Numbers 24:9

24:9 They crouch and lie down like a lion,

and as a lioness, ¹  who can stir him?

Blessed is the one who blesses you,

and cursed is the one who curses you!’”

Numbers 5:13

5:13 and a man has sexual relations ²  with her ³  without her husband knowing it, ⁴  and it is hidden that she has defiled herself, since ⁵  there was no witness against her, nor was she caught –

Numbers 23:24

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 ⁶  prey,

and drink the blood of the slain.” ⁷ 

Numbers 5:19

5:19 Then the priest will put the woman under oath and say to the her, “If no other ⁸  man has had sexual relations with you, and if you have not gone astray and become defiled while under your husband’s authority, may you be free from this bitter water that brings a curse. ⁹ 

[24:9]  ¹ tn On the usage of this word see HALOT 517 s.v. לָבִיא.

[5:13]  ² tn Heb “and a man lies with her with the emission of semen.” This makes it clear that there was adultery involved, so that the going astray is going astray morally. The indication in the text is that if she had never behaved suspiciously the sin might not have been detected.

[5:13]  ³ tc The sign of the accusative אֹתָהּ (’otah) is probably to be repointed to the preposition with the suffix, אִתָּהּ (’ittah).

[5:13]  ⁴ tn Heb “and it is concealed from the eyes of her husband.”

[5:13]  ⁵ tn The noun clause beginning with the simple conjunction is here a circumstantial clause, explaining that there was no witness to the sin.

[23:24]  ³ tn The pronoun “their” has been supplied for clarity; it is not present in the Hebrew text.

[23:24]  ⁴ 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.

[5:19]  ⁴ tn The word “other” is implied, since the woman would not be guilty of having sexual relations with her own husband.

[5:19]  ⁵ sn Although there would be stress involved, a woman who was innocent would have nothing to hide, and would be confident. The wording of the priest’s oath is actually designed to enable the potion to keep her from harm and not produce the physical effects it was designed to do.