Discovery BoxNumbers 7:5 
Context7:5 “Receive these gifts 1 from them, that they may be 2 used in doing the work 3 of the tent of meeting; and you must give them to the Levites, to every man 4 as his service requires.” 5
Numbers 20:19
Context20:19 Then the Israelites said to him, “We will go along the highway, and if we 6 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 22:32
Context22:32 The angel of the Lord said to him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? Look, I came out to oppose you because what you are doing 7 is perverse before me. 8
1 tn The object is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied.
2 tn The verb is the perfect tense with vav (ו) consecutive; following the imperative, this could be given an independent volitive translation (“they shall be”), but more fittingly a subordinated translation expressing the purpose of receiving the gifts.
3 tn The sentence uses the infinitive construct expressing purpose, followed by its cognate accusative: “[that they may be] for doing the work of” (literally, “serving the service of”).
4 tn The noun אִישׁ (’ish) is in apposition to the word “Levites,” and is to be taken in a distributive sense: “to the Levites, [to each] man according to his service.”
5 tn The expression כְּפִי (kÿfi) is “according to the mouth of.” Here, it would say “according to the mouth of his service,” which would mean “what his service calls for.”
6 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.”
7 tn Heb “your way.”
8 tn The verb יָרַט (yarat) occurs only here and in Job 16:11. Balaam is embarking on a foolish mission with base motives. The old rendering “perverse” is still acceptable.
