Numbers 21:30

21:30 We have overpowered them; ¹ 

Heshbon has perished as far as Dibon.

We have shattered them as far as Nophah,

which ²  reaches to Medeba.”

Numbers 24:20

Balaam’s Final Prophecies

24:20 Then Balaam ³  looked on Amalek and delivered this oracle: ⁴ 

“Amalek was the first ⁵  of the nations,

but his end will be that he will perish.”

Numbers 24:24

24:24 Ships will come from the coast of Kittim, ⁶ 

and will afflict Asshur, ⁷  and will afflict Eber,

and he will also perish forever.” ⁸ 

[21:30]  ¹ tc The first verb is difficult. MT has “we shot at them.” The Greek has “their posterity perished” (see GKC 218 §76.f).

[21:30]  ² tc The relative pronoun “which” (אֲשֶׁר, ’asher) posed a problem for the ancient scribes here, as indicated by the so-called extraordinary point (punta extraordinaria) over the letter ר (resh) of אֲשֶׁר. Smr and the LXX have “fire” (אֵשׁ, ’esh) here (cf. NAB, NJB, RSV, NRSV). Some modern scholars emend the word to שֹׁאָה (sho’ah, “devastation”).

[24:20]  ³ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Balaam) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[24:20]  ⁴ tn Heb “and he lifted up his oracle and said.” So also in vv. 21, 23.

[24:20]  ⁵ 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.

[24:24]  ⁵ tc The MT is difficult. The Kittim refers normally to Cyprus, or any maritime people to the west. W. F. Albright proposed emending the line to “islands will gather in the north, ships from the distant sea” (“The Oracles of Balaam,” JBL 63 [1944]: 222-23). Some commentators accept that reading as the original state of the text, since the present MT makes little sense.

[24:24]  ⁶ tn Or perhaps “Assyria” (so NCV, TEV, CEV, NLT).

[24:24]  ⁷ tn Or “it will end in utter destruction.”