rebekah wanted to know what was happening to her, but the question itself reflects a growing despair over the struggle of the unborn children.

[25:22]  ³ sn Asked the Lord. In other passages (e.g., 1 Sam 9:9) this expression refers to inquiring of a prophet, but no details are provided here.

[27:21]  ⁴ tn The passage simply has “and he will ask,” but Eleazar is clearly the subject now.

[27:21]  ⁵ tn Heb “ask.”

[27:21]  ⁶ sn The new leader would not have the privilege that Moses had in speaking to God face to face. Rather, he would have to inquire of the Lord through the priest, and the priest would seek a decision by means of the Urim. The Urim and the Thummim were the sacred lots that the priest had in his pouch, the “breastplate” as it has traditionally been called. Since the Law had now been fully established, there would be fewer cases that the leader would need further rulings. Now it would simply be seeking the Lord’s word for matters such as whether to advance or not. The size, shape or substance of these objects is uncertain. See further C. Van Dam, The Urim and Thummim.

[27:21]  ⁷ tn Heb “mouth,” meaning what he will say.