And Balak said to Balaam: The generic verb said may be rendered “asked” (Contemporary English Version, New Living Translation), since Balak asks Balaam three questions. Only the second one needs an answer from Balaam; Balak’s other questions are rhetorical. (There are no polite formalities of greeting here; Balak gets right to the point!) Balaam’s answer in the next verse actually includes a rhetorical question as well. Translators must distinguish the real question from the rhetorical ones. Also they must use the correct honorific forms if their language uses them. Here both Balak and Balaam would probably use such terms of respect when addressing each other (for example, plural pronouns).

Did I not send to you to call you?: The Hebrew verb for send is repeated here for emphasis, first as an infinitive absolute and then as a finite verb. Models that express the emphasis here are “Had I not sent for you urgently?” (Bijbel: Vertaling in opdracht van het Nederlandsch Bijbelgenootschap, De Nieuwe Bijbelvertaling), “Didn’t I send you an urgent invitation?” (New Living Translation), “Did I not send you an urgent summons?” (New International Version), “Did I not send time and again to summon you?” (Revised English Bible), and “Did I not send for you several times?” As NET Bible comments in a footnote, Balak is showing frustration with Balaam for refusing to come. In some languages it will be helpful to express this rhetorical question as a strong statement, for example, “I have sent for you so urgently” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch) or “I have repeatedly invited you!”

Why did you not come to me?: Luther expresses the exclamatory tone of this question better by saying “Why then did you not come to me?” This rendering makes the connection with the first question more explicit. Compare also De Nieuwe Bijbelvertaling with “Why did you not come before now?” The phrase to me may imply that Balaam had dishonored Balak by not responding quickly to the call of a king.

Good News Translation combines Balak’s first two questions by saying “Why didn’t you come when I sent for you the first time?” (similarly Contemporary English Version, Bible en français courant). Good News Translation changes the first question into a temporal clause (“when I sent for you the first time”), placing it at the end of the sentence. However, it is doubtful that this model adequately expresses Balak’s obvious frustration in his first question.

Am I not able to honor you? is literally “Am I really not able to honor you?” Revised Standard Version omits the Hebrew particle meaning “really” (ʾumnam). A better model for this emphatic rhetorical question is “Am I really not able to reward you?” (New International Version; similarly New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). Good News Translation could be revised to express the emphasis as follows: “Did you really think I wasn’t able to reward you enough?” The king seems to think that Balaam is motivated by greed and does not sufficiently respect his capacity as king. For the sense of honor in this context, see the comments on verse 17.

Quoted with permission from de Regt, Lénart J. and Wendland, Ernst R. A Handbook on Numbers. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .