Internet Verse Search Commentaries Word Analysis ITL - draft

Numbers 23:10

NETBible	Who¹ can count² the dust³ of Jacob, Or number⁴ the fourth part of Israel? Let me⁵ die the death of the upright,⁶ and let the end of my life⁷ be like theirs.”⁸
NIV © biblegateway Num 23:10	Who can count the dust of Jacob or number the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and may my end be like theirs!"
NASB © biblegateway Num 23:10	"Who can count the dust of Jacob, Or number the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the upright, And let my end be like his!"
NLT © biblegateway Num 23:10	Who can count Jacob’s descendants, as numerous as dust? Who can count even a fourth of Israel’s people? Let me die like the righteous; let my life end like theirs."
MSG © biblegateway Num 23:10	But who could ever count the dust of Jacob or take a census of cloud-of-dust Israel? I want to die like these right-living people! I want an end just like theirs!
BBE © SABDAweb Num 23:10	Who is able to take the measure of the dust of Jacob or the number of the thousands of Israel? May my death be the death of the upright and my last end like his!
NRSV © bibleoremus Num 23:10	Who can count the dust of Jacob, or number the dust-cloud of Israel? Let me die the death of the upright, and let my end be like his!"
NKJV © biblegateway Num 23:10	"Who can count the dust of Jacob, Or number one–fourth of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, And let my end be like his!"
[+] More English


KJV	Who can count <04487> (8804) the dust <06083> of Jacob <03290>_, and the number <04557> of the fourth <07255> [part] of Israel <03478>_? Let me die <04191> (8799) <05315> the death <04194> of the righteous <03477>_, and let my last <0319> end be like his! {me: Heb. my soul, or, my life}
NASB © biblegateway Num 23:10	"Who <04310> can count <04487> the dust <06083> of Jacob <03290> , Or number <04557> the fourth <07255> part <07255> of Israel <03478> ? Let me die <04191> the death <04194> of the upright <03477> , And let my end <0319> be like <03644> his!"
LXXM	tiv <5100> I-NSM exhkribasato {V-AMI-3S} to <3588> T-ASN sperma <4690> N-ASN iakwb <2384> N-PRI kai <2532> CONJ tiv <5100> I-NSM exariymhsetai {V-FMI-3S} dhmouv <1218> N-APM israhl <2474> N-PRI apoyanoi <599> V-AAO-3S h <3588> T-NSF quch <5590> N-NSF mou <1473> P-GS en <1722> PREP qucaiv <5590> N-DPF dikaiwn <1342> A-GPM kai <2532> CONJ genoito <1096> V-AMO-3S to <3588> T-ASN sperma <4690> N-ASN mou <1473> P-GS wv <3739> CONJ to <3588> T-ASN sperma <4690> N-ASN toutwn <3778> D-GPM
NET [draft] ITL	Who <04310> can count <04487> the dust <06083> of Jacob <03290> , Or number <04557> the fourth part <07255> of Israel <03478> ? Let me die <05315> <04191> the death <04194> of the upright <03477> , and let the end <0319> of my life be <01961> like theirs <03644> .”
HEBREW	whmk <03644> ytyrxa <0319> yhtw <01961> Myrsy <03477> twm <04194> yspn <05315> tmt <04191> larvy <03478> ebr <07255> ta <0853> rpomw <04557> bqey <03290> rpe <06083> hnm <04487> ym (23:10) <04310>

NETBible

Who¹ can count² the dust³ of Jacob, Or number⁴ the fourth part of Israel? Let me⁵ die the death of the upright,⁶ and let the end of my life⁷ be like theirs.”⁸

NET Notes

¹tn The question is again rhetorical; it means no one can count them – they are innumerable.

²tn The perfect tense can also be classified as a potential nuance. It does not occur very often, but does occur several times.

³sn The reference in the oracle is back to Gen 13:16, which would not be clear to Balaam. But God had described their growth like the dust of the earth. Here it is part of the description of the vast numbers.

⁴tn Heb “and as a number, the fourth part of Israel.” The noun in the MT is not in the construct state, and so it should be taken as an adverbial accusative, forming a parallel with the verb “count.” The second object of the verse then follows, “the fourth part of Israel.” Smr and the LXX have “and who has numbered” (וּמִסְפָּר, umispar), making this colon more parallel to the preceding one. The editor of BHS prefers this reading.

⁵tn The use of נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) for the subject of the verb stresses the personal nature – me.

⁶sn Here the seer’s words link with the promise of Gen 12:3, that whoever blesses Israel will be blessed. Since the blessing belongs to them, the upright (and not Balak), Balaam would like his lot to be with them.

⁷tn Heb “my latter end.”

⁸tn Heb “his.”