Numbers 4:2

4:2 “Take a census ¹  of the Kohathites from among the Levites, by their families and by their clans,

Numbers 4:22

4:22 “Also take a census of the Gershonites, by their clans and by their families.

Numbers 7:9

7:9 But to the Kohathites he gave none, because the service of the holy things, which they carried ²  on their shoulders, was their responsibility. ³ 

Numbers 10:17

10:17 Then the tabernacle was dismantled, and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari set out, carrying the tabernacle.

Numbers 10:21

10:21 And the Kohathites set out, carrying the articles for the sanctuary; ⁴  the tabernacle was to be set up ⁵  before they arrived. ⁶ 

Numbers 11:14

11:14 I am not able to bear this entire people alone, ⁷  because it ⁸  is too heavy for me!

Numbers 14:1

The Israelites Respond in Unbelief

14:1 ⁹ Then all the community raised a loud cry, ¹⁰  and the people wept ¹¹  that night.

Numbers 18:22

18:22 No longer may the Israelites approach the tent of meeting, or else they will bear their sin ¹²  and die.

Numbers 23:18

Balaam Prophesies Again

23:18 Balaam ¹³  uttered ¹⁴  his oracle, and said,

“Rise up, ¹⁵  Balak, and hear;

Listen to me, son of Zippor:

Numbers 24:3

24:3 Then he uttered this oracle: ¹⁶ 

“The oracle ¹⁷  of Balaam son of Beor;

the oracle of the man whose eyes are open; ¹⁸ 

Numbers 24:7

24:7 He will pour the water out of his buckets, ¹⁹ 

and their descendants will be like abundant ²⁰  water; ²¹ 

their king will be greater than Agag, ²² 

and their kingdom will be exalted.

Numbers 24:15

Balaam Prophesies a Fourth Time

24:15 Then he uttered this oracle: ²³ 

“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 ²⁴  looked on Amalek and delivered this oracle: ²⁵ 

“Amalek was the first ²⁶  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 ²⁷  is set on a rocky cliff.

Numbers 30:15

30:15 But if he should nullify them after he has heard them, then he will bear her iniquity.” ²⁸ 

[4:2]  ¹ tn Heb “lift up the head.” The form נָשֹׂא (naso’) is the Qal infinitive absolute functioning here as a pure verb form. This serves to emphasize the basic verbal root idea (see GKC 346 §113.bb).

[7:9]  ² tn The verb is the imperfect tense, but it describes their customary activity – they had to carry, they used to carry.

[7:9]  ³ tn Heb “upon them,” meaning “their duty.”

[10:21]  ³ tn Heb “carrying the sanctuary,” a metonymy of whole for parts, representing all the holy objects that were located in the sanctuary.

[10:21]  ⁴ tn The verb is the third person plural form; without an expressed subject it is treated as a passive.

[10:21]  ⁵ tn Heb “against their coming.”

[11:14]  ⁴ tn The word order shows the emphasis: “I am not able, I by myself, to bear all this people.” The infinitive לָשֵׂאת (lase’t) serves as the direct object of the verb. The expression is figurative, for bearing or carrying the people means being responsible for all their needs and cares.

[11:14]  ⁵ tn The subject of the verb “heavy” is unstated; in the context it probably refers to the people, or the burden of caring for the people. This responsibility was turning out to be a heavier responsibility than Moses anticipated. Alone he was totally inadequate.

[14:1]  ⁵ sn This chapter forms part of the story already begun. There are three major sections here: dissatisfaction with the reports (vv. 1-10), the threat of divine punishment (vv. 11-38), and the defeat of the Israelites (vv. 39-45). See K. D. Sakenfeld, “The Problem of Divine Forgiveness in Num 14,” CBQ 37 (1975): 317-30; also J. R. Bartlett, “The Use of the Word רֹאשׁ as a Title in the Old Testament,” VT 19 (1969): 1-10.

[14:1]  ⁶ tn The two verbs “lifted up their voice and cried” form a hendiadys; the idiom of raising the voice means that they cried aloud.

[14:1]  ⁷ tn There are a number of things that the verb “to weep” or “wail” can connote. It could reflect joy, grief, lamentation, or repentance, but here it reflects fear, hopelessness, or vexation at the thought of coming all this way and being defeated by the Canaanite armies. See Judg 20:23, 26.

[18:22]  ⁶ tn The Hebrew text uses the infinitive construct of the verb “to bear” with the lamed (ל) preposition to express the result of such an action. “To bear their sin” would mean that they would have to suffer the consequences of their sin.

[23:18]  ⁷ tn Heb “he.” The antecedent has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[23:18]  ⁸ tn Heb “took up.”

[23:18]  ⁹ tn The verb probably means “pay attention” in this verse.

[24:3]  ⁸ tn Heb “and he took up his oracle and said.”

[24:3]  ⁹ 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]  ¹⁰ tn The Greek version reads “the one who sees truly.” The word has been interpreted in both ways, “shut” or “open.”

[24:7]  ⁹ tc For this colon the LXX has “a man shall come out of his seed.” Cf. the Syriac Peshitta and Targum.

[24:7]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “many.”

[24:7]  ¹¹ 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]  ¹² 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.

[24:15]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “and he took up his oracle and said.”

[24:20]  ¹¹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Balaam) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[24:20]  ¹² tn Heb “and he lifted up his oracle and said.” So also in vv. 21, 23.

[24:20]  ¹³ 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]  ¹² 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.

[30:15]  ¹³ sn In other words, he will pay the penalty for making her break her vows if he makes her stop what she vowed. It will not be her responsibility.