So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the fees for divination in their hand …: This verse may seem repetitive after “Balak … sent messengers to Balaam…” in verses 4-5. However, this is typical Hebrew narrative style. The text now specifies that the messengers were the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian (see verse 4). The addition of Midian is perhaps puzzling, but this may suggest that the two nations indeed forged an alliance against Israel, whom they viewed as a common threat. With the fees for divination in their hand is literally “and divinations in their hand.” The root of the Hebrew noun for “divinations” (qesem) means “to foretell the future.” Here this noun is traditionally understood as a metonym referring to “the fee for divination” (New International Version), or perhaps simply the down payment necessary to initiate this activity. In some languages it will be more natural to translate “salary for the diviner” (La Bible de Jérusalem: Nouvelle édition revue et corrigée) or “gifts for the diviner” (Nouvelle Bible Segond). Good News Bible specifies what kind of divination is in view here by saying “payment for the curse.” Such a specific rendering seems unnecessary, except in languages where it would be difficult to find a generic term for divination or “diviner,” or in cultures where diviners do not curse but deal only in revealing secret things, including the future. Instead of fees for divination, Rashi and Rashbam proposed that the Hebrew term here refers to divination tools, that is, representative models of omens, such as ceramic sheep livers found by archaeologists. If so, Balak would have been dissatisfied with the readings of his own diviners and would have sent the model of the divination results to Balaam for a second opinion, more favorable to what he wanted to hear.

And they came to Balaam may be rendered “and they went to Balaam” (similarly Good News Bible).

And gave him Balak’s message is literally “and they spoke to him the words of Balak.” The messengers reported what Balak said in verses 5b-6. Traduction œcuménique de la Bible says “they reported to him the words of Balak” (similarly Nouvelle Bible Segond).

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 .