Numbers 13:23

13:23 When they came to the valley of Eshcol, they cut down from there a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they carried it on a staff ¹  between two men, as well as some of the pomegranates and the figs.

Numbers 31:28

31:28 “You must exact ²  a tribute for the Lord from the fighting men who went out to battle: one life out of five hundred, from the people, the cattle, and from the donkeys and the sheep.

Numbers 5:17

5:17 The priest will then take holy water ³  in a pottery jar, and take some ⁴  of the dust ⁵  that is on the floor of the tabernacle, and put it into the water.

Numbers 15:30

Deliberate Sin

15:30 “‘But the person ⁶  who acts defiantly, ⁷  whether native-born or a resident foreigner, insults ⁸  the Lord. ⁹  That person ¹⁰  must be cut off ¹¹  from among his people.

Numbers 31:30

31:30 From the Israelites’ half-share you are to take one portion out of fifty of the people, the cattle, the donkeys, and the sheep – from every kind of animal – and you are to give them to the Levites, who are responsible for the care of the Lord’s tabernacle.”

Numbers 31:47

31:47 From the Israelites’ share Moses took one of every fifty people and animals and gave them to the Levites who were responsible for the care of the Lord’s tabernacle, just as the Lord commanded Moses.

¹ tn The word is related etymologically to the verb for “slip, slide, bend, totter.” This would fit the use very well. A pole that would not bend would be hard to use to carry things, but a pole or stave that was flexible would serve well.

² tn The verb is the Hiphil, “you shall cause to be taken up.” The perfect with vav (ו) continues the sequence of the instructions. This raised offering was to be a tax of one-fifth of one percent for the Lord.

³ tn This is probably water taken from the large bronze basin in the courtyard. It is water set apart for sacred service. “Clean water” (so NEB) does not capture the sense very well, but it does have the support of the Greek that has “pure running water.” That pure water would no doubt be from the bronze basin anyway.

⁴ tn Heb “from.” The preposition is used here with a partitive sense.

⁵ sn The dust may have come from the sanctuary floor, but it is still dust, and therefore would have all the pollutants in it.

⁴ tn Heb “soul.”

⁵ tn The sin is described literally as acting “with a high hand” – בְּיָד רָמָה (bÿyad ramah). The expression means that someone would do something with deliberate defiance, with an arrogance in spite of what the Lord said. It is as if the sinner was about to attack God, or at least lifting his hand against God. The implication of the expression is that it was done in full knowledge of the Law (especially since this contrasts throughout with the sins of ignorance). Blatant defiance of the word of the Lord is dealt with differently. For similar expressions, see Exod 14:8 and Num 33:3.

⁶ tn The verb occurs only in the Piel; it means “to blaspheme,” “to revile.”

⁷ tn The word order in the Hebrew text places “Yahweh” first for emphasis – it is the Lord such a person insults.

⁸ tn Heb “soul.”

⁹ tn The clause begins with “and” because the verb is the perfect tense with vav (ו) consecutive. As discussed with Num 9:13, to be cut off could mean excommunication from the community, death by the community, or death by divine intervention.