For the account of Balak and Balaam, see Numbers 22.1–24.25. The king of Moab, Balak son of Zippor may be translated as “King Balak of Moab” or “Balak, king of Moab,” without the modifier son of Zippor. As with so many of these “son of…” modifiers, so here also it gives information which was important for the Hebrew writer and his readers, but not for present-day readers, and it adds awkwardness to the text.

In verse 9 fought does not agree with the accounts in Numbers 22.6, 11; Deuteronomy 2.9; Judges 11.25, which specify that Balak, in fact, did not go to battle against the Israelites. So some commentators and translations propose “prepared to fight” as the meaning of the verb. It is possible to use the verb in a more general sense of “stood up against” or “opposed.” Some translations use the idiomatic “stood in your way” or “placed himself in your way.” It may be better to translate “opposed.”

Balaam son of Beor may be rendered, “Balaam” (see above comments on “son of Zippor”).

Asked him to put a curse on you may be translated as direct discourse: “asked him, ‘Put a curse on the people of Israel,’ ” The problem, however, is that this would make a third layer of discourse, a quotation within a quotation, which is difficult for many readers. A simpler solution would be to translate the two verb structures sent word and asked by a single verb: “He sent for the prophet Balaam to put a curse on you” or “He sent for the prophet Balaam to come and place a curse on you.”

But I would not listen to Balaam (so also Revised Standard Version) represents a literal rendering of the Hebrew text. The meaning may be expressed “But I would not allow Balaam to place a curse on you.”

So he blessed you may be expressed more fully, “Against his will, he blessed you.” It may also be translated, “Instead I caused him to pronounce a blessing on you.”

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Newman, Barclay M. A Handbook on Joshua. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1983. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .