Numbers 23:9

23:9 For from the top of the rocks I see them; ¹ 

from the hills I watch them. ² 

Indeed, a nation that lives alone,

and it will not be reckoned ³  among the nations.

Numbers 23:24

23:24 Indeed, the people will rise up like a lioness,

and like a lion raises himself up;

they will not lie down until they eat their ⁴  prey,

and drink the blood of the slain.” ⁵ 

Numbers 27:7

27:7 “The daughters of Zelophehad have a valid claim. ⁶  You must indeed ⁷  give them possession of an inheritance among their father’s relatives, and you must transfer ⁸  the inheritance of their father to them.

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¹ tn Heb “him,” but here it refers to the Israelites (Israel).

² sn Balaam reports his observation of the nation of Israel spread out below him in the valley. Based on that vision, and the Lord’s word, he announces the uniqueness of Israel – they are not just like one of the other nations. He was correct, of course; they were the only people linked with the living God by covenant.

³ tn The verb could also be taken as a reflexive – Israel does not consider itself as among the nations, meaning, they consider themselves to be unique.

⁴ tn The pronoun “their” has been supplied for clarity; it is not present in the Hebrew text.

⁵ sn The oracle compares Israel first to a lion, or better, lioness, because she does the tracking and hunting of food while the lion moves up and down roaring and distracting the prey. But the lion is also the traditional emblem of Judah, Dan and Gad, as well as the symbol of royalty. So this also supports the motif of royalty as well as power for Israel.

⁶ tn Heb “[the daughters of Zelophehad] speak right” (using the participle דֹּבְרֹת [dovÿrot] with כֵּן [ken]).

⁷ tn The Hebrew text uses the infinitive absolute with the imperfect tense. The imperfect is functioning as the imperfect of instruction, and so the infinitive strengthens the force of the instruction.

⁸ tn The verb is the Hiphil perfect with a vav (ו) consecutive, from the root עָבַר (’avar, “to pass over”). Here it functions as the equivalent of the imperfect of instruction: “and you shall cause to pass,” meaning, “transfer.”