Numbers 23:23

23:23 For there is no spell against ¹  Jacob,

nor is there any divination against Israel.

At this time ²  it must be said ³  of Jacob

and of Israel, ‘Look at ⁴  what God has done!’

Joshua 2:9-11

2:9 She said to the men, “I know the Lord is handing this land over to you. ⁵  We are absolutely terrified of you, ⁶  and all who live in the land are cringing before ⁷  you. ⁸  2:10 For we heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you left Egypt and how you annihilated the two Amorite kings, Sihon and Og, on the other side of the Jordan. ⁹  2:11 When we heard the news we lost our courage and no one could even breathe for fear of you. ¹⁰  For the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on earth below!

Joshua 9:9-10

9:9 They told him, “Your subjects ¹¹  have come from a very distant land because of the reputation ¹²  of the Lord your God, for we have heard the news about all he did in Egypt ¹³  9:10 and all he did to the two Amorite kings on the other side of the Jordan – King Sihon of Heshbon and King Og of Bashan in Ashtaroth.

Nehemiah 6:16

6:16 When all our enemies heard and all the nations who were around us saw ¹⁴  this, they were greatly disheartened. ¹⁵  They knew that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God.

Zechariah 8:22-23

8:22 Many peoples and powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to seek the Lord who rules over all and to ask his favor. 8:23 The Lord who rules over all says, ‘In those days ten people from all languages and nations will grasp hold of – indeed, grab – the robe of one Jew and say, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.”’” ¹⁶ 

Romans 11:15

11:15 For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?

¹ tn Or “in Jacob.” But given the context the meaning “against” is preferable. The words describe two techniques of consulting God; the first has to do with observing omens in general (“enchantments”), and the second with casting lots or arrows of the like (“divinations” [Ezek 21:26]). See N. H. Snaith, Leviticus and Numbers (NCB), 295-96.

² tn The form is the preposition “like, as” and the word for “time” – according to the time, about this time, now.

³ tn The Niphal imperfect here carries the nuance of obligation – one has to say in amazement that God has done something marvelous or “it must be said.”

⁴ tn The words “look at” are not in the Hebrew text but have been added in the translation for clarity.

⁵ tn Heb “has given the land to you.” Rahab’s statement uses the Hebrew perfect, suggesting certitude.

⁶ tn Heb “terror of you has fallen upon us.”

⁷ tn Or “melting away because of.”

⁸ tn Both of these statements are actually subordinated to “I know” in the Hebrew text, which reads, “I know that the Lord…and that terror of you…and that all the inhabitants….”

⁹ tn Heb “and what you did to the two Amorite kings who were beyond the Jordan, Sihon and Og, how you annihilated them.”

¹⁰ tn Heb “And we heard and our heart[s] melted and there remained no longer breath in a man because of you.”

¹¹ tn Or “servants.”

¹² tn Heb “name.”

¹³ tn Heb “the report about him, all that he did in Egypt.”

¹⁴ tc The MT understands the root here to be יָרֵא (yare’, “to fear”) rather than רָאָה (ra’ah, “to see”).

¹⁵ tn Heb “they greatly fell [i.e., were cast down] in their own eyes.” Some scholars suggest emending the reading of the MT, וַיִּפְּלוּ (vayyipÿlu) to וַיִּפָּלֵא (vayyippale’, “it was very extraordinary in their eyes”).

¹⁶ sn This scene of universal and overwhelming attraction of the nations to Israel’s God finds initial fulfillment in the establishment of the church (Acts 2:5-11) but ultimate completion in the messianic age (Isa 45:14, 24; 60:14; Zech 14:16-21).