Numbers 4:6

4:6 Then they must put over it a covering of fine leather ¹  and spread over that a cloth entirely of blue, and then they must insert its poles.

Numbers 5:17

5:17 The priest will then take holy water ²  in a pottery jar, and take some ³  of the dust ⁴  that is on the floor of the tabernacle, and put it into the water.

Numbers 11:29

11:29 Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for me? ⁵  I wish that ⁶  all the Lord’s people were prophets, that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!”

Numbers 16:22

16:22 Then they threw themselves down with their faces to the ground ⁷  and said, “O God, the God of the spirits of all people, ⁸  will you be angry with the whole community when only one man sins?” ⁹ 

Numbers 18:5

18:5 You will be responsible for the care of the sanctuary and the care of the altar, so that there will be ¹⁰  no more wrath on the Israelites.

Numbers 21:4

Fiery Serpents

21:4 Then they traveled from Mount Hor by the road to the Red Sea, ¹¹  to go around the land of Edom, but the people ¹²  became impatient along the way.

Numbers 24:20

Balaam’s Final Prophecies

24:20 Then Balaam ¹³  looked on Amalek and delivered this oracle: ¹⁴ 

“Amalek was the first ¹⁵  of the nations,

but his end will be that he will perish.”

Numbers 33:4

33:4 Now the Egyptians were burying all their firstborn, whom the Lord had killed among them; the Lord also executed judgments on their gods.

[4:6]  ¹ tn The exact meaning of the Hebrew word here is difficult to determine. The term תַּחַשׁ (takhash) has been translated “badgers’ [skins]” by KJV. ASV has “sealskin” while RSV uses “goatskin”; NEB and NASB have “porpoise skin,” and NIV has “hides of sea cows.” This is close to “porpoise,” and seems influenced by the Arabic. The evidence is not strong for any of these meanings, and some of the suggestions would be problematic. It is possible the word is simply used for “fine leather,” based on the Egyptian ths. This has been followed by NRSV (“fine leather”) and NLT (“fine goatskin leather”) along with the present translation. See further HALOT 1720-21 s.v. תַּחַשׁ.

[5:17]  ² tn This is probably water taken from the large bronze basin in the courtyard. It is water set apart for sacred service. “Clean water” (so NEB) does not capture the sense very well, but it does have the support of the Greek that has “pure running water.” That pure water would no doubt be from the bronze basin anyway.

[5:17]  ³ tn Heb “from.” The preposition is used here with a partitive sense.

[5:17]  ⁴ sn The dust may have come from the sanctuary floor, but it is still dust, and therefore would have all the pollutants in it.

[11:29]  ³ tn The Piel participle מְקַנֵּא (mÿqanne’) serves as a verb here in this interrogative sentence. The word means “to be jealous; to be envious.” That can be in a good sense, such as with the translation “zeal,” or it can be in a negative sense as here. Joshua’s apparent “zeal” is questioned by Moses – was he zealous/envious for Moses sake, or for some other reason?

[11:29]  ⁴ tn The optative is expressed by the interrogative clause in Hebrew, “who will give….” Moses expresses here the wish that the whole nation would have that portion of the Spirit. The new covenant, of course, would turn Moses’ wish into a certainty.

[16:22]  ⁴ sn It is Moses and Aaron who prostrate themselves; they have the good of the people at heart.

[16:22]  ⁵ tn The expression “the God of the spirits of all humanity [flesh]” is somewhat difficult. The Hebrew text says אֱלֹהֵי הָרוּחֹת לְכָל־בָּשָׂר (’elohey harukhot lÿkhol-basar). This expression occurs in Num 27:16 again. It also occurs in some postbiblical texts, a fact which has prompted some scholars to conclude that it is a late addition. The words clearly show that Moses is interceding for the congregation. The appeal in the verse is that it is better for one man to die for the whole nation than the whole nation for one man (see also John 11:50).

[16:22]  ⁶ tn The verb is the Qal imperfect יֶחֱטָא (yekheta’); it refers to the sinful rebellion of Korah, but Moses is stating something of a principle: “One man sins, and will you be angry….” A past tense translation would assume that this is a preterite use of the imperfect (without vav [ו] consecutive).

[18:5]  ⁵ tn The clause is a purpose clause, and the imperfect tense a final imperfect.

[21:4]  ⁶ tn The “Red Sea” is the general designation for the bodies of water on either side of the Sinai peninsula, even though they are technically gulfs from the Red Sea.

[21:4]  ⁷ tn Heb “the soul of the people,” expressing the innermost being of the people as they became frustrated.

[24:20]  ⁷ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Balaam) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[24:20]  ⁸ tn Heb “and he lifted up his oracle and said.” So also in vv. 21, 23.

[24:20]  ⁹ 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.