Discovery BoxNumbers 22:1--25:18
Context22:1 1 The Israelites traveled on 2 and camped in the plains of Moab on the side of the Jordan River 3 across from Jericho. 4 22:2 Balak son of Zippor saw all that the Israelites had done to the Amorites. 22:3 And the Moabites were greatly afraid of the people, because they were so numerous. The Moabites were sick with fear because of the Israelites.
22:4 So the Moabites said to the elders of Midian, “Now this mass of people 5 will lick up everything around us, as the bull devours the grass of the field. Now Balak son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at this time. 22:5 And he sent messengers to Balaam 6 son of Beor at Pethor, which is by the Euphrates River 7 in the land of Amaw, 8 to summon him, saying, “Look, a nation has come out of Egypt. They cover the face 9 of the earth, and they are settling next to me. 22:6 So 10 now, please come and curse this nation 11 for me, for they are too powerful for me. Perhaps I will prevail so that we may conquer them 12 and drive them out of the land. For I know that whoever you bless is blessed, 13 and whoever you curse is cursed.”
22:7 So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the fee for divination in their hand. They came to Balaam and reported 14 to him the words of Balak. 22:8 He replied to them, “Stay 15 here tonight, and I will bring back to you whatever word the Lord may speak to me.” So the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam. 22:9 And God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?” 22:10 Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent a message to me, saying, 22:11 “Look, a nation has come out 16 of Egypt, and it covers the face of the earth. Come now and put a curse on them for me; perhaps I will be able to defeat them 17 and drive them out.” 18 22:12 But God said to Balaam, “You must not go with them; you must not curse the people, 19 for they are blessed.” 20
22:13 So Balaam got up in the morning, and said to the princes of Balak, “Go to your land, 21 for the Lord has refused to permit me to go 22 with you.” 22:14 So the princes of Moab departed 23 and went back to Balak and said, “Balaam refused to come with us.”
22:15 Balak again sent princes, 24 more numerous and more distinguished than the first. 25 22:16 And they came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak son of Zippor: ‘Please do not let anything hinder you from coming 26 to me. 22:17 For I will honor you greatly, 27 and whatever you tell me I will do. So come, put a curse on this nation for me.’”
22:18 Balaam replied 28 to the servants of Balak, “Even if Balak would give me his palace full of silver and gold, I could not transgress the commandment 29 of the Lord my God 30 to do less or more. 22:19 Now therefore, please stay 31 the night here also, that I may know what more the Lord might say to me.” 32 22:20 God came to Balaam that night, and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, get up and go with them; but the word that I will say to you, that you must do.” 22:21 So Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.
22:22 Then God’s anger was kindled 33 because he went, and the angel of the Lord stood in the road to oppose 34 him. Now he was riding on his donkey and his two servants were with him. 22:23 And the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with 35 his sword drawn in his hand, so the donkey turned aside from the road and went into the field. But Balaam beat the donkey, to make her turn back to the road.
22:24 Then the angel of the Lord stood in a path 36 among the vineyards, where there was a wall on either side. 37 22:25 And when the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, she pressed herself into the wall, and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall. So he beat her again. 38
22:26 Then the angel of the Lord went farther, and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right or to the left. 22:27 When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, she crouched down under Balaam. Then Balaam was angry, and he beat his donkey with a staff.
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?” 22:29 And Balaam said to the donkey, “You have made me look stupid; I wish 39 there were a sword in my hand, for I would kill you right now.” 22:30 The donkey said to Balaam, “Am not I your donkey that you have ridden ever since I was yours until this day? Have I ever attempted 40 to treat you this way?” 41 And he said, “No.” 22:31 Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way with his sword drawn in his hand; so he bowed his head and threw himself down with his face to the ground. 42 22:32 The angel of the Lord said to him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? Look, I came out to oppose you because what you are doing 43 is perverse before me. 44 22:33 The donkey saw me and turned from me these three times. If 45 she had not turned from me, I would have killed you but saved her alive.” 22:34 Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned, for I did not know that you stood against me in the road. 46 So now, if it is evil in your sight, 47 I will go back home.” 48 22:35 But the angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but you may only speak 49 the word that I will speak to you.” 50 So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.
22:36 When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at a city of Moab which was on the border of the Arnon at the boundary of his territory. 22:37 Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not send again and again 51 to you to summon you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not able to honor you?” 52 22:38 Balaam said to Balak, “Look, I have come to you. Now, am I able 53 to speak 54 just anything? I must speak 55 only the word that God puts in my mouth.” 22:39 So Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth. 22:40 And Balak sacrificed bulls and sheep, and sent some 56 to Balaam, and to the princes who were with him. 22:41 Then on the next morning Balak took Balaam, and brought him up to Bamoth Baal. 57 From there he saw the extent of the nation.
23:1 58 Balaam said to Balak, “Build me seven altars here, and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams.” 23:2 So Balak did just as Balaam had said. Balak and Balaam then offered on each 59 altar a bull and a ram. 23:3 Balaam said to Balak, “Station yourself 60 by your burnt offering, and I will go off; perhaps the Lord will come to meet me, and whatever he reveals to me 61 I will tell you.” 62 Then he went to a deserted height. 63
23:4 Then God met Balaam, who 64 said to him, “I have prepared seven altars, and I have offered on each altar a bull and a ram.” 23:5 Then the Lord put a message 65 in Balaam’s mouth and said, “Return to Balak, and speak what I tell you.” 66
23:6 So he returned to him, and he was still 67 standing by his burnt offering, he and all the princes of Moab. 23:7 Then Balaam 68 uttered 69 his oracle, saying,
“Balak, the king of Moab, brought me 70 from Aram,
out of the mountains of the east, saying,
‘Come, pronounce a curse on Jacob for me;
come, denounce Israel.’ 71
23:8 How 72 can I curse 73 one whom God has not cursed,
or how can I denounce one whom the Lord has not denounced?
23:9 For from the top of the rocks I see them; 74
from the hills I watch them. 75
Indeed, a nation that lives alone,
and it will not be reckoned 76 among the nations.
23:10 Who 77 can count 78 the dust 79 of Jacob,
Or number 80 the fourth part of Israel?
Let me 81 die the death of the upright, 82
and let the end of my life 83 be like theirs.” 84
23:11 Then Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies, but on the contrary 85 you have only blessed them!” 86 23:12 Balaam replied, 87 “Must I not be careful 88 to speak what the Lord has put in my mouth?” 89 23:13 Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place from which you can observe them. You will see only a part of them, but you will not see all of them. Curse them for me from there.”
23:14 So Balak brought Balaam 90 to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, 91 where 92 he built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar. 23:15 And Balaam 93 said to Balak, “Station yourself here 94 by your burnt offering, while I meet the Lord there. 23:16 Then the Lord met Balaam and put a message 95 in his mouth and said, “Return to Balak, and speak what I tell you.” 23:17 When Balaam 96 came to him, he was still standing by his burnt offering, along with the princes of Moab. And Balak said to him, “What has the Lord spoken?”
23:18 Balaam 97 uttered 98 his oracle, and said,
“Rise up, 99 Balak, and hear;
Listen to me, son of Zippor:
23:19 God is not a man, that he should lie,
nor a human being, 100 that he should change his mind.
Has he said, and will he not do it?
Or has he spoken, and will he not make it happen? 101
23:20 Indeed, I have received a command 102 to bless;
he has blessed, 103 and I cannot reverse it. 104
23:21 He 105 has not looked on iniquity in Jacob, 106
nor has he seen trouble 107 in Israel.
The Lord their God is with them;
his acclamation 108 as king is among them.
23:22 God brought them 109 out of Egypt.
They have, as it were, the strength of a wild bull. 110
23:23 For there is no spell against 111 Jacob,
nor is there any divination against Israel.
At this time 112 it must be said 113 of Jacob
and of Israel, ‘Look at 114 what God has done!’
23:24 Indeed, the people will rise up like a lioness,
and like a lion raises himself up;
they will not lie down until they eat their 115 prey,
and drink the blood of the slain.” 116
23:25 Balak said to Balaam, “Neither curse them at all 117 nor bless them at all!” 118 23:26 But Balaam replied 119 to Balak, “Did I not tell you, ‘All that the Lord speaks, 120 I must do’?”
23:27 Balak said to Balaam, “Come, please; I will take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God 121 to let you curse them for me from there.” 122 23:28 So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, that looks toward the wilderness. 123 23:29 Then Balaam said to Balak, “Build seven altars here for me, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams.” 23:30 So Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
24:1 124 When Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, 125 he did not go as at the other times 126 to seek for omens, 127 but he set his face 128 toward the wilderness. 24:2 When Balaam lifted up his eyes, he saw Israel camped tribe by tribe; 129 and the Spirit of God came upon him. 24:3 Then he uttered this oracle: 130
“The oracle 131 of Balaam son of Beor;
the oracle of the man whose eyes are open; 132
24:4 the oracle of the one who hears the words of God,
who sees a vision from the Almighty,
although falling flat on the ground 133 with eyes open: 134
24:5 ‘How 135 beautiful are your tents, O Jacob,
and your dwelling places, O Israel!
24:6 They are like 136 valleys 137 stretched forth,
like gardens by the river’s side,
like aloes 138 that the Lord has planted,
and like cedar trees beside the waters.
24:7 He will pour the water out of his buckets, 139
and their descendants will be like abundant 140 water; 141
their king will be greater than Agag, 142
and their kingdom will be exalted.
24:8 God brought them out of Egypt.
They have, as it were, the strength of a young bull;
they will devour hostile people 143
and will break their bones
and will pierce them through with arrows.
24:9 They crouch and lie down like a lion,
and as a lioness, 144 who can stir him?
Blessed is the one who blesses you,
and cursed is the one who curses you!’”
24:10 Then Balak became very angry at Balaam, and he struck his hands together. 145 Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, and look, you have done nothing but bless 146 them these three times! 24:11 So now, go back where you came from! 147 I said that I would greatly honor you; but now the Lord has stood in the way of your honor.”
24:12 Balaam said to Balak, “Did I not also tell your messengers whom you sent to me, 24:13 ‘If Balak would give me his palace full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond 148 the commandment 149 of the Lord to do either good or evil of my own will, 150 but whatever the Lord tells me I must speak’? 24:14 And now, I am about to go 151 back to my own people. Come now, and I will advise you as to what this people will do to your people in the future.” 152
24:15 Then he uttered this oracle: 153
“The oracle of Balaam son of Beor;
the oracle of the man whose eyes are open;
24:16 the oracle of the one who hears the words of God,
and who knows the knowledge of the Most High,
who sees a vision from the Almighty,
although falling flat on the ground with eyes open:
24:17 ‘I see him, but not now;
I behold him, but not close at hand. 154
A star 155 will march forth 156 out of Jacob,
and a scepter 157 will rise out of Israel.
He will crush the skulls 158 of Moab,
and the heads 159 of all the sons of Sheth. 160
24:18 Edom will be a possession,
Seir, 161 his enemies, will also be a possession;
but Israel will act valiantly.
24:19 A ruler will be established from Jacob;
he will destroy the remains of the city.’” 162
24:20 Then Balaam 163 looked on Amalek and delivered this oracle: 164
“Amalek was the first 165 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 166 is set on a rocky cliff.
24:22 Nevertheless the Kenite will be consumed. 167
How long will Asshur take you away captive?”
24:23 Then he uttered this oracle:
“O, who will survive when God does this! 168
24:24 Ships will come from the coast of Kittim, 169
and will afflict Asshur, 170 and will afflict Eber,
and he will also perish forever.” 171
24:25 Balaam got up and departed and returned to his home, 172 and Balak also went his way.
25:1 173 When 174 Israel lived in Shittim, the people began to commit sexual immorality 175 with the daughters of Moab. 25:2 These women invited 176 the people to the sacrifices of their gods; then the people ate and bowed down to their gods. 177 25:3 When Israel joined themselves to Baal-peor, 178 the anger of the Lord flared up against Israel.
25:4 The Lord said to Moses, “Arrest all the leaders 179 of the people, and hang them up 180 before the Lord in broad daylight, 181 so that the fierce anger of the Lord may be turned away from Israel.” 25:5 So Moses said to the judges of Israel, “Each of you must execute those of his men 182 who were joined to Baal-peor.”
25:6 Just then 183 one of the Israelites came and brought to his brothers 184 a Midianite woman in the plain view of Moses and of 185 the whole community of the Israelites, while they 186 were weeping at the entrance of the tent of meeting. 25:7 When Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, 187 he got up from among the assembly, took a javelin in his hand, 25:8 and went after the Israelite man into the tent 188 and thrust through the Israelite man and into the woman’s abdomen. 189 So the plague was stopped from the Israelites. 190 25:9 Those that died in the plague were 24,000.
25:10 The Lord spoke to Moses: 25:11 “Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned my anger away from the Israelites, when he manifested such zeal 191 for my sake among them, so that I did not consume the Israelites in my zeal. 192 25:12 Therefore, announce: 193 ‘I am going to give 194 to him my covenant of peace. 195 25:13 So it will be to him and his descendants after him a covenant of a permanent priesthood, because he has been zealous for his God, 196 and has made atonement 197 for the Israelites.’”
25:14 Now the name of the Israelite who was stabbed – the one who was stabbed with the Midianite woman – was Zimri son of Salu, a leader of a clan 198 of the Simeonites. 25:15 The name of the Midianite woman who was killed was Cozbi daughter of Zur. He was a leader 199 over the people of a clan of Midian. 200
25:16 Then the Lord spoke to Moses: 25:17 “Bring trouble 201 to the Midianites, and destroy them, 25:18 because they bring trouble to you by their treachery with which they have deceived 202 you in the matter of Peor, and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of a prince of Midian, 203 their sister, who was killed on the day of the plague that happened as a result of Peor.”
[22:1] 1 sn The fifth section of the book (22:1-33:56) traces the Israelite activities in Transjordan. It is hard to determine how long they were in Transjordan, but a good amount of time must have elapsed for the number of moves they made and the wars they fought. There is a considerable amount of information available on this section of the book. Some of the most helpful works include: H. C. Brichto, The Problem of “Curse” in the Hebrew Bible (JBLMS); E. Burrows, The Oracles of Jacob and Balaam; G. W. Coats, “Balaam, Sinner or Saint?” BR 18 (1973): 21-29; P. C. Craigie, “The Conquest and Early Hebrew Poetry,” TynBul 20 (1969): 76-94; I. Parker, “The Way of God and the Way of Balaam,” ExpTim 17 (1905): 45; and J. A. Wharton, “The Command to Bless: An Exposition of Numbers 22:41–23:25,” Int 13 (1959): 37-48. This first part introduces the characters and sets the stage for the oracles. It can be divided into four sections: the invitation declined (vv. 1-14), the second invitation extended (vv. 15-21), God opposes Balaam (vv. 22-35), and Balaam meets Balak (vv. 36-41).
[22:1] 2 tn The verse begins with the vav (ו) consecutive.
[22:1] 3 tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[22:1] 4 map For the location of Jericho see Map5 B2; Map6 E1; Map7 E1; Map8 E3; Map10 A2; Map11 A1.
[22:4] 5 tn The word is simply “company,” but in the context he must mean a vast company – a horde of people.
[22:5] 6 sn There is much literature on pagan diviners and especially prophecy in places in the east like Mari (see, for example, H. B. Huffmon, “Prophecy in the Mari Letters,” BA 31 [1968]: 101-24). Balaam appears to be a pagan diviner who was of some reputation; he was called to curse the Israelites, but God intervened and gave him blessings only. The passage forms a nice complement to texts that deal with blessings and curses. It shows that no one can curse someone whom God has blessed.
[22:5] 7 tn Heb “by the river”; in most contexts this expression refers to the Euphrates River (cf. NAB, NCV, NRSV, TEV, CEV, NLT).
[22:5] 8 tn Heb “in the land of Amaw” (cf. NAB, NRSV, TEV); traditionally “in the land of the sons of his people.” The LXX has “by the river of the land.”
[22:5] 9 tn Heb “eye.” So also in v. 11.
[22:6] 10 tn The two lines before this verse begin with the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh), and so they lay the foundation for these imperatives. In view of those circumstances, this is what should happen.
[22:6] 11 tn Heb “people.” So also in vv. 10, 17, 41.
[22:6] 12 tn The construction uses the imperfect tense אוּכַל (’ukhal, “I will be able”) followed by the imperfect tense נַכֶּה (nakkeh, “we will smite/attack/defeat”). The second verb is clearly the purpose or the result of the first, even though there is no conjunction or particle.
[22:6] 13 tn The verb is the Piel imperfect of בָּרַךְ (barakh), with the nuance of possibility: “whomever you may bless.” The Pual participle מְבֹרָךְ (mÿvorakh) serves as the predicate.
[22:8] 15 tn The verb לִין (lin) means “to lodge, spend the night.” The related noun is “a lodge” – a hotel of sorts. Balaam needed to consider the offer. And after darkness was considered the best time for diviners to consult with their deities. Balaam apparently knows of the
[22:11] 16 tn In this passage the text differs slightly; here it is “the nation that comes out,” using the article on the noun, and the active participle in the attributive adjective usage.
[22:11] 17 tn Here the infinitive construct is used to express the object or complement of the verb “to be able” (it answers the question of what he will be able to do).
[22:11] 18 tn The verb is the Piel perfect with vav (ו) consecutive. It either carries the force of an imperfect tense, or it may be subordinated to the preceding verbs.
[22:12] 19 tn The two verbs are negated imperfects; they have the nuance of prohibition: You must not go and you must not curse.
[22:12] 20 tn The word בָּרוּךְ (barukh) is the Qal passive participle, serving here as the predicate adjective after the supplied verb “to be.” The verb means “enrich,” in any way, materially, spiritually, physically. But the indication here is that the blessing includes the promised blessing of the patriarchs, a blessing that gave Israel the land. See further, C. Westermann, Blessing in the Bible and the Life of the Church (OBT).
[22:13] 21 tc The LXX adds “to your lord.”
[22:13] 22 tn The main verb is the Piel perfect, “he has refused.” This is followed by two infinitives. The first (לְתִתִּי, lÿtitti) serves as a complement or direct object of the verb, answering the question of what he refused to do – “to give me.” The second infinitive (לַהֲלֹךְ, lahalokh) provides the object for the preceding infinitive: “to grant me to go.”
[22:15] 24 tn The construction is a verbal hendiadys. It uses the Hiphil preterite of the verb “to add” followed by the Qal infinitive “to send.” The infinitive becomes the main verb, and the preterite an adverb: “he added to send” means “he sent again.”
[22:15] 25 tn Heb “than these.”
[22:16] 26 tn The infinitive construct is the object of the preposition.
[22:17] 27 tn The construction uses the Piel infinitive כַּבֵּד (kabbed) to intensify the verb, which is the Piel imperfect/cohortative אֲכַבֶּדְךָ (’akhabbedkha). The great honor could have been wealth, prestige, or position.
[22:18] 28 tn Heb “answered and said.”
[22:18] 30 sn In the light of subsequent events one should not take too seriously that Balaam referred to Yahweh as his God. He is referring properly to the deity for which he is acting as the agent.
[22:19] 31 tn In this case “lodge” is not used, but “remain, reside” (שְׁבוּ, shÿvu).
[22:19] 32 tn This clause is also a verbal hendiadys: “what the
[22:22] 33 sn God’s anger now seems to contradict the permission he gave Balaam just before this. Some commentators argue that God’s anger is a response to Balaam’s character in setting out – which the Bible does not explain. God saw in him greed and pleasure for the riches, which is why he was so willing to go.
[22:22] 34 tn The word is שָׂטָן (satan, “to be an adversary, to oppose”).
[22:23] 35 tn The word has the conjunction “and” on the noun, indicating this is a disjunctive vav (ו), here serving as a circumstantial clause.
[22:24] 36 tn The word means a “narrow place,” having the root meaning “to be deep.” The Greek thought it was in a field in a narrow furrow.
[22:24] 37 tn Heb “a wall on this side, and a wall on that side.”
[22:25] 38 tn Heb “he added to beat her,” another verbal hendiadys.
[22:29] 39 tn The optative clause is introduced with the particle לוּ (lu).
[22:30] 40 tn Here the Hiphil perfect is preceded by the Hiphil infinitive absolute for emphasis in the sentence.
[22:30] 41 tn Heb “to do thus to you.”
[22:31] 42 tn The Hishtaphel verb חָוָה (khavah) – שָׁחָה (shakhah) with metathesis – has a basic idea of “bow oneself low to the ground,” and perhaps in some cases the idea of “coil up.” This is the normal posture of prayer and of deep humility in the ancient religious world.
[22:32] 44 tn The verb יָרַט (yarat) occurs only here and in Job 16:11. Balaam is embarking on a foolish mission with base motives. The old rendering “perverse” is still acceptable.
[22:33] 45 tc Many commentators consider אוּלַי (’ulay, “perhaps”) to be a misspelling in the MT in place of לוּלֵי (luley, “if not”).
[22:34] 46 sn Balaam is not here making a general confession of sin. What he is admitting to is a procedural mistake. The basic meaning of the word is “to miss the mark.” He now knows he took the wrong way, i.e., in coming to curse Israel.
[22:34] 47 sn The reference is to Balaam’s way. He is saying that if what he is doing is so perverse, so evil, he will turn around and go home. Of course, it did not appear that he had much of a chance of going forward.
[22:34] 48 tn The verb is the cohortative from “return”: I will return [me].
[22:35] 49 tn The imperfect tense here can be given the nuance of permission.
[22:35] 50 tn The Hebrew word order is a little more emphatic than this: “but only the word which I speak to you, it you shall speak.”
[22:37] 51 tn The emphatic construction is made of the infinitive absolute and the perfect tense from the verb שָׁלַח (shalakh, “to send”). The idea must be more intense than something like, “Did I not certainly send.” Balak is showing frustration with Balaam for refusing him.
[22:37] 52 sn Balak again refers to his ability to “honor” the seer. This certainly meant payment for his service, usually gold ornaments, rings and jewelry, as well as some animals.
[22:38] 53 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] 54 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] 55 tn The imperfect tense is here taken as an obligatory imperfect.
[22:40] 56 sn The understanding is that Balak was making a sacrifice for a covenant relationship, and so he gave some of the meat to the men and to the seer.
[22:41] 57 sn The name Bamoth Baal means “the high places of Baal.”
[23:1] 58 sn The first part of Balaam’s activity ends in disaster for Balak – he blesses Israel. The chapter falls into four units: the first prophecy (vv. 1-10), the relocation (vv. 11-17), the second prophecy (vv. 18-24), and a further location (vv. 25-30).
[23:2] 59 tn The Hebrew text has “on the altar,” but since there were seven of each animal and seven altars, the implication is that this means on each altar.
[23:3] 60 tn The verb הִתְיַצֵּב (hityatsev) means “to take a stand, station oneself.” It is more intentional than simply standing by something. He was to position himself by the sacrifice as Balaam withdrew to seek the oracle.
[23:3] 61 tn Heb “and the word of what he shows me.” The noun is in construct, and so the clause that follows functions as a noun clause in the genitive. The point is that the word will consist of divine revelation.
[23:3] 62 tn The verb is the perfect tense with vav (ו) consecutive. This clause is dependent on the clause that precedes it.
[23:3] 63 sn He went up to a bald spot, to a barren height. The statement underscores the general belief that such tops were the closest things to the gods. On such heights people built their shrines and temples.
[23:4] 64 tn The relative pronoun is added here in place of the conjunction to clarify that Balaam is speaking to God and not vice versa.
[23:5] 66 tn Heb “and thus you shall speak.”
[23:6] 67 tn The Hebrew text draws the vividness of the scene with the deictic particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) – Balaam returned, and there he was, standing there.
[23:7] 68 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Balaam) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[23:7] 70 tn The passage calls for a past tense translation; since the verb form is a prefixed conjugation, this tense should be classified as a preterite without the vav (ו). Such forms do occur, especially in the ancient poetic passages.
[23:7] 71 sn The opening lines seem to be a formula for the seer to identify himself and the occasion for the oracle. The tension is laid out early; Balaam knows that God has intended to bless Israel, but he has been paid to curse them.
[23:8] 72 tn The figure is erotesis, a rhetorical question. He is actually saying he cannot curse them because God has not cursed them.
[23:8] 73 tn The imperfect tense should here be classified as a potential imperfect.
[23:9] 74 tn Heb “him,” but here it refers to the Israelites (Israel).
[23:9] 75 sn Balaam reports his observation of the nation of Israel spread out below him in the valley. Based on that vision, and the
[23:9] 76 tn The verb could also be taken as a reflexive – Israel does not consider itself as among the nations, meaning, they consider themselves to be unique.
[23:10] 77 tn The question is again rhetorical; it means no one can count them – they are innumerable.
[23:10] 78 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] 79 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] 80 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] 81 tn The use of נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) for the subject of the verb stresses the personal nature – me.
[23:10] 82 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] 83 tn Heb “my latter end.”
[23:11] 85 tn The Hebrew text uses הִנֵּה (hinneh) here to stress the contrast.
[23:11] 86 tn The construction is emphatic, using the perfect tense and the infinitive absolute to give it the emphasis. It would have the force of “you have done nothing but bless,” or “you have indeed blessed.” The construction is reminiscent of the call of Abram and the promise of the blessing in such elaborate terms.
[23:12] 87 tn Heb “he answered and said.” The referent (Balaam) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[23:12] 88 tn The verb שָׁמַר (shamar) means “to guard, watch, observe” and so here with a sense of “be careful” or even “take heed” (so KJV, ASV). The nuance of the imperfect tense would be obligatory: “I must be careful” – to do what? to speak what the
[23:12] 89 tn The clause is a noun clause serving as the direct object of “to speak.” It begins with the sign of the accusative, and then the relative pronoun that indicates the whole clause is the accusative.
[23:14] 90 tn Heb “he brought him”; the referents (Balak and Balaam) have been specified in the translation for clarity.
[23:14] 91 tn Some scholars do not translate this word as “Pisgah,” but rather as a “lookout post” or an “elevated place.”
[23:14] 92 tn Heb “and he built.”
[23:15] 93 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Balaam) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[23:15] 94 tn The verse uses כֹּה (koh) twice: “Station yourself here…I will meet [the
[23:17] 96 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Balaam) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[23:18] 97 tn Heb “he.” The antecedent has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[23:18] 99 tn The verb probably means “pay attention” in this verse.
[23:19] 100 tn Heb “son of man.”
[23:19] 101 tn The verb is the Hiphil of קוּם (qum, “to cause to rise; to make stand”). The meaning here is more of the sense of fulfilling the promises made.
[23:20] 102 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] 103 sn The reference is probably to the first speech, where the
[23:20] 104 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.
[23:21] 105 tn These could be understood as impersonal and so rendered “no one has discovered.”
[23:21] 106 sn The line could mean that God has regarded Israel as the ideal congregation without any blemish or flaw. But it could also mean that God has not looked on their iniquity, meaning, held it against them.
[23:21] 107 tn The word means “wrong, misery, trouble.” It can mean the idea of “disaster” as well, for that too is trouble. Here it is parallel to “iniquity” and so has the connotation of something that would give God reason to curse them.
[23:21] 108 tn The people are blessed because God is their king. In fact, the shout of acclamation is among them – they are proclaiming the
[23:22] 109 tn The form is the Hiphil participle from יָצַא (yatsa’) with the object suffix. He is the one who brought them out.
[23:22] 110 sn The expression is “the horns of the wild ox” (KJV “unicorn”). The point of the image is strength or power. Horns are also used in the Bible to represent kingship (see Pss 89 and 132).
[23:23] 111 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] 112 tn The form is the preposition “like, as” and the word for “time” – according to the time, about this time, now.
[23:23] 113 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] 114 tn The words “look at” are not in the Hebrew text but have been added in the translation for clarity.
[23:24] 115 tn The pronoun “their” has been supplied for clarity; it is not present in the Hebrew text.
[23:24] 116 sn The oracle compares Israel first to a lion, or better, lioness, because she does the tracking and hunting of food while the lion moves up and down roaring and distracting the prey. But the lion is also the traditional emblem of Judah, Dan and Gad, as well as the symbol of royalty. So this also supports the motif of royalty as well as power for Israel.
[23:25] 117 tn The verb is preceded by the infinitive absolute: “you shall by no means curse” or “do not curse them at all.” He brought him to curse, and when he tried to curse there was a blessing. Balak can only say it would be better not to bother.
[23:25] 118 tn The same construction now works with “nor bless them at all.” The two together form a merism – “don’t say anything.” He does not want them blessed, so Balaam is not to do that, but the curse isn’t working either.
[23:26] 119 tn Heb “answered and said.”
[23:26] 120 tn This first clause, “all that the
[23:27] 121 tn Heb “be pleasing in the eyes of God.”
[23:27] 122 sn Balak is stubborn, as indeed Balaam is persistent. But Balak still thinks that if another location were used it just might work. Balaam had actually told Balak in the prophecy that other attempts would fail. But Balak refuses to give up so easily. So he insists they perform the ritual and try again. This time, however, Balaam will change his approach, and this will result in a dramatic outpouring of power on him.
[23:28] 123 tn Or perhaps as a place name, “Jeshimon” (cf. 21:20).
[24:1] 124 sn For a thorough study of the arrangement of this passage, see E. B. Smick, “A Study of the Structure of the Third Balaam Oracle,” The Law and the Prophets, 242-52. He sees the oracle as having an introductory strophe (vv. 3, 4), followed by two stanzas (vv. 5, 6) that introduce the body (vv. 7b-9b) before the final benediction (v. 9b).
[24:1] 125 tn Heb “it was good in the eyes of the
[24:1] 126 tn Heb “as time after time.”
[24:1] 127 tn The word נְחָשִׁים (nÿkhashim) means “omens,” or possibly “auguries.” Balaam is not even making a pretense now of looking for such things, because they are not going to work. God has overruled them.
[24:1] 128 tn The idiom signifies that he had a determination and resolution to look out over where the Israelites were, so that he could appreciate more their presence and use that as the basis for his expressing of the oracle.
[24:2] 129 tn Heb “living according to their tribes.”
[24:3] 130 tn Heb “and he took up his oracle and said.”
[24:3] 131 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.
[24:3] 132 tn The Greek version reads “the one who sees truly.” The word has been interpreted in both ways, “shut” or “open.”
[24:4] 133 tn The phrase “flat on the ground” is supplied in the translation for clarity. The Greek version interprets the line to mean “falling asleep.” It may mean falling into a trance.
[24:4] 134 tn The last colon simply has “falling, but opened eyes.” The falling may simply refer to lying prone; and the opened eyes may refer to his receiving a vision. See H. E. Freeman, An Introduction to the Old Testament Prophets, 37-41.
[24:5] 135 tn Here מָה (mah) has an exclamatory sense: “How!” (see Gen 28:17).
[24:6] 136 tn Heb “as valleys they spread forth.”
[24:6] 137 tn Or “rows of palms.”
[24:6] 138 sn The language seems to be more poetic than precise. N. H. Snaith notes that cedars do not grow beside water; he also connects “aloes” to the eaglewood that is more exotic, and capable of giving off an aroma (Leviticus and Numbers [NCB], 298).
[24:7] 139 tc For this colon the LXX has “a man shall come out of his seed.” Cf. the Syriac Peshitta and Targum.
[24:7] 141 sn These two lines are difficult, but the general sense is that of irrigation buckets and a well-watered land. The point is that Israel will be prosperous and fruitful.
[24:7] 142 sn Many commentators see this as a reference to Agag of 1 Sam 15:32-33, the Amalekite king slain by Samuel, for that is the one we know. But that is by no means clear, for this text does not identify this Agag. If it is that king, then this poem, or this line in this poem, would have to be later, unless one were to try to argue for a specific prophecy. Whoever this Agag is, he is a symbol of power.
[24:8] 143 tn Heb “they will devour nations,” their adversaries.
[24:9] 144 tn On the usage of this word see HALOT 517 s.v. לָבִיא.
[24:10] 145 sn This is apparently a sign of contempt or derision (see Job 27:23; and Lam 2:15).
[24:10] 146 tn The construction is emphatic, using the infinitive absolute with the perfect tense for “bless.”
[24:11] 147 tn Heb “flee to your place.”
[24:13] 148 tn Heb “I am not able to go beyond.”
[24:13] 150 tn Heb “from my heart.”
[24:14] 151 tn The construction is the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) suffixed followed by the active participle. This is the futur instans use of the participle, to express something that is about to happen: “I am about to go.”
[24:14] 152 tn Heb “in the latter days.” For more on this expression, see E. Lipinski, “באחרית הימים dans les textes préexiliques,” VT 20 (1970): 445-50.
[24:15] 153 tn Heb “and he took up his oracle and said.”
[24:17] 155 sn This is a figure for a king (see also Isa 14:12) not only in the Bible but in the ancient Near Eastern literature as a whole. The immediate reference of the prophecy seems to be to David, but the eschatological theme goes beyond him. There is to be a connection made between this passage and the sighting of a star in its ascendancy by the magi, who then traveled to Bethlehem to see the one born King of the Jews (Matt 2:2). The expression “son of a star” (Aram Bar Kochba) became a title for a later claimant to kingship, but he was doomed by the Romans in
[24:17] 156 tn The verb is the perfect tense with vav (ו) consecutive; it is equal to the imperfect expressing the future. The verb דָּרַךְ (darakh), related to the noun “way, road,” seems to mean something like tread on, walk, march.”
[24:17] 157 sn The “scepter” is metonymical for a king who will rise to power. NEB strangely rendered this as “comet” to make a parallel with “star.”
[24:17] 158 tn The word is literally “corners,” but may refer to the corners of the head, and so “skull.”
[24:17] 159 tc The MT reads “shatter, devastate.” Smr reads קֹדְקֹד (qodqod, “head; crown; pate”). Smr follows Jer 48:45 which appears to reflect Num 24:17.
[24:17] 160 sn The prophecy begins to be fulfilled when David defeated Moab and Edom and established an empire including them. But the Messianic promise extends far beyond that to the end of the age and the inclusion of these defeated people in the program of the coming King.
[24:18] 161 sn Seir is the chief mountain range of Edom (Deut 33:2), and so the reference here is to the general area of Edom.
[24:19] 162 tn Or, understanding the Hebrew word for “city” as a place name, “of Ir” (cf. NRSV, NLT).
[24:20] 163 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Balaam) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[24:20] 164 tn Heb “and he lifted up his oracle and said.” So also in vv. 21, 23.
[24:20] 165 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.
[24:21] 166 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.
[24:22] 167 tc Heb “Nevertheless Cain will be wasted; how long will Asshur take you captive?” Cain was believed to be the ancestor of the Kenites. The NAB has “yet destined for burning, even as I watch, are your inhabitants.” Asshur may refer to a north Arabian group of people of Abrahamic stock (Gen 25:3), and not the Assyrian empire.
[24:23] 168 tc Because there is no parallel line, some have thought that it dropped out (see de Vaulx, Les Nombres, 296).
[24:24] 169 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] 170 tn Or perhaps “Assyria” (so NCV, TEV, CEV, NLT).
[24:24] 171 tn Or “it will end in utter destruction.”
[25:1] 173 sn Chapter 25 tells of Israel’s sins on the steppes of Moab, and God’s punishment. In the overall plan of the book, here we have another possible threat to God’s program, although here it comes from within the camp (Balaam was the threat from without). If the Moabites could not defeat them one way, they would try another. The chapter has three parts: fornication (vv. 1-3), God’s punishment (vv. 4-9), and aftermath (vv. 10-18). See further G. E. Mendenhall, The Tenth Generation, 105-21; and S. C. Reif, “What Enraged Phinehas? A Study of Numbers 25:8,” JBL 90 (1971): 200-206.
[25:1] 174 tn This first preterite is subordinated to the next as a temporal clause; it is not giving a parallel action, but the setting for the event.
[25:1] 175 sn The account apparently means that the men were having sex with the Moabite women. Why the men submitted to such a temptation at this point is hard to say. It may be that as military heroes the men took liberties with the women of occupied territories.
[25:2] 176 tn The verb simply says “they called,” but it is a feminine plural. And so the women who engaged in immoral acts with Hebrew men invited them to their temple ritual.
[25:2] 177 sn What Israel experienced here was some of the debased ritual practices of the Canaanite people. The act of prostrating themselves before the pagan deities was probably participation in a fertility ritual, nothing short of cultic prostitution. This was a blatant disregard of the covenant and the Law. If something were not done, the nation would have destroyed itself.
[25:3] 178 tn The verb is “yoked” to Baal-peor. The word is unusual, and may suggest the physical, ritual participation described below. It certainly shows that they acknowledge the reality of the local god.
[25:4] 179 sn The meaning must be the leaders behind the apostasy, for they would now be arrested. They were responsible for the tribes’ conformity to the Law, but here they had not only failed in their duty, but had participated. The leaders were executed; the rest of the guilty died by the plague.
[25:4] 180 sn The leaders who were guilty were commanded by God to be publicly exposed by hanging, probably a reference to impaling, but possibly some other form of harsh punishment. The point was that the swaying of their executed bodies would be a startling warning for any who so blatantly set the Law aside and indulged in apostasy through pagan sexual orgies.
[25:4] 181 tn Heb “in the sun.” This means in broad daylight.
[25:5] 182 tn Heb “slay – a man his men.” The imperative is plural, and so “man” is to be taken collectively as “each of you men.”
[25:6] 183 tn The verse begins with the deictic particle וְהִנֵּה (vÿhinneh), pointing out the action that was taking place. It stresses the immediacy of the action to the reader.
[25:6] 184 tn Or “to his family”; or “to his clan.”
[25:6] 185 tn Heb “before the eyes of Moses and before the eyes of.”
[25:6] 186 tn The vav (ו) at the beginning of the clause is a disjunctive because it is prefixed to the nonverbal form. In this context it is best interpreted as a circumstantial clause, stressing that this happened “while” people were weeping over the sin.
[25:7] 187 tn The first clause is subordinated to the second because both begin with the preterite verbal form, and there is clearly a logical and/or chronological sequence involved.
[25:8] 188 tn The word קֻבָּה (qubbah) seems to refer to the innermost part of the family tent. Some suggest it was in the tabernacle area, but that is unlikely. S. C. Reif argues for a private tent shrine (“What Enraged Phinehas? A Study of Numbers 25:8,” JBL 90 [1971]: 200-206).
[25:8] 189 tn Heb “and he thrust the two of them the Israelite man and the woman to her belly [lower abdomen].” Reif notes the similarity of the word with the previous “inner tent,” and suggests that it means Phinehas stabbed her in her shrine tent, where she was being set up as some sort of priestess or cult leader. Phinehas put a quick end to their sexual immorality while they were in the act.
[25:8] 190 sn Phinehas saw all this as part of the pagan sexual ritual that was defiling the camp. He had seen that the
[25:11] 191 tn Heb “he was zealous with my zeal.” The repetition of forms for “zeal” in the line stresses the passion of Phinehas. The word “zeal” means a passionate intensity to protect or preserve divine or social institutions.
[25:11] 192 tn The word for “zeal” now occurs a third time. While some English versions translate this word here as “jealousy” (KJV, ASV, NASB, NRSV), it carries the force of God’s passionate determination to defend his rights and what is right about the covenant and the community and parallels the “zeal” that Phinehas had just demonstrated.
[25:12] 194 tn Here too the grammar expresses an imminent future by using the particle הִנְנִי (hinni) before the participle נֹתֵן (noten) – “here I am giving,” or “I am about to give.”
[25:12] 195 tn Or “my pledge of friendship” (NAB), or “my pact of friendship” (NJPS). This is the designation of the leadership of the priestly ministry. The terminology is used again in the rebuke of the priests in Mal 2.
[25:13] 196 tn The motif is reiterated here. Phinehas was passionately determined to maintain the rights of his God by stopping the gross sinful perversions.
[25:13] 197 sn The atonement that he made in this passage refers to the killing of the two obviously blatant sinners. By doing this he dispensed with any animal sacrifice, for the sinners themselves died. In Leviticus it was the life of the substitutionary animal that was taken in place of the sinners that made atonement. The point is that sin was punished by death, and so God was free to end the plague and pardon the people. God’s holiness and righteousness have always been every bit as important as God’s mercy and compassion, for without righteousness and holiness mercy and compassion mean nothing.
[25:14] 198 tn Heb “a father’s house.” So also in v. 15.
[25:15] 200 sn The passage makes it clear that this individual was a leader, one who was supposed to be preventing this thing from happening. The judgment was swift and severe, because the crime was so great, and the danger of it spreading was certain. Paul refers to this horrible incident when he reminds Christians not to do similar things (1 Cor 10:6-8).
[25:17] 201 tn The form is the infinitive absolute used in place of a verb here; it clearly is meant to be an instruction for Israel. The idea is that of causing trouble, harassing, vexing Midian. The verb is repeated as the active participle in the line, and so the punishment is talionic.
[25:18] 202 tn This is the same word as that translated “treachery.”
[25:18] 203 sn Cozbi’s father, Zur, was one of five Midianite kings who eventually succumbed to Israel (Num 31:8). When the text gives the name and family of a woman, it is asserting that she is important, at least for social reasons, among her people.
