Numbers 14:40

14:40 And early 1  in the morning they went up to the crest of the hill country, 2  saying, “Here we are, and we will go up to the place that the Lord commanded, 3  for we have sinned.” 4 

Numbers 20:16

20:16 So when we cried to the Lord, he heard our voice and sent a messenger, 5  and has brought us up out of Egypt. Now 6  we are here in Kadesh, a town on the edge of your country. 7 

Numbers 22:8

22:8 He replied to them, “Stay 8  here tonight, and I will bring back to you whatever word the Lord may speak to me.” So the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam.

1 tn The verb וַיַּשְׁכִּמוּ (vayyashkimu) is often found in a verbal hendiadys construction: “They rose early…and they went up” means “they went up early.”

2 tn The Hebrew text says literally “the top of the hill,” but judging from the location and the terrain it probably means the heights of the hill country.

3 tn The verb is simply “said,” but it means the place that the Lord said to go up to in order to fight.

4 sn Their sin was unbelief. They could have gone and conquered the area if they had trusted the Lord for their victory. They did not, and so they were condemned to perish in the wilderness. Now, thinking that by going they can undo all that, they plan to go. But this is also disobedience, for the Lord said they would not now take the land, and yet they think they can. Here is their second sin, presumption.

5 tn The word could be rendered “angel” or “messenger.” Some ambiguity may be intended in this report.

6 tn The Hebrew text uses הִנֵּה (hinneh) to emphasize the “here and now” aspect of the report to Edom.

7 tn Heb “your border.”

8 tn The verb לִין (lin) means “to lodge, spend the night.” The related noun is “a lodge” – a hotel of sorts. Balaam needed to consider the offer. And after darkness was considered the best time for diviners to consult with their deities. Balaam apparently knows of the Lord; he testifies to this effect in 22:18.