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Numbers 23:8-9

Context

23:8 How¹ can I curse² one whom God has not cursed,

or how can I denounce one whom the Lord has not denounced?

23:9 For from the top of the rocks I see them;³

from the hills I watch them.⁴

Indeed, a nation that lives alone,

and it will not be reckoned⁵ among the nations.

¹tn The figure is erotesis, a rhetorical question. He is actually saying he cannot curse them because God has not cursed them.

²tn The imperfect tense should here be classified as a potential imperfect.

³tn Heb “him,” but here it refers to the Israelites (Israel).

⁴sn 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.

⁵tn 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.

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