Revised Version 1895

Numbers 23

1AndBalaamבִּלְעָם֙bil.'AmH1109saidוַיֹּ֤אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559untoBalakבָּלָ֔קba.LakH1111,Buildבְּנֵה־be.neh-H1129meH413hereבָזֶ֖הva.ZehH2088sevenשִׁבְעָ֣הshiv.'AhH7651altarsמִזְבְּחֹ֑תmiz.be.ChotH4196, andprepareוְהָכֵ֥ןve.ha.KhenH3559meH413hereבָּזֶ֔הba.ZehH2088sevenשִׁבְעָ֥הshiv.'AhH7651bullocks andsevenוְשִׁבְעָ֥הve.shiv.'AhH7651ramsאֵילִֽים׃'ei.LimH352.

2AndBalakבָּלָ֔קba.LakH1111didוַיַּ֣עַשׂvai.Ya.'asH6213asBalaamבִּלְעָ֑םbil.'AmH1109hadspokenדִּבֶּ֣רdi.BerH1696; andBalakבָּלָ֧קba.LakH1111andBalaamוּבִלְעָ֛םu.vil.'AmH1109offeredוַיַּ֨עַלvai.Ya.'alH5927on everyaltarבַּמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃ba.miz.Be.achH4196a bullock and aramוָאַ֖יִלva.'A.yilH352.

3AndBalaamבִּלְעָ֜םbil.'AmH1109saidוַיֹּ֨אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559untoBalakלְבָלָ֗קle.va.LakH1111,Standהִתְיַצֵּב֮hit.ya.TzevH3320by thyburntעֹלָתֶךָ֒'o.la.te.KhaH5930offering, and I will go; peradventure theLORDיְהוָה֙Yah.wehH3068willcomeיִקָּרֵ֤הyi.ka.RehH7136tomeetH7125meH5046: and whatsoever he shewethmeH5046I willtellוְהִגַּ֣דְתִּיve.hi.Gad.tiH5046thee. And hewentH7125to abareשֶֽׁפִי׃She.fiH8205height.

4AndGodאֱלֹהִ֖ים'E.lo.HimH430metוַיִּקָּ֥רvai.yi.KarH7136Balaamבִּלְעָ֑םbil.'AmH1109: and hesaidוַיֹּ֣אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559unto him, I have prepared thesevenשִׁבְעַ֤תshiv.'AtH7651altarsהַֽמִּזְבְּחֹת֙ha.miz.be.ChotH4196, and I haveofferedוָאַ֛עַלva.'A.'alH5927upH5927a bullock and aramוָאַ֖יִלva.'A.yilH352on everyaltarבַּמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃ba.miz.Be.achH4196.

5And theLORDיְהוָ֛הYah.wehH3068putוַיָּ֧שֶׂםvai.Ya.semH7760awordדָּבָ֖רda.VarH1697inBalaam’sבִלְעָ֑םvil.'AmH1109mouthבְּפִ֣יbe.FiH6310, andsaidוַיֹּ֛אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559,Returnשׁ֥וּבshuvH7725untoBalakבָּלָ֖קba.LakH1111, andthusוְכֹ֥הve.KhohH3541thou shaltspeakתְדַבֵּֽר׃te.da.BerH1696.

6And hereturnedוַיָּ֣שָׁבvai.Ya.shovH7725unto him, and,loוְהִנֵּ֥הve.hi.NehH2009, hestoodנִצָּ֖בni.TzavH5324by hisburntעֹלָת֑וֹo.la.ToH5930offering, he, andallוְכָל־ve.kholH3605theprincesשָׂרֵ֥יsa.ReiH8269ofMoabמוֹאָֽב׃mo.'AvH4124.

7And hetookH5375upH5375hisparableמְשָׁל֖וֹme.sha.LoH4912, andsaidוַיֹּאמַ֑רvai.yo.MarH559, FromAramאֲ֠רָם'A.romH758hathBalakבָלָ֤קva.LakH1111broughtH5375meH4480, Thekingמֶֽלֶךְ־Me.lekh-H4428ofMoabמוֹאָב֙mo.'AvH4124from themountainsמֵֽהַרְרֵי־me.ha.rei-H2042of theEastקֶ֔דֶםKe.demH6924: Come,curseאָֽרָה־'a.rah-H779meH4480Jacobיַעֲקֹ֔בya.'a.KoH3290, And come, defyIsraelיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃Yis.ra.'ElH3478.

8Howמָ֣הmahH4100shall IcurseH6895,whomH6895Godאֵ֑ל'ElH410hathnotלֹ֥אlo'H3808cursedH6895? Andhowוּמָ֣הu.MahH4100shall I defy,whomH6895theLORDיְהוָֽה׃Yah.wehH3068hathnotלֹ֥אlo'H3808defied?

9For from thetopמֵרֹ֤אשׁme.RoshH7218of therocksצֻרִים֙tzu.RimH6697Iseeאֶרְאֶ֔נּוּ'er.'E.nuH7200him, And from thehillsוּמִגְּבָע֖וֹתu.mi.ge.va.'otH1389IbeholdH2005him:LoH2005, it is apeopleעָם֙'amH5971thatdwellיִשְׁכֹּ֔ןyish.KonH7931aloneלְבָדָ֣דle.va.DadH910, And shallnotלֹ֥אlo'H3808bereckonedיִתְחַשָּֽׁב׃yit.cha.ShavH2803among thenationsוּבַגּוֹיִ֖םu.va.go.YimH1471.

10Whocanמִ֤יmiH4310countמָנָה֙ma.NahH4487thedustעֲפַ֣ר'a.FarH6083ofJacobיַעֲקֹ֔בya.'a.KoH3290, Ornumberוּמִסְפָּ֖רu.mis.ParH4557thefourthרֹ֣בַעRoa'H7255partH319ofIsraelיִשְׂרָאֵ֑לYis.ra.'ElH3478?LetH1961meנַפְשִׁי֙naf.ShiH5315dieתָּמֹ֤תta.MotH4191thedeathH4191of the righteous, AndletH1961mylastH319endאַחֲרִיתִ֖י'a.cha.ri.TiH319be like his!

11AndBalakבָּלָק֙ba.LakH1111saidוַיֹּ֤אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559untoBalaamבִּלְעָ֔םbil.'AmH1109,Whatמֶ֥הmehH4100hast thoudoneעָשִׂ֖יתָ'a.Si.taH6213untomeאֶל־'el-H413? Itookלְקַחְתִּ֔יךָle.kach.Ti.khaH3947thee tocurseלָקֹ֤בla.KoH6895mineenemiesאֹיְבַי֙'o.ye.VaiH341, and,beholdוְהִנֵּ֖הve.hi.NehH2009, thou hastblessedH1288them altogether.

12And heansweredH559andsaidH559,MustH853Inotהֲלֹ֗אha.Lo'H3808takeאֶשְׁמֹ֖ר'esh.MorH8104heedH8104tospeakלְדַבֵּֽר׃le.da.BerH1696thatwhichאֲשֶׁ֨ר'a.SherH834theLORDיְהוָה֙Yah.wehH3068putteth in mymouthבְּפִ֔יbe.FiH6310?

13AndBalakבָּלָ֗קba.LakH1111saidוַיֹּ֨אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559unto him, Come, I pray thee, withmeאֵלָ֜יו'e.LavH413untoanotherאַחֵר֙'a.CherH312placeמָק֤וֹםma.KomH4725, from whence thou mayestseeתִּרְאֶ֣נּוּtir.'E.nuH7200them; thou shaltseeתִרְאֶ֔הtir.'EhH7200but the utmost part of them, and shaltnotלֹ֣אlo'H3808seeתִרְאֶ֑הtir.'EhH7200themallוְכֻלּ֖וֹve.khu.LoH3605: andcurseוְקָבְנוֹ־ve.ka.ve.nov-H6895meאֶל־'el-H413them from thence.

14And hetookוַיִּקָּחֵ֙הוּ֙vai.yi.ka.Che.huH3947himintoאֶל־'el-H413thefieldשְׂדֵ֣הse.DehH7704ofZophimצֹפִ֔יםtzo.FimH6839, to thetopרֹ֖אשׁroshH7218ofPisgahהַפִּסְגָּ֑הha.pis.GahH6449, andbuiltוַיִּ֙בֶן֙vai.Yi.venH1129sevenשִׁבְעָ֣הshiv.'AhH7651altarsמִזְבְּחֹ֔תmiz.be.ChotH4196, andofferedוַיַּ֛עַלvai.Ya.'alH5927upH5927a bullock and aramוָאַ֖יִלva.'A.yilH352oneveryH7218altarבַּמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃ba.miz.Be.achH4196.

15And hesaidוַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙vai.Yo.merH559untoBalakבָּלָ֔קba.LakH1111,Standהִתְיַצֵּ֥בhit.ya.TzevH3320hereH3541by thyburntעֹלָתֶ֑ךָ'o.la.Te.khaH5930offering,whileעַל־'al-H5921Imeetאִקָּ֥רֶה'i.Ka.rehH7136the LORD yonder.

16And theLORDיְהוָה֙Yah.wehH3068metוַיִּקָּ֤רvai.yi.KarH7136Balaamבִּלְעָ֔םbil.'AmH1109, andputוַיָּ֥שֶׂםvai.Ya.semH7760awordדָּבָ֖רda.VarH1697in hismouthבְּפִ֑יוbe.FivH6310, andsaidוַיֹּ֛אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559,Returnשׁ֥וּבshuvH7725untoBalakבָּלָ֖קba.LakH1111, andthusוְכֹ֥הve.KhohH3541shalt thouspeakתְדַבֵּֽר׃te.da.BerH1696.

17And hecameוַיָּבֹ֣אvai.ya.Vo'H935to him, and,loוְהִנּ֤וֹve.hi.NoH2009, hestoodנִצָּב֙ni.TzavH5324by hisburntעֹ֣לָת֔וֹo.la.ToH5930offering, and theprincesוְשָׂרֵ֥יve.sa.ReiH8269ofMoabמוֹאָ֖בmo.'AvH4124with him. AndBalakבָּלָ֔קba.LakH1111saidוַיֹּ֤אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559unto him,Whatמַה־mah-H4100hath theLORDיְהוָֽה׃Yah.wehH3068spokenדִּבֶּ֖רdi.BerH1696?

18And hetookוַיִּשָּׂ֥אvai.yi.Sa'H5375upH6965hisparableמְשָׁל֖וֹme.sha.LoH4912, andsaidוַיֹּאמַ֑רvai.yo.MarH559,RiseH6965upH6965,Balakבָּלָק֙ba.LakH1111, andhearוּֽשֲׁמָ֔עu.sha.Ma'H8085; Hearken untomeH1121, thousonבְּנ֥וֹbe.NoH1121ofZipporצִפֹּֽר׃tzi.PorH6834:

19Godאֵל֙'elH410isnotH3808amanH376, that he shouldlieוִֽיכַזֵּ֔בvi.kha.ZevH3576;NeitherH3808thesonוּבֶן־u.ven-H1121ofmanH376, that he shouldrepentוְיִתְנֶחָ֑םve.yit.ne.ChamH5162: Hath hesaidאָמַר֙'a.MarH559, and shall henotH3808doH6213it? Or hath hespokenוְדִבֶּ֖רve.di.BerH1696, and shall henotH3808makeH6213itgoodיְקִימֶֽנָּה׃ye.ki.Me.nahH6965?

20Beholdהִנֵּ֥הhi.NehH2009, I havereceivedלָקָ֑חְתִּיla.Ka.che.tiH3947commandment toblessבָרֵ֖ךְva.RekhH1288: And he hathblessedוּבֵרֵ֖ךְu.ve.RekhH1288, and Icannotוְלֹ֥אve.Lo'H3808reverseאֲשִׁיבֶֽנָּה׃'a.shi.Ve.nahH7725it.

21He hathnotלֹֽא־lo'-H3808beheldהִבִּ֥יטhi.BitH5027iniquityאָ֙וֶן֙'a.venH205inJacobבְּיַעֲקֹ֔בbe.ya.'a.KoH3290,Neitherוְלֹא־ve.lo'-H3808hath heseenרָאָ֥הra.'AhH7200perverseness inIsraelבְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑לbe.Yis.ra.'ElH3478: TheLORDיְהוָ֤הYah.wehH3068hisGodאֱלֹהָיו֙'e.lo.HavH430is with him, And theshoutוּתְרוּעַ֥תu.te.ru.'AtH8643of akingמֶ֖לֶךְMe.lekhH4428is among them.

22Godאֵ֖ל'elH410bringeth themforthH3318outH3318ofEgyptמִמִּצְרָ֑יִםmi.mitz.Ra.yimH4714; He hath as it were the strength of the wild-ox.

23SurelyH3588there isnoלֹא־lo'-H3808enchantment withJacobבְּיַעֲקֹ֔בbe.ya.'a.KoH3290,Neitherוְלֹא־ve.lo'-H3808is thereanyH3588divinationקֶ֖סֶםKe.semH7081withIsraelבְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑לbe.Yis.ra.'ElH3478:NowH3588shall it besaidיֵאָמֵ֤רye.'a.MerH559ofJacobלְיַעֲקֹב֙le.ya.'a.KoH3290and ofIsraelוּלְיִשְׂרָאֵ֔לu.le.Yis.ra.'ElH3478,Whatמַה־mah-H4100hathGodאֵֽל׃'ElH410wroughtפָּ֖עַלPa.'alH6466!

24Beholdהֶן־hen-H2005, thepeopleעָם֙'amH5971risethupH6965as alionessכְּלָבִ֣יאke.la.Vi'H3833, And as alionוְכַאֲרִ֖יve.kha.'a.RiH738doth heliftיִתְנַשָּׂ֑אyit.na.Sa'H5375himselfH8354upH6965: He shallnotלֹ֤אlo'H3808lieיִשְׁכַּב֙yish.KavH7901downH7901untilעַד־'ad-H5704heeatיֹ֣אכַלYo.khalH398of thepreyטֶ֔רֶףTe.refH2964, Anddrinkיִשְׁתֶּֽה׃yish.TehH8354thebloodוְדַם־ve.dam-H1818of theslainחֲלָלִ֖יםcha.la.LimH2491.

25AndBalakבָּלָק֙ba.LakH1111saidוַיֹּ֤אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559untoBalaamבִּלְעָ֔םbil.'AmH1109,Neitherלֹ֣אlo'H3808curseH6895them atallH6895,norלֹ֥אlo'H3808blessH1288them atallH6895.

26ButBalaamבִּלְעָ֔םbil.'AmH1109answeredH559andsaidH559untoBalakבָּלָ֑קba.LakH1111,ToldH559notהֲלֹ֗אha.Lo'H3808I thee,sayingH559,Allכֹּ֛לkolH3605that theLORDיְהוָ֖הYah.wehH3068speaketh, that Imustאֹת֥וֹ'o.ToH853doאֶֽעֱשֶֽׂה׃'E.'e.SehH6213?

27AndBalakבָּלָק֙ba.LakH1111saidוַיֹּ֤אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559untoBalaamבִּלְעָ֔םbil.'AmH1109,ComeH4994nowH4994, I willtakeאֶקָּ֣חֲךָ֔'e.Ka.cha.khaH3947thee untoanotherאַחֵ֑ר'a.CherH312placeמָק֖וֹםma.KomH4725; peradventure it willpleaseנָּא֙na'H4994Godהָאֱלֹהִ֔יםha.'E.lo.HimH430that thou mayestcurseוְקַבֹּ֥תוֹve.ka.Bo.tovH6895meH413them from thence.

28AndBalakבָּלָ֖קba.LakH1111tookוַיִּקַּ֥חvai.yi.KachH3947Balaamבִּלְעָ֑םbil.'AmH1109unto thetopרֹ֣אשׁroshH7218ofPeorהַפְּע֔וֹרha.pe.'orH6465, that lookethdownהַנִּשְׁקָ֖ףha.nish.KafH8259uponעַל־'al-H5921thedesertהַיְשִׁימֹֽן׃hay.shi.MonH3452.

29AndBalaamבִּלְעָם֙bil.'AmH1109saidוַיֹּ֤אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559untoBalakבָּלָ֔קba.LakH1111,Buildבְּנֵה־be.neh-H1129meH413hereבָזֶ֖הva.ZehH2088sevenשִׁבְעָ֣הshiv.'AhH7651altarsמִזְבְּחֹ֑תmiz.be.ChotH4196, andprepareוְהָכֵ֥ןve.ha.KhenH3559meH413hereבָּזֶ֔הba.ZehH2088sevenשִׁבְעָ֥הshiv.'AhH7651bullocks andsevenוְשִׁבְעָ֥הve.shiv.'AhH7651ramsאֵילִֽים׃'ei.LimH352.

30AndBalakבָּלָ֔קba.LakH1111didוַיַּ֣עַשׂvai.Ya.'asH6213asBalaamבִּלְעָ֑םbil.'AmH1109hadsaidאָמַ֣ר'a.MarH559, andofferedוַיַּ֛עַלvai.Ya.'alH5927upH5927a bullock and aramוָאַ֖יִלva.'A.yilH352on everyaltarבַּמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃ba.miz.Be.achH4196.

Commentaries on Numbers 23

Revised Version 1895 — 1895 — Public Domain