Numbers 24:23

24:23 Then he uttered this oracle:

“O, who will survive when God does this! ¹ 

Numbers 23:18

Balaam Prophesies Again

23:18 Balaam ²  uttered ³  his oracle, and said,

“Rise up, ⁴  Balak, and hear;

Listen to me, son of Zippor:

Numbers 24:3

24:3 Then he uttered this oracle: ⁵ 

“The oracle ⁶  of Balaam son of Beor;

the oracle of the man whose eyes are open; ⁷ 

Numbers 24:15

Balaam Prophesies a Fourth Time

24:15 Then he uttered this oracle: ⁸ 

“The oracle of Balaam son of Beor;

the oracle of the man whose eyes are open;

Numbers 24:20-21

Balaam’s Final Prophecies

24:20 Then Balaam ⁹  looked on Amalek and delivered this oracle: ¹⁰ 

“Amalek was the first ¹¹  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 ¹²  is set on a rocky cliff.

Numbers 23:7

23:7 Then Balaam ¹³  uttered ¹⁴  his oracle, saying,

“Balak, the king of Moab, brought me ¹⁵  from Aram,

out of the mountains of the east, saying,

‘Come, pronounce a curse on Jacob for me;

come, denounce Israel.’ ¹⁶ 

Numbers 24:2

24:2 When Balaam lifted up his eyes, he saw Israel camped tribe by tribe; ¹⁷  and the Spirit of God came upon him.

[24:23]  ¹ tc Because there is no parallel line, some have thought that it dropped out (see de Vaulx, Les Nombres, 296).

[23:18]  ² tn Heb “he.” The antecedent has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[23:18]  ³ tn Heb “took up.”

[23:18]  ⁴ tn The verb probably means “pay attention” in this verse.

[24:3]  ³ tn Heb “and he took up his oracle and said.”

[24:3]  ⁴ 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]  ⁵ tn The Greek version reads “the one who sees truly.” The word has been interpreted in both ways, “shut” or “open.”

[24:15]  ⁴ tn Heb “and he took up his oracle and said.”

[24:20]  ⁵ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Balaam) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[24:20]  ⁶ tn Heb “and he lifted up his oracle and said.” So also in vv. 21, 23.

[24:20]  ⁷ 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]  ⁶ 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.

[23:7]  ⁷ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Balaam) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[23:7]  ⁸ tn Heb “took up.”

[23:7]  ⁹ 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]  ¹⁰ 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.

[24:2]  ⁸ tn Heb “living according to their tribes.”