31:6 So Moses sent them to the war, one thousand from every tribe, with Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest, who was in charge 6 of the holy articles 7 and the signal trumpets.
1 tn Heb “in this.”
2 tn The Hebrew text simply has כִּי־לֹא מִלִּבִּי (ki-lo’ millibbi, “for not from my heart”). The heart is the center of the will, the place decisions are made (see H. W. Wolff, Anthropology of the Old Testament). Moses is saying that the things he has done have not come “from the will of man” so to speak – and certainly not from some secret desire on his part to seize power.
3 tn The word could be rendered “angel” or “messenger.” Some ambiguity may be intended in this report.
4 tn The Hebrew text uses הִנֵּה (hinneh) to emphasize the “here and now” aspect of the report to Edom.
5 tn Heb “your border.”
6 tn The Hebrew text uses the idiom that these “were in his hand,” meaning that he had the responsibility over them.
7 sn It is not clear what articles from the sanctuary were included. Tg. Ps.-J. adds (interpretively) “the Urim and Thummim.”