4:27 “All the service of the Gershonites, whether 5 carrying loads 6 or for any of their work, will be at the direction of 7 Aaron and his sons. You will assign them all their tasks 8 as their responsibility.
16:15 Moses was very angry, and he said to the Lord, “Have no respect 15 for their offering! I have not taken so much as one donkey from them, nor have I harmed any one of them!”
18:20 The Lord spoke to Aaron, “You will have no inheritance in their land, nor will you have any portion of property 16 among them – I am your portion and your inheritance among the Israelites.
23:23 For there is no spell against 20 Jacob,
nor is there any divination against Israel.
At this time 21 it must be said 22 of Jacob
and of Israel, ‘Look at 23 what God has done!’
1 tn The construction uses the infinitive construct with the temporal preposition; the “tabernacle” is then the following genitive. Literally it is “and in the moving of the tabernacle,” meaning, “when the tabernacle is supposed to be moved,” i.e., when people are supposed to move it. The verb נָסָע (nasa’) means “pull up the tent pegs and move,” or more simply, “journey.”
2 tn Here we have the parallel construction using the infinitive construct in a temporal adverbial clause.
3 tn Heb “raise it up.”
4 tn The word used here is זָר (zar), normally translated “stranger” or “outsider.” It is most often used for a foreigner, an outsider, who does not belong in Israel, or who, although allowed in the land, may be viewed with suspicion. But here it seems to include even Israelites other than the tribe of Levi.
5 tn The term “whether” is supplied to introduce the enumerated parts of the explanatory phrase.
6 tn Here again is the use of the noun “burden” in the sense of the loads they were to carry (see the use of carts in Num 7:7).
7 tn The expression is literally “upon/at the mouth of” (עַל־פִּי, ’al-pi); it means that the work of these men would be under the direct orders of Aaron and his sons.
8 tn Or “burden.”
9 tn The operative verb now will be the Hiphil of נָזַר (nazar); the consecration to the
10 tn The “vinegar” (חֹמֶץ, homets) is some kind of drink preparation that has been allowed to go sour.
11 tn This word occurs only here. It may come from the word “to water, to be moist,” and so refer to juice.
12 tn Heb “dried” (so KJV, ASV, NRSV).
13 tn This sense is conveyed by the repetition of “man” – “if a man, a man becomes unclean.”
14 tn The perfect tense with vav (ו) consecutive functions as the equivalent of an imperfect tense. In the apodosis of this conditional sentence, the permission nuance fits well.
15 tn The verb means “to turn toward”; it is a figurative expression that means “to pay attention to” or “to have regard for.” So this is a prayer against Dathan and Abiram.
16 tn The phrase “of property” is supplied as a clarification.
17 tn Heb “and why.”
18 tn Here also the infinitive construct (Hiphil) forms the subordinate clause of the preceding interrogative clause.
19 tn The Hebrew text uses singular pronouns, “I” and “my,” but it is the people of Israel that are intended, and so it may be rendered in the plural. Similarly, Edom speaks in the first person, probably from the king. But it too could be rendered “we.”
20 tn Or “in Jacob.” But given the context the meaning “against” is preferable. The words describe two techniques of consulting God; the first has to do with observing omens in general (“enchantments”), and the second with casting lots or arrows of the like (“divinations” [Ezek 21:26]). See N. H. Snaith, Leviticus and Numbers (NCB), 295-96.
21 tn The form is the preposition “like, as” and the word for “time” – according to the time, about this time, now.
22 tn The Niphal imperfect here carries the nuance of obligation – one has to say in amazement that God has done something marvelous or “it must be said.”
23 tn The words “look at” are not in the Hebrew text but have been added in the translation for clarity.
24 tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.