Numbers 22:5
He sent messengers therefore unto Balaam the son of Beor to Pethor, which is by the river of the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide over against me:
a. ASV: And he sent messengers unto Balaam the son of Beor, to Pethor, which is by the River, to the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide over against me. [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]
b. YLT: And he sendeth messengers unto Balaam son of Beor, to Pethor, which is by the River of the land of the sons of his people, to call for him, saying, 'Lo, a people hath come out of Egypt; lo, it hath covered the eye of the land, and it is abiding over-against me; [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]
c. Classic Amplified: Sent messengers to Balaam [a foreteller of events] son of Beor at Pethor, which is by the [Euphrates] River, even to the land of the children of his people, to say to him, There is a people come out from Egypt; behold, they cover the face of the earth and they have settled down and dwell opposite me. [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]
d. Stone Edition THE CHUMASH, Rabbinic Commentary: He sent messengers to Balaam son of Beor to Pethor , which is by the River of the land of the members of his people, to summon him, saying, “Behold! A people has come out of Egypt behold! It has covered the surface of the earth and it sits opposite me. [The Artscroll Series/Stone Edition, THE CHUMASH Copyright 1998, 2000 by MESORAH PUBLICATIONS, Ldt.]
f. Peshitta Eastern Text: So he sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor, and interpreter of dreams, who dwelt by the river of the land of the children of Ammon, to call him, saying, Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt; they cover the face of the land, and they are settled over against me. [HOLY BIBLE FROM THE ANCIENT EASTERN TEXT. Copyright Ⓒ 1933 by A.J. Holmon Co.; copyright Ⓒ renewed 1968 by A.J. Holmon Co.; All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. HarperCollins Publishers, 195 Broadway, New York, NY 10007.]
g. ESV: Sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor at Pethor, which is near the River[fn] in the land of the people of Amaw, to call him, saying, “Behold, a people has come out of Egypt. They cover the face of the earth, and they are dwelling opposite me. [Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001, 2007, 2011, 2016 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.]
1. “He sent messengers therefore unto Balaam the son of Beor to Pethor…”
a. [He] sent [Strong: 7971 shâlach, shaw-lakh'; a primitive root; to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications):—× any wise, appoint, bring (on the way), cast (away, out), conduct, × earnestly, forsake, give (up), grow long, lay, leave, let depart (down, go, loose), push away, put (away, forth, in, out), reach forth, send (away, forth, out), set, shoot (forth, out), sow, spread, stretch forth (out).]
b. messengers [Strong: 4397 mălʼâk, mal-awk'; from an unused root meaning to despatch as a deputy; a messenger; specifically, of God, i.e. an angel (also a prophet, priest or teacher):—ambassador, angel, king, messenger.]
c. [therefore] unto [Strong: 413 ʼêl, ale; (but used only in the shortened constructive form אֶל ʼel, el); a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e. near, with or among; often in general, to:—about, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because (-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, × hath, in (-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to (-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with (-in).]
d. Balaam [Strong: 1109 Bilʻâm, bil-awm'; probably from H1077 and H5971; not (of the) people, i.e. foreigner; Bilam, a Mesopotamian prophet; also a place in Palestine:—Balaam, Bileam.]
e. [the] son [Strong: 1121 bên, bane; from H1129; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.):—afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, (+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, × came up in, child, colt, × common, × corn, daughter, × of first, firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, × in, + kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, + mighty, + nephew, old, (+) people, rebel, + robber, × servant born, × soldier, son, + spark, steward, + stranger, × surely, them of, + tumultuous one, valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.]
f. [of] Beor [Strong: 1160 Bᵉʻôwr, beh-ore'; from H1197 (in the sense of burning); a lamp; Beor, the name of the father of an Edomitish king; also of that of Balaam:—Beor.]
g. [to] Pethor [Strong: 6604 Pᵉthôwr, peth-ore'; of foreign origin; Pethor, a place in Mesopotamia:—Pethor.]
1). The following article confirms the existence of Balaam as a real person.
2). Who Is Balaam Son of Beor? Part Three, Examining the figure of Balaam in archaeology, Nathan Steinmeyer November 04, 2022 0 Comments 9860 views Who is Balaam Son of Beor? Gustav Jäger, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. Although mentioned only a few times in the Hebrew Bible, Balaam son of Beor remains an extraordinary and intriguing figure and one of the earliest to be referenced outside the Bible. In the first part of our series on Balaam, we discussed his brief appearance in the Book of Numbers, while Part Two focused on the various ways this figure was interpreted in later sources, including the New Testament and the Dead Sea Scrolls. For the third and final part of the series, we focus on what we learn of Balaam through archaeology, especially the discovery of an enigmatic text from the site of Deir Alla in Jordan that contains one of the earliest references to any figure known from the Bible. After more than half a century, the Deir Alla inscription remains one of the most fascinating and mysterious references to a biblical figure ever found in archaeology. The inscription, discovered at the site of Tell Deir Alla in the central Jordan Valley, recounts a vision received by “Balaam son of Beor, a seer of the gods.” This vision consists of a message from the gods, championed by the head deity El, who warn Balaam of an impending disaster. While the exact language of the inscription remains debated (see below), it is written in a high literary style, reminiscent of similar texts known from the Hebrew Bible and Ugarit. Indeed, scholars have pointed out that many of the inscription’s phrases, terms, and titles are also found in the Hebrew Bible and even in the story of Balaam found in Numbers. Archaeological and epigraphic evidence suggests the inscription was written towards the end of the ninth or first half of the eighth century BCE. This dating is supported by the fact that the sanctuary in which the inscription was found was destroyed by a large earthquake, which some scholars connect to the one mentioned by the prophet Amos (1:1), generally dated to the mid-eighth century. Evidence for this quake has been found at several other sites in the region, including Jerusalem. Given the inscription’s date, location, and content, there is little doubt that its main character can be identified with the Balaam son of Beor known from the Bible. However, while the character is the same, it is important to note that the inscription does not reflect an earlier or alternate version of the biblical story, as the two texts recount decidedly different events. Rather, the similarities seem to demonstrate a shared narrative tradition, one in which the character and various stories of Balaam were known and communicated throughout Transjordan, from where both the Deir Alla inscription and the biblical story of Balaam found in Numbers seem to originate. https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/ancient-cultures/ancient-israel/balaam-son-of-beor-part-three/
2. “...which is by the river of the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide over against me:”
a. which [Strong: 834 ʼăsher, ash-er'; a primitive relative pronoun (of every gender and number); who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.:—× after, × alike, as (soon as), because, × every, for, + forasmuch, + from whence, + how(-soever), × if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), × though, + until, + whatsoever, when, where (+ -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, + whither(-soever), who(-m, -soever, -se). As it is indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun expletively, used to show the connection.]
b. [is] by [Strong: 5921 ʻal, al; properly, the same as H5920 used as a preposition (in the singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications:—above, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, × as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, × both and, by (reason of), × had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-) on, over, than, through(-out), to, touching, × with.]
c. [the] river [Strong: 5104 nâhâr, naw-hawr'; from H5102; a stream (including the sea; expectation the Nile, Euphrates, etc.); figuratively, prosperity:—flood, river.]
d. [of the] land [Strong: 776 ʼerets, eh'-rets; from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth (at large, or partitively a land):—× common, country, earth, field, ground, land, × nations, way, + wilderness, world.]
e. [of the] children [Strong: 1121 bên, bane; from H1129; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.):—afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, (+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, × came up in, child, colt, × common, × corn, daughter, × of first, firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, × in, + kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, + mighty, + nephew, old, (+) people, rebel, + robber, × servant born, × soldier, son, + spark, steward, + stranger, × surely, them of, + tumultuous one, valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.]
f. [of his] people [Strong: 5971 ʻam, am; from H6004; a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock:—folk, men, nation, people.]
g. [to] call [him] [Strong: 7121 qârâʼ, kaw-raw'; a primitive root (rather identical with H7122 through the idea of accosting a person met); to call out to (i.e. properly, address by name, but used in a wide variety of applications):—bewray (self), that are bidden, call (for, forth, self, upon), cry (unto), (be) famous, guest, invite, mention, (give) name, preach, (make) proclaim(-ation), pronounce, publish, read, renowned, say.]
h. saying [Strong: 559 ʼâmar, aw-mar'; a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude):—answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, × desire, determine, × expressly, × indeed, × intend, name, × plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), × still, × suppose, talk, tell, term, × that is, × think, use (speech), utter, × verily, × yet.]
i. Behold [Strong: 2009 hinnêh, hin-nay'; prolongation for H2005; lo!:—behold, lo, see.]
j. [there is a] people [Strong: 5971 ʻam, am; from H6004; a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock:—folk, men, nation, people.]
k. come out [Strong: 3318 yâtsâʼ, yaw-tsaw'; a primitive root; to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proxim.:—× after, appear, × assuredly, bear out, × begotten, break out, bring forth (out, up), carry out, come (abroad, out, thereat, without), be condemned, depart(-ing, -ure), draw forth, in the end, escape, exact, fail, fall (out), fetch forth (out), get away (forth, hence, out), (able to, cause to, let) go abroad (forth, on, out), going out, grow, have forth (out), issue out, lay (lie) out, lead out, pluck out, proceed, pull out, put away, be risen, × scarce, send with commandment, shoot forth, spread, spring out, stand out, × still, × surely, take forth (out), at any time, × to (and fro), utter.]
l. [from] Egypt [Strong: 4714 Mitsrayim, mits-rah'-yim; dual of H4693; Mitsrajim, i.e. Upper and Lower Egypt:—Egypt, Egyptians, Mizraim.]
m. behold [Strong: 2009 hinnêh, hin-nay'; prolongation for H2005; lo!:—behold, lo, see.]
n. [they] cover [Strong: kâçâh, kaw-saw'; a primitive root; properly, to plump, i.e. fill up hollows; by implication, to cover (for clothing or secrecy):—clad self, close, clothe, conceal, cover (self), (flee to) hide, overwhelm.]
o. [Strong: 853 'eth ayth apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).]
p. [the] face [Strong: 5869 ʻayin, ah'-yin; probably a primitive word; an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape):—affliction, outward appearance, before, think best, colour, conceit, be content, countenance, displease, eye((-brow), (-d), -sight), face, favour, fountain, furrow (from the margin), × him, humble, knowledge, look, (+ well), × me, open(-ly), + (not) please, presence, regard, resemblance, sight, × thee, × them, + think, × us, well, × you(-rselves).]
q. [of the] earth [Strong: 776 ʼerets, eh'-rets; from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth (at large, or partitively a land):—× common, country, earth, field, ground, land, × nations, way, + wilderness, world.]
r. they [abide] [Strong: 1931 hûwʼ, hoo; of which the feminine (beyond the Pentateuch) is הִיא hîyʼ; he a primitive word, the third person pronoun singular; he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally (instead of copula) as or are:—he, as for her, him(-self), it, the same, she (herself), such, that (...it), these, they, this, those, which (is), who.]
s. abide [Strong: 3427 yâshab, yaw-shab'; a primitive root; properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry:—(make to) abide(-ing), continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-ing), ease self, endure, establish, × fail, habitation, haunt, (make to) inhabit(-ant), make to keep (house), lurking, × marry(-ing), (bring again to) place, remain, return, seat, set(-tle), (down-) sit(-down, still, -ting down, -ting (place) -uate), take, tarry.]
t. over against me [Strong: 4136 mûwl, mool; or מוֹל môwl; (Deuteronomy 1:1), or מוֹאל môwʼl; (Nehemiah 12:38), or מֻל mul; (Numbers 22:5), from H4135; properly, abrupt, i.e. a precipice; by implication, the front; used only adverbially (with prepositional prefix) opposite:—(over) against, before, (fore-) front, from, (God-) ward, toward, with.]
