Numbers 14:22

14:22 For all the people have seen my glory and my signs that I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and yet have tempted ¹  me now these ten times, ²  and have not obeyed me, ³ 

Numbers 19:4

19:4 Eleazar the priest is to take ⁴  some of its blood with his finger, and sprinkle some of the blood seven times ⁵  directly in front of the tent of meeting.

Numbers 22:32

22:32 The angel of the Lord said to him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? Look, I came out to oppose you because what you are doing ⁶  is perverse before me. ⁷ 

Numbers 24:1

Balaam Prophesies Yet Again

24:1 ⁸ When Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, ⁹  he did not go as at the other times ¹⁰  to seek for omens, ¹¹  but he set his face ¹²  toward the wilderness.

Numbers 24:10

24:10 Then Balak became very angry at Balaam, and he struck his hands together. ¹³  Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, and look, you have done nothing but bless ¹⁴  them these three times!

Numbers 29:39

29:39 “‘These things you must present to the Lord at your appointed times, in addition to your vows and your freewill offerings, as your burnt offerings, your grain offerings, your drink offerings, and your peace offerings.’”

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¹ tn The verb נָסָה (nasah) means “to test, to tempt, to prove.” It can be used to indicate things are tried or proven, or for testing in a good sense, or tempting in the bad sense, i.e., putting God to the test. In all uses there is uncertainty or doubt about the outcome. Some uses of the verb are positive: If God tests Abraham in Genesis 22:1, it is because there is uncertainty whether he fears the Lord or not; if people like Gideon put out the fleece and test the Lord, it is done by faith but in order to be certain of the Lord’s presence. But here, when these people put God to the test ten times, it was because they doubted the goodness and ability of God, and this was a major weakness. They had proof to the contrary, but chose to challenge God.

² tn “Ten” is here a round figure, emphasizing the complete testing. But see F. V. Winnett, The Mosaic Tradition, 121-54.

³ tn Heb “listened to my voice.”

⁴ tn The verb is the perfect tense with vav (ו) consecutive; it functions here as the equivalent of the imperfect of instruction.

⁵ sn Seven is a number with religious significance; it is often required in sacrificial ritual for atonement or for purification.

⁶ tn Heb “your way.”

⁷ tn The verb יָרַט (yarat) occurs only here and in Job 16:11. Balaam is embarking on a foolish mission with base motives. The old rendering “perverse” is still acceptable.

⁸ 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).

⁹ tn Heb “it was good in the eyes of the Lord.”

¹⁰ tn Heb “as time after time.”

¹¹ 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.

¹² 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.

¹³ sn This is apparently a sign of contempt or derision (see Job 27:23; and Lam 2:15).

¹⁴ tn The construction is emphatic, using the infinitive absolute with the perfect tense for “bless.”