Revised Literal Translation

Numbers 23

1And Balaamבִּלְעָם֙bil.'AmH1109saidוַיֹּ֤אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559unto Balakבָּלָ֔קba.LakH1111,Buildבְּנֵה־be.neh-H1129me here sevenשִׁבְעָ֣הshiv.'AhH7651altarsמִזְבְּחֹ֑תmiz.be.ChotH4196,and prepareוְהָכֵ֥ןve.ha.KhenH3559me here sevenשִׁבְעָ֥הshiv.'AhH7651oxenפָרִ֖יםfa.RimH6499and sevenוְשִׁבְעָ֥הve.shiv.'AhH7651ramsאֵילִֽים׃'ei.LimH352.

2And Balakבָּלָ֔קba.LakH1111didוַיַּ֣עַשׂvai.Ya.'asH6213as Balaamבִּלְעָ֑םbil.'AmH1109had spokenדִּבֶּ֣רdi.BerH1696;and Balakבָּלָ֧קba.LakH1111and Balaamוּבִלְעָ֛םu.vil.'AmH1109offeredוַיַּ֨עַלvai.Ya.'alH5927on everyaltarבַּמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃ba.miz.Be.achH4196a bullockפָּ֥רparH6499and a ramוָאַ֖יִלva.'A.yilH352.

3And Balaamבִּלְעָ֜םbil.'AmH1109saidוַיֹּ֨אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559unto Balakלְבָלָ֗קle.va.LakH1111,Standהִתְיַצֵּב֮hit.ya.TzevH3320by thy burnt offeringעֹלָתֶךָ֒'o.la.te.KhaH5930,and I will goH3212:peradventure Yhwhיְהוָה֙Yah.wehH3068will comeיִקָּרֵ֤הyi.ka.RehH7136to meetH7125me: and whatsoeverוּדְבַ֥רu.de.VarH1697he shewethיַּרְאֵ֖נִיyar.'E.niH7200me I will tellוְהִגַּ֣דְתִּיve.hi.Gad.tiH5046thee. And he wentH3212to an high placeשֶֽׁפִי׃She.fiH8205.

4And Godאֱלֹהִ֖ים'E.lo.HimH430metוַיִּקָּ֥רvai.yi.KarH7136Balaamבִּלְעָ֑םbil.'AmH1109:and he saidוַיֹּ֣אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559unto him, I have preparedעָרַ֔כְתִּי'a.Rakh.tiH6186sevenשִׁבְעַ֤תshiv.'AtH7651altarsהַֽמִּזְבְּחֹת֙ha.miz.be.ChotH4196,and I have offeredוָאַ֛עַלva.'A.'alH5927upon everyaltarבַּמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃ba.miz.Be.achH4196a bullockפָּ֥רparH6499and a ramוָאַ֖יִלva.'A.yilH352.

5And Yhwhיְהוָ֛הYah.wehH3068putוַיָּ֧שֶׂםvai.Ya.semH7760a wordדָּבָ֖רda.VarH1697in Balaam’sבִלְעָ֑םvil.'AmH1109mouthבְּפִ֣יbe.FiH6310,and saidוַיֹּ֛אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559,Returnשׁ֥וּבshuvH7725unto Balakבָּלָ֖קba.LakH1111,and thus thou shalt speakתְדַבֵּֽר׃te.da.BerH1696.

6And he returnedוַיָּ֣שָׁבvai.Ya.shovH7725unto him, and, lo, he stoodנִצָּ֖בni.TzavH5324by his burnt sacrificeעֹלָת֑וֹo.la.ToH5930,he, and all the princesשָׂרֵ֥יsa.ReiH8269of Moabמוֹאָֽב׃mo.'AvH4124.

7And he took upוַיִּשָּׂ֥אvai.yi.Sa'H5375his parableמְשָׁל֖וֹme.sha.LoH4912,and saidוַיֹּאמַ֑רvai.yo.MarH559,Balakבָלָ֤קva.LakH1111the kingמֶֽלֶךְ־Me.lekh-H4428of Moabמוֹאָב֙mo.'AvH4124hath broughtיַנְחֵ֨נִיyan.Che.niH5148me from Aramאֲ֠רָם'A.romH758,out of the mountainsמֵֽהַרְרֵי־me.ha.rei-H2042of the eastקֶ֔דֶםKe.demH6924, saying,ComeH3212,curseאָֽרָה־'a.rah-H779me Jacobיַעֲקֹ֔בya.'a.KoH3290,and comeH3212,defyזֹעֲמָ֥הzo.'a.MahH2194Israelיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃Yis.ra.'ElH3478.

8HowH4100shall I curseH5344,whom Godאֵ֑ל'ElH410hath not cursedH6895?or how shall I defyאֶזְעֹ֔ם'ez.'OmH2194, whomYhwhיְהוָֽה׃Yah.wehH3068hath not defiedזָעַ֖םza.'AmH2194?

9For from the topמֵרֹ֤אשׁme.RoshH7218of the rocksצֻרִים֙tzu.RimH6697I seeאֶרְאֶ֔נּוּ'er.'E.nuH7200him, and from the hillsוּמִגְּבָע֖וֹתu.mi.ge.va.'otH1389I beholdאֲשׁוּרֶ֑נּוּ'a.shu.Re.nuH7789him: lo, the peopleעָם֙'amH5971shall dwellיִשְׁכֹּ֔ןyish.KonH7931aloneלְבָדָ֣דle.va.DadH910,and shall not be reckonedיִתְחַשָּֽׁב׃yit.cha.ShavH2803among the nationsוּבַגּוֹיִ֖םu.va.go.YimH1471.

10Who can countמָנָה֙ma.NahH4487the dustעֲפַ֣ר'a.FarH6083of Jacobיַעֲקֹ֔בya.'a.KoH3290,and the numberוּמִסְפָּ֖רu.mis.ParH4557of the fourthרֹ֣בַעRoa'H7255partof Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֑לYis.ra.'ElH3478?Let me dieתָּמֹ֤ת נַפְשִׁי֙ta.Mot naf.ShiH5315 H4191the deathמ֣וֹתMotH4194of the righteousיְשָׁרִ֔יםye.sha.RimH3477,and let my lastאַחֲרִיתִ֖י'a.cha.ri.TiH319end be like his!

11And Balakבָּלָק֙ba.LakH1111saidוַיֹּ֤אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559unto Balaamבִּלְעָ֔םbil.'AmH1109,What hast thou doneעָשִׂ֖יתָ'a.Si.taH6213unto me? I tookלְקַחְתִּ֔יךָle.kach.Ti.khaH3947thee to curseלָקֹ֤בla.KoH6895mine enemiesאֹיְבַי֙'o.ye.VaiH341,and, behold, thou hast blessedבֵּרַ֥כְתָּbe.Rakh.taH1288themaltogetherבָרֵֽךְ׃va.RekhH1288.

12And he answeredוַיַּ֖עַןvai.Ya.'anH6030and saidוַיֹּאמַ֑רvai.yo.MarH559,Must I not take heedאֶשְׁמֹ֖ר'esh.MorH8104to speakלְדַבֵּֽר׃le.da.BerH1696that which Yhwhיְהוָה֙Yah.wehH3068hath putיָשִׂ֤יםya.SimH7760in my mouthבְּפִ֔יbe.FiH6310?

13And Balakבָּלָ֗קba.LakH1111saidוַיֹּ֨אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559unto him, ComeH3212,I pray thee, with me unto anotherאַחֵר֙'a.CherH312placeמָק֤וֹםma.KomH4725,from whence thou mayest seeתִּרְאֶ֣נּוּtir.'E.nuH7200them: thou shalt seeתִרְאֶ֔הtir.'EhH7200butאֶ֚פֶס'E.fesH657the utmostקָצֵ֣הוּka.Tze.huH7097part of them, and shalt not seeתִרְאֶ֑הtir.'EhH7200them all: and curseוְקָבְנוֹ־ve.ka.ve.nov-H6895me them from thence.

14And he broughtוַיִּקָּחֵ֙הוּ֙vai.yi.ka.Che.huH3947him into the fieldשְׂדֵ֣הse.DehH7704of Zophimצֹפִ֔יםtzo.FimH6822 H6839,to the topרֹ֖אשׁroshH7218of Pisgahהַפִּסְגָּ֑הha.pis.GahH6449,and builtוַיִּ֙בֶן֙vai.Yi.venH1129sevenשִׁבְעָ֣הshiv.'AhH7651altarsמִזְבְּחֹ֔תmiz.be.ChotH4196,and offeredוַיַּ֛עַלvai.Ya.'alH5927a bullockפָּ֥רparH6499and a ramוָאַ֖יִלva.'A.yilH352on everyaltarבַּמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃ba.miz.Be.achH4196.

15And he saidוַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙vai.Yo.merH559unto Balakבָּלָ֔קba.LakH1111,Standהִתְיַצֵּ֥בhit.ya.TzevH3320hereכֹּ֖הkohH3541by thy burnt offeringעֹלָתֶ֑ךָ'o.la.Te.khaH5930,while I meetאִקָּ֥רֶה'i.Ka.rehH7136the Lordyonderכֹּֽה׃KohH3541.

16And Yhwhיְהוָה֙Yah.wehH3068metוַיִּקָּ֤רvai.yi.KarH7136Balaamבִּלְעָ֔םbil.'AmH1109,and putוַיָּ֥שֶׂםvai.Ya.semH7760a wordדָּבָ֖רda.VarH1697in his mouthבְּפִ֑יוbe.FivH6310,and saidוַיֹּ֛אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559,Go againשׁ֥וּבshuvH7725unto Balakבָּלָ֖קba.LakH1111,and sayתְדַבֵּֽר׃te.da.BerH1696thus.

17And when he cameוַיָּבֹ֣אvai.ya.Vo'H935to him, behold, he stoodנִצָּב֙ni.TzavH5324by his burnt offeringעֹ֣לָת֔וֹo.la.ToH5930,and the princesוְשָׂרֵ֥יve.sa.ReiH8269of Moabמוֹאָ֖בmo.'AvH4124with him. And Balakבָּלָ֔קba.LakH1111saidוַיֹּ֤אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559unto him, What hath Yhwhיְהוָֽה׃Yah.wehH3068spokenדִּבֶּ֖רdi.BerH1696?

18And he took upוַיִּשָּׂ֥אvai.yi.Sa'H5375his parableמְשָׁל֖וֹme.sha.LoH4912,and saidוַיֹּאמַ֑רvai.yo.MarH559,Rise upק֤וּםkumH6965,Balakבָּלָק֙ba.LakH1111,and hearוּֽשֲׁמָ֔עu.sha.Ma'H8085;hearkenהַאֲזִ֥ינָהha.'a.Zi.nahH238unto me, thou sonבְּנ֥וֹbe.NoH1121of Zipporצִפֹּֽר׃tzi.PorH6834:

19Godאֵל֙'elH410isnot a manאִ֥ישׁ'ishH376,that he should lieוִֽיכַזֵּ֔בvi.kha.ZevH3576;neither the sonוּבֶן־u.ven-H1121of manאָדָ֖ם'a.DamH120,that he should repentוְיִתְנֶחָ֑םve.yit.ne.ChamH5162:hath he saidאָמַר֙'a.MarH559,and shall he not doיַעֲשֶׂ֔הya.'a.SehH6213it?or hath he spokenוְדִבֶּ֖רve.di.BerH1696,and shall he not make it goodיְקִימֶֽנָּה׃ye.ki.Me.nahH6965?

20Behold, I have receivedלָקָ֑חְתִּיla.Ka.che.tiH3947commandmentto blessבָרֵ֖ךְva.RekhH1288:and he hath blessedוּבֵרֵ֖ךְu.ve.RekhH1288;and I cannot reverseאֲשִׁיבֶֽנָּה׃'a.shi.Ve.nahH7725it.

21He hath not beheldהִבִּ֥יטhi.BitH5027iniquityאָ֙וֶן֙'a.venH205in Jacobבְּיַעֲקֹ֔בbe.ya.'a.KoH3290,neither hath he seenרָאָ֥הra.'AhH7200perversenessעָמָ֖ל'a.MalH5999in Israelבְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑לbe.Yis.ra.'ElH3478:Yhwhיְהוָ֤הYah.wehH3068his Godאֱלֹהָיו֙'e.lo.HavH430iswith him, and the shoutוּתְרוּעַ֥תu.te.ru.'AtH8643of a kingמֶ֖לֶךְMe.lekhH4428is among them.

22Godאֵ֖ל'elH410brought them outמוֹצִיאָ֣םmo.tzi.'AmH3318of Egyptמִמִּצְרָ֑יִםmi.mitz.Ra.yimH4714;he hath as it were the strengthכְּתוֹעֲפֹ֥תke.to.'a.FotH8443of an unicornרְאֵ֖םre.'EmH7214.

23Surely there isno enchantmentנַ֙חַשׁ֙na.chashH5173against Jacobבְּיַעֲקֹ֔בbe.ya.'a.KoH3290, neither is thereany divinationקֶ֖סֶםKe.semH7081against Israelבְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑לbe.Yis.ra.'ElH3478:according to this timeכָּעֵ֗תka.'EtH6256it shall be saidיֵאָמֵ֤רye.'a.MerH559of Jacobלְיַעֲקֹב֙le.ya.'a.KoH3290and of Israelוּלְיִשְׂרָאֵ֔לu.le.Yis.ra.'ElH3478,What hath Godאֵֽל׃'ElH410wroughtפָּ֖עַלPa.'alH6466!

24Behold, the peopleעָם֙'amH5971shall rise upיָק֔וּםya.KumH6965as a great lionכְּלָבִ֣יאke.la.Vi'H3833,and lift upיִתְנַשָּׂ֑אyit.na.Sa'H5375himself as a young lionוְכַאֲרִ֖יve.kha.'a.RiH738:he shall not lie downיִשְׁכַּב֙yish.KavH7901until he eatיֹ֣אכַלYo.khalH398ofthe preyטֶ֔רֶףTe.refH2964,and drinkיִשְׁתֶּֽה׃yish.TehH8354the bloodוְדַם־ve.dam-H1818of the slainחֲלָלִ֖יםcha.la.LimH2491.

25And Balakבָּלָק֙ba.LakH1111saidוַיֹּ֤אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559unto Balaamבִּלְעָ֔םbil.'AmH1109,Neither curseH5344them at allH6895,nor blessבָּרֵ֖ךְba.RekhH1288them at allתְבָרֲכֶֽנּוּ׃te.va.ra.Khe.nuH1288.

26But Balaamבִּלְעָ֔םbil.'AmH1109answeredוַיַּ֣עַןvai.Ya.'anH6030and saidוַיֹּ֖אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559unto Balakבָּלָ֑קba.LakH1111,Toldדִּבַּ֤רְתִּיdi.Bar.tiH1696not I thee, sayingלֵאמֹ֔רle.MorH559,all that Yhwhיְהוָ֖הYah.wehH3068speakethיְדַבֵּ֥רye.da.BerH1696,that I must doאֶֽעֱשֶֽׂה׃'E.'e.SehH6213?

27And Balakבָּלָק֙ba.LakH1111saidוַיֹּ֤אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559unto Balaamבִּלְעָ֔םbil.'AmH1109,ComeH3212,I pray thee, I will bringאֶקָּ֣חֲךָ֔'e.Ka.cha.khaH3947thee unto anotherאַחֵ֑ר'a.CherH312placeמָק֖וֹםma.KomH4725;peradventure it will pleaseיִישַׁר֙ בְּעֵינֵ֣יyi.Shar be.'ei.NeiH5869 H3474Godהָאֱלֹהִ֔יםha.'E.lo.HimH430that thou mayest curseוְקַבֹּ֥תוֹve.ka.Bo.tovH6895me them from thence.

28And Balakבָּלָ֖קba.LakH1111broughtוַיִּקַּ֥חvai.yi.KachH3947Balaamבִּלְעָ֑םbil.'AmH1109unto the topרֹ֣אשׁroshH7218of Peorהַפְּע֔וֹרha.pe.'orH6465,that lookethהַנִּשְׁקָ֖ףha.nish.KafH8259towardפְּנֵ֥יpe.NeiH6440Jeshimonהַיְשִׁימֹֽן׃hay.shi.MonH3452.

29And Balaamבִּלְעָם֙bil.'AmH1109saidוַיֹּ֤אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559unto Balakבָּלָ֔קba.LakH1111,Buildבְּנֵה־be.neh-H1129me here sevenשִׁבְעָ֣הshiv.'AhH7651altarsמִזְבְּחֹ֑תmiz.be.ChotH4196,and prepareוְהָכֵ֥ןve.ha.KhenH3559me here sevenשִׁבְעָ֥הshiv.'AhH7651bullocksפָרִ֖יםfa.RimH6499and sevenוְשִׁבְעָ֥הve.shiv.'AhH7651ramsאֵילִֽים׃'ei.LimH352.

30And Balakבָּלָ֔קba.LakH1111didוַיַּ֣עַשׂvai.Ya.'asH6213as Balaamבִּלְעָ֑םbil.'AmH1109had saidאָמַ֣ר'a.MarH559,and offeredוַיַּ֛עַלvai.Ya.'alH5927a bullockפָּ֥רparH6499and a ramוָאַ֖יִלva.'A.yilH352on everyaltarבַּמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃ba.miz.Be.achH4196.

Commentaries on Numbers 23