Numbers 2:17

The Tribe in the Center

2:17 “Then the tent of meeting with the camp of the Levites will travel in the middle of the camps. They will travel in the same order as they camped, each in his own place ¹  under his standard.

Numbers 8:3

8:3 And Aaron did so; he set up the lamps to face toward the front of the lampstand, as the Lord commanded Moses.

Numbers 8:15

8:15 “After this, the Levites will go in ²  to do the work ³  of the tent of meeting. So you must cleanse them ⁴  and offer them like a wave offering. ⁵ 

Numbers 10:31

10:31 Moses ⁶  said, “Do not leave us, ⁷  because you know places for us to camp in the wilderness, and you could be our guide. ⁸ 

Numbers 14:28

14:28 Say to them, ‘As I live, ⁹  says ¹⁰  the Lord, I will surely do to you just what you have spoken in my hearing. ¹¹ 

Numbers 14:43

14:43 For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you, and you will fall by the sword. Because you have turned away from the Lord, the Lord will not be with you.”

Numbers 15:14

15:14 If a resident foreigner is living ¹²  with you – or whoever is among you ¹³  in future generations ¹⁴  – and prepares an offering made by fire as a pleasing aroma to the Lord, he must do it the same way you are to do it. ¹⁵ 

Numbers 27:7

27:7 “The daughters of Zelophehad have a valid claim. ¹⁶  You must indeed ¹⁷  give them possession of an inheritance among their father’s relatives, and you must transfer ¹⁸  the inheritance of their father to them.

Numbers 32:31

32:31 Then the Gadites and the Reubenites answered, “Your servants will do what the Lord has spoken. ¹⁹ 

Numbers 36:5

Moses’ Decision

36:5 Then Moses gave a ruling ²⁰  to the Israelites by the word ²¹  of the Lord: “What the tribe of the Josephites is saying is right.

[2:17]  ¹ tn The Hebrew expression is עַל־יָדוֹ (’al-yado, “upon his hand”). This clearly refers to a specifically designated place for each man.

[8:15]  ² tn The imperfect tense could also be given the nuance of the imperfect of permission: “the Levites may go in.”

[8:15]  ³ tn Heb “to serve.”

[8:15]  ⁴ tn The two verbs in the rest of this verse are perfect tenses with vav (ו) consecutive constructions, making them equal to the imperfect. Some commentators try to get around the difficulty of repetition by making these future perfects, “and you will have cleansed,” as opposed to a summary statement, “for thus you will cleanse….”

[8:15]  ⁵ tc The Greek text adds “before the Lord.”

[10:31]  ³ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Moses) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[10:31]  ⁴ tn The form with אַל־נָא (’al-na’) is a jussive; negated it stresses a more immediate request, as if Hobab is starting to leave, or at least determined to leave.

[10:31]  ⁵ tn In the Hebrew text the expression is more graphic: “you will be for us for eyes.” Hobab was familiar with the entire Sinai region, and he could certainly direct the people where they were to go. The text does not record Hobab’s response. But the fact that Kenites were in Canaan as allies of Judah (Judg 1:16) would indicate that he gave in and came with Moses. The first refusal may simply be the polite Semitic practice of declining first so that the appeal might be made more urgently.

[14:28]  ⁴ sn Here again is the oath that God swore in his wrath, an oath he swore by himself, that they would not enter the land. “As the Lord lives,” or “by the life of the Lord,” are ways to render it.

[14:28]  ⁵ tn The word נְאֻם (nÿ’um) is an “oracle.” It is followed by the subjective genitive: “the oracle of the Lord” is equal to saying “the Lord says.”

[14:28]  ⁶ tn Heb “in my ears.”

[15:14]  ⁵ tn The word גּוּר (gur) was traditionally translated “to sojourn,” i.e., to live temporarily in a land. Here the two words are from the root: “if a sojourner sojourns.”

[15:14]  ⁶ tn Heb “in your midst.”

[15:14]  ⁷ tn The Hebrew text just has “to your generations,” but it means in the future.

[15:14]  ⁸ tn The imperfect tenses must reflect the responsibility to comply with the law, and so the classifications of instruction or obligation may be applied.

[27:7]  ⁶ tn Heb “[the daughters of Zelophehad] speak right” (using the participle דֹּבְרֹת [dovÿrot] with כֵּן [ken]).

[27:7]  ⁷ tn The Hebrew text uses the infinitive absolute with the imperfect tense. The imperfect is functioning as the imperfect of instruction, and so the infinitive strengthens the force of the instruction.

[27:7]  ⁸ tn The verb is the Hiphil perfect with a vav (ו) consecutive, from the root עָבַר (’avar, “to pass over”). Here it functions as the equivalent of the imperfect of instruction: “and you shall cause to pass,” meaning, “transfer.”

[32:31]  ⁷ tn Heb “that which the Lord has spoken to your servants, thus we will do.”

[36:5]  ⁸ tn Heb “commanded.”

[36:5]  ⁹ tn Heb “mouth.”