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Scripture: The text alone. Study: The verses explained. Original: The Hebrew and Greek, and the tradition.

Numberschapter 23

30 verses · Moses, by tradition · 15th to 13th century BC · The Law

Original Language

Numbers 23— Hebrew word study · with the Hebrew tradition

In Jewish life

Jewish practice and Jewish teaching both have something to say about Numbers 23. Three things follow: where it is read, what is done because of it, and how the rabbis have taught it. The purpose is to inform a Christian reader what Jews believe and how Judaism was and is practised.

The reading

Weekly portion 40 of 54

בָּלָק Balak, Numbers 22:2 to 25:9

Read with it: Micah 5:6 to 6:8.

The verse numbers here are the ones a Hebrew Bible carries, which differ from an English Bible by a verse or two in several places. The Sephardi reading is named only where this site records a difference; communities vary beyond what is listed. What these books are, and how a Christian reader meets them →

Where the rabbis cite this chapter

2 rows sit beside their verses in the text, on 2 verses of this chapter. No row that speaks to the chapter as a whole is recorded. Every quote links to its full source.

Texts and citation data: Sefaria (sefaria.org); excerpts follow each version’s license, and every passage opens at its source.

How to read a word below: the Hebrewword, then how it sounds, then what it means, then its number in Strong’s concordance, a widely used lookup this site follows (H for Hebrew and Aramaic, G for Greek). Square brackets hold a word the English supplies that the Hebrew does not, angle brackets mark the Hebrew’s own grammatical elements that English renders as separate words, and the mark ס or פ is where the Hebrew manuscripts end a paragraph.

Seven altars, and a blessing instead1

Numbers 23:1· Hebrew and glosses: STEP Bible

וַיֹּ֤אמֶרvaiyomerand he saidH559בִּלְעָם֙bilamBalaamH1109אֶל־ʾel-toH413בָּלָ֔קbalakBalakH1111בְּנֵה־beneh-buildH1129לִ֥יlifor <the> meבָזֶ֖הvazehin this [place]H2088שִׁבְעָ֣הshivahsevenH7651מִזְבְּחֹ֑תmizbechotaltarsH4196וְהָכֵ֥ןvehakhenand prepareH3559לִי֙lifor <the> meבָּזֶ֔הbazehin this [place]H2088שִׁבְעָ֥הshivahsevenH7651פָרִ֖יםfarimyoung bullsH6499וְשִׁבְעָ֥הveshivahand sevenH7651אֵילִֽים׃ʾeilimramsH352

Ramban on Numbers 23:1

RambanSpain, 1194–1270· Commentary
Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra alluded here to a profound secret. 106 “There are profound secrets which are understood by few in number. There is a unit of seven, in days [making a week] etc.

Read it in full at Sefaria · Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976

Numbers 23:10· Hebrew and glosses: STEP Bible

מִ֤יmiwho?H4310מָנָה֙manahhas he countedH4487עֲפַ֣רʾafar[the] dust ofH6083יַעֲקֹ֔בyaakoJacobH3290וּמִסְפָּ֖רumisparand a numberH4557אֶת־ʾet-<obj.>H853רֹ֣בַעroa'[the] fourth part ofH7255יִשְׂרָאֵ֑לyisraelIsraelH3478תָּמֹ֤תtamotlet it dieH4191נַפְשִׁי֙nafshiself myH5315מ֣וֹתmot[the] death ofH4194יְשָׁרִ֔יםyesharimupright [people]H3477וּתְהִ֥יutehiand let it beH1961אַחֲרִיתִ֖יʾacharitiend myH319כָּמֹֽהוּ׃kamohulike hisH3644

Ramban on Numbers 23:10

RambanSpain, 1194–1270· Commentary
WHO HATH COUNTED THE DUST OF JACOB? Balaam is saying: “I see them from the top of the rocks dwelling alone, and I cannot count them for they alone are like the dust of the earth, and no man can number the dust of the earth; 134 See Genesis:16.

Read it in full at Sefaria · Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976

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