Numbers 11:16
Context11:16 1 The Lord said to Moses, “Gather to me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know are elders of the people and officials 2 over them, and bring them to the tent of meeting; let them take their position there with you.
Numbers 18:9
Context18:9 Of all the most holy offerings reserved 3 from the fire this will be yours: Every offering of theirs, whether from every grain offering or from every purification offering or from every reparation offering which they bring to me, will be most holy for you and for your sons.
Numbers 22:5
Context22:5 And he sent messengers to Balaam 4 son of Beor at Pethor, which is by the Euphrates River 5 in the land of Amaw, 6 to summon him, saying, “Look, a nation has come out of Egypt. They cover the face 7 of the earth, and they are settling next to me.
1 sn The
2 tn The “officials” (שֹׁטְּרִים, shottÿrim) were a group of the elders who seem to have had some administrative capacities. The LXX used the word “scribes.” For further discussion, see R. de Vaux, Ancient Israel, 69-70.
3 tn Heb “from the fire.” It probably refers to those parts that were not burned.
4 sn There is much literature on pagan diviners and especially prophecy in places in the east like Mari (see, for example, H. B. Huffmon, “Prophecy in the Mari Letters,” BA 31 [1968]: 101-24). Balaam appears to be a pagan diviner who was of some reputation; he was called to curse the Israelites, but God intervened and gave him blessings only. The passage forms a nice complement to texts that deal with blessings and curses. It shows that no one can curse someone whom God has blessed.
5 tn Heb “by the river”; in most contexts this expression refers to the Euphrates River (cf. NAB, NCV, NRSV, TEV, CEV, NLT).
6 tn Heb “in the land of Amaw” (cf. NAB, NRSV, TEV); traditionally “in the land of the sons of his people.” The LXX has “by the river of the land.”