Numbers 23:20

23:20 Indeed, I have received a command ¹  to bless;

he has blessed, ²  and I cannot reverse it. ³ 

Numbers 3:12

3:12 “Look, ⁴  I myself have taken the Levites from among the Israelites instead of ⁵  every firstborn who opens the womb among the Israelites. So the Levites belong to me,

Numbers 18:6

18:6 I myself have chosen ⁶  your brothers the Levites from among the Israelites. They are given to you as a gift from the Lord, to perform the duties ⁷  of the tent of meeting.

Numbers 8:16

8:16 For they are entirely given ⁸  to me from among the Israelites. I have taken them for myself instead of ⁹  all who open the womb, the firstborn sons of all the Israelites.

[23:20]  ¹ 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]  ² 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]  ³ 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.

[3:12]  ⁴ tn The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) here carries its deictic force, calling attention to the fact that is being declared. It is underscoring the fact that the Lord himself chose Levi.

[3:12]  ⁵ tn Literally “in the place of.”

[18:6]  ⁷ tn Heb “taken.”

[18:6]  ⁸ tn The infinitive construct in this sentence is from עָבַד (’avad), and so is the noun that serves as its object: to serve the service.

[8:16]  ¹⁰ tn As before, the emphasis is obtained by repeating the passive participle: “given, given to me.”

[8:16]  ¹¹ tn Or “as substitutes” for all the firstborn of the Israelites.