translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: NUM

label: NET translator note

text: The Hebrew text uses what is called the “ethical dative” – “make [ for ] you two trumpets.” It need not be translated, but can simply be taken to underscore the direct imperative.


text: The imperfect tense is again instruction or legislation.


text: Heb “and they shall be for you for assembling,” which is the way of expressing possession. Here the intent concerns how Moses was to use them.


text: The perfect tense with vav ( ו ) consecutive is here subordinated as a temporal clause to the following similar verbal construction.


text: The verb תָקַע ( taqa ’) means “to strike, drive, blow a trumpet.”


text: Heb “the assembly shall assemble themselves.”


text: Heb “they shall assemble themselves.”


text: The word for an alarm is תְּרוּעָה ( tÿru ’ ah ). The root verb of this word means “to give a blast on the trumpet.” It may also on occasion mean “give a shout” in battle ( Josh 6:10 ). In this passage it must refer to the sound of the trumpet.


text: Heb “the camps that are camping.”


text: The perfect tense with vav ( ו ) consecutive functions as the equivalent of the imperfect tense. Here the emphasis is on the start of the journey.


label: NET textual note

text: The MT does not mention the departures of the northerly and westerly tribes. The Greek text completes the description by adding them, making a full schedule of the departure of the groups of tribes. The Greek is not likely to be original, however, since it carries all the signs of addition to complete the text, making a smooth, full reading. The MT is to be preferred; it apparently used two of the groups to give the idea.


text: The Hebrew text has “they shall blow an alarm”; the sentence without a formal subject should be taken as a passive idea.


text: There is no expressed subject in the initial temporal clause. It simply says, “and in the assembling the assembly.” But since the next verb is the second person of the verb, that may be taken as the intended subject here.


text: Both the “adversary” and “opposes” come from the same root: צָרַר ( tsarar ), “to hem in, oppress, harass,” or basically, “be an adversary.”


text: The Niphal perfect in this passage has the passive nuance and not a reflexive idea – the Israelites would be spared because God remembered them.


text: The conjunction may be taken as explicative or epexegetical, and so rendered “namely; even; that is,” or it may be taken as emphatic conjunction, and translated “especially.”


text: The vav ( ו ) is taken here in its alternative use and translated “or.”


text: The form is the perfect tense with vav ( ו ) consecutive. After the instruction imperfects, this form could be given the same nuance, or more likely, subordinated as a purpose or result clause.


text: The verb “to be” ( הָיָה , hayah ) has the meaning “to become” when followed by the preposition lamed ( ל ) .


text: Smr inserts a lengthy portion from Deut 1:6-8 , expressing the command for Israel to take the land from the Amorites. tn The expression is difficult; it is מִשְׁכַּן הָעֵדֻת ( mishkan ha ’ edut ). The reference is to the sacred shrine that covered the ark with the commandments inside. NEB renders the expression as “tabernacle of the Token”; NAB has “the dwelling of the commandments.”


text: Heb “mouth.”


text: Heb “hand.”


text: Heb “carrying the sanctuary,” a metonymy of whole for parts, representing all the holy objects that were located in the sanctuary.


text: The verb is the third person plural form; without an expressed subject it is treated as a passive.


text: Heb “against their coming.”


text: The MT uses a word that actually means “assembler,” so these three tribes made up a strong rear force recognized as the assembler of all the tribes.


text: Or “journeyings of.”


text: The verb is the preterite with vav ( ו ) consecutive. But in this sentence it should be subordinated as a temporal clause to the preceding statement, even though it follows it.


text: The verb is the Hiphil of the root “to be good” ( יָטַב , yatav ); it may be translated “treat well, deal favorably, generously with.” Here it is a perfect tense with vav ( ו ) following the imperative, showing a sequence in the verbal ideas.


text: The Hebrew text simply has “has spoken good” for Israel.


text: Heb “he”; the referent (Hobab) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


text: Heb “he”; the referent (Moses) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


text: The form with אַל־נָא (’ al-na ’) is a jussive; negated it stresses a more immediate request, as if Hobab is starting to leave, or at least determined to leave.


text: In the Hebrew text the expression is more graphic: “you will be for us for eyes.” Hobab was familiar with the entire Sinai region, and he could certainly direct the people where they were to go. The text does not record Hobab’s response. But the fact that Kenites were in Canaan as allies of Judah ( Judg 1:16 ) would indicate that he gave in and came with Moses. The first refusal may simply be the polite Semitic practice of declining first so that the appeal might be made more urgently.


text: Heb “and it shall be.”


text: The phrase “a journey of three days” is made up of the adverbial accusative qualified with the genitives.


text: The scribes sensed that there was a dislocation with vv. 34-36 , and so they used the inverted letters nun ( נ ) as brackets to indicate this.


text: The adverbial clause of time is composed of the infinitive construct with a temporal preposition and a suffixed subjective genitive.