Daniel 5:16

5:16 However, I have heard ¹  that you are able to provide interpretations and to decipher knotty problems. Now if you are able to read this writing and make known to me its interpretation, you will wear purple and have a golden collar around your neck and be third ²  ruler in the kingdom.”

Daniel 5:29

5:29 Then, on Belshazzar’s orders, ³  Daniel was clothed in purple, a golden collar was placed around his neck, and he was proclaimed third ruler in the kingdom.

Daniel 2:6

2:6 But if you can disclose the dream and its interpretation, you will receive from me gifts, a reward, and considerable honor. So disclose to me the dream and its interpretation!”

Genesis 41:42-44

41:42 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his own hand and put it on Joseph’s. He clothed him with fine linen ⁴  clothes and put a gold chain around his neck. 41:43 Pharaoh ⁵  had him ride in the chariot used by his second-in-command, ⁶  and they cried out before him, “Kneel down!” ⁷  So he placed him over all the land of Egypt. 41:44 Pharaoh also said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, but without your permission ⁸  no one ⁹  will move his hand or his foot ¹⁰  in all the land of Egypt.”

Numbers 22:7

22:7 So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the fee for divination in their hand. They came to Balaam and reported ¹¹  to him the words of Balak.

Numbers 22:17

22:17 For I will honor you greatly, ¹²  and whatever you tell me I will do. So come, put a curse on this nation for me.’”

Numbers 24:11

24:11 So now, go back where you came from! ¹³  I said that I would greatly honor you; but now the Lord has stood in the way of your honor.”

Numbers 24:1

Balaam Prophesies Yet Again

24:1 ¹⁴ When Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, ¹⁵  he did not go as at the other times ¹⁶  to seek for omens, ¹⁷  but he set his face ¹⁸  toward the wilderness.

Numbers 17:1

The Budding of Aaron’s Staff

17:1 ¹⁹ The Lord spoke to Moses:

¹ tn The Aramaic text has also the words “about you.”

² tn Or perhaps “one of three rulers,” in the sense of becoming part of a triumvir. So also v. 29.

³ tn Aram “Belshazzar spoke.”

⁴ tn The Hebrew word שֵׁשׁ (shesh) is an Egyptian loanword that describes the fine linen robes that Egyptian royalty wore. The clothing signified Joseph’s rank.

⁵ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Pharaoh) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

⁶ tn Heb “and he caused him to ride in the second chariot which was his.”

⁷ tn The verb form appears to be a causative imperative from a verbal root meaning “to kneel.” It is a homonym of the word “bless” (identical in root letters but not related etymologically).

⁸ tn Heb “apart from you.”

⁹ tn Heb “no man,” but here “man” is generic, referring to people in general.

¹⁰ tn The idiom “lift up hand or foot” means “take any action” here.

¹¹ tn Heb “spoke.”

¹² tn The construction uses the Piel infinitive כַּבֵּד (kabbed) to intensify the verb, which is the Piel imperfect/cohortative אֲכַבֶּדְךָ (’akhabbedkha). The great honor could have been wealth, prestige, or position.

¹³ tn Heb “flee to your place.”

¹⁴ sn For a thorough study of the arrangement of this passage, see E. B. Smick, “A Study of the Structure of the Third Balaam Oracle,” The Law and the Prophets, 242-52. He sees the oracle as having an introductory strophe (vv. 3, 4), followed by two stanzas (vv. 5, 6) that introduce the body (vv. 7b-9b) before the final benediction (v. 9b).

¹⁵ tn Heb “it was good in the eyes of the Lord.”

¹⁶ tn Heb “as time after time.”

¹⁷ tn The word נְחָשִׁים (nÿkhashim) means “omens,” or possibly “auguries.” Balaam is not even making a pretense now of looking for such things, because they are not going to work. God has overruled them.

¹⁸ tn The idiom signifies that he had a determination and resolution to look out over where the Israelites were, so that he could appreciate more their presence and use that as the basis for his expressing of the oracle.

¹⁹ sn Num 17:1 in the English Bible is 17:16 in the Hebrew text (BHS). See also the note on 16:36.