Numbers 6:23

6:23 “Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is the way 1  you are to bless 2  the Israelites. Say 3  to them:

Numbers 10:36

10:36 And when it came to rest he would say, “Return, O Lord, to the many thousands of Israel!” 4 

Numbers 14:15

14:15 If you kill 5  this entire people at once, 6  then the nations that have heard of your fame will say,

Numbers 22:19

22:19 Now therefore, please stay 7  the night here also, that I may know what more the Lord might say to me.” 8 

1 tn Or “thus.”

2 tn The Piel imperfect has the nuance of instruction. The particle “thus” explains that the following oracle is the form to use.

3 tn Here is the only use of the verb אָמַר (’amar) as an infinitive absolute; it functions as a verb form, an imperative or an imperfect of instruction. Several commentators have attempted to emend the text to get around the difficulty, but such emendations are unnecessary.

4 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.

5 tn The verb is the Hiphil perfect of מוּת (mut), וְהֵמַתָּה (vÿhemattah). The vav (ו) consecutive makes this also a future time sequence verb, but again in a conditional clause.

6 tn Heb “as one man.”

7 tn In this case “lodge” is not used, but “remain, reside” (שְׁבוּ, shÿvu).

8 tn This clause is also a verbal hendiadys: “what the Lord might add to speak,” meaning, “what more the Lord might say.”