Numbers 3:33

The Numbering of Merari

3:33 From Merari came the family of the Mahlites and the family of the Mushites; these were ¹  the families of Merari.

Numbers 10:36

10:36 And when it came to rest he would say, “Return, O Lord, to the many thousands of Israel!” ² 

Numbers 11:9

11:9 And when the dew came down ³  on the camp in the night, the manna fell ⁴  with it.)

Numbers 20:20

20:20 But he said, “You may not pass through.” Then Edom came out against them ⁵  with a large and powerful force. ⁶ 

Numbers 32:2

32:2 the Gadites and the Reubenites came and addressed Moses, Eleazar the priest, and the leaders of the community. They said,

---

¹ tn The Hebrew text has “these they the families of Merari.” The independent personal pronoun has an anaphoric use, somewhat equivalent to the copula “and” (see R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 23, §115).

² sn These two formulaic prayers were offered by Moses at the beginning and at the end of the journeys. They prayed for the Lord to fight ahead of the nation when it was on the move, and to protect them when they camped. The theme of the first is found in Ps 68:1. The prayers reflect the true mentality of holy war, that it was the Lord who fought for Israel and defended her. The prayers have been included in the prayer book for synagogue services.

³ tn The temporal clause is constructed of the infinitive construct from יָרָד (yarad) with a temporal preposition, followed by the subjective genitive.

⁴ tn Heb “came down.”

⁵ tn Heb “to meet him.”

⁶ tn Heb “with many [heavy] people and with a strong hand.” The translation presented above is interpretive, but that is what the line means. It was a show of force, numbers and weapons, to intimidate the Israelites.