¹sn For a thorough study of the arrangement of this passage, see E. B. Smick, “A Study of the Structure of the Third Balaam Oracle,” in The Law and the Prophets, ed. by J. H. Skilton (Nutley, N. J.: Presbyterian and Reformed, 1974), 242-52. He sees the oracle as having an introductory strophe (vv. 3, 4), followed by two stanzas (vv. 5, 6) that introduce the body (vv. 7b-9b) before the final benediction (v. 9b).
²tn Heb “it was good in the eyes of the Lord.”
³tn Heb “as time after time.”
⁴tn The word n^ehasim (<yv!j*n+) means “omens,” or possibly “auguries.” Balaam is not even making a pretense now of looking for such things, because they are not going to work. God has overruled them.
⁵tn The idiom signifies that he had a determination and resolution to look out over where the Israelites were, so that he could appreciate more their presence and use that as the basis for his expressing of the oracle.
⁶tn Heb “living according to their tribes.”
⁷tn Heb “and he took up his oracle and said.”
⁸tn The word n^e’um (<a%n+) is an “oracle.” It is usually followed by a subjective genitive, indicating the doer of the action. The word could be rendered “says,” but this translations is more specific.
⁹tn The Greek version reads “the one who sees truly.” The word has been interpreted in both ways, “shut” or “open.”
¹⁰tn The phrase “flat on the ground” is supplied in the translation for clarity. The Greek version interprets the line to mean “falling asleep.” It may mean falling into a trance.
¹¹tn The last colon simply has “falling, but opened eyes.” The falling may simply refer to lying prone; and the opened eyes may refer to his receiving a vision. (see H. E. Freeman, An Introduction to the Old Testament Prophets (Chicago: Moody, 1968), 37-41.
¹²tn Here mah (hm*) has an exclamatory sense, “How!” (see Gen 28:17).
¹³tn Heb “as valleys they spread forth.”
¹⁴tn Or “rows of palms.”
¹⁵sn The language seems to be more poetic than precise. Snaith notes that cedars do not grow beside water; he also connects “aloes” to the eaglewood that is more exotic, and capable of giving off an aroma (see Numbers, 298).
¹⁶tc For this colon the Greek translation has “a man shall come out of his seed.” Cf. the Syriac Peshitta and Targum.
¹⁷tn Heb “many.”
¹⁸sn These two lines are a little difficult, but the general sense is that of irrigation buckets and a well-watered land. The point is that Israel will be prosperous and fruitful.
¹⁹sn Many commentators see this as a reference to Agag of 1 Sam 15:32-33, the Amalekite king slain by Samuel, for that is the one we know. But that is by no means clear, for this text does not identify this Agag. If it is that king, then this poem, or this line in this poem, would have to be later, unless one were to try to argue for a specific prophecy. Whoever this Agag is, he is a symbol of power.
²⁰tn Heb “they will devour nations,” their adversaries.
²¹tn On the usage of this word see HALOT 2:517.
²²sn This is apparently a sign of contempt or derision (see Job 27:23; and Lam 2:15).
²³tn The construction is emphatic, using the infinitive absolute with the perfect tense for “bless.”
²⁴tn Heb “I am not able to go beyond.”
²⁵tn Heb “mouth.”
²⁶tn Heb “from my heart.”
²⁷tn The construction is the particle hinneh (hN}h!) 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.”
²⁸tn Heb “in the latter days.” For more on this expression, see E. Lipinski, VT 20 (1970): 445-50.
²⁹tn Heb “and he took up his oracle and said.”
³⁰tn Heb “near.”
³¹sn This is a figure for a king (see also Isa 14:12) not only in the Bible but in the ancient Near Eastern literature as a whole. The immediate reference of the prophecy seems to be to David, but the eschatological theme goes beyond him. There is to be a connection made between this passage and the sighting of a star in its ascendancy by the magi, who then journeyed to Bethlehem to see the one born King of the Jews (Matt 2:2). The expression “son of a star” (Aram Bar Kochba) became a title for a later claimant to kingship, but he was doomed by the Romans in a.d. 135.
³²tn The verb is the perfect tense with vav consecutive; it is equal to the imperfect expressing the future. The verb darak (ErD), related to the noun “way, road,” seems to mean something like tread on, walk, march.”
³³sn The “scepter” is metonymical for a king who will rise to power. NEB strangely rendered this as “comet” to make a parallel with “star.”
³⁴tn The word is literally “corners,” but may refer to the corners of the head, and so “skull.”
³⁵tc The MT reads “shatter, devastate.” The Samaritan Pentateuch reads qodqod (dq)d+q), “head; crown; pate.” The Samaritan Pentateuch follows Jer 48:45 which appears to reflect Num 24:17.
³⁶sn The prophecy begins to be fulfilled when David defeated Moab and Edom and established an empire including them. But the Messianic promise extends far beyond that to the end of the age and the inclusion of these defeated people in the program of the coming King.
³⁷sn Seir is the chief mountain range of Edom (Deut 33:2), and so the reference here is to the general area of Edom.
³⁸tn Heb “and he lifted up his oracle and said.” So also in vv. 21, 23.
³⁹sn This probably means that it held first place, or it thought that it was “the first of the nations.” It was not the first, either in order or greatness.
⁴⁰sn A pun is made on the name Kenite by using the word “your nest” (qinneka [;N\q!]); the location may be the rocky cliffs overlooking Petra.
⁴¹tc Heb “Nevertheless Cain will be wasted; how long will Asshur take you captive?” Cain was believed to be the ancestor of the Kenites. The NAB has “yet destined for burning, even as I watch, are your inhabitants.” Asshur may refer to a north Arabian group of people of Abrahamic stock (Gen 25:3), and not the Assyrian empire.
⁴²tc Because there is no parallel line, some have thought that it dropped out (see de Vaulx, Les Nombres, 296).
⁴³tc The MT is difficult. The Kittim refers normally to Cyprus, or any maritime people to the west. Albright proposed emending the line to “islands will gather in the north, ships from the distant sea” (JBL 63 [1944]: 222-23). Some commentators, including R. K. Harrison, accept that reading as the original state of the text, since the present MT makes little sense.
sn R. de Vaux sees this as a prophecy of the invasion of the Sea Peoples (Philistines) in the 13th and 12th centuries b.c.; he may be correct as far as the initial application. The prophets will have much more to say about such invasions.
⁴⁴tn Or “it will end in utter destruction.”