Moses said to the heads of the tribes of the people of Israel: This verse begins with the Hebrew waw conjunction (literally “And”). Both Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation omit it since the instructions found in this chapter do not necessarily follow after those given in the previous one. The heads of the tribes refers to the tribal leaders. For the Hebrew word rendered tribes (matteh), see 1.4.
This is what the LORD has commanded: Good News Translation omits this clause, perhaps attempting to combine it with the notion of “instructions.” However, in Good News Translation‘s model it sounds as if Moses himself is giving these instructions, which is a rather serious distortion. Among translations that similarly remove the direct speech here are the following more helpful models for this verse: “Then Moses communicated to the chiefs of the tribes of Israel other commands of the Lord” (Bible en français courant) and “The LORD told Moses to say to Israel’s tribal leaders” (Contemporary English Version).
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 .
You must wash your clothes on the seventh day, and you shall be clean: It should not be implied that the soldiers had to use the water of purification, just mentioned in the previous verse, for washing their clothes. The seventh day indicates that their period of ritual confinement outside the camp lasted seven days (see verse 19).
And afterward you shall come into the camp: The Hebrew clause here expresses permission to enter the camp on the seventh day; it is not a command. So it may be rendered “and will be permitted to enter the camp” (Good News Translation), “Then you may return to the camp” (New Living Translation), or “afterward you can return within the camp” (La 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 .
Moses shifts from the past generation to the present one here, so translators may insert a paragraph break at the beginning of this verse (so Contemporary English Version, New International Readers Version).
And behold: The Hebrew word hinneh rendered behold introduces what Moses wants to stress (compare 23.20). This phrase may be rendered “Now look” (NET Bible), “And now you are doing the same” (Bijbel in Gewone Taal; similarly Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch), or “And/But here you are” (New International Version, New Living Translation).
You have risen in your fathers’ stead: Some languages have their own idiom to express the meaning of this clause; for example, Zürcher Bibel translates “you have taken your fathers’ place” (similarly Good News Translation), Chewa has “you have entered into the place of your parents,” and Revised English Bible says “You are … following in your fathers’ footsteps.” For your fathers, see verse 8.
A brood of sinful men describes the present generation of Gadites and Reubenites, not their fathers. The Hebrew root for the word brood (r b h) can mean “become numerous” or “become great.” So King James Version translates this phrase “an increase of sinful men,” Bijbel: Vertaling in opdracht van het Nederlandsch Bijbelgenootschap has “a multitude of sinful men,” and Bible en français courant and Parole de Vie say “band of sinners.” However, the root r b h can also mean “make numerous,” “make great,” or “rear children,” which is how Revised Standard Version understands it by saying brood (so also New Revised Standard Version, New International Version, New Living Translation, NET Bible, ESV, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Zürcher Bibel). Some languages will have to translate this phrase as “you brood of sinners” (similarly TNIV, Die Bibel: Einheitsübersetzung der Heiligen Schrift) or “a new generation of sinners” (Willibrordvertaling) in order to make clear it clear that it refers to the present generation, not to their fathers. SPCL renders this phrase as “you sons of sinful fathers,” and La Biblia: Traducción en Lenguaje Actual says “you, who are as bad as your ancestors.” These renderings wrongly suggest that sinful men refers to the fathers. The Hebrew phrase here does not focus on sin as sinful nature inherited from the fathers. Instead, it focuses on the sin as committed by the people themselves (compare Gen 13.13; so Levine, page 488).
To increase still more the fierce anger of the LORD against Israel is literally “to add more to the burning nose/anger of the LORD to/toward Israel.” For the Hebrew expression rendered fierce anger, see 25.4. Israel may be translated “the Israelites” (NET Bible) or “the people of Israel.” ESV renders this clause in the same way as Revised Standard Version. Good News Translation has “ready to bring down the fierce anger of the LORD on Israel again,” which seems to be a free rendering. A better model is “and making the LORD even more angry with Israel” (New International Version; similarly Contemporary English Version). In some languages it may be helpful to start a new sentence here, saying “You are making the LORD even angrier with Israel” (New Living Translation) or “Do you want the LORD to become even angrier with Israel?” (similarly La Biblia: Traducción en Lenguaje Actual).
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 .
Verses 10-12a form a separate paragraph, describing the eastern border of Israel. Good News Translation condenses this description, which other languages may find helpful.
You shall mark out your eastern boundary from Hazar-enan to Shepham: For You shall mark out your eastern boundary, see the comments on verse 7. Good News Translation begins verse 10 with “The eastern border will follow a line from…,” which some languages may prefer. The exact location of Shepham is unknown since it occurs only here in the Bible.
And the boundary shall go down from Shepham to Riblah on the east side of Ain: The repeated use of the Hebrew verb for go down (yarad) implies that the eastern border goes from higher places in the north to lower places further south. Good News Translation renders go down as “go south,” which is somewhat misleading. It would be better to say “descend south.” The exact location of Riblah and Ain is unknown. Instead of Riblah, Good News Translation has “Harbel” and Bible en français courant says “Harbelah,” which both follow the Septuagint. The Septuagint reading is based on the same consonants of the Hebrew text but on different vowels. Hebrew Old Testament Text has a slight preference for “Harbelah,” but Wevers (page 576) regards the text as uncertain.
And the boundary shall go down, and reach to the shoulder of the sea of Chinnereth on the east: The Hebrew term for shoulder (katef) refers to a mountain slope or a hillside in this context, so Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch renders it “slopes,” and Bijbel in Gewone Taal has “hills.” Instead of the sea of Chinnereth, some translations have “Lake Galilee” (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version), probably because this name is better known. The problem with this rendering is that the name “Galilee” did not yet exist at the time of Israel’s conquest of Canaan. It is better to translate “the Sea/Lake of Chin-nereth” and mention in a footnote that this lake was known in New Testament times as Lake Galilee or Lake Gennesaret (so SPCL). The name Chinnereth means “harp.” The lake apparently had this name because it is shaped somewhat like a harp (so NET Bible footnote; Budd, page 367).
And the boundary shall go down to the Jordan, and its end shall be at the Salt Sea: The territory specified here does not include the area for the tribes east of the Jordan River (see verses 14-15). For the Salt Sea, see verse 3.
This shall be your land with its boundaries all round: Since this sentence refers to all four borders (verses 3-12a) and acts as a concluding summary, Good News Translation helpfully makes it a separate paragraph, saying “These will be the four borders of your land.” However, Good News Translation omits the phrase all round, which should be kept. This phrase specifies the ideal borders of the land as complete and whole, thus emphasizing the implication that the Transjordan is not included (so Knierim and Coats, page 314), a point that is further emphasized in the following paragraph. So a better model here is “These will be the four borders all around your land.”
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 .
You shall not defile the land in which you live: This verse begins very much like verse 33 (see the comments there), although here the Hebrew verb for defile is singular. The LORD has addressed the Israelites in the plural since verse 9, so this singular verb is striking. Translators may follow the ancient translations by using the plural here. However, with this singular verb the LORD seems to be addressing individual Israelites at the end of this section, so some languages may prefer a singular verb (so La Bible de Jérusalem Nouvelle, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). NET Bible renders the Hebrew waw conjunction (literally “And”) at the beginning of this verse as “Therefore” to indicate that it is the ultimate conclusion of the whole section beginning at verse 9. For the Hebrew verb rendered defile, see the comments on 5.3. De Nieuwe Bijbelvertaling says “desecrate.”
In the midst of which I dwell is literally “where I am dwelling in the midst of it.” The pronoun “it” refers to the land, which Revised English Bible makes clear by rendering this clause as “the land in which I dwell.” Good News Translation omits this clause. However, translators should keep the double reference to the LORD “dwelling” in the land and also among the people. The form of the Hebrew verb for dwell suggests a continual mode of dwelling.
For I the LORD dwell in the midst of the people of Israel: The Hebrew particle ki rendered for is a logical connector, but it also introduces a climactic conclusion, with a definite focus upon I the LORD. The regulations in chapter 35 ensure that God’s land, which the new generation is about to receive, remains pure. The fact that Yahweh resides in the land was both a warning (against pollution) and a promise (of blessing) for the people of Israel.
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 .
Verses 12-14 define the legal case concerning a husband who is suspicious of his wife committing adultery, while verse 15 begins the instructions concerning how to deal with the situation. Good News Bible combines verses 12-14 since it rearranges the clauses in these verses. By doing this, Good News Bible makes it clear from the beginning that there are two possibilities: either the wife has been unfaithful or she has not. And while verses 12-15 are one long sentence in the Hebrew text and Revised Standard Version, Good News Bible breaks it into several sentences. So Good News Bible is likely to be a much clearer model.
Say to the people of Israel (see verse 6) introduces a quote within a quote that continues until the end of verse 31. God tells Moses what to say to the Israelites.
If any man’s wife goes astray and acts unfaithfully against him: The Hebrew verb for goes astray implies going on the wrong path. Here it refers to a wife behaving incorrectly, in a way that it makes her husband suspicious. Acts unfaithfully against renders the same strong Hebrew expression translated “breaking faith with” in verse 6 (see the comments there). Here it refers to the wife’s disloyalty to her husband. Adultery violates God’s holiness and threatens the people as a whole, among whom he dwells. A forceful expression is needed in the target language; for example, Chewa has “does unfaithful things to.”
If a man lies with her carnally is literally “and a man lies with her a laying of seed [semen],” which refers to sexual intercourse. New Revised Standard Version says “if a man has had intercourse with her.” As much as possible, translations should take into account that the Hebrew text is even more explicit about the sexual intercourse here than in verse 19, where it says simply “If no man has lain with you.”
And it is hidden from the eyes of her husband and she is undetected though she has defiled herself: Her husband does not know about her adultery since it is kept a secret. She has defiled herself means she has made herself ceremonially unclean.
And there is no witness against her, since she was not taken in the act: No one saw her having sex with another man.
And if the spirit of jealousy comes upon him means the husband becomes jealous. Spirit renders the Hebrew word ruach, which can also mean “wind” or “breath.” Here it means “attitude/mood/feeling,” so the spirit of jealousy may be rendered “a fit of jealousy” (New Jewish Publication Society Version) or “feelings of jealousy” (New International Version).
And he is jealous of his wife who has defiled herself means the husband is suspicious of his wife who has made herself ceremonially unclean by committing adultery.
Or if the spirit of jealousy comes upon him, and he is jealous of his wife, though she has not defiled herself: It is also possible that a husband becomes jealous and suspicious of his wife even though she has not been unfaithful.
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 .
So their posterity perished from Heshbon, as far as Dibon: So renders the Hebrew waw conjunction (literally “And”). Here it introduces a concluding and/or climactic expression, so we prefer “So now” instead of “But now” in Good News Bible. As Revised Standard Version‘s footnote on their posterity perished from Heshbon (similarly Levine) indicates, this rendering follows the Septuagint. Good News Bible is similar with “their descendants are destroyed, All the way from Heshbon.” The Hebrew text actually reads “we have shot at them. Heshbon has perished.” The Septuagint may have read the Hebrew word for “we have shot at them” (niram) as “their shoot” (ninam), which is an image for offspring in this context. Following Rashi, Alter reads the Hebrew verb niram as a noun meaning “their yoke.” To put cattle (or people) under a yoke is to master them. So Alter (taken from Rashi) begins this verse with “And their mastery is lost….” However, the more widely accepted interpretation of the Hebrew word niram is to treat it as a first person plural verb of the root y r h, meaning “we shot at them” (so Rashbam) or “we have cast them down” (New Jewish Publication Society Version; similarly Noth with “we have gained the upper hand”). NFB offers a helpful, if rather prosaic model for this line, saying “But when we shot our arrows at them, everything perished, from Heshbon as far as Dibon.” The pronoun “we” most likely refers to the Israelites who destroyed Heshbon (see the comments on verse 27). (If these were the words of the original Amorite singers, who had praised Sihon’s great victory, it would have been easy for the Israelites to apply these same words to themselves.) Dibon was a Moabite city east of the Dead Sea. The famous Moabite Stone was found there.
And we laid waste until fire spread to Medeba: The Hebrew verb rendered we laid waste is nashim. Good News Bible renders this verb as a place called “Nashim,” which we do not recommend. This verb fits well here as a parallel to “we have shot at them” in the previous line. New Jewish Publication Society Version translates it well with “We have wrought desolation,” and so does New International Version with “We have demolished them.” As the Revised Standard Version footnote on until fire spread to Medeba indicates, this rendering follows the Septuagint and the Samaritan Pentateuch. The Hebrew has “to Nophah which to Medeba.” The Hebrew word for “Nophah” can be read as a verb meaning “is kindled” (Hebrew Old Testament Text Project), and the Hebrew word for “which” (ʾasher) is similar to the word for fire (ʾesh). We recommend the reading in Revised Standard Version (so also Hebrew Old Testament Text Project), since the fire here and the fire in verse 28 form an inclusio, while the Hebrew reduces this phrase to a piece of geographical information. Medeba was a town on the main north-south highway, south of Heshbon and east of the Dead Sea. A possible model for this line is “We have demolished them like a fire as far as Medeba.”
Despite the difficulty of this verse, its general sense and purpose seems clear, for it speaks of the complete destruction of Moab and now also of the Amorites throughout the territory that they had occupied, since Heshbon lay east of the northern end of the Dead Sea, while Dibon lay just north of the Arnon River to the south. Therefore we do not recommend Good News Bible‘s footnote on this verse, which is “Verse 30 in Hebrew is unclear.”
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 .
And Moses gave Gilead to Machir the son of Manasseh: Since verse 39 offers the reason for verse 40, the conjunction And may be rendered “So/so” (New Revised Standard Version, Good News Bible, Contemporary English Version, New International Version, New Living Translation, NET, New Jewish Publication Society Version, Vulgate), “Then/then” (Revised English Bible, Bible en français courant, PV, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, Levine), or “Therefore/therefore” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Dutch Common Language Version). In this context the verb gave is better rendered “allocated,” “apportioned,” or “assigned.” Moses did not assign the land of Gilead just to Machir himself, but to “the clan of Machir” (Good News Bible).
And he settled in it: For settled see 21.25. Since Machir’s whole clan is in view here, this clause may be rendered “and they lived there” (Good News Bible).
TLA combines and reorders verses 39 and 40 to express clearly the relationship between them as follows:
• Moses gave the lands of the region of Gilead to the descendants of Machir, who was the son of Manasseh, because they drove [or, had driven] out the Amorites that lived there. Therefore they settled in that region.
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 .
