Numbers 23:10

23:10 Who ¹  can count ²  the dust ³  of Jacob,

Or number ⁴  the fourth part of Israel?

Let me ⁵  die the death of the upright, ⁶ 

and let the end of my life ⁷  be like theirs.” ⁸ 

Deuteronomy 8:16

8:16 fed you in the desert with manna (which your ancestors had never before known) so that he might by humbling you test you ⁹  and eventually bring good to you.

Deuteronomy 32:29

32:29 I wish that they were wise and could understand this,

and that they could comprehend what will happen to them.”

Psalms 37:37

37:37 Take note of the one who has integrity! Observe the godly! ¹⁰ 

For the one who promotes peace has a future. ¹¹ 

Psalms 90:12

90:12 So teach us to consider our mortality, ¹² 

so that we might live wisely. ¹³ 

Psalms 90:14

90:14 Satisfy us in the morning ¹⁴  with your loyal love!

Then we will shout for joy and be happy ¹⁵  all our days!

Luke 16:19-23

The Rich Man and Lazarus

16:19 “There was a rich man who dressed in purple ¹⁶  and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously ¹⁷  every day. 16:20 But at his gate lay ¹⁸  a poor man named Lazarus ¹⁹  whose body was covered with sores, ²⁰  16:21 who longed to eat ²¹  what fell from the rich man’s table. In addition, the dogs ²²  came and licked ²³  his sores.

16:22 “Now ²⁴  the poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. ²⁵  The ²⁶  rich man also died and was buried. ²⁷  16:23 And in hell, ²⁸  as he was in torment, ²⁹  he looked up ³⁰  and saw Abraham far off with Lazarus at his side. ³¹ 

[23:10]  ¹ tn The question is again rhetorical; it means no one can count them – they are innumerable.

[23:10]  ² tn The perfect tense can also be classified as a potential nuance. It does not occur very often, but does occur several times.

[23:10]  ³ sn 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.

[23:10]  ⁴ tn 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.

[23:10]  ⁵ tn The use of נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) for the subject of the verb stresses the personal nature – me.

[23:10]  ⁶ sn 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.

[23:10]  ⁷ tn Heb “my latter end.”

[23:10]  ⁸ tn Heb “his.”

[8:16]  ⁹ tn Heb “in order to humble you and in order to test you.” See 8:2.

[37:37]  ¹⁰ tn Or “upright.”

[37:37]  ¹¹ tn Heb “for [there is] an end for a man of peace.” Some interpret אַחֲרִית (’akharit, “end”) as referring to offspring (see the next verse and Ps 109:13; cf. NEB, NRSV).

[90:12]  ¹² tn Heb “to number our days,” that is, to be aware of how few they really are.

[90:12]  ¹³ tn Heb “and we will bring a heart of wisdom.” After the imperative of the preceding line, the prefixed verbal form with the conjunction indicates purpose/result. The Hebrew term “heart” here refers to the center of one’s thoughts, volition, and moral character.

[90:14]  ¹⁴ sn Morning is used metaphorically for a time of renewed joy after affliction (see Pss 30:5; 46:5; 49:14; 59:16; 143:8).

[90:14]  ¹⁵ tn After the imperative (see the preceding line) the cohortatives with the prefixed conjunction indicate purpose/result.

[16:19]  ¹⁶ sn Purple describes a fine, expensive dye used on luxurious clothing, and by metonymy, refers to clothing colored with that dye. It pictures someone of great wealth.

[16:19]  ¹⁷ tn Or “celebrated with ostentation” (L&N 88.255), that is, with showing off. Here was the original conspicuous consumer.

[16:20]  ¹⁸ tn The passive verb ἐβέβλητο (ebeblhto) does not indicate how Lazarus got there. Cf. BDAG 163 s.v. βάλλω 1.b, “he lay before the door”; Josephus, Ant. 9.10.2 (9.209).

[16:20]  ¹⁹ sn This is the one time in all the gospels that a figure in a parable is mentioned by name. It will become important later in the account.

[16:20]  ²⁰ tn Or “was covered with ulcers.” The words “whose body” are implied in the context (L&N 23.180).

[16:21]  ²¹ tn Grk “to eat his fill,” but this phrase has been simplified as “to eat” for stylistic reasons.

[16:21]  ²² tn The term κύνες (kunes) refers to “wild” dogs (either “street” dogs or watchdogs), not house pets (L&N 4.34).

[16:21]  ²³ sn When the dogs came and licked his sores it meant that he was unclean. See the negative image of Rev 22:15 that draws on this picture.

[16:22]  ²⁴ tn Grk “Now it happened that the.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.

[16:22]  ²⁵ tn Grk “to Abraham’s bosom.” The phrase “carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom” describes being gathered to the fathers and is a way to refer to heaven (Gen 15:15; 47:30; Deut 31:16).

[16:22]  ²⁶ tn Grk “And the.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[16:22]  ²⁷ sn The shorter description suggests a different fate, which is confirmed in the following verses.

[16:23]  ²⁸ sn The Greek term Hades stands for the Hebrew concept of Sheol. It is what is called hell today. This is where the dead were gathered (Ps 16:10; 86:13). In the NT Hades has an additional negative force of awaiting judgment (Rev 20:13).

[16:23]  ²⁹ sn Hades is a place of torment, especially as one knows that he is separated from God.

[16:23]  ³⁰ tn Grk “he lifted up his eyes” (an idiom).

[16:23]  ³¹ tn Grk “in his bosom,” the same phrase used in 16:22. This idiom refers to heaven and/or participation in the eschatological banquet. An appropriate modern equivalent is “at Abraham’s side.”