23:18 Balaam 1 uttered 2 his oracle, and said,
“Rise up, 3 Balak, and hear;
Listen to me, son of Zippor:
“The oracle 5 of Balaam son of Beor;
the oracle of the man whose eyes are open; 6
24:15 Then he uttered this oracle: 7
“The oracle of Balaam son of Beor;
the oracle of the man whose eyes are open;
24:20 Then Balaam 8 looked on Amalek and delivered this oracle: 9
“Amalek was the first 10 of the nations,
but his end will be that he will perish.”
24:21 Then he looked on the Kenites and uttered this oracle:
“Your dwelling place seems strong,
and your nest 11 is set on a rocky cliff.
1 tn Heb “he.” The antecedent has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
2 tn Heb “took up.”
3 tn The verb probably means “pay attention” in this verse.
4 tn Heb “and he took up his oracle and said.”
5 tn The word נְאֻם (nÿ’um) is an “oracle.” It is usually followed by a subjective genitive, indicating the doer of the action. The word could be rendered “says,” but this translations is more specific.
6 tn The Greek version reads “the one who sees truly.” The word has been interpreted in both ways, “shut” or “open.”
7 tn Heb “and he took up his oracle and said.”
10 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Balaam) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
11 tn Heb “and he lifted up his oracle and said.” So also in vv. 21, 23.
12 sn This probably means that it held first place, or it thought that it was “the first of the nations.” It was not the first, either in order or greatness.
13 sn A pun is made on the name Kenite by using the word “your nest” (קִנֶּךָ, qinnekha); the location may be the rocky cliffs overlooking Petra.