complete verse (Numbers 23:10)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Numbers 23:10:

  • Kupsabiny: “The descendants of Jacob are many like the sand,
    Who is able to count the people of Israel?
    It would be better if death could get me while being righteous
    and my life had better come to an end like theirs.’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “The descendants of Jacob who are throngs of people like dust
    is anyone able to count [them]?
    Even one part [of] the Israelites in four parts
    who is able to count [them]?
    May I get to die like a righteous person!
    May my life come [lit.: go] to an end like theirs!"” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “None can-count their numbers which is like dust. May my death be like them who are righteous.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Who can count the descendants of Jacob; they are as numerous as particles of <dust/dirt>?/No one can count the descendants of Jacob; they are as numerous as particles of <dust/dirt>!
    Who can count even a quarter of the Israeli people?/No one can count even a quarter of the Israeli people!
    I wish/hope that I will die like righteous people die;
    I hope that I will die peacefully like they will die.’” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Numbers 23:10

Who can count the dust of Jacob, or number the fourth part of Israel?: These two parallel lines are rhetorical questions. They cite physical evidence for the LORD’s blessing of Israel. Good News Translation expresses their implied negative answer by saying “The descendants of Israel are like the dust—There are too many of them to be counted.” [Who can] number (mi safar in Hebrew) follows the Septuagint and the Samaritan Pentateuch (so also most translations and Hebrew Old Testament Text). The Hebrew text has “a number” (mispar), which does not quite fit the context grammatically. In a footnote Revised Standard Version mentions the following alternative for the Hebrew word rendered fourth part (rovaʿ): “dust clouds.” New Revised Standard Version reverses this, mentioning “fourth part” in a footnote and putting “dust-cloud” in the translation itself. The form of the Hebrew word here is best understood to mean “dust,” in parallel with the first line and referring figuratively to “the dust cloud of Israel” (Ashley, page 472), which means “the myriads of Israel” (Revised English Bible) or “the crowds of Israel” (Bijbel: Vertaling in opdracht van het Nederlandsch Bijbelgenootschap). Compare Gen 16.13.

Let me die the death of the righteous is literally “Let my self [nefesh in Hebrew] die the death of upright [people].” The righteous refers to those who obey God. The righteous people implied here are the Israelites, which is somewhat surprising in light of their past history. Balaam desires to die in the same way they do (so Knierim and Coats, page 257). Good News Translation and a few other translations make it explicit that to die like the righteous is “die in peace.” This surprising wish may be rendered “Let me die as upright people die (similarly New International Readers Version)” or “I want to die like those who obey God” (Parole de Vie).

And let my end be like his: This line is parallel in meaning to the previous one. The singular pronoun his refers to the righteous, which is a plural expression in Hebrew. Possible models for this line are “let my life end like theirs” (New Living Translation) and “end my days like one of them” (similarly Good News Translation).

Balaam’s first oracle from the LORD ends with this verse.

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 .