Numbers 9:21

9:21 And when ¹  the cloud remained only ²  from evening until morning, when the cloud was taken up ³  the following morning, then they traveled on. Whether by day or by night, when the cloud was taken up they traveled.

Numbers 12:14

12:14 The Lord said to Moses, “If her father had only spit ⁴  in her face, would she not have been disgraced for seven days? Shut her out from the camp seven days, and afterward she can be brought back in again.”

Numbers 14:3

14:3 Why has the Lord brought us into this land only to be killed by the sword, that our wives and our children should become plunder? Wouldn’t it be better for us to return to Egypt?”

Numbers 14:9

14:9 Only do not rebel against the Lord, and do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us. ⁵  Their protection ⁶  has turned aside from them, but the Lord is with us. Do not fear them!”

Numbers 14:24

14:24 Only my servant Caleb, because he had a different spirit and has followed me fully – I will bring him into the land where he had gone, and his descendants ⁷  will possess it.

Numbers 16:22

16:22 Then they threw themselves down with their faces to the ground ⁸  and said, “O God, the God of the spirits of all people, ⁹  will you be angry with the whole community when only one man sins?” ¹⁰ 

Numbers 20:5

20:5 Why ¹¹  have you brought us up from Egypt only to bring us to ¹²  this dreadful place? It is no place for grain, or figs, or vines, or pomegranates; nor is there any water to drink!”

Numbers 20:19

20:19 Then the Israelites said to him, “We will go along the highway, and if we ¹³  or our cattle drink any of your water, we will pay for it. We will only pass through on our feet, without doing anything else.”

Numbers 22:35

22:35 But the angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but you may only speak ¹⁴  the word that I will speak to you.” ¹⁵  So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.

Numbers 22:38

22:38 Balaam said to Balak, “Look, I have come to you. Now, am I able ¹⁶  to speak ¹⁷  just anything? I must speak ¹⁸  only the word that God puts in my mouth.”

Numbers 23:13

23:13 Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place from which you can observe them. You will see only a part of them, but you will not see all of them. Curse them for me from there.”

Numbers 36:6

36:6 This is what ¹⁹  the Lord has commanded for Zelophehad’s daughters: ‘Let them marry ²⁰  whomever they think best, ²¹  only they must marry within the family of their father’s tribe.

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¹ tn The construction is the same in the preceding verse.

² tn “Only” is supplied to reflect the contrast between the two verses.

³ tn The construction in this half of the verse uses two vav (ו) consecutive clauses. The first is subordinated to the second as a temporal clause: “when…then….”

⁴ tn The form is intensified by the infinitive absolute, but here the infinitive strengthens not simply the verbal idea but the conditional cause construction as well.

⁵ sn The expression must indicate that they could destroy the enemies as easily as they could eat bread.

⁶ tn Heb “their shade.” The figure compares the shade from the sun with the protection from the enemy. It is also possible that the text is alluding to their deities here.

⁷ tn Heb “seed.”

⁸ sn It is Moses and Aaron who prostrate themselves; they have the good of the people at heart.

⁹ tn The expression “the God of the spirits of all humanity [flesh]” is somewhat difficult. The Hebrew text says אֱלֹהֵי הָרוּחֹת לְכָל־בָּשָׂר (’elohey harukhot lÿkhol-basar). This expression occurs in Num 27:16 again. It also occurs in some postbiblical texts, a fact which has prompted some scholars to conclude that it is a late addition. The words clearly show that Moses is interceding for the congregation. The appeal in the verse is that it is better for one man to die for the whole nation than the whole nation for one man (see also John 11:50).

¹⁰ tn The verb is the Qal imperfect יֶחֱטָא (yekheta’); it refers to the sinful rebellion of Korah, but Moses is stating something of a principle: “One man sins, and will you be angry….” A past tense translation would assume that this is a preterite use of the imperfect (without vav [ו] consecutive).

¹¹ tn Heb “and why.”

¹² tn Here also the infinitive construct (Hiphil) forms the subordinate clause of the preceding interrogative clause.

¹³ tn The Hebrew text uses singular pronouns, “I” and “my,” but it is the people of Israel that are intended, and so it may be rendered in the plural. Similarly, Edom speaks in the first person, probably from the king. But it too could be rendered “we.”

¹⁴ tn The imperfect tense here can be given the nuance of permission.

¹⁵ tn The Hebrew word order is a little more emphatic than this: “but only the word which I speak to you, it you shall speak.”

¹⁶ 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?”

¹⁷ 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.

¹⁸ tn The imperfect tense is here taken as an obligatory imperfect.

¹⁹ tn Heb “the word that.”

²⁰ tn The idiom again is “let them be for wives for….”

²¹ tn Heb “to the one who is good in their eyes.”