Discovery BoxNumbers 8:17 
Context8:17 For all the firstborn males among the Israelites are mine, both humans and animals; when I destroyed 1 all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I set them apart for myself.
Numbers 11:12
Context11:12 Did I conceive this entire people? 2 Did I give birth to 3 them, that you should say to me, ‘Carry them in your arms, as a foster father 4 bears a nursing child,’ to the land which you swore to their fathers?
Numbers 12:6
Context12:6 The Lord 5 said, “Hear now my words: If there is a prophet among you, 6 I the Lord 7 will make myself known to him in a vision; I will speak with him in a dream.
Numbers 14:35
Context14:35 I, the Lord, have said, “I will surely do so to all this evil congregation that has gathered together against me. In this wilderness they will be finished, and there they will die!”’”
Numbers 16:15
Context16:15 Moses was very angry, and he said to the Lord, “Have no respect 8 for their offering! I have not taken so much as one donkey from them, nor have I harmed any one of them!”
Numbers 18:8
Context18:8 The Lord spoke to Aaron, “See, I have given you the responsibility for my raised offerings; I have given all the holy things of the Israelites to you as your priestly portion 9 and to your sons as a perpetual ordinance.
Numbers 22:37
Context22:37 Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not send again and again 10 to you to summon you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not able to honor you?” 11
Numbers 23:3
Context23:3 Balaam said to Balak, “Station yourself 12 by your burnt offering, and I will go off; perhaps the Lord will come to meet me, and whatever he reveals to me 13 I will tell you.” 14 Then he went to a deserted height. 15
Numbers 23:9
Context23:9 For from the top of the rocks I see them; 16
from the hills I watch them. 17
Indeed, a nation that lives alone,
and it will not be reckoned 18 among the nations.
Numbers 24:13-14
Context24:13 ‘If Balak would give me his palace full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond 19 the commandment 20 of the Lord to do either good or evil of my own will, 21 but whatever the Lord tells me I must speak’? 24:14 And now, I am about to go 22 back to my own people. Come now, and I will advise you as to what this people will do to your people in the future.” 23
1 tn The idiomatic “on the day of” precedes the infinitive construct of נָכָה (nakhah) to form the temporal clause: “in the day of my striking…” becomes “when I struck.”
2 sn The questions Moses asks are rhetorical. He is actually affirming that they are not his people, that he did not produce them, but now is to support them. His point is that God produced this nation, but has put the burden of caring for their needs on him.
3 tn The verb means “to beget, give birth to.” The figurative image from procreation completes the parallel question, first the conceiving and second the giving birth to the nation.
4 tn The word אֹמֵן (’omen) is often translated “nurse,” but the form is a masculine form and would better be rendered as a “foster parent.” This does not work as well, though, with the יֹנֵק (yoneq), the “sucking child.” The two metaphors are simply designed to portray the duty of a parent to a child as a picture of Moses’ duty for the nation. The idea that it portrays God as a mother pushes it too far (see M. Noth, Numbers [OTL], 86-87).
5 tn Heb “he.”
6 tn The form of this construction is rare: נְבִיאֲכֶם (nÿvi’akhem) would normally be rendered “your prophet.” The singular noun is suffixed with a plural pronominal suffix. Some commentators think the MT has condensed “a prophet” with “to you.”
7 tn The Hebrew syntax is difficult here. “The Lord” is separated from the verb by two intervening prepositional phrases. Some scholars conclude that this word belongs with the verb at the beginning of v. 6 (“And the Lord spoke”).
8 tn The verb means “to turn toward”; it is a figurative expression that means “to pay attention to” or “to have regard for.” So this is a prayer against Dathan and Abiram.
9 tn This is an uncommon root. It may be connected to the word “anoint” as here (see RSV). But it may also be seen as an intended parallel to “perpetual due” (see Gen 47:22; Exod 29:28; Lev 6:11 [HT]).
10 tn The emphatic construction is made of the infinitive absolute and the perfect tense from the verb שָׁלַח (shalakh, “to send”). The idea must be more intense than something like, “Did I not certainly send.” Balak is showing frustration with Balaam for refusing him.
11 sn Balak again refers to his ability to “honor” the seer. This certainly meant payment for his service, usually gold ornaments, rings and jewelry, as well as some animals.
12 tn The verb הִתְיַצֵּב (hityatsev) means “to take a stand, station oneself.” It is more intentional than simply standing by something. He was to position himself by the sacrifice as Balaam withdrew to seek the oracle.
13 tn Heb “and the word of what he shows me.” The noun is in construct, and so the clause that follows functions as a noun clause in the genitive. The point is that the word will consist of divine revelation.
14 tn The verb is the perfect tense with vav (ו) consecutive. This clause is dependent on the clause that precedes it.
15 sn He went up to a bald spot, to a barren height. The statement underscores the general belief that such tops were the closest things to the gods. On such heights people built their shrines and temples.
16 tn Heb “him,” but here it refers to the Israelites (Israel).
17 sn Balaam reports his observation of the nation of Israel spread out below him in the valley. Based on that vision, and the
18 tn 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.
19 tn Heb “I am not able to go beyond.”
20 tn Heb “mouth.”
21 tn Heb “from my heart.”
22 tn The construction is the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) suffixed followed by the active participle. This is the futur instans use of the participle, to express something that is about to happen: “I am about to go.”
23 tn Heb “in the latter days.” For more on this expression, see E. Lipinski, “באחרית הימים dans les textes préexiliques,” VT 20 (1970): 445-50.
