New American Standard Bible 1995

Numbers 22:3-11

3So Moabמוֹאָ֜בmo.'AvH4124was in greatמְאֹ֖דme.'OdH3966fearוַיָּ֨גָרvai.Ya.gorH1481becauseH4480 H6440of the peopleהָעָ֛םha.'AmH5971,for they were numerousרַב־rav-H7227;and Moabמוֹאָ֔בmo.'AvH4124was in dreadוַיָּ֣קָץvai.Ya.kotzH6973of the sonsבְּנֵ֥יbe.NeiH1121of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃Yis.ra.'ElH3478.

4Moabמוֹאָ֜בmo.'AvH4124saidוַיֹּ֨אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559to the eldersזִקְנֵ֣יzik.NeiH2205ofMidianמִדְיָ֗ןmid.YanH4080, “Nowעַתָּ֞ה'a.TahH6258thishordeהַקָּהָל֙ha.ka.HalH6951will lickיְלַחֲכ֤וּye.la.cha.KhuH3897up allכָּל־kol-H3605that is aroundסְבִ֣יבֹתֵ֔ינוּse.Vi.vo.Tei.nuH5439us, as the oxהַשּׁ֔וֹרha.ShorH7794licksכִּלְחֹ֣ךְkil.ChokhH3897up the grassיֶ֣רֶקYe.rekH3418of the fieldהַשָּׂדֶ֑הha.sa.DehH7704.”And Balakוּבָלָ֧קu.va.LakH1111the sonבֶּן־ben-H1121of Zipporצִפּ֛וֹרtzi.PorH6834was kingמֶ֥לֶךְMe.lekhH4428of Moabלְמוֹאָ֖בle.mo.'AvH4124at that timeבָּעֵ֥תba.'EtH6256.

5So he sentוַיִּשְׁלַ֨חvai.yish.LachH7971messengersמַלְאָכִ֜יםmal.'a.KhimH4397toBalaamבִּלְעָ֣םbil.'AmH1109the sonבֶּן־ben-H1121of Beorבְּע֗וֹרbe.'orH1160, atPethorפְּ֠תוֹרָהPe.to.rahH6604,whichאֲשֶׁ֧ר'a.SherH834is nearעַל־'al-H5921theRiverהַנָּהָ֛רha.na.HarH5104, inthe landאֶ֥רֶץ'E.retzH776of the sonsבְּנֵי־be.nei-H1121of his peopleעַמּ֖וֹa.MoH5971,to callלִקְרֹא־lik.ro'-H7121him, sayingלֵאמֹ֗רle.MorH559, “Beholdהִ֠נֵּהHi.nehH2009,a peopleעַ֣ם'amH5971cameיָצָ֤אya.Tza'H3318out of Egyptמִמִּצְרַ֙יִם֙mi.mitz.Ra.yimH4714;beholdהִנֵּ֤הhi.NehH2009,they coverכִסָּה֙khi.SahH3680the surfaceעֵ֣ין'einH5869of the landהָאָ֔רֶץha.'A.retzH776,and they are livingיֹשֵׁ֖בyo.ShevH3427oppositeמִמֻּלִֽי׃mi.mu.LiH4480 H4136me.

6Nowוְעַתָּה֩ve.'a.TahH6258,therefore, pleaseנָּ֨אna'H4994comeלְכָה־le.khah-H1980,curseאָֽרָה־'a.rah-H779thisהַזֶּ֗הha.ZehH2088peopleהָעָ֣םha.'AmH5971for me sinceH3588they are tooH4480mightyעָצ֥וּם'a.TzumH6099for me; perhapsאוּלַ֤י'u.LaiH194I may be ableאוּכַל֙'u.KhalH3201todefeatנַכֶּה־na.keh-H5221them and driveוַאֲגָרְשֶׁ֖נּוּva.'a.ga.re.She.nuH1644them out of the landהָאָ֑רֶץha.'A.retzH776.For I knowיָדַ֗עְתִּיya.Da'.tiH3045that he whomאֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher-H834you blessתְּבָרֵךְ֙te.va.reKhH1288is blessedמְבֹרָ֔ךְme.vo.RakhH1288,and he whomוַאֲשֶׁ֥רva.'a.SherH834you curseתָּאֹ֖רta.'OrH779is cursedיוּאָֽר׃yu.'ArH779.”

7So the eldersזִקְנֵ֤יzik.NeiH2205of Moabמוֹאָב֙mo.'AvH4124and the eldersוְזִקְנֵ֣יve.zik.NeiH2205of Midianמִדְיָ֔ןmid.YanH4080departedוַיֵּ֨לְכ֜וּvai.Ye.le.KhuH1980with the fees fordivinationוּקְסָמִ֖יםu.ke.sa.MimH7081in their handבְּיָדָ֑םbe.ya.DamH3027;and they cameוַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙vai.ya.Vo.'uH935to Balaamבִּלְעָ֔םbil.'AmH1109andrepeatedוַיְדַבְּר֥וּvay.da.be.RuH1696Balak’sבָלָֽק׃va.LakH1111wordsדִּבְרֵ֥יdiv.ReiH1697to him.

8He saidוַיֹּ֣אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559to them, “Spendלִ֤ינוּLi.nuH3885the nightהַלַּ֔יְלָהha.Lay.lahH3915hereפֹה֙fohH6311,and I will bringוַהֲשִׁבֹתִ֤יva.ha.shi.vo.TiH7725wordדָּבָ֔רda.VarH1697backH7725to you as the Lordיְהוָ֖הYah.wehH3068may speakיְדַבֵּ֥רye.da.BerH1696to me.” And the leadersשָׂרֵֽי־sa.rei-H8269of Moabמוֹאָ֖בmo.'AvH4124stayedוַיֵּשְׁב֥וּvai.ye.she.VuH3427with Balaamבִּלְעָֽם׃bil.'AmH1109.

9ThenGodאֱלֹהִ֖ים'E.lo.HimH430cameוַיָּבֹ֥אvai.ya.Vo'H935to Balaamבִּלְעָ֑םbil.'AmH1109and saidוַיֹּ֕אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559, “Whoמִ֛יmiH4310are theseהָאֵ֖לֶּהha.'E.lehH428menH376with you?”

10Balaamבִּלְעָ֖םbil.'AmH1109saidוַיֹּ֥אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559to Godהָאֱלֹהִ֑יםha.'E.lo.HimH430, “Balakבָּלָ֧קba.LakH1111the sonבֶּן־ben-H1121of Zipporצִפֹּ֛רtzi.PorH6834,kingמֶ֥לֶךְMe.lekhH4428of Moabמוֹאָ֖בmo.'AvH4124,has sentשָׁלַ֥חsha.LachH7971word to me,

11‘Beholdהִנֵּ֤הhi.NehH2009,there is a peopleהָעָם֙ha.'AmH5971who cameהַיֹּצֵ֣אhai.yo.Tze'H3318out of Egyptמִמִּצְרַ֔יִםmi.mitz.Ra.yimH4714and they coverוַיְכַ֖סvay.KhasH3680the surfaceעֵ֣ין'einH5869of the landהָאָ֑רֶץha.'A.retzH776;nowעַתָּ֗ה'a.TahH6258comeלְכָ֤הle.KhahH1980,curseקָֽבָה־ka.vah-H6895them for me; perhapsאוּלַ֥י'u.LaiH194I may be ableאוּכַ֛ל'u.KhalH3201to fightלְהִלָּ֥חֶםle.hi.La.chemH3898against them and driveוְגֵרַשְׁתִּֽיו׃ve.ge.rash.TivH1644them out.’”

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Commentaries on Numbers 22