1
Numbers 22
(22:1)
‫“ = נסע‬pull out or up, set out, journey” under BDB 652a. Akk nisû “set out, withdraw”. Arb
nazaʿa “pull up, away”.
‫“ = ע ֲָרבָ ה‬desert-plain, steppe” under BDB 787a. Root ‫ ערב‬IV = “be arid, sterile”.
(22:2)
(22:3)
‫ גּור‬III = “dread” under BDB 158b.
‫“ = קּוץ‬feel a loathing, abhorrence, sickening dread” under BDB 880b. Parallel root ‫קוט‬. Arm ‫קְ נַט‬
“loathe”.
(22:4)
‫“ = לחְך‬lick” under BDB 535a. Arm ‫לְ חַ ְך‬. Arb laḥika. Text critical note = “SamPent has
singular”.
‫“ = ׁשּור‬head of cattle, bullock, ox” under BDB 1004a. Root ‫ ׁשור‬III = “become raised, excited,
leap, spring”.
‫“ = י ֶֶרק‬green, greenness” under BDB 438b. Root ‫“ = ירק‬grow green, pale, yellow”.
(22:5)
‫“ = מֹול מּול‬front, in front of” under BDB 557b.
‫ – פתורה‬Text critical note = “Syriac (Vulgate) pšwrʾ = ‫ הַ ּפֹותֵ ר‬compare Targum Jonathan”.
‫ – על־הנהר ארץ‬Text critical note = “Septuagint (Vulgate) επι του ποταμου γης = ‫”?על־נְ הַ ר ארץ‬
Looks like translators had a little trouble with the syntax here. Why definite article with noun in
construct?
‫ – בני־עמו‬Text critical note = “a few manuscripts, SamPent, Septugaint, Vulgate ‫ – עַּמֹון‬is this the
land of Amau between Aleppo and Carchemish?”
(22:6)
2
‫“ = ארר‬curse” under BDB 76b. Akk arāru “bind and curse”. Note form Qal imperative 2ms ‫אָ ָרה‬.
‫“ = עָצּום‬mighty, numerous” under BDB 783a. Root ‫“ = עצם‬be vast, mighty, numerous”.
‫ – ואׁשר‬Text critical note = “SamPent ‫”ויאר‬.
‫“ = גרׁש‬drive out, cast out” under BDB 176a. Arm ‫ גְ ַרׁש‬Pael, Itpael (of divorce).
Note forms ‫תָ אֹ ר יּואָ ר‬. ‫ = יּואָ ר‬Hophal prefix 3ms.
(22:7)
‫“ = קֶ סֶ ם‬divination” under BDB 890b. Text critical note = “SamPent, Syriac ‫ וקסמיהם‬so ‘and their
divination (tools?)’”.
(22:8)
‫“ = לִ ין לּון‬lodge, pass the night, (figurative) abide” under BDB 533b.
(22:9)
Note that God(?) ‫ אלהים‬has to ask Bilaam who are these men with him? Does he not know?
Who is this?
(22:10)
‫ – אלי‬Text critical note = “Septugaint (Syriac, Vulgate) add ‘saying’”.
(22:11)
‫ קבב‬II = “utter a curse against, curse” under BDB 866b.
(22:12)
(22:13)
‫ – ארצכם‬Text critical note = “Septuagint reads ‘your lord/master’”.
‫ = מאן‬Piel “refuse” under BDB 549a. Arb maʾana “sustain, maintain”(???).
‫ = יהוה‬Text critical note = “Septuagint* reads ο θεος ‘God’”.
(22:14)
3
(22:15)
‫“ = כבד‬be heavy, weighty, burdensome, honoured”, Niphal “made heavy, honoured, glorious”.
Ph PN ‫כבדת‬. Akk kabādu or kabātu “grow or be heavy”. Arb kabadu(n) “difficulty, distress”.
Zinj ‫“ = כבדו‬honour”. Sab ‫“ כבודת‬gifts of honour”.
(22:16)
‫“ = מנע‬withhold, hold back” under BDB 586a. Zinj ‫מנע‬. Arb manaʿa. Sab ‫מנע‬. Arm ‫מנַע‬.
ְ
(22:17)
(22:18)
‫ – אלהי‬Text critical note = “Septuagint72, Latin, Arabic(?) omit, Septuagint* reads ‘God’”.
(22:19)
Note ‫דבר עמי‬.
(22:20)
(22:21)
(22:22)
‫“ = חרה‬burn, be kindled (of anger)” under BDB 354a. Arm ‫ חרי‬Pael “cause fire to burn (rare)”.
Zinj ‫“ חרא‬anger”. Arb ḥarwatu(n) “burning sensation, in throat (rage and pain)”.
‫“ = ׂשטן‬be or act as adversary” under BDB 966b. Rare.
‫ – הולְך‬Text critical note = “SamPent ‫ הלך‬so ‫ ?הָ לְַך‬compare Septuagint, Syriac”.
(22:23)
‫“ = ׁשלף‬draw out, off” under BDB 1025a.
Note use of ‫ נטה‬in sense of “turn” here.
(22:24)
‫“ = ִמ ְׁשעֹול‬hollow way, road shut in” under BDB 1043b. Hapax? Root ‫“ = ׁשעל‬deep, depth”.
4
‫“ = גדר‬wall up or off, build a wall” under BDB 154b. Denominative? Arb jadar.
(22:25)
‫“ = לחץ‬squeeze, press, oppress” under BDB 537b. Arb laḥḥaṣa.
‫“ = קִ יר‬wall” under BDB 885b. Root unknown.
(22:26)
‫“ = צַ ר‬narrow, tight” under BDB 865a.
(22:27)
‫“ = רבץ‬stretch oneself out, lie down, lie stretched out” under BDB 918a.
‫“ = מַ קֵ ל‬rod, staff” under BDB 596a. Root unclear.
(22:28)
(22:29)
‫ = עלל‬Poel “act severely (toward)”, Hitpael “deal wantonly, ruthlessly” under BDB 759b.
Abuse? Note Hitpael not Hitpolel. Text critical note = “SamPent ‫ הִ תעללתי‬so ‘I abused’”. Why
1cs here???
(22:30)
‫“ = סכן‬be of use or service, benefit”, Hiphil “be familiar with, know intimately” under BDB
698a. Use of ‫ סכן‬here a little unclear and difficult.
(22:31)
‫“ = גלה‬uncover, remove”, Piel “uncover, disclose, make known” under BDB 162b. Akk jāla “be
or become clear, uncovered; display, reveal, declare; go forth, emigrate”. Arm ‫גְ לָא‬.
‫“ = קדד‬bow down” under BDB 869a. Akk (including EA) qadādu “bow down”.
‫ – ויׁשתחו‬Text critical note = “SamPent ‫ ??? = ”ויׁשתחוי‬Different form?
(22:32)
5
‫“ = ירט‬be precipitate, precipitate” under BDB 437b. Arb warraṭa “conjecit, paecipitem dedit”.
Not sure how translators get “push, shove, be steep, perverse” out of this.
(22:33)
Syntax a little difficult. Note use of ‫ כי עתה גם‬...‫אולי‬.
(22:34)
(22:35)
‫“ = אֶ פֶס‬end, extremity” (in phrase “ends, extreme limits (of the earth)”) under BDB 67a. Root
‫“ = אפס‬cease, fail, come to an end”. Here used privatively = “except, only”.
(22:36)
‫“ = גְ בּול‬border, boundary, territory” under BDB 147b. Punic gululim. Root ‫“ = גבל‬twist, wind ->
bound, mix, knead”. Something to do with a rope that marks a boundary?
(22:37)
‫“ = א ְֻמנָם‬verily, truly, indeed” (always in interrogative) under BDB 53b. Root ‫“ = אמן‬confirm,
support”.
(22:38)
(22:39)
(22:40)
(22:41)