Numbers 22:11

22:11 “Look, a nation has come out ¹  of Egypt, and it covers the face of the earth. Come now and put a curse on them for me; perhaps I will be able to defeat them ²  and drive them out.” ³ 

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 ⁴  is perverse before me. ⁵ 

Numbers 22:38

22:38 Balaam said to Balak, “Look, I have come to you. Now, am I able ⁶  to speak ⁷  just anything? I must speak ⁸  only the word that God puts in my mouth.”

Numbers 23:23

23:23 For there is no spell against ⁹  Jacob,

nor is there any divination against Israel.

At this time ¹⁰  it must be said ¹¹  of Jacob

and of Israel, ‘Look at ¹²  what God has done!’

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 31:16

31:16 Look, these people through the counsel of Balaam caused the Israelites to act treacherously against the Lord in the matter of Peor – which resulted in the plague among the community of the Lord!

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¹ tn In this passage the text differs slightly; here it is “the nation that comes out,” using the article on the noun, and the active participle in the attributive adjective usage.

² tn Here the infinitive construct is used to express the object or complement of the verb “to be able” (it answers the question of what he will be able to do).

³ tn The verb is the Piel perfect with vav (ו) consecutive. It either carries the force of an imperfect tense, or it may be subordinated to the preceding verbs.

⁴ tn Heb “your way.”

⁵ 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.

⁶ tn The verb is אוּכַל (’ukhal) in a question – “am I able?” But emphasizing this is the infinitive absolute before it. So Balaam is saying something like, “Can I really say anything?”

⁷ tn The Piel infinitive construct (without the preposition) serves as the object of the verb “to be able.” The whole question is rhetorical – he is saying that he will not be able to say anything God does not allow him to say.

⁸ tn The imperfect tense is here taken as an obligatory imperfect.

⁹ 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.

¹⁰ tn The form is the preposition “like, as” and the word for “time” – according to the time, about this time, now.

¹¹ 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.”

¹² tn The words “look at” are not in the Hebrew text but have been added in the translation for clarity.

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.”