Numbers 14:17

14:17 So now, let the power of my Lord ¹  be great, just as you have said,

Numbers 22:38

22:38 Balaam said to Balak, “Look, I have come to you. Now, am I able ²  to speak ³  just anything? I must speak ⁴  only the word that God puts in my mouth.”

Numbers 11:23

11:23 And the Lord said to Moses, “Is the Lord’s hand shortened? ⁵  Now you will see whether my word to you will come true ⁶  or not!”

Numbers 14:13

14:13 Moses said to the Lord, “When the Egyptians hear ⁷  it – for you brought up this people by your power from among them –

Numbers 23:23

23:23 For there is no spell against ⁸  Jacob,

nor is there any divination against Israel.

At this time ⁹  it must be said ¹⁰  of Jacob

and of Israel, ‘Look at ¹¹  what God has done!’

Numbers 23:20

23:20 Indeed, I have received a command ¹²  to bless;

he has blessed, ¹³  and I cannot reverse it. ¹⁴ 

Numbers 22:28

22:28 Then the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you that you have beaten me these three times?”

Numbers 33:3

33:3 They departed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the day ¹⁵  after the Passover the Israelites went out defiantly ¹⁶  in plain sight ¹⁷  of all the Egyptians.

Numbers 5:19

5:19 Then the priest will put the woman under oath and say to the her, “If no other ¹⁸  man has had sexual relations with you, and if you have not gone astray and become defiled while under your husband’s authority, may you be free from this bitter water that brings a curse. ¹⁹ 

Numbers 11:26

Eldad and Medad

11:26 But two men remained in the camp; one’s name was Eldad, and the other’s name was Medad. And the spirit rested on them. (Now they were among those in the registration, ²⁰  but had not gone to the tabernacle.) So they prophesied in the camp.

[14:17]  ¹ tc The form in the text is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay), the word that is usually used in place of the tetragrammaton. It is the plural form with the pronominal suffix, and so must refer to God.

[22:38]  ² tn The verb is אוּכַל (’ukhal) in a question – “am I able?” But emphasizing this is the infinitive absolute before it. So Balaam is saying something like, “Can I really say anything?”

[22:38]  ³ tn The Piel infinitive construct (without the preposition) serves as the object of the verb “to be able.” The whole question is rhetorical – he is saying that he will not be able to say anything God does not allow him to say.

[22:38]  ⁴ tn The imperfect tense is here taken as an obligatory imperfect.

[11:23]  ³ sn This anthropomorphic expression concerns the power of God. The “hand of the Lord” is idiomatic for his power, what he is able to do. The question is rhetorical; it is affirming that his hand is not shortened, i.e., that his power is not limited. Moses should have known this, and so this is a rebuke for him at this point. God had provided the manna, among all the other powerful acts they had witnessed. Meat would be no problem. But the lack of faith by the people was infectious.

[11:23]  ⁴ tn Or “will happen” (TEV); KJV “shall come to pass unto thee.”

[14:13]  ⁴ tn The construction is unusual in that we have here a perfect tense with a vav (ו) consecutive with no verb before it to establish the time sequence. The context requires that this be taken as a vav (ו) consecutive. It actually forms the protasis for the next verse, and would best be rendered “when…then they will say.”

[23:23]  ⁵ 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.

[23:23]  ⁶ tn The form is the preposition “like, as” and the word for “time” – according to the time, about this time, now.

[23:23]  ⁷ 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.”

[23:23]  ⁸ tn The words “look at” are not in the Hebrew text but have been added in the translation for clarity.

[23:20]  ⁶ tn The Hebrew text simply has “I have received [to] bless.” The infinitive is the object of the verb, telling what he received. Balaam was not actually commanded to bless, but was given the word of blessing so that he was given a divine decree that would bless Israel.

[23:20]  ⁷ sn The reference is probably to the first speech, where the Lord blessed Israel. Balaam knows that there is nothing he can do to reverse what God has said.

[23:20]  ⁸ tn The verb is the Hiphil of שׁוּב (shuv), meaning “to cause to return.” He cannot return God’s word to him, for it has been given, and it will be fulfilled.

[33:3]  ⁷ tn Heb “morrow.”

[33:3]  ⁸ tn Heb “with a high hand”; the expression means “defiantly; boldly” or “with confidence.” The phrase is usually used for arrogant sin and pride, the defiant fist, as it were. The image of the high hand can also mean the hand raised to deliver the blow (Job 38:15).

[33:3]  ⁹ tn Heb “in the eyes.”

[5:19]  ⁸ tn The word “other” is implied, since the woman would not be guilty of having sexual relations with her own husband.

[5:19]  ⁹ sn Although there would be stress involved, a woman who was innocent would have nothing to hide, and would be confident. The wording of the priest’s oath is actually designed to enable the potion to keep her from harm and not produce the physical effects it was designed to do.

[11:26]  ⁹ tn The form of the word is the passive participle כְּתֻבִים (kÿtuvim, “written”). It is normally taken to mean “among those registered,” but it is not clear if that means they were to be among the seventy or not. That seems unlikely since there is no mention of the seventy being registered, and vv. 24-25 says all seventy went out and prophesied. The registration may be to eldership, or the role of the officer.