¹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Balaam) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

² tn Heb “took up.”

³ 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.

⁴ 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.

⁵ tn The figure is erotesis, a rhetorical question. He is actually saying he cannot curse them because God has not cursed them.

⁶ tn The imperfect tense should here be classified as a potential imperfect.

⁷ tn Heb “him,” but here it refers to the Israelites (Israel).

⁸ sn Balaam reports his observation of the nation of Israel spread out below him in the valley. Based on that vision, and the Lord’s word, he announces the uniqueness of Israel – they are not just like one of the other nations. He was correct, of course; they were the only people linked with the living God by covenant.

⁹ tn The verb could also be taken as a reflexive – Israel does not consider itself as among the nations, meaning, they consider themselves to be unique.

¹⁰ tn The question is again rhetorical; it means no one can count them – they are innumerable.

¹¹ tn The perfect tense can also be classified as a potential nuance. It does not occur very often, but does occur several times.

¹² sn The reference in the oracle is back to Gen 13:16, which would not be clear to Balaam. But God had described their growth like the dust of the earth. Here it is part of the description of the vast numbers.

¹³ tn Heb “and as a number, the fourth part of Israel.” The noun in the MT is not in the construct state, and so it should be taken as an adverbial accusative, forming a parallel with the verb “count.” The second object of the verse then follows, “the fourth part of Israel.” Smr and the LXX have “and who has numbered” (וּמִסְפָּר, umispar), making this colon more parallel to the preceding one. The editor of BHS prefers this reading.

¹⁴ tn The use of נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) for the subject of the verb stresses the personal nature – me.

¹⁵ sn Here the seer’s words link with the promise of Gen 12:3, that whoever blesses Israel will be blessed. Since the blessing belongs to them, the upright (and not Balak), Balaam would like his lot to be with them.

¹⁶ tn Heb “my latter end.”

¹⁷ tn Heb “his.”

¹⁸ sn For a thorough study of the arrangement of this passage, see E. B. Smick, “A Study of the Structure of the Third Balaam Oracle,” The Law and the Prophets, 242-52. He sees the oracle as having an introductory strophe (vv. 3, 4), followed by two stanzas (vv. 5, 6) that introduce the body (vv. 7b-9b) before the final benediction (v. 9b).

¹⁹ tn Heb “it was good in the eyes of the Lord.”

²⁰ tn Heb “as time after time.”

²¹ tn The word נְחָשִׁים (nÿkhashim) means “omens,” or possibly “auguries.” Balaam is not even making a pretense now of looking for such things, because they are not going to work. God has overruled them.

²² tn The idiom signifies that he had a determination and resolution to look out over where the Israelites were, so that he could appreciate more their presence and use that as the basis for his expressing of the oracle.

²³ tn Heb “living according to their tribes.”

²⁴ tn Heb “and he took up his oracle and said.”

²⁵ 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.

²⁶ tn The Greek version reads “the one who sees truly.” The word has been interpreted in both ways, “shut” or “open.”

²⁷ tn The phrase “flat on the ground” is supplied in the translation for clarity. The Greek version interprets the line to mean “falling asleep.” It may mean falling into a trance.

²⁸ tn The last colon simply has “falling, but opened eyes.” The falling may simply refer to lying prone; and the opened eyes may refer to his receiving a vision. See H. E. Freeman, An Introduction to the Old Testament Prophets, 37-41.

²⁹ tn Here מָה (mah) has an exclamatory sense: “How!” (see Gen 28:17).

³⁰ tn Heb “as valleys they spread forth.”

³¹ tn Or “rows of palms.”

³² sn The language seems to be more poetic than precise. N. H. Snaith notes that cedars do not grow beside water; he also connects “aloes” to the eaglewood that is more exotic, and capable of giving off an aroma (Leviticus and Numbers [NCB], 298).

³³ tc For this colon the LXX has “a man shall come out of his seed.” Cf. the Syriac Peshitta and Targum.

³⁴ tn Heb “many.”

³⁵ 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.

³⁶ 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.

³⁷ tn Heb “they will devour nations,” their adversaries.

³⁸ tn On the usage of this word see HALOT 517 s.v. לָבִיא.

³⁹ tn Heb “and he took up his oracle and said.”

⁴⁰ tn Heb “near.”

⁴¹ sn This is a figure for a king (see also Isa 14:12) not only in the Bible but in the ancient Near Eastern literature as a whole. The immediate reference of the prophecy seems to be to David, but the eschatological theme goes beyond him. There is to be a connection made between this passage and the sighting of a star in its ascendancy by the magi, who then traveled to Bethlehem to see the one born King of the Jews (Matt 2:2). The expression “son of a star” (Aram Bar Kochba) became a title for a later claimant to kingship, but he was doomed by the Romans in a.d. 135.

⁴² tn The verb is the perfect tense with vav (ו) consecutive; it is equal to the imperfect expressing the future. The verb דָּרַךְ (darakh), related to the noun “way, road,” seems to mean something like tread on, walk, march.”

⁴³ sn The “scepter” is metonymical for a king who will rise to power. NEB strangely rendered this as “comet” to make a parallel with “star.”

⁴⁴ tn The word is literally “corners,” but may refer to the corners of the head, and so “skull.”

⁴⁵ tc The MT reads “shatter, devastate.” Smr reads קֹדְקֹד (qodqod, “head; crown; pate”). Smr follows Jer 48:45 which appears to reflect Num 24:17.

⁴⁶ sn The prophecy begins to be fulfilled when David defeated Moab and Edom and established an empire including them. But the Messianic promise extends far beyond that to the end of the age and the inclusion of these defeated people in the program of the coming King.

⁴⁷ sn Seir is the chief mountain range of Edom (Deut 33:2), and so the reference here is to the general area of Edom.

⁴⁸ tn Or, understanding the Hebrew word for “city” as a place name, “of Ir” (cf. NRSV, NLT).

⁴⁹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Balaam) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

⁵⁰ tn Heb “and he lifted up his oracle and said.” So also in vv. 21, 23.

⁵¹ 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.

⁵² 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.

⁵³ tc Heb “Nevertheless Cain will be wasted; how long will Asshur take you captive?” Cain was believed to be the ancestor of the Kenites. The NAB has “yet destined for burning, even as I watch, are your inhabitants.” Asshur may refer to a north Arabian group of people of Abrahamic stock (Gen 25:3), and not the Assyrian empire.

⁵⁴ tc Because there is no parallel line, some have thought that it dropped out (see de Vaulx, Les Nombres, 296).

⁵⁵ tc The MT is difficult. The Kittim refers normally to Cyprus, or any maritime people to the west. W. F. Albright proposed emending the line to “islands will gather in the north, ships from the distant sea” (“The Oracles of Balaam,” JBL 63 [1944]: 222-23). Some commentators accept that reading as the original state of the text, since the present MT makes little sense.

⁵⁶ tn Or perhaps “Assyria” (so NCV, TEV, CEV, NLT).

⁵⁷ tn Or “it will end in utter destruction.”