Numbers 4:49

4:49 According to the word of the Lord they were numbered, ¹  by the authority of Moses, each according to his service and according to what he was to carry. ²  Thus were they numbered by him, ³  as the Lord had commanded Moses.

Numbers 6:21

6:21 “This is the law ⁴  of the Nazirite who vows to the Lord his offering according to his separation, as well as whatever else he can provide. ⁵  Thus he must fulfill ⁶  his vow that he makes, according to the law of his separation.”

Numbers 11:31

Provision of Quail

11:31 Now a wind ⁷  went out ⁸  from the Lord and brought quail ⁹  from the sea, and let them fall ¹⁰  near the camp, about a day’s journey on this side, and about a day’s journey on the other side, all around the camp, and about three feet ¹¹  high on the surface of the ground.

Numbers 14:18

14:18 ‘The Lord is slow to anger and abounding in loyal love, ¹²  forgiving iniquity and transgression, ¹³  but by no means clearing ¹⁴  the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children until the third and fourth generations.’ ¹⁵ 

Numbers 15:25

15:25 And the priest is to make atonement ¹⁶  for the whole community of the Israelites, and they will be forgiven, ¹⁷  because it was unintentional and they have brought their offering, an offering made by fire to the Lord, and their purification offering before the Lord, for their unintentional offense.

Numbers 15:38

15:38 “Speak to the Israelites and tell them to make ¹⁸  tassels ¹⁹  for themselves on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and put a blue thread ²⁰  on the tassel of the corners.

Numbers 16:3

16:3 And they assembled against Moses and Aaron, saying to them, “You take too much upon yourselves, ²¹  seeing that the whole community is holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the community of the Lord?”

Numbers 25:18

25:18 because they bring trouble to you by their treachery with which they have deceived ²²  you in the matter of Peor, and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of a prince of Midian, ²³  their sister, who was killed on the day of the plague that happened as a result of Peor.”

Numbers 26:9

26:9 Eliab’s descendants were Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram. It was Dathan and Abiram who as leaders of the community rebelled against Moses and Aaron with the followers ²⁴  of Korah when they rebelled against the Lord.

Numbers 30:4

30:4 and her father hears of her vow or the obligation to which she has pledged herself, and her father remains silent about her, ²⁵  then all her vows will stand, ²⁶  and every obligation to which she has pledged herself will stand.

[4:49]  ¹ tn The verb is the simple perfect tense – “he numbered them.” There is no expressed subject; therefore, the verb can be rendered as a passive.

[4:49]  ² tn Or “his burden.”

[4:49]  ³ tn The passive form simply reads “those numbered by him.” Because of the cryptic nature of the word, some suggest reading a preterite, “and they were numbered.” This is supported by the Greek, Syriac, Targum, and Vulgate. It would follow in the emendation that the relative pronoun be changed to “just as” (כַּאֲשֶׁר, ka’asher). The MT is impossible the way it stands; it can only be rendered into smooth English by adding something that is missing.

[6:21]  ⁴ tn Actually, “law” here means a whole set of laws, the basic rulings on this topic.

[6:21]  ⁵ tn Heb “whatever else his hand is able to provide.” The imperfect tense has the nuance of potential imperfect – “whatever he can provide.”

[6:21]  ⁶ tn Heb “according to the vow that he vows, so he must do.”

[11:31]  ⁷ sn The irony in this chapter is expressed in part by the use of the word רוּחַ (ruakh). In the last episode it clearly meant the Spirit of the Lord that empowered the men for their spiritual service. But here the word is “wind.” Both the spiritual service and the judgment come from God.

[11:31]  ⁸ tn The verb means “burst forth” or “sprang up.” See the ways it is used in Gen 33:12, Judg 16:3, 14; Isa 33:20.

[11:31]  ⁹ sn The “quail” ordinarily cross the Sinai at various times of the year, but what is described here is not the natural phenomenon. Biblical scholars looking for natural explanations usually note that these birds fly at a low height and can be swatted down easily. But the description here is more of a supernatural supply and provision. See J. Gray, “The Desert Sojourn of the Hebrews and the Sinai Horeb Tradition,” VT 4 (1954): 148-54.

[11:31]  ¹⁰ tn Or “left them fluttering.”

[11:31]  ¹¹ tn Heb “two cubits.” The standard cubit in the OT is assumed by most authorities to be about eighteen inches (45 cm) in length.

[14:18]  ¹⁰ tn The expression is רַב־חֶסֶד (rav khesed) means “much of loyal love,” or “faithful love.” Some have it “totally faithful,” but that omits the aspect of his love.

[14:18]  ¹¹ tn Or “rebellion.”

[14:18]  ¹² tn The infinitive absolute emphasizes the verbal activity of the imperfect tense, which here serves as a habitual imperfect. Negated it states what God does not do; and the infinitive makes that certain.

[14:18]  ¹³ sn The Decalogue adds “to those who hate me.” The point of the line is that the effects of sin, if not the sinful traits themselves, are passed on to the next generation.

[15:25]  ¹³ tn The verb is the Piel perfect with vav (ו) consecutive (וְכִפֶּר, vÿkhipper) to continue the instruction of the passage: “the priest shall make atonement,” meaning the priest is to make atonement for the sin (thus the present translation). This verb means “to expiate,” “to atone for,” “to pacify.” It describes the ritual events by which someone who was separated from the holy Lord God could find acceptance into his presence through the sacrificial blood of the substitutionary animal. See Lev 1 and Num 17:6-15.

[15:25]  ¹⁴ tn Or “they will be forgiven.”

[15:38]  ¹⁶ tn The construction uses the imperative followed by perfect tenses with vav (ו) consecutives. The first perfect tense may be translated as the imperative, but the second, being a third common plural form, has to be subordinated as a purpose clause, or as the object of the preceding verb: “speak…and say…that they make.”

[15:38]  ¹⁷ sn This is a reference to the צִיצִת (tsitsit), the fringes on the borders of the robes. They were meant to hang from the corners of the upper garment (Deut 22:12), which was worn on top of the clothing. The tassel was probably made by twisting the overhanging threads of the garment into a knot that would hang down. This was a reminder of the covenant. The tassels were retained down through history, and today more elaborate prayer shawls with tassels are worn during prayer. For more information, see F. J. Stephens, “The Ancient Significance of Sisith,” JBL 50 (1931): 59-70; and S. Bertman, “Tasselled Garments in the Ancient East Mediterranean,” BA 24 (1961): 119-28.

[15:38]  ¹⁸ sn The blue color may represent the heavenly origin of the Law, or perhaps, since it is a royal color, the majesty of the Lord.

[16:3]  ¹⁹ tn The meaning of רַב־לָכֶם (rab-lakhem) is something like “you have assumed far too much authority.” It simply means “much to you,” perhaps “you have gone to far,” or “you are overreaching yourselves” (M. Noth, Numbers [OTL], 123). He is objecting to the exclusiveness of the system that Moses has been introducing.

[25:18]  ²² tn This is the same word as that translated “treachery.”

[25:18]  ²³ 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.

[26:9]  ²⁵ tn Or “company” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV); Heb “congregation.”

[30:4]  ²⁸ tn The intent of this expression is that he does not object to the vow.

[30:4]  ²⁹ tn The verb קוּם (qum) is best translated “stand” here, but the idea with it is that what she vows is established as a genuine oath with the father’s approval (or acquiescence).