Discovery BoxNumbers 4:26 
Context4:26 the hangings for the courtyard, the curtain for the entrance of the gate of the court, 1 which is around the tabernacle and the altar, and their ropes, along with all the furnishings for their service and everything that is made for them. So they are to serve. 2
Numbers 15:24
Context15:24 then if anything is done unintentionally 3 without the knowledge of 4 the community, the whole community must prepare one young bull for a burnt offering – for a pleasing aroma to the Lord – along with its grain offering and its customary drink offering, and one male goat for a purification offering.
Numbers 16:30
Context16:30 But if the Lord does something entirely new, 5 and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them up 6 along with all that they have, and they 7 go down alive to the grave, 8 then you will know that these men have despised the Lord!”
Numbers 18:11
Context18:11 “And this is yours: the raised offering of their gift, along with all the wave offerings of the Israelites. I have given them to you and to your sons and daughters with you as a perpetual ordinance. Everyone who is ceremonially clean in your household may eat of it.
Numbers 21:22
Context21:22 “Let us 9 pass through your land; 10 we will not turn aside into the fields or into the vineyards, nor will we drink water from any well, but we will go along the King’s Highway until we pass your borders.”
1 tc This whole clause is not in the Greek text; it is likely missing due to homoioteleuton.
2 tn The work of these people would have been very demanding, since the size and weight of the various curtains and courtyard hangings would have been great. For a detailed discussion of these, see the notes in the book of Exodus on the construction of the items.
3 tn The idea of לִשְׁגָגָה (lishgagah) seems to be that of “inadvertence” or “without intent.” The text gives no indication of how this offense might be committed, or what it might include. It probably describes any transgressions done in ignorance of the Law that involved a violation of tabernacle procedure or priestly protocol or social misdemeanor. Even though it was done unintentionally, it was still a violation and called for ritual purification.
4 tn Heb “[away] from the eyes of the community.”
5 tn The verb בָּרָא (bara’) is normally translated “create” in the Bible. More specifically it means to fashion or make or do something new and fresh. Here the verb is joined with its cognate accusative to underscore that this will be so different everyone will know it is of God.
6 tn The figures are personifications. But they vividly describe the catastrophe to follow – which was very much like a mouth swallowing them.
7 tn The word is “life” or “lifetime”; it certainly means their lives – they themselves. But the presence of this word suggest more. It is an accusative specifying the state of the subject – they will go down alive to Sheol.
8 tn The word “Sheol” in the Bible can be used four different ways: the grave, the realm of the departed [wicked] spirits or Hell, death in general, or a place of extreme danger (one that will lead to the grave if God does not intervene). The usage here is certainly the first, and very likely the second as well. A translation of “pit” would not be inappropriate. Since they will go down there alive, it is likely that they will sense the deprivation and the separation from the land above. See H. W. Robinson, Inspiration and Revelation in the Old Testament; N. J. Tromp, Primitive Conceptions of Death and the Netherworld in the Old Testament (BibOr 21), 21-23; and A. Heidel, The Gilgamesh Epic, especially ch. 3.
9 tn The Hebrew text uses the singular in these verses to match the reference to “Israel.”
10 tc Smr has “by the King’s way I will go. I will not turn aside to the right or the left.”
