1
καὶ εἶπεν Βαλααμ τῷ Βαλακ οἰκοδόμησόν μοι ἐνταῦθα ἑπτὰ βωμοὺς καὶ ἑτοίμασόν μοι ἐνταῦθα ἑπτὰ μόσχους καὶ ἑπτὰ κριούς
And Balaam said to Balak, 'Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven calves and seven rams.'
The chapter opens with Balaam in command of the sacrificial protocol; the doubled imperatives (οἰκοδόμησον … ἑτοίμασον) with the locative ἐνταῦθα ('here') and the sevenfold count establish the ritual template that will be repeated three times in the chapter (vv. 1, 14, 29). Seven altars with bulls and rams is the elaborate machinery by which Balak hopes to compel an oracle of cursing.
Word-by-word analysis· 19 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction (Hebraizing καί-parataxis)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ constative aorist (single completed speech-act)λέγω: 'say / speak'; the aorist εἶπεν introduces direct speech and drives the narrative chain of the chapter, recurring at each exchange between Balaam and Balak.
ΒαλααμBalaamsubject (indeclinable proper noun)→ participant identificationΒαλααμ: transliteration of Hebrew בִּלְעָם, the Mesopotamian seer son of Beor; indeclinable in the LXX; the figure who, though a pagan diviner, is constrained to speak only YHWH's word.
τῷthe (to)Dativearticle (with dative proper noun)→ noun-phrase markingὁ, ἡ, τό: the article governs the otherwise indeclinable name Βαλακ, marking it as the dative indirect object ('to Balak').
ΒαλακBalakdative indirect object (indeclinable, case marked by τῷ)→ participant identificationΒαλακ: transliteration of Hebrew בָּלָק, son of Zippor, king of Moab; indeclinable; case is signalled by the accompanying Greek article.
οἰκοδόμησόνbuildAor Act Impv 2 Sg · οἰκοδομέωmain verb (imperative to Balak)→ ingressive aorist imperative (commanded single act)οἰκοδομέω: 'build / construct'; renders בָּנָה; the aorist imperative commands the immediate construction of the seven altars that frame the sacrificial ritual.
μοιfor meDativedative of advantage (personal pronoun)→ participant reference or interestἐγώ: the dative μοι ('for me / on my behalf') marks Balaam as the beneficiary directing the rite, though the offerings are Balak's.
ἐνταῦθαhereadverb of place→ adverbial qualificationἐνταῦθα: 'here / in this place'; the deictic adverb fixes the rite at the specific high place (Bamoth-baal, cf. 22:41) from which Balaam first views Israel.
ἑπτὰsevennumeral (indeclinable, modifying βωμούς)→ measure or countἑπτά: 'seven'; indeclinable numeral rendering שֶׁבַע; the sacred number underlines the completeness and solemnity of the sacrificial apparatus.
βωμοὺςaltarsAccusativedirect object of οἰκοδόμησον→ object specificationβωμός: 'altar / raised platform'; renders מִזְבֵּחַ here; notably the LXX often reserves βωμός for pagan or illegitimate altars (vs. θυσιαστήριον for legitimate Israelite ones), subtly marking Balak's sevenfold rite as foreign cultic machinery.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἑτοίμασόνprepareAor Act Impv 2 Sg · ἑτοιμάζωmain verb (second imperative to Balak)→ ingressive aorist imperative (commanded single act)ἑτοιμάζω: 'prepare / make ready'; renders כּוּן / הֵכִין; here the readying of the sacrificial victims to be offered on the altars.
μοιfor meDativedative of advantage→ participant reference or interestμοι: meaning 'for me'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as dative of advantage.
ἐνταῦθαhereadverb of place→ adverbial qualificationἐνταῦθα: meaning 'here'; it shapes time, manner, location, or discourse flow in the clause.
ἑπτὰsevennumeral (modifying μόσχους)→ measure or countἑπτά: 'seven'; one victim of each kind per altar.
μόσχουςcalves / bullsAccusativedirect object of ἑτοίμασον→ object specificationμόσχος: 'calf / young bull'; renders פַּר / פָּר; the bull is the costliest sacrificial animal, signalling the seriousness of Balak's bid to secure a curse.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἑπτὰsevennumeral (modifying κριούς)→ measure or countἑπτά: 'seven'; completing the sevenfold pairing of bull and ram.
κριούςramsAccusativedirect object (coordinate with μόσχους)→ object specificationκριός: 'ram'; renders אַיִל; the ram joins the bull as the standard pair of major sacrificial victims in this rite.
2
καὶ ἐποίησεν Βαλακ ὃν τρόπον εἶπεν αὐτῷ Βαλααμ καὶ ἀνήνεγκεν μόσχον καὶ κριὸν ἐπὶ τὸν βωμόν
And Balak did just as Balaam told him, and he offered up a calf and a ram on the altar.
The narrator confirms Balak's exact obedience with the idiom ὃν τρόπον ('in the manner which / just as'), then narrows from the seven altars to the representative offering of a single bull and ram 'on the altar' (collective singular), describing the sacrificial act as a whole.
Word-by-word analysis· 16 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐποίησενdid / madeAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ποιέωmain verb (compliance)→ constative aorist (completed compliance)ποιέω: 'do / make'; renders עָשָׂה; the verb of Balak's compliant execution of Balaam's instructions.
ΒαλακBalaksubject (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΒαλακ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as subject (indeclinable).
ὃνwhichAccusativerelative pronoun (with τρόπον: adverbial accusative 'in the way which')→ participant referenceὅς: relative pronoun; the phrase ὃν τρόπον ('in which manner / just as') is an adverbial-accusative idiom rendering כַּאֲשֶׁר, expressing exact correspondence between command and execution.
τρόπονmanner / wayAccusativeadverbial accusative ('in the manner')→ object specificationτρόπος: 'manner / way / fashion'; in the fixed phrase ὃν τρόπον it functions adverbially, 'just as / in the way that.'
εἶπενtold / saidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωverb of relative clause→ constative aoristλέγω: here 'told / instructed'; refers back to Balaam's directives in v. 1.
αὐτῷhimDativedative indirect object (to Balak)→ participant reference or interestαὐτός: the dative αὐτῷ refers to Balak as the one instructed.
ΒαλααμBalaamsubject of εἶπεν (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΒαλααμ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as subject of εἶπεν (indeclinable).
καὶandnarrative conjunction (sequential)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀνήνεγκενoffered upAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀναφέρωmain verb (sacrificial action)→ constative aorist (completed offering)ἀναφέρω: 'bring up / offer up'; standard LXX sacrificial term (rendering הֶעֱלָה, 'cause to go up') for presenting a victim upon the altar; the compound ἀνα- ('up') matches the upward motion of the burnt offering and its smoke.
μόσχονcalf / bullAccusativedirect object of ἀνήνεγκεν→ object specificationμόσχος: 'calf / young bull'; the representative bull offered on each altar.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
κριὸνramAccusativedirect object (coordinate with μόσχον)→ object specificationκριός: 'ram'; paired with the bull as the offering on each altar.
ἐπὶuponpreposition + accusative (place of offering)→ spatial or relational framingἐπί + acc.: 'upon / on'; locating the victims upon the altar.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
βωμόνaltarAccusativeaccusative object of ἐπί→ object specificationβωμός: 'altar'; the collective singular ('on the altar') represents the offering distributed across the seven altars.
3
καὶ εἶπεν Βαλααμ πρὸς Βαλακ παράστηθι ἐπὶ τῆς θυσίας σου καὶ πορεύσομαι εἴ μοι φανεῖται ὁ θεὸς ἐν συναντήσει καὶ ῥῆμα ὃ ἐάν μοι δείξῃ ἀναγγελῶ σοι καὶ παρέστη Βαλακ ἐπὶ τῆς θυσίας αὐτοῦ καὶ Βαλααμ ἐπορεύθη ἐπερωτῆσαι τὸν θεὸν καὶ ἐπορεύθη εὐθεῖαν
And Balaam said to Balak, 'Stand beside your sacrifice, and I will go; perhaps God will appear to me in a meeting, and whatever word he shows me I will report to you.' And Balak stood beside his sacrifice, and Balaam went to inquire of God, and he went straight ahead.
Balaam posts Balak at the altars and withdraws alone, framing the encounter as conditional (εἴ … φανεῖται, 'if/whether God will appear'). The phrase ἐν συναντήσει ('in a meeting / to meet') and the verb ἐπερωτῆσαι ('to inquire') present Balaam's procedure as ostensibly a divinatory consultation, yet the outcome is entirely YHWH's to control. The closing ἐπορεύθη εὐθεῖαν ('he went straight') translates the obscure Hebrew of MT (וַיֵּלֶךְ שֶׁפִי), rendered here as a bare, solitary going.
Word-by-word analysis· 43 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ constative aoristλέγω: introduces Balaam's instruction to Balak.
ΒαλααμBalaamsubject (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΒαλααμ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as subject (indeclinable).
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction of speech)→ spatial or relational framingπρός + acc.: 'to / toward'; the standard LXX construction for the addressee of speech.
ΒαλακBalakaccusative object of πρός (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΒαλακ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as accusative object of πρός (indeclinable).
παράστηθιstand besideAor Act Impv 2 Sg · παρίστημιmain verb (imperative to Balak)→ ingressive aorist imperative (take and keep your station)παρίστημι: 'stand beside / present oneself / attend'; the intransitive aorist imperative commands Balak to take up and maintain his post by the altars while Balaam withdraws.
ἐπὶbeside / overpreposition + genitive (position at the sacrifice)→ spatial or relational framingἐπί + gen.: 'at / by / over'; locating Balak in attendance upon his offering.
τῆςtheGenitivearticle→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θυσίαςsacrificeGenitivegenitive object of ἐπί→ relational specificationθυσία: 'sacrifice / offering'; renders זֶבַח / עֹלָה; here Balak's burnt offering laid on the altars, beside which he is to keep watch.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession (pronoun)→ relational specificationσύ: the possessive genitive σου marks the sacrifice as Balak's own offering.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
πορεύσομαιI will goFut Mid Indic 1 Sg · πορεύομαιmain verb (Balaam's announced action)→ predictive future (intended withdrawal)πορεύομαι: 'go / proceed / journey'; deponent; Balaam announces his withdrawal to a solitary place to seek a divine encounter.
εἴwhether / if perhapsconditional/interrogative particle→ discourse linkage or contrastεἰ: 'if / whether'; here introducing the uncertain prospect of a theophany — 'perhaps God will appear' — underscoring that the encounter is not at Balaam's command.
μοιto meDativedative (to whom God appears)→ participant reference or interestἐγώ: the dative of the one to whom the appearing is made.
φανεῖταιwill appearFut Mid Indic 3 Sg · φαίνωverb of conditional clause→ predictive future (contingent theophany)φαίνω (mid./pass. 'appear / be seen'): renders נִקְרָה / נִרְאָה; the middle-future φανεῖται denotes God's self-manifestation, treated as a contingency outside Balaam's control.
ὁtheNominativearticle→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεὸςGodNominativesubject of φανεῖται→ participant prominenceθεός: 'God'; renders אֱלֹהִים; throughout the chapter ὁ θεός and κύριος alternate as the source of Balaam's compelled oracles.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (manner/circumstance)→ spatial or relational framingἐν + dat.: here adverbial, 'in / by way of (a meeting).'
συναντήσειa meetingDativedative object of ἐν (manner: 'to meet me')→ sphere or referenceσυνάντησις: 'meeting / encounter'; renders the Hebrew idiom of God's 'meeting' (קָרָה) Balaam; the phrase ἐν συναντήσει frames the theophany as a purposed rendezvous.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ῥῆμαwordAccusativedirect object of ἀναγγελῶ (fronted, with relative clause)→ object specificationῥῆμα: 'word / thing said / matter'; renders דָּבָר; the fronted ῥῆμα is the oracle Balaam pledges to relay exactly as God reveals it.
ὃwhich / whateverAccusativerelative pronoun (object of δείξῃ)→ participant referenceὅς: relative pronoun; with ἐάν forms an indefinite relative, 'whatever (word) he shows me.'
ἐάνevermodal particle (with relative + subjunctive: indefinite)→ discourse linkage or contrastἐάν: with the relative ὃ generalises it ('whatever'), and requires the subjunctive δείξῃ.
μοιto meDativedative indirect object of δείξῃ→ participant reference or interestμοι: meaning 'to me'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as dative indirect object of δείξῃ.
δείξῃhe showsAor Act Subj 3 Sg · δείκνυμιverb of indefinite relative clause→ aorist subjunctive (indefinite future contingency)δείκνυμι: 'show / reveal / make known'; renders הֶרְאָה; the subjunctive after ὃ ἐάν marks the revelation as a contingent future act of God.
ἀναγγελῶI will reportFut Act Indic 1 Sg · ἀναγγέλλωmain verb (apodosis: Balaam's pledge)→ predictive future (committed report)ἀναγγέλλω: 'announce / report / declare'; the compound ἀνα- ('back / up') suits the bringing-back of a message; Balaam binds himself to relay God's word without alteration.
σοιto youDativedative indirect object (to Balak)→ participant reference or interestσοι: meaning 'to you'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as dative indirect object (to Balak).
καὶandnarrative conjunction (resuming narration)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
παρέστηstood besideAor Act Indic 3 Sg · παρίστημιmain verb (Balak's compliance)→ constative aorist (completed action)παρίστημι: intransitive aorist 'took his stand beside'; Balak obeys the command παράστηθι of the same verb, framing his attendance at the altars.
ΒαλακBalaksubject (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΒαλακ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as subject (indeclinable).
ἐπὶbesidepreposition + genitive (position)→ spatial or relational framingἐπὶ: meaning 'beside'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + genitive (position).
τῆςtheGenitivearticle→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θυσίαςsacrificeGenitivegenitive object of ἐπί→ relational specificationθυσία: Balak's offering, beside which he now stands.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession→ relational specificationαὐτός: possessive genitive marking the sacrifice as Balak's own.
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ΒαλααμBalaamsubject (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΒαλααμ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as subject (indeclinable).
ἐπορεύθηwentAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · πορεύομαιmain verb (Balaam's withdrawal)→ constative aorist (completed going)πορεύομαι: 'go / proceed'; the aorist-passive form ἐπορεύθη functions as the standard aorist of this deponent verb; Balaam departs to seek God.
ἐπερωτῆσαιto inquire ofAor Act Inf · ἐπερωτάωinfinitive of purpose (with ἐπορεύθη)→ purpose infinitive (in order to inquire)ἐπερωτάω: 'ask / inquire of / consult'; the compound ἐπ- intensifies; renders דָּרַשׁ / שָׁאַל; the purpose infinitive presents Balaam's withdrawal as a deliberate consultation of God, the language of oracular inquiry.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεὸνGodAccusativedirect object of ἐπερωτῆσαι→ object specificationθεός: the object of Balaam's inquiry.
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐπορεύθηwentAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · πορεύομαιmain verb (repeated for the bare going)→ constative aoristπορεύομαι: the repeated verb stresses the solitary departure.
εὐθεῖανstraight / straightwayAccusativeadverbial accusative (manner: 'went straight ahead')→ object specificationεὐθύς, εὐθεῖα, εὐθύ: 'straight / direct'; the feminine accusative εὐθεῖαν (with ὁδόν 'way' understood) functions adverbially, 'straight ahead / directly'; the LXX thus renders the difficult Hebrew שֶׁפִי (a bare or barren height, or 'alone') by an image of Balaam going straight on his way.
4
καὶ ἐφάνη ὁ θεὸς τῷ Βαλααμ καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτὸν Βαλααμ τοὺς ἑπτὰ βωμοὺς ἡτοίμασα καὶ ἀνεβίβασα μόσχον καὶ κριὸν ἐπὶ τὸν βωμόν
And God appeared to Balaam, and Balaam said to him, 'I have made ready the seven altars, and I have brought up a calf and a ram on the altar.'
The theophany promised conditionally in v. 3 (εἴ … φανεῖται) is now realized (ἐφάνη). Balaam's first words to God are a report of the ritual he has overseen — 'the seven altars I have prepared' — presenting his sacrificial diligence almost as a claim on a favorable oracle. The first-person aorists (ἡτοίμασα, ἀνεβίβασα) echo the imperatives of v. 1.
Word-by-word analysis· 23 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐφάνηappearedAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · φαίνωmain verb (theophany)→ constative aorist (realized self-manifestation)φαίνω (aor. pass. ἐφάνη, 'appeared / was seen'): renders נִקְרָה / וַיִּקָּר; the realized counterpart of the contingent φανεῖται in v. 3 — God does in fact meet the seer.
ὁtheNominativearticle→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεὸςGodNominativesubject of ἐφάνη→ participant prominenceθεός: the God of Israel, who meets even a foreign seer to control his oracle.
τῷthe (to)Dativearticle (with dative name)→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΒαλααμBalaamdative indirect object (case marked by τῷ)→ participant identificationΒαλααμ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as dative indirect object (case marked by τῷ).
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ constative aoristλέγω: introduces Balaam's reply to God.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction of speech)→ spatial or relational framingπρὸς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction of speech).
αὐτὸνhimAccusativeaccusative object of πρός (God)→ participant referenceαὐτός: refers to God, to whom Balaam now speaks.
ΒαλααμBalaamsubject of εἶπεν (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΒαλααμ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as subject of εἶπεν (indeclinable).
τοὺςtheAccusativearticle (with βωμούς)→ noun-phrase markingτοὺς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἑπτὰsevennumeral (modifying βωμούς)→ measure or countἑπτά: 'seven'; the fronted 'the seven altars' is Balaam's report of his completed ritual.
βωμοὺςaltarsAccusativedirect object of ἡτοίμασα (fronted)→ object specificationβωμός: 'altar'; the seven altars now reported as prepared.
ἡτοίμασαI have made readyAor Act Indic 1 Sg · ἑτοιμάζωmain verb (Balaam's report)→ constative aorist (completed preparation)ἑτοιμάζω: 'prepare / make ready'; the first-person aorist matches the imperative ἑτοίμασον of v. 1, Balaam claiming personal oversight of the rite.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀνεβίβασαI have brought upAor Act Indic 1 Sg · ἀναβιβάζωmain verb (sacrificial report)→ constative aorist (completed offering)ἀναβιβάζω: 'cause to go up / bring up / offer up'; causative of ἀναβαίνω; a sacrificial term (rendering הֶעֱלָה) parallel to ἀνήνεγκεν in v. 2, here in Balaam's own mouth.
μόσχονcalf / bullAccusativedirect object of ἀνεβίβασα→ object specificationμόσχος: the bull offered on the altar.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
κριὸνramAccusativedirect object (coordinate with μόσχον)→ object specificationκριός: the ram offered with the bull.
ἐπὶuponpreposition + accusative (place of offering)→ spatial or relational framingἐπὶ: meaning 'upon'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (place of offering).
τὸνtheAccusativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
βωμόνaltarAccusativeaccusative object of ἐπί→ object specificationβωμός: the collective singular altar on which the victims were offered.
5
καὶ ἐνέβαλεν ὁ θεὸς ῥῆμα εἰς τὸ στόμα Βαλααμ καὶ εἶπεν ἐπιστραφεὶς πρὸς Βαλακ οὕτως λαλήσεις
And God put a word into the mouth of Balaam and said, 'Having turned back to Balak, thus you shall speak.'
The decisive theological image of the chapter: God ἐνέβαλεν ῥῆμα εἰς τὸ στόμα Βαλααμ ('put a word into Balaam's mouth'). The seer is not free to compose his own oracle; YHWH supplies the very words. The idiom recurs at v. 16 and frames both oracles as divine dictation, so that the hired curse can only come out as blessing.
Word-by-word analysis· 16 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐνέβαλενput in / cast inAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἐμβάλλωmain verb (divine action)→ constative aorist (completed implanting of the word)ἐμβάλλω: 'throw in / put in / insert'; renders שִׂים בְּפִי ('put in the mouth'); the forceful compound (ἐν- 'in' + βάλλω 'throw') stresses that the oracle is decisively implanted by God, not generated by the seer.
ὁtheNominativearticle→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεὸςGodNominativesubject of ἐνέβαλεν→ participant prominenceθεός: God himself supplies the content of the oracle.
ῥῆμαwordAccusativedirect object of ἐνέβαλεν→ object specificationῥῆμα: 'word / utterance'; renders דָּבָר; the divinely given oracle Balaam must speak verbatim.
εἰςintopreposition + accusative (direction)→ spatial or relational framingεἰς: meaning 'into'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction).
τὸtheAccusativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
στόμαmouthAccusativeaccusative object of εἰς (idiomatic: 'into the mouth')→ object specificationστόμα: 'mouth'; renders פֶּה; the locus into which the divine word is placed — the image of prophetic inspiration as dictation (cf. Deut 18:18; Jer 1:9).
Βαλααμof Balaamgenitive of possession (indeclinable: 'Balaam's mouth')→ participant identificationΒαλααμ: indeclinable; possessive genitive after στόμα, marking whose mouth receives the word.
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (divine instruction)→ constative aoristλέγω: introduces God's command that Balaam return and speak the implanted word.
ἐπιστραφεὶςhaving turned backAor Pass Part Nom Sg Masc · ἐπιστρέφωcircumstantial participle (attendant circumstance to λαλήσεις)→ antecedent aorist participle (turn, then speak)ἐπιστρέφω: 'turn / turn back / return'; the aorist-passive participle (here intransitive 'having turned back') commands the seer to go back to Balak before delivering the oracle; renders שׁוּב.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction)→ spatial or relational framingπρὸς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction).
ΒαλακBalakaccusative object of πρός (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΒαλακ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as accusative object of πρός (indeclinable).
οὕτωςthusadverb of manner (anticipating the oracle)→ adverbial qualificationοὕτως: 'thus / in this way'; points forward to the dictated oracle that follows in vv. 7–10 — Balaam is to speak in exactly this manner.
λαλήσειςyou shall speakFut Act Indic 2 Sg · λαλέωmain verb (imperatival future command)→ imperatival future (binding command to speak)λαλέω: 'speak'; the future with imperatival force (rendering a Hebrew imperfect of command) obligates Balaam to deliver precisely the word God has given.
6
καὶ ἀπεστράφη πρὸς αὐτόν καὶ ὅδε ἐφειστήκει ἐπὶ τῶν ὁλοκαυτωμάτων αὐτοῦ καὶ πάντες οἱ ἄρχοντες Μωαβ μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ
And he returned to him, and behold, he was standing over his whole burnt offerings, and all the princes of Moab were with him.
Balaam obeys the command ἐπιστραφείς of v. 5 (now ἀπεστράφη). The deictic ὅδε ('and behold, this one') and the pluperfect ἐφειστήκει ('he had taken his stand / was standing') freeze the scene: Balak waits in expectant attendance over his offerings, flanked by the assembled princes of Moab — a court audience for the oracle.
Word-by-word analysis· 18 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀπεστράφηreturned / turned backAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · ἀποστρέφωmain verb (Balaam's return)→ constative aorist (completed return)ἀποστρέφω: 'turn back / return'; the aorist-passive (intransitive 'returned') fulfils the command of v. 5; renders שׁוּב.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction)→ spatial or relational framingπρὸς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction).
αὐτόνhimAccusativeaccusative object of πρός (Balak)→ participant referenceαὐτός: refers to Balak, to whom Balaam returns.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (introducing tableau)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ὅδεbehold he / this oneNominativedemonstrative pronoun (subject, with deictic force)→ participant referenceὅδε: 'this one / and behold'; here the demonstrative renders the Hebrew presentative וְהִנֵּה ('and behold'), pointing dramatically to Balak as Balaam finds him standing in attendance.
ἐφειστήκειwas standing / had taken his standPlpf Act Indic 3 Sg · ἐφίστημιmain verb (descriptive: Balak's posture)→ pluperfect of completed state (standing in continuing attendance)ἐφίστημι: 'stand over / stand by / take one's stand'; the active pluperfect ἐφειστήκει has the force of a continuing state — Balak had stationed himself and remained standing over his offerings awaiting the oracle.
ἐπὶover / bypreposition + genitive (position)→ spatial or relational framingἐπὶ: meaning 'over'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + genitive (position).
τῶνtheGenitivearticle→ noun-phrase markingτῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ὁλοκαυτωμάτωνwhole burnt offeringsGenitivegenitive object of ἐπί→ relational specificationὁλοκαύτωμα: 'whole burnt offering'; renders עֹלָה; the compound (ὅλος 'whole' + καίω 'burn') denotes the sacrifice entirely consumed by fire; the plural reflects the offerings on the seven altars.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession→ relational specificationαὐτός: marking the burnt offerings as Balak's.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
πάντεςallNominativeadjective (modifying ἄρχοντες)→ participant prominenceπᾶς: 'all'; the whole body of Moabite princes attends as witnesses to the oracle.
οἱtheNominativearticle→ noun-phrase markingοἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἄρχοντεςprinces / rulersNominativesubject (nominal clause: 'all the princes ... with him')→ participant prominenceἄρχων: 'ruler / prince / official'; renders שַׂר; the Moabite nobility accompanying Balak (cf. 22:8, 14, 21) form the official audience for the failed curse.
Μωαβof Moabgenitive of relationship (indeclinable: 'princes of Moab')→ participant identificationΜωαβ: transliteration of Hebrew מוֹאָב; indeclinable; here a possessive genitive identifying the princes' nation.
μετ᾿withpreposition + genitive (accompaniment, elided before vowel)→ spatial or relational framingμετά + gen.: 'with / in company with.'
αὐτοῦhimGenitivegenitive object of μετά (Balak)→ relational specificationαὐτός: the princes are 'with him,' i.e. with Balak.
7
καὶ ἐγενήθη πνεῦμα θεοῦ ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ καὶ ἀναλαβὼν τὴν παραβολὴν αὐτοῦ εἶπεν ἐκ Μεσοποταμίας μετεπέμψατό με Βαλακ βασιλεὺς Μωαβ ἐξ ὀρέων ἀπ᾿ ἀνατολῶν λέγων δεῦρο ἄρασαί μοι τὸν Ιακωβ καὶ δεῦρο ἐπικατάρασαί μοι τὸν Ισραηλ
And a spirit of God came upon him, and taking up his oracle he said: 'From Mesopotamia Balak king of Moab sent for me, from the mountains of the east, saying, "Come, curse Jacob for me, and come, doom Israel for me."'
The narrative shifts to elevated oracular speech. The formula ἀναλαβὼν τὴν παραβολὴν αὐτοῦ ('taking up his oracle / mashal') marks the genre-change from prose to poetry (recurring at v. 18; 24:3, 15, 20). Balaam first names the irony of his commission: Balak fetched him from far Mesopotamia and the eastern mountains expressly to curse, using the cognate-imperative pair ἄρασαι … ἐπικατάρασαι that the oracle will overturn.
Word-by-word analysis· 35 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐγενήθηcame / came to beAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · γίνομαιmain verb (onset of inspiration)→ ingressive aorist (a spirit came upon him)γίνομαι (aor. pass. ἐγενήθη): 'become / come to be / come upon'; here of the prophetic spirit coming upon Balaam, empowering the oracle (cf. the parallel at 24:2).
πνεῦμαspiritNominativesubject of ἐγενήθη→ participant prominenceπνεῦμα: 'spirit / breath / wind'; renders רוּחַ; the πνεῦμα θεοῦ ('spirit of God') that seizes even a pagan seer to make him speak truth about Israel.
θεοῦof GodGenitivegenitive of source (modifying πνεῦμα)→ relational specificationθεός: the genitive marks the spirit as God's, the divine origin of Balaam's inspired speech.
ἐπ᾿uponpreposition + dative (position, elided before vowel)→ spatial or relational framingἐπί + dat.: 'upon'; of the spirit resting upon the seer.
αὐτῷhimDativedative object of ἐπί (Balaam)→ participant reference or interestαὐτός: the spirit comes upon Balaam.
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀναλαβὼνtaking upAor Act Part Nom Sg Masc · ἀναλαμβάνωcircumstantial participle (manner/attendant circumstance to εἶπεν)→ coincident aorist participle (in taking up his oracle, he said)ἀναλαμβάνω: 'take up'; in the idiom ἀναλαβὼν τὴν παραβολήν ('taking up the oracle') it renders the Hebrew נָשָׂא מָשָׁל ('lift up a mashal'), the technical formula for uttering a prophetic poem.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
παραβολὴνoracle / parableAccusativedirect object of ἀναλαβών→ object specificationπαραβολή: 'comparison / parable / proverb / oracle'; the standard LXX rendering of מָשָׁל; here the elevated poetic oracle Balaam pronounces; the term marks the genre of vv. 7–10 and 18–24 as inspired mashal-poetry.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession→ relational specificationαὐτός: 'his oracle' — the mashal that is now Balaam's to deliver.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (introducing the oracle)→ constative aoristλέγω: introduces the direct speech of the first oracle.
ἐκfrom / out ofpreposition + genitive (source/origin)→ spatial or relational framingἐκ + gen.: 'from / out of'; marking the distant origin from which Balaam was summoned.
ΜεσοποταμίαςMesopotamiaGenitivegenitive object of ἐκ (place of origin)→ relational specificationΜεσοποταμία: 'land between the rivers'; the LXX's standard rendering of אֲרַם נַהֲרַיִם ('Aram of the two rivers'); a declinable Greek geographical noun; underscores the great distance Balak went to procure his curse.
μετεπέμψατόsent for / summonedAor Mid Indic 3 Sg · μεταπέμπωmain verb of oracle (Balak's summons)→ constative aorist (completed summons)μεταπέμπω (mid. 'send for / summon'): the middle voice ('he had me sent for, for himself') suits a king summoning a seer; renders שָׁלַח לְ / קָרָא; recalls the embassies of ch. 22.
μεmeAccusativedirect object of μετεπέμψατο→ participant referenceἐγώ: Balaam, the object of Balak's summons.
ΒαλακBalaksubject of μετεπέμψατο (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΒαλακ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as subject of μετεπέμψατο (indeclinable).
βασιλεὺςkingNominativeappositive to Βαλακ→ participant prominenceβασιλεύς: 'king'; renders מֶלֶךְ; identifies Balak's royal rank in apposition to his name.
Μωαβof Moabgenitive of relationship (indeclinable: 'king of Moab')→ participant identificationΜωαβ: indeclinable; possessive genitive specifying Balak's realm.
ἐξfrompreposition + genitive (source, before vowel)→ spatial or relational framingἐκ/ἐξ + gen.: 'from / out of'; parallel to the earlier ἐκ Μεσοποταμίας.
ὀρέωνmountainsGenitivegenitive object of ἐξ→ relational specificationὄρος: 'mountain'; renders הַרְרֵי; the 'mountains of the east' locate Balaam's homeland in the highlands of the eastern lands.
ἀπ᾿frompreposition + genitive (source, elided before vowel)→ spatial or relational framingἀπό + gen.: 'from'; pairing with ἐξ ὀρέων to specify the eastern origin.
ἀνατολῶνof the east / risingsGenitivegenitive object of ἀπό→ relational specificationἀνατολή: 'rising (of the sun) / east'; renders קֶדֶם; the plural ἀνατολαί is a common LXX designation for the eastern regions (cf. Gen 2:8 ἀνατολάς).
λέγωνsayingPres Act Part Nom Sg Masc · λέγωcircumstantial participle (speech-introducing: introduces Balak's words)→ imperfective participle (the Hebraizing λέγων-formula)λέγω (pres. part.): the participle λέγων is a Hebraism rendering לֵאמֹר, introducing the content of Balak's summons in direct speech.
δεῦροcomeadverb of exhortation (hortatory: 'come!')→ clausal contributionδεῦρο: 'here / come!'; an adverb used as a summons-interjection; renders לְכָה ('come!'); the urgent call with which Balak presses Balaam to curse.
ἄρασαίcurseAor Mid Impv 2 Sg · ἀράομαιmain verb (Balak's imperative within the quote)→ ingressive aorist imperative (utter a curse!)ἀράομαι: 'pray / imprecate / curse'; deponent; renders אָרַר / קָבַב; the verb of laying a binding curse — exactly what Balaam will prove unable to do.
μοιfor meDativedative of advantage→ participant reference or interestἐγώ: the dative marks Balak as the one for whose benefit the curse is sought.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with proper name)→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΙακωβJacobaccusative object of ἄρασαι (indeclinable, case marked by τόν)→ participant identificationΙακωβ: transliteration of Hebrew יַעֲקֹב; indeclinable; here a poetic name for the nation Israel, parallel to Ισραηλ in the next line.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (parallel imperative)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
δεῦροcomeadverb of exhortation (parallel: 'come!')→ clausal contributionδεῦρο: the repeated summons in synonymous parallelism with the first line.
ἐπικατάρασαίdoom / utterly curseAor Mid Impv 2 Sg · ἐπικαταράομαιmain verb (parallel imperative)→ ingressive aorist imperative (lay a doom-curse!)ἐπικαταράομαι: 'call down a curse upon / execrate'; the double-compound (ἐπι- + κατα- + ἀράομαι) intensifies ἄρασαι in the parallel line; renders זָעַם / קָבַב; the heightened verb expresses the full force of the imprecation Balak demands.
μοιfor meDativedative of advantage→ participant reference or interestμοι: meaning 'for me'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as dative of advantage.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with proper name)→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΙσραηλIsraelaccusative object of ἐπικατάρασαι (indeclinable, case marked by τόν)→ participant identificationΙσραηλ: transliteration of Hebrew יִשְׂרָאֵל; indeclinable; in poetic parallelism with Ιακωβ, the two names together denoting the one covenant people.
8
τί ἀράσωμαι ὃν μὴ καταρᾶται κύριος ἢ τί καταράσωμαι ὃν μὴ καταρᾶται ὁ θεός
How shall I curse one whom the LORD does not curse? Or how shall I doom one whom God does not doom?
The theological heart of the first oracle, cast as a double rhetorical question in synonymous parallelism (κύριος ‖ ὁ θεός; ἀράσωμαι ‖ καταράσωμαι). The deliberative subjunctives express not merely reluctance but impossibility: a curse is efficacious only as the human echo of a divine decree, and since YHWH has not cursed Israel, no human curse can take hold. Balak's hired imprecation is thereby nullified at its root.
Word-by-word analysis· 14 words
τίhow / whatAccusativeinterrogative pronoun (adverbial accusative: 'how / on what ground')→ participant referenceτίς, τί: interrogative; the neuter τί here has the adverbial sense 'how / on what basis / why', renders מָה; introduces the rhetorical question of impossibility.
ἀράσωμαιshall I curseAor Mid Subj 1 Sg · ἀράομαιmain verb (deliberative subjunctive)→ deliberative aorist subjunctive (how could I possibly curse?)ἀράομαι: 'curse / imprecate'; the deliberative subjunctive frames the act as impossible — there is no ground on which Balaam could curse whom God has not cursed.
ὃνwhomAccusativerelative pronoun (object of καταρᾶται)→ participant referenceὅς: relative pronoun; antecedent is the implied object of the curse (Israel).
μὴnotnegative particle (with indicative in characterizing relative clause)→ discourse linkage or contrastμή: negative; with the relative clause it characterizes the one 'whom God does not curse' — Israel as the un-cursed.
καταρᾶταιcursesPres Mid Indic 3 Sg · καταράομαιverb of relative clause→ gnomic/durative present (settled divine non-cursing)καταράομαι: 'curse / call down a curse upon'; the compound κατα- intensifies; the present tense states YHWH's standing disposition — he simply does not curse this people.
κύριοςLORDNominativesubject of καταρᾶται→ participant prominenceκύριος: the standard LXX rendering of the Tetragrammaton יהוה; here the covenant God whose refusal to curse Israel renders Balaam's commission void; parallel to ὁ θεός in the second line.
ἢordisjunctive conjunction (joining parallel questions)→ discourse linkage or contrastἤ: 'or'; joins the two synonymous-parallel questions, reinforcing the single point by restatement.
τίhow / whatAccusativeinterrogative pronoun (adverbial accusative, parallel)→ participant referenceτίς, τί: the repeated interrogative opening the parallel line.
καταράσωμαιshall I doom / curseAor Mid Subj 1 Sg · καταράομαιmain verb (deliberative subjunctive, parallel)→ deliberative aorist subjunctive (how could I curse down?)καταράομαι: the intensified parallel to ἀράσωμαι; the variation ἀράομαι ‖ καταράομαι matches the Hebrew pair אֶקֹּב ‖ אֶזְעֹם, restating the impossibility with heightened force.
ὃνwhomAccusativerelative pronoun (object of καταρᾶται)→ participant referenceὅς: relative pronoun, parallel to the first line.
μὴnotnegative particle→ discourse linkage or contrastμή: negative, parallel to the first line.
καταρᾶταιcursesPres Mid Indic 3 Sg · καταράομαιverb of relative clause (parallel)→ gnomic/durative presentκαταράομαι: repeated, restating God's settled refusal to curse.
ὁtheNominativearticle→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεόςGodNominativesubject of καταρᾶται (parallel to κύριος)→ participant prominenceθεός: 'God'; in synonymous parallelism with κύριος of the first line, the two divine names framing the single truth that Israel is not under divine curse.
9
ὅτι ἀπὸ κορυφῆς ὀρέων ὄψομαι αὐτὸν καὶ ἀπὸ βουνῶν προσνοήσω αὐτόν ἰδοὺ λαὸς μόνος κατοικήσει καὶ ἐν ἔθνεσιν οὐ συλλογισθήσεται
For from the top of the mountains I will see him, and from the hills I will observe him; behold, a people that shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations.
ὅτι ('for') grounds the preceding impossibility in what Balaam sees: from his mountaintop vantage he beholds Israel as λαὸς μόνος ('a people alone'), set apart and not numbered among the nations. Election and separateness, not military or numerical advantage, are the reason the curse cannot land — a people God has singled out cannot be folded into the fate of the nations.
Word-by-word analysis· 20 words
ὅτιfor / becausecausal conjunction (grounding the prior claim)→ discourse linkage or contrastὅτι: 'because / for'; introduces the visionary ground for why Israel cannot be cursed.
ἀπὸfrompreposition + genitive (vantage point)→ spatial or relational framingἀπό + gen.: 'from'; marking the elevated point of observation.
κορυφῆςtop / summitGenitivegenitive object of ἀπό→ relational specificationκορυφή: 'top / summit / crown of the head'; renders רֹאשׁ; the high vantage from which the seer surveys the whole encampment of Israel.
ὀρέωνmountainsGenitivegenitive (partitive/relationship: 'summit of the mountains')→ relational specificationὄρος: 'mountain'; the mountains from whose crest Balaam looks down on Israel.
ὄψομαιI will seeFut Mid Indic 1 Sg · ὁράωmain verb (visionary perception)→ predictive/volitive future (I look upon him)ὁράω (fut. mid. ὄψομαι): 'see / behold'; renders רָאָה; the seer's privileged viewing of Israel from above.
αὐτὸνhimAccusativedirect object of ὄψομαι (Israel as collective 'him')→ participant referenceαὐτός: the masculine singular 'him' personifies the people (λαός) as a single collective figure.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (parallel line)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀπὸfrompreposition + genitive (vantage, parallel)→ spatial or relational framingἀπὸ: meaning 'from'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + genitive (vantage, parallel).
βουνῶνhillsGenitivegenitive object of ἀπό→ relational specificationβουνός: 'hill / mound'; renders גְּבָעוֹת; in synonymous parallelism with ὀρέων ('mountains'), the standard mountain/hill word-pair of Hebrew poetry.
προσνοήσωI will observe / regardFut Act Indic 1 Sg · προσνοέωmain verb (parallel to ὄψομαι)→ predictive/volitive future (I attend to him)προσνοέω: 'give heed to / observe attentively / regard'; the compound προσ- adds the nuance of fixed attention; here in poetic parallel to ὄψομαι, rendering the Hebrew אֲשׁוּרֶנּוּ ('I behold him').
αὐτόνhimAccusativedirect object of προσνοήσω→ participant referenceαὐτός: parallel 'him', the people viewed as one.
ἰδοὺbeholdpresentative particle (drawing attention)→ discourse linkage or contrastἰδού: 'behold / look'; renders הֵן; the presentative introduces the vision's content — Israel as a people set apart.
λαὸςpeopleNominativesubject (nominative of exclamation: 'a people!')→ participant prominenceλαός: 'people'; renders עָם; the term for Israel as a distinct covenant nation, here the subject of the verbs of dwelling and reckoning.
μόνοςaloneNominativepredicate adjective (with κατοικήσει: 'dwells alone')→ participant prominenceμόνος: 'alone / by itself'; renders לְבָדָד; the key word of the verse — Israel's separateness and election, dwelling apart from and not assimilated to the nations (cf. Deut 33:28; Exod 19:5–6).
κατοικήσειshall dwellFut Act Indic 3 Sg · κατοικέωmain verb (predicting Israel's mode of life)→ predictive future (settled future dwelling)κατοικέω: 'dwell / settle / inhabit'; renders שָׁכַן / יָשַׁב; the compound κατα- stresses settled, permanent habitation — Israel will live as a people apart.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐνamongpreposition + dative (association)→ spatial or relational framingἐν + dat.: 'among / with'; locating Israel relative to the surrounding nations.
ἔθνεσινnationsDativedative object of ἐν→ sphere or referenceἔθνος: 'nation / gentile people'; renders גּוֹי; the plural ἔθνη designates the surrounding peoples among whom Israel is not to be numbered.
οὐnotnegative particle (with future indicative)→ discourse linkage or contrastοὐ: emphatic negation of the following verb — Israel is decidedly not counted among the nations.
συλλογισθήσεταιshall be reckoned / counted togetherFut Pass Indic 3 Sg · συλλογίζομαιmain verb (passive: 'will not be reckoned')→ predictive future passive (will not be classed)συλλογίζομαι: 'reckon together / count up / class with'; renders יִתְחַשָּׁב ('reckon oneself'); the passive denies that Israel will be reckoned among (and so share the fate of) the other nations — its destiny is separate.
10
τίς ἐξηκριβάσατο τὸ σπέρμα Ιακωβ καὶ τίς ἐξαριθμήσεται δήμους Ισραηλ ἀποθάνοι ἡ ψυχή μου ἐν ψυχαῖς δικαίων καὶ γένοιτο τὸ σπέρμα μου ὡς τὸ σπέρμα τούτων
Who has counted exactly the seed of Jacob, and who shall number the divisions of Israel? May my soul die among the souls of the righteous, and may my seed become as the seed of these!
The oracle climaxes in two rhetorical questions on Israel's innumerability (fulfilling the Abrahamic promise of Gen 13:16; 22:17) and then turns, astonishingly, to Balaam's personal wish: the hired curser longs to share Israel's destiny — ἀποθάνοι ἡ ψυχή μου ἐν ψυχαῖς δικαίων ('let my soul die among the souls of the righteous'). The optatives of wish (ἀποθάνοι, γένοιτο) make this the emotional peak: the would-be curser envies the blessing he cannot revoke.
Word-by-word analysis· 26 words
τίςwhoNominativeinterrogative pronoun (subject)→ participant referenceτίς: interrogative 'who?'; renders מִי; the rhetorical question expects the answer 'no one' — Israel's seed cannot be numbered.
ἐξηκριβάσατοhas counted exactly / determined preciselyAor Mid Indic 3 Sg · ἐξακριβάζομαιmain verb (rhetorical question)→ constative aorist (no one has ever done it)ἐξακριβάζομαι: 'determine exactly / count precisely / ascertain'; the double-intensive (ἐξ- + ἀκριβ-) stresses exhaustive precision; renders מָנָה ('count'); the point: no one can take an exact census of Jacob's countless seed.
τὸtheAccusativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
σπέρμαseedAccusativedirect object of ἐξηκριβάσατο→ object specificationσπέρμα: 'seed / offspring / descendants'; renders עָפָר ('dust') in MT but functions as 'seed/posterity'; evokes the Abrahamic promise of innumerable descendants (Gen 13:16; 28:14).
Ιακωβof Jacobgenitive of relationship (indeclinable: 'seed of Jacob')→ participant identificationΙακωβ: indeclinable; possessive genitive — the posterity descended from Jacob.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (parallel question)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
τίςwhoNominativeinterrogative pronoun (subject, parallel)→ participant referenceτίς: the repeated interrogative in synonymous parallelism.
ἐξαριθμήσεταιshall number / count outFut Mid Indic 3 Sg · ἐξαριθμέωmain verb (parallel rhetorical question)→ potential/predictive future (who could number?)ἐξαριθμέω: 'count out / number fully'; the compound ἐξ- ('out / completely') stresses exhaustive enumeration; renders סָפַר ('count'); parallel to ἐξηκριβάσατο, reinforcing Israel's countlessness.
δήμουςdivisions / hostsAccusativedirect object of ἐξαριθμήσεται→ object specificationδῆμος: 'people / district / company'; here in the plural 'divisions / clans / hosts', rendering Hebrew רֹבַע ('fourth part / multitude') of MT; the tribal companies of Israel beyond counting.
Ισραηλof Israelgenitive of relationship (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΙσραηλ: indeclinable; in poetic parallel to Ιακωβ.
ἀποθάνοιmay dieAor Act Opt 3 Sg · ἀποθνῄσκωmain verb (optative of wish)→ optative of wish (let it die!)ἀποθνῄσκω: 'die'; the aorist optative ἀποθάνοι expresses a wish (rendering Hebrew jussive תָּמֹת) — Balaam's longing to share the destiny of the righteous Israel he was hired to curse.
ἡtheNominativearticle→ noun-phrase markingἡ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ψυχήsoulNominativesubject of ἀποθάνοι→ participant prominenceψυχή: 'soul / life / self'; renders נֶפֶשׁ; 'my soul' = 'I myself'; the seat of Balaam's own life and longing.
μουmyGenitivegenitive of possession→ relational specificationἐγώ: possessive genitive — Balaam's own soul.
ἐνamongpreposition + dative (association)→ spatial or relational framingἐν + dat.: 'among / in the company of.'
ψυχαῖςsoulsDativedative object of ἐν→ sphere or referenceψυχή: the plural 'souls / lives' of the righteous, among whom Balaam wishes to be numbered in death.
δικαίωνof the righteousGenitivegenitive attributive (substantival: 'of the righteous ones')→ relational specificationδίκαιος: 'righteous / just'; renders יְשָׁרִים ('upright'); the substantival genitive plural designates the upright of Israel, whose blessed death Balaam covets — a poignant irony in the mouth of a mercenary diviner.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (second wish)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
γένοιτοmay becomeAor Mid Opt 3 Sg · γίνομαιmain verb (optative of wish)→ optative of wish (let it become!)γίνομαι: 'become / come to be'; the aorist optative γένοιτο is the classic optative of wish ('may it be!'); Balaam wishes his own posterity to share the destiny of Israel's.
τὸtheNominativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
σπέρμαseedNominativesubject of γένοιτο→ participant prominenceσπέρμα: 'seed / posterity'; here Balaam's own offspring, which he wishes were as the seed of Israel.
μουmyGenitivegenitive of possession→ relational specificationἐγώ: 'my seed.'
ὡςas / likecomparative particle→ discourse linkage or contrastὡς: 'as / like'; introduces the comparison between Balaam's seed and Israel's.
τὸtheNominativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
σπέρμαseedNominativepredicate of comparison (subject of implied verb)→ participant prominenceσπέρμα: the seed 'of these' (Israel), held up as the enviable standard.
τούτωνof theseGenitivegenitive of relationship (demonstrative: 'of these people')→ relational specificationοὗτος: demonstrative 'these'; the genitive plural points to the Israelites before Balaam's eyes — his wish is to belong to their blessed line.
11
καὶ εἶπεν Βαλακ πρὸς Βαλααμ τί πεποίηκάς μοι εἰς κατάρασιν ἐχθρῶν μου κέκληκά σε καὶ ἰδοὺ εὐλόγηκας εὐλογίαν
And Balak said to Balaam, 'What have you done to me? I called you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have blessed a blessing!'
Balak's outburst marks the first stage of his mounting exasperation (cf. vv. 25; 24:10). The indignant τί πεποίηκάς μοι ('what have you done to me?') and the antithesis 'I called you to curse … and you have blessed' frame the chapter's central irony. The cognate accusative εὐλόγηκας εὐλογίαν ('you have blessed a blessing') is a Hebraism intensifying the reversal — not a mere blessing, but a thorough one.
Word-by-word analysis· 18 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ constative aoristλέγω: introduces Balak's protest.
ΒαλακBalaksubject (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΒαλακ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as subject (indeclinable).
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction of speech)→ spatial or relational framingπρὸς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction of speech).
ΒαλααμBalaamaccusative object of πρός (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΒαλααμ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as accusative object of πρός (indeclinable).
τίwhatAccusativeinterrogative pronoun (direct object of πεποίηκας)→ participant referenceτίς, τί: interrogative 'what?'; the indignant question expresses Balak's outrage at the reversal of his commission.
πεποίηκάςhave you donePf Act Indic 2 Sg · ποιέωmain verb (perfect of accusation)→ resultative perfect (and now look at the result!)ποιέω: 'do / make'; the perfect πεποίηκας stresses the abiding consequence of Balaam's action — the damage is done and stands.
μοιto meDativedative of disadvantage ('to my harm')→ participant reference or interestἐγώ: the dative of disadvantage — what Balaam has done against Balak's interest.
εἰςforpreposition + accusative (purpose)→ spatial or relational framingεἰς + acc.: 'for / unto'; expressing the purpose for which Balak summoned Balaam.
κατάρασινcursingAccusativeaccusative of purpose (with εἰς: 'for the cursing')→ object specificationκατάρασις: 'cursing / imprecation'; the act-noun (cf. κατάρα) renders אָרַר; names the very purpose Balaam was hired to fulfil and has not.
ἐχθρῶνof enemiesGenitiveobjective genitive (the enemies to be cursed)→ relational specificationἐχθρός: 'enemy / hostile one'; renders אֹיֵב; Balak regards Israel as his enemies, the intended object of the curse.
μουmyGenitivegenitive of possession→ relational specificationἐγώ: 'my enemies.'
κέκληκάI have called / summonedPf Act Indic 1 Sg · καλέωmain verb (perfect of summons)→ resultative perfect (I summoned you and here you are)καλέω: 'call / summon / invite'; the perfect κέκληκα stresses that Balak's summons stands as the basis of his grievance — he engaged Balaam for a curse, not a blessing.
σεyouAccusativedirect object of κέκληκα→ participant referenceσύ: Balaam, the one summoned.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (adversative force in context)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἰδοὺbeholdpresentative particle (indignant)→ discourse linkage or contrastἰδού: 'behold!'; here voicing Balak's outraged astonishment at the opposite outcome.
εὐλόγηκαςyou have blessedPf Act Indic 2 Sg · εὐλογέωmain verb (cognate-accusative construction)→ resultative perfect (the blessing now stands)εὐλογέω: 'bless / speak well of'; renders בֵּרַךְ; the perfect with cognate object underscores that an effective, abiding blessing — the very opposite of the commissioned curse — has been pronounced.
εὐλογίανa blessingAccusativecognate accusative (Hebraism: intensifying εὐλόγηκας)→ object specificationεὐλογία: 'blessing'; the cognate accusative εὐλόγηκας εὐλογίαν ('blessed a blessing') is a Hebraism rendering the emphatic infinitive-absolute idiom בֵּרַכְתָּ בָרֵךְ, intensifying the action — Balaam has blessed thoroughly and decisively.
12
καὶ εἶπεν Βαλααμ πρὸς Βαλακ οὐχὶ ὅσα ἐὰν ἐμβάλῃ ὁ θεὸς εἰς τὸ στόμα μου τοῦτο φυλάξω λαλῆσαι
And Balaam said to Balak, 'Whatever God puts into my mouth — this I will take care to speak, will I not?'
Balaam answers Balak's protest by appealing to the constraint established in v. 5: he can speak only what God ἐμβάλῃ εἰς τὸ στόμα ('puts into the mouth'). The interrogative οὐχί expects assent ('must I not...?'), and the verb φυλάξω ('I will guard / be careful') frames faithful transmission as a sacred duty — the seer is bound, not free.
Word-by-word analysis· 18 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ constative aoristλέγω: introduces Balaam's reply.
ΒαλααμBalaamsubject (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΒαλααμ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as subject (indeclinable).
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction of speech)→ spatial or relational framingπρὸς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction of speech).
ΒαλακBalakaccusative object of πρός (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΒαλακ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as accusative object of πρός (indeclinable).
οὐχὶnot / is it not thatinterrogative negative (expecting an affirmative answer)→ clausal contributionοὐχί: emphatic form of οὐ; in a rhetorical question it expects the answer 'yes' — 'must I not speak only what God gives?'
ὅσαwhatever thingsAccusativerelative/correlative pronoun (object of ἐμβάλῃ, resumed by τοῦτο)→ participant referenceὅσος: 'as much/many as / whatever'; the indefinite relative (with ἐάν) generalizes — 'whatever things God may put'; resumed pleonastically by τοῦτο in Hebraizing style.
ἐὰνevermodal particle (with relative + subjunctive: indefinite)→ discourse linkage or contrastἐάν: generalizes the relative ὅσα and governs the subjunctive ἐμβάλῃ.
ἐμβάλῃputs in / may put inAor Act Subj 3 Sg · ἐμβάλλωverb of indefinite relative clause→ aorist subjunctive (indefinite future contingency)ἐμβάλλω: 'put in / cast in'; echoes ἐνέβαλεν of v. 5; the subjunctive after ὅσα ἐάν frames God's giving of the word as the controlling condition on all Balaam can say.
ὁtheNominativearticle→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεὸςGodNominativesubject of ἐμβάλῃ→ participant prominenceθεός: God, the sole supplier of Balaam's words.
εἰςintopreposition + accusative (direction)→ spatial or relational framingεἰς: meaning 'into'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction).
τὸtheAccusativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
στόμαmouthAccusativeaccusative object of εἰς (idiomatic)→ object specificationστόμα: 'mouth'; the same image as v. 5 — Balaam's mouth as the vessel of the divinely given word.
μουmyGenitivegenitive of possession→ relational specificationἐγώ: 'my mouth.'
τοῦτοthisAccusativedemonstrative pronoun (resumptive object of λαλῆσαι)→ participant referenceοὗτος: the resumptive 'this' picks up ὅσα in Hebraizing pleonasm — 'whatever God puts ... this I will speak.'
φυλάξωI will take care / guardFut Act Indic 1 Sg · φυλάσσωmain verb (Balaam's pledge)→ predictive/volitive future (I will be careful)φυλάσσω: 'guard / keep / take care'; renders שָׁמַר; here 'I will be careful to speak' — faithful transmission of the divine word is treated as a duty to be scrupulously kept.
λαλῆσαιto speakAor Act Inf · λαλέωcomplementary infinitive (with φυλάξω: 'take care to speak')→ complementary aorist infinitiveλαλέω: 'speak'; the complementary infinitive specifies what Balaam will be careful to do — to utter exactly the God-given word, nothing else.
13
καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτὸν Βαλακ δεῦρο ἔτι μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ εἰς τόπον ἄλλον ἐξ ὧν οὐκ ὄψῃ αὐτὸν ἐκεῖθεν ἀλλ᾿ ἢ μέρος τι αὐτοῦ ὄψῃ πάντας δὲ οὐ μὴ ἴδῃς καὶ κατάρασαί μοι αὐτὸν ἐκεῖθεν
And Balak said to him, 'Come still with me to another place, from which you will not see him from there — but only some part of him you will see, and all of them you shall by no means see — and curse him for me from there.'
Balak, undeterred, proposes a second vantage, reasoning (superstitiously) that seeing only part of Israel might make the curse possible. The summons δεῦρο ἔτι μετ᾽ ἐμοῦ ('come still with me') and the emphatic οὐ μὴ ἴδῃς ('you shall by no means see all') reveal his belief that the seer's line of sight controls the oracle's efficacy — a notion the chapter steadily demolishes.
Word-by-word analysis· 34 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ constative aoristλέγω: introduces Balak's new proposal.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction of speech)→ spatial or relational framingπρὸς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction of speech).
αὐτὸνhimAccusativeaccusative object of πρός (Balaam)→ participant referenceαὐτός: refers to Balaam.
ΒαλακBalaksubject (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΒαλακ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as subject (indeclinable).
δεῦροcomeadverb of summons (hortatory)→ clausal contributionδεῦρο: 'come!'; the summons-adverb, renders לְכָה; Balak urges Balaam to a new site.
ἔτιstill / yetadverb (temporal: 'once more')→ clausal contributionἔτι: 'still / yet / again'; signals Balak's persistence — another attempt after the first failure.
μετ᾿withpreposition + genitive (accompaniment, elided)→ spatial or relational framingμετά + gen.: 'with.'
ἐμοῦmeGenitivegenitive object of μετά→ relational specificationἐγώ: emphatic genitive 'me' — come along with me.
εἰςtopreposition + accusative (goal)→ spatial or relational framingεἰς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (goal).
τόπονplaceAccusativeaccusative object of εἰς (destination)→ object specificationτόπος: 'place / location'; renders מָקוֹם; the new vantage Balak proposes.
ἄλλονanotherAccusativeattributive adjective (modifying τόπον)→ object specificationἄλλος: 'another / other'; a different site, in the hope of a different result.
ἐξfrompreposition + genitive (source, with relative)→ spatial or relational framingἐκ/ἐξ + gen.: 'from'; introducing the relative clause describing the new place.
ὧνwhichGenitiverelative pronoun (genitive after ἐξ; constructio ad sensum, plural for the place/places)→ relational specificationὅς: relative pronoun; the genitive plural ὧν after ἐξ ('from which') is a loose construction referring to the vantage just named.
οὐκnotnegative particle→ discourse linkage or contrastοὐ: negates ὄψῃ.
ὄψῃyou will seeFut Mid Indic 2 Sg · ὁράωverb of relative clause→ predictive future (from there you will not see)ὁράω (fut. mid. ὄψῃ): 'see'; Balak supposes that limiting Balaam's view of Israel may enable the curse.
αὐτὸνhimAccusativedirect object of ὄψῃ (Israel)→ participant referenceαὐτός: the people viewed collectively as 'him.'
ἐκεῖθενfrom thereadverb of place (source)→ clausal contributionἐκεῖθεν: 'from there / thence'; the new vantage point.
ἀλλ᾿butadversative conjunction (elided before vowel)→ discourse linkage or contrastἀλλά: 'but'; with ἤ forming the idiom ἀλλ᾽ ἤ ('except / but only').
ἢonly / exceptparticle (in idiom ἀλλ᾿ ἤ: 'except / but only')→ discourse linkage or contrastἤ: in the compound ἀλλ᾽ ἤ it marks an exception, 'but only / except'; renders אֶפֶס / כִּי.
μέροςpartAccusativedirect object of ὄψῃ (partial view)→ object specificationμέρος: 'part / portion'; renders קָצֵהוּ ('its edge / extremity'); only a fraction of the encampment is to be visible.
τιsomeAccusativeindefinite pronoun (modifying μέρος: 'some part')→ participant referenceτις, τι: indefinite 'some / a certain'; 'some part of him.'
αὐτοῦof himGenitivepartitive genitive (with μέρος)→ relational specificationαὐτός: partitive genitive — 'a part of him (the people).'
ὄψῃyou will seeFut Mid Indic 2 Sg · ὁράωmain verb (the partial view)→ predictive futureὁράω: the partial seeing Balak permits, contrasted with the total view denied.
πάνταςallAccusativedirect object of ἴδῃς (the whole people)→ object specificationπᾶς: 'all'; masculine plural 'all of them' — the entire host, which Balak insists Balaam must not see in full.
δὲbutmild adversative (post-positive)→ discourse linkage or contrastδέ: marks the contrast between the partial view (granted) and the full view (denied).
οὐnotnegative particle (with μή: emphatic denial)→ discourse linkage or contrastοὐ: with μή forms the emphatic οὐ μή construction.
μὴnotnegative particle (with οὐ + subjunctive: emphatic negation)→ discourse linkage or contrastμή: the οὐ μή + aorist subjunctive is the strongest form of future denial ('you shall by no means see').
ἴδῃςyou should seeAor Act Subj 2 Sg · ὁράωmain verb (subjunctive of emphatic denial)→ aorist subjunctive of emphatic negation (you shall surely not see)ὁράω (aor. εἶδον, subj. ἴδῃς): 'see'; with οὐ μή it forms an emphatic prohibition of the full view — Balak's superstitious precaution.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (introducing the command)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
κατάρασαίcurseAor Mid Impv 2 Sg · καταράομαιmain verb (imperative to Balaam)→ ingressive aorist imperative (lay a curse!)καταράομaι: 'curse'; the renewed command, repeating Balak's demand of v. 7 from the new vantage.
μοιfor meDativedative of advantage→ participant reference or interestἐγώ: 'for me / on my behalf.'
αὐτὸνhimAccusativedirect object of κατάρασαι (Israel)→ participant referenceαὐτός: the people to be cursed.
ἐκεῖθενfrom thereadverb of place (source)→ clausal contributionἐκεῖθεν: 'from there'; the curse is to issue from the new site.
14
καὶ παρέλαβεν αὐτὸν εἰς ἀγροῦ σκοπιὰν ἐπὶ κορυφὴν λελαξευμένου καὶ ᾠκοδόμησεν ἐκεῖ ἑπτὰ βωμοὺς καὶ ἀνεβίβασεν μόσχον καὶ κριὸν ἐπὶ τὸν βωμόν
And he took him to the lookout of the field, to the top of the hewn height, and he built there seven altars and brought up a calf and a ram on the altar.
The ritual template of vv. 1–2 recurs at the new site: seven altars, bull and ram. The place is the 'lookout of the field' (ἀγροῦ σκοπιάν, the field of Zophim) on the summit of Pisgah, rendered here by the participle λελαξευμένου ('of the hewn/quarried place'). The repetition signals Balak's dogged hope that changed scenery will change the oracle.
Word-by-word analysis· 22 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
παρέλαβενtook / took alongAor Act Indic 3 Sg · παραλαμβάνωmain verb (Balak conducts Balaam)→ constative aorist (completed taking)παραλαμβάνω: 'take along / take with oneself'; renders לָקַח; Balak conducts Balaam to the second vantage (cf. the same verb at vv. 27–28).
αὐτὸνhimAccusativedirect object of παρέλαβεν (Balaam)→ participant referenceαὐτός: Balaam, led to the new place.
εἰςtopreposition + accusative (destination)→ spatial or relational framingεἰς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (destination).
ἀγροῦof a fieldGenitivegenitive of relationship (modifying σκοπιάν: 'lookout of the field')→ relational specificationἀγρός: 'field / open country'; renders שָׂדֶה; the phrase ἀγροῦ σκοπιάν renders שְׂדֵה צֹפִים ('the field of Zophim/watchers'), the LXX taking 'Zophim' as 'lookout.'
σκοπιὰνlookout / watch-heightAccusativeaccusative object of εἰς→ object specificationσκοπιά: 'lookout / watchtower / peak for observation'; from σκοπέω ('watch'); the LXX renders the place-name צֹפִים by its etymological sense, 'place of watching.'
ἐπὶupon / topreposition + accusative (goal)→ spatial or relational framingἐπί + acc.: 'up to / onto'; specifying the summit reached.
κορυφὴνtop / summitAccusativeaccusative object of ἐπί→ object specificationκορυφή: 'summit / top'; renders רֹאשׁ; the crest of Pisgah.
λελαξευμένουof the hewn / quarried (height)Pf Pass Part Gen Sg Neut · λαξεύωsubstantival/attributive participle (genitive: 'of the hewn place')→ resultative perfect participle (in a hewn-out state)λαξεύω: 'hew / cut (in stone) / quarry'; the perfect-passive participle λελαξευμένου ('of the hewn one') renders the place-name הַפִּסְגָּה (Pisgah), which the LXX construes as 'the hewn/quarried (height)'; the resultative perfect denotes its finished, hewn condition.
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ᾠκοδόμησενbuiltAor Act Indic 3 Sg · οἰκοδομέωmain verb (altar construction)→ constative aorist (completed building)οἰκοδομέω: 'build'; the augmented form ᾠκοδόμησεν; Balak again raises seven altars, repeating the rite of v. 1.
ἐκεῖthereadverb of place→ adverbial qualificationἐκεῖ: 'there'; at the new site.
ἑπτὰsevennumeral (modifying βωμούς)→ measure or countἑπτά: 'seven'; the repeated sacred number of the rite.
βωμοὺςaltarsAccusativedirect object of ᾠκοδόμησεν→ object specificationβωμός: 'altar'; the seven altars rebuilt at the second site.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀνεβίβασενbrought up / offered upAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀναβιβάζωmain verb (sacrificial action)→ constative aorist (completed offering)ἀναβιβάζω: 'bring up / offer up'; the same sacrificial verb as v. 4, here of Balak's renewed offering.
μόσχονcalf / bullAccusativedirect object of ἀνεβίβασεν→ object specificationμόσχος: the bull offered on each altar.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
κριὸνramAccusativedirect object (coordinate with μόσχον)→ object specificationκριός: the ram offered with the bull.
ἐπὶuponpreposition + accusative (place of offering)→ spatial or relational framingἐπὶ: meaning 'upon'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (place of offering).
τὸνtheAccusativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
βωμόνaltarAccusativeaccusative object of ἐπί→ object specificationβωμός: the collective singular altar of the offering.
15
καὶ εἶπεν Βαλααμ πρὸς Βαλακ παράστηθι ἐπὶ τῆς θυσίας σου ἐγὼ δὲ πορεύσομαι ἐπερωτῆσαι τὸν θεόν
And Balaam said to Balak, 'Stand beside your sacrifice, and I will go to inquire of God.'
Balaam repeats almost verbatim his instruction of v. 3, with the emphatic ἐγὼ δέ ('but I, for my part') marking the division of roles: Balak attends the altars while Balaam withdraws to consult God. The parallel structure underscores the ritualized, repeating pattern of the chapter.
Word-by-word analysis· 16 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ constative aoristλέγω: introduces Balaam's repeated instruction.
ΒαλααμBalaamsubject (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΒαλααμ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as subject (indeclinable).
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction of speech)→ spatial or relational framingπρὸς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction of speech).
ΒαλακBalakaccusative object of πρός (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΒαλακ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as accusative object of πρός (indeclinable).
παράστηθιstand besideAor Act Impv 2 Sg · παρίστημιmain verb (imperative to Balak)→ ingressive aorist imperative (take your station)παρίστημι: 'stand beside / attend'; repeats the command of v. 3 — Balak is to keep watch by his offerings.
ἐπὶbesidepreposition + genitive (position)→ spatial or relational framingἐπὶ: meaning 'beside'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + genitive (position).
τῆςtheGenitivearticle→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θυσίαςsacrificeGenitivegenitive object of ἐπί→ relational specificationθυσία: Balak's offering, beside which he stands.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession→ relational specificationσύ: 'your sacrifice.'
ἐγὼINominativesubject (emphatic pronoun)→ participant referenceἐγώ: the emphatic pronoun with δέ contrasts Balaam's role (going to inquire) with Balak's (attending the altars).
δὲbut / andcontrastive particle (post-positive)→ discourse linkage or contrastδέ: marks the division of roles between Balak and Balaam.
πορεύσομαιI will goFut Mid Indic 1 Sg · πορεύομαιmain verb (Balaam's announced action)→ predictive future (intended withdrawal)πορεύομαι: 'go'; Balaam again withdraws to seek God, as in v. 3.
ἐπερωτῆσαιto inquire ofAor Act Inf · ἐπερωτάωinfinitive of purpose→ purpose infinitive (in order to inquire)ἐπερωτάω: 'inquire of / consult'; the purpose of the withdrawal — to consult God for the next word.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεόνGodAccusativedirect object of ἐπερωτῆσαι→ object specificationθεός: the object of Balaam's consultation.
16
καὶ συνήντησεν ὁ θεὸς τῷ Βαλααμ καὶ ἐνέβαλεν ῥῆμα εἰς τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπεν ἀποστράφητι πρὸς Βαλακ καὶ τάδε λαλήσεις
And God met Balaam and put a word into his mouth and said, 'Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak.'
The second divine encounter parallels vv. 4–5: God meets Balaam (συνήντησεν, picking up the συναντήσει of v. 3) and again ἐνέβαλεν ῥῆμα εἰς τὸ στόμα ('put a word into the mouth'). The command ἀποστράφητι ('return') and the future τάδε λαλήσεις ('thus you shall speak') set up the second oracle, again as pure divine dictation.
Word-by-word analysis· 21 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
συνήντησενmetAor Act Indic 3 Sg · συναντάωmain verb (theophany)→ constative aorist (completed meeting)συναντάω: 'meet / encounter'; cognate with the συνάντησις of v. 3; renders קָרָה / נִקְרָה; God 'meets' Balaam to supply the second oracle.
ὁtheNominativearticle→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεὸςGodNominativesubject of συνήντησεν→ participant prominenceθεός: God, who again takes the initiative to meet the seer.
τῷthe (to)Dativearticle (with dative name)→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΒαλααμBalaamdative object of συνήντησεν (case marked by τῷ)→ participant identificationΒαλααμ: indeclinable; the one whom God meets.
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐνέβαλενput inAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἐμβάλλωmain verb (commissioning of the word)→ constative aorist (completed implanting)ἐμβάλλω: 'put in / cast in'; repeats the key verb of v. 5 — God implants the oracle in Balaam's mouth.
ῥῆμαwordAccusativedirect object of ἐνέβαλεν→ object specificationῥῆμα: 'word / utterance'; the second divinely given oracle.
εἰςintopreposition + accusative (direction)→ spatial or relational framingεἰς: meaning 'into'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction).
τὸtheAccusativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
στόμαmouthAccusativeaccusative object of εἰς→ object specificationστόμα: 'mouth'; the vessel of the divine word, as in v. 5.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession→ relational specificationαὐτός: 'his mouth' (Balaam's).
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (divine instruction)→ constative aoristλέγω: introduces God's command to return and speak.
ἀποστράφητιreturn / turn backAor Pass Impv 2 Sg · ἀποστρέφωmain verb (imperative to Balaam)→ ingressive aorist imperative (go back!)ἀποστρέφω: 'turn back / return'; the aorist-passive imperative (intransitive 'turn back') commands the seer's return to Balak before delivering the oracle; cf. ἐπιστραφείς in v. 5.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction)→ spatial or relational framingπρὸς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction).
ΒαλακBalakaccusative object of πρός (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΒαλακ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as accusative object of πρός (indeclinable).
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
τάδεthese things / thusAccusativedemonstrative pronoun (object of λαλήσεις)→ participant referenceὅδε: 'this / these'; the neuter plural τάδε ('thus / these things') points forward to the dictated second oracle of vv. 18–24.
λαλήσειςyou shall speakFut Act Indic 2 Sg · λαλέωmain verb (imperatival future command)→ imperatival future (binding command to speak)λαλέω: 'speak'; the imperatival future binds Balaam to deliver precisely the dictated word.
17
καὶ ἀπεστράφη πρὸς αὐτόν καὶ ὅδε ἐφειστήκει ἐπὶ τῆς ὁλοκαυτώσεως αὐτοῦ καὶ πάντες οἱ ἄρχοντες Μωαβ μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Βαλακ τί ἐλάλησεν κύριος
And he returned to him, and behold, he was standing over his whole burnt offering, and all the princes of Moab were with him. And Balak said to him, 'What did the LORD speak?'
The scene reprises v. 6 almost word for word (ὅδε ἐφειστήκει … πάντες οἱ ἄρχοντες Μωαβ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ), but now adds Balak's anxious question τί ἐλάλησεν κύριος ('what did the LORD speak?'). Notably Balak himself names κύριος — the covenant God — as the speaker, conceding that the oracle's source is beyond his control even as he hopes for a curse.
Word-by-word analysis· 25 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀπεστράφηreturnedAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · ἀποστρέφωmain verb (Balaam's return)→ constative aorist (completed return)ἀποστρέφω: 'turn back / return'; fulfils the command ἀποστράφητι of v. 16, as in v. 6.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction)→ spatial or relational framingπρὸς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction).
αὐτόνhimAccusativeaccusative object of πρός (Balak)→ participant referenceαὐτός: Balak, to whom Balaam returns.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (introducing tableau)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ὅδεbehold heNominativedemonstrative pronoun (subject, deictic)→ participant referenceὅδε: 'this one / behold'; renders the presentative וְהִנֵּה, pointing to Balak standing in attendance, as in v. 6.
ἐφειστήκειwas standingPlpf Act Indic 3 Sg · ἐφίστημιmain verb (Balak's posture)→ pluperfect of continuing state (standing in attendance)ἐφίστημι: 'stand over / by'; the pluperfect denotes Balak's continuing stance over his offering, awaiting the oracle, as in v. 6.
ἐπὶoverpreposition + genitive (position)→ spatial or relational framingἐπὶ: meaning 'over'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + genitive (position).
τῆςtheGenitivearticle→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ὁλοκαυτώσεωςwhole burnt offeringGenitivegenitive object of ἐπί→ relational specificationὁλοκαύτωσις: 'whole burnt offering / holocaust'; the act-noun variant of ὁλοκαύτωμα (v. 6), also rendering עֹלָה; Balak's sacrifice over which he stands.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession→ relational specificationαὐτός: 'his burnt offering.'
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
πάντεςallNominativeadjective (modifying ἄρχοντες)→ participant prominenceπᾶς: 'all'; the whole body of Moabite princes, as in v. 6.
οἱtheNominativearticle→ noun-phrase markingοἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἄρχοντεςprincesNominativesubject (nominal clause)→ participant prominenceἄρχων: 'prince / ruler'; the Moabite nobility, again present as the audience.
Μωαβof Moabgenitive of relationship (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΜωαβ: indeclinable; 'princes of Moab.'
μετ᾿withpreposition + genitive (accompaniment, elided)→ spatial or relational framingμετά + gen.: 'with.'
αὐτοῦhimGenitivegenitive object of μετά→ relational specificationαὐτός: 'with him' (Balak).
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ constative aoristλέγω: introduces Balak's anxious question.
αὐτῷto himDativedative indirect object (to Balaam)→ participant reference or interestαὐτός: Balaam, addressed by Balak.
ΒαλακBalaksubject (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΒαλακ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as subject (indeclinable).
τίwhatAccusativeinterrogative pronoun (direct object of ἐλάλησεν)→ participant referenceτίς, τί: interrogative 'what?'; Balak's eager question about the content of the oracle.
ἐλάλησενspoke / did speakAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λαλέωmain verb of the question→ constative aorist (what did he say?)λαλέω: 'speak'; Balak asks after the divine utterance, conceding YHWH as its source.
κύριοςLORDNominativesubject of ἐλάλησεν→ participant prominenceκύριος: rendering of the Tetragrammaton יהוה; strikingly, the pagan king names Israel's covenant God as the oracle's speaker, acknowledging the constraint under which Balaam operates.
18
καὶ ἀναλαβὼν τὴν παραβολὴν αὐτοῦ εἶπεν ἀνάστηθι Βαλακ καὶ ἄκουε ἐνώτισαι μάρτυς υἱὸς Σεπφωρ
And taking up his oracle he said: 'Rise up, Balak, and hear; give ear as a witness, son of Zippor!'
The second oracle opens, like the first (v. 7), with the mashal-formula ἀναλαβὼν τὴν παραβολήν, but now begins with an emphatic triple summons to Balak — ἀνάστηθι … ἄκουε … ἐνώτισαι ('rise … hear … give ear') — calling the king to attend as μάρτυς ('witness'). The heightened address signals that what follows (vv. 19–24) is weightier still: a declaration about the very nature and faithfulness of God.
Word-by-word analysis· 14 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀναλαβὼνtaking upAor Act Part Nom Sg Masc · ἀναλαμβάνωcircumstantial participle (attendant circumstance to εἶπεν)→ coincident aorist participle (in taking up his oracle, he said)ἀναλαμβάνω: 'take up'; the mashal-formula ἀναλαβὼν τὴν παραβολήν (נָשָׂא מָשָׁל), marking the onset of the second poetic oracle, as in v. 7.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
παραβολὴνoracle / parableAccusativedirect object of ἀναλαβών→ object specificationπαραβολή: 'mashal / oracle'; the elevated poetic utterance of vv. 18–24.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession→ relational specificationαὐτός: 'his oracle.'
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (introducing the oracle)→ constative aoristλέγω: introduces the direct speech of the second oracle.
ἀνάστηθιrise upAor Act Impv 2 Sg · ἀνίστημιmain verb (imperative summons)→ ingressive aorist imperative (stand up!)ἀνίστημι: 'rise / stand up'; the intransitive aorist imperative summons Balak to attentive readiness; renders קוּם.
ΒαλακBalakvocative (indeclinable, addressee)→ participant identificationΒαλακ: indeclinable; here in direct address.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἄκουεhearPres Act Impv 2 Sg · ἀκούωmain verb (imperative summons)→ durative present imperative (keep listening!)ἀκούω: 'hear / listen'; the present imperative calls for sustained attention; renders שְׁמַע.
ἐνώτισαιgive earAor Mid Impv 2 Sg · ἐνωτίζομαιmain verb (imperative summons)→ ingressive aorist imperative (lend your ear!)ἐνωτίζομαι: 'give ear / listen attentively'; denominative from ἐν + οὖς ('ear'); a poetic synonym of ἄκουε, rendering הַאֲזִינָה; the doubled call heightens the summons.
μάρτυςwitnessNominativepredicate/appositional nominative (Balak summoned as witness)→ participant prominenceμάρτυς: 'witness'; here the LXX renders the Hebrew עָדַי ('unto me / witness') by casting Balak as a μάρτυς — one summoned to attend and testify to the oracle's truth.
υἱὸςsonNominativeappositive to Βαλακ (vocatival nominative)→ participant prominenceυἱός: 'son'; renders בֵּן; the patronymic identification of Balak.
Σεπφωρof Zipporgenitive of relationship (indeclinable: 'son of Zippor')→ participant identificationΣεπφωρ: transliteration of Hebrew צִפּוֹר (Zippor), Balak's father; indeclinable; the patronymic 'son of Zippor' adds solemn formality to the summons.
19
οὐχ ὡς ἄνθρωπος ὁ θεὸς διαρτηθῆναι οὐδὲ ὡς υἱὸς ἀνθρώπου ἀπειληθῆναι αὐτὸς εἴπας οὐχὶ ποιήσει λαλήσει καὶ οὐχὶ ἐμμενεῖ
God is not as a man, that he should be made to waver, nor as a son of man, that he should be threatened. Having himself spoken, will he not act? Will he speak, and not abide by it?
The great immutability crux. The two passive infinitives διαρτηθῆναι ('be made to waver / be deceived') and ἀπειληθῆναι ('be threatened') render the Hebrew assertion that God does not lie (לֹא אִישׁ אֵל וִיכַזֵּב) nor relent (וּבֶן־אָדָם וְיִתְנֶחָם). God is categorically unlike a man: he cannot be deflected, deceived, or coerced into changing his word. The verse grounds the un-revoke-ability of the blessing in v. 20 and stands behind 1 Sam 15:29 ('the Glory of Israel will not lie or relent'), Titus 1:2 ('God who cannot lie'), and Heb 6:18 ('impossible for God to lie'). The two rhetorical questions (οὐχὶ ποιήσει … οὐχὶ ἐμμενεῖ) drive home that divine speech is inseparable from divine performance.
Word-by-word analysis· 19 words
οὐχnotnegative particle (negating the comparison)→ discourse linkage or contrastοὐ (οὐχ before rough breathing): negates the predication — God is not in the category of fickle humanity.
ὡςas / likecomparative particle→ discourse linkage or contrastὡς: 'as / like'; introduces the rejected comparison of God to a man.
ἄνθρωποςmanNominativepredicate nominative (term of comparison)→ participant prominenceἄνθρωπος: 'man / human being'; renders אִישׁ; the standard of fickleness and falsehood from which God is distinguished.
ὁtheNominativearticle→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεὸςGodNominativesubject of the predication→ participant prominenceθεός: 'God'; renders אֵל; the subject whose immutable nature the verse asserts.
διαρτηθῆναιto be made to waver / be deceivedAor Pass Inf · διαρτάωepexegetical infinitive (explaining the comparison: 'so as to waver')→ epexegetical aorist passive infinitive (defining the human frailty God lacks)διαρτάω: lit. 'hold in suspense / keep hanging'; in the passive 'be held in suspense / be made to waver / be deceived'; this rare verb renders Hebrew כָּזַב ('lie / deceive'), the LXX construing God's truthfulness as his incapacity to be put into wavering suspense; the epexegetical infinitive defines the manlike fickleness God does not share — the heart of the immutability crux (cf. 1 Sam 15:29; Titus 1:2; Heb 6:18).
οὐδὲnornegative conjunction (continuing the negation)→ discourse linkage or contrastοὐδέ: 'nor / and not'; continues the denial into the parallel line.
ὡςas / likecomparative particle (parallel)→ discourse linkage or contrastὡς: the repeated comparison-marker in synonymous parallelism.
υἱὸςsonNominativepredicate nominative (term of comparison)→ participant prominenceυἱός: 'son'; in the idiom υἱὸς ἀνθρώπου ('son of man') it denotes a mere mortal, parallel to ἄνθρωπος.
ἀνθρώπουof manGenitivegenitive of relationship (with υἱός: 'son of man')→ relational specificationἄνθρωπος: the genitive in the Semitic idiom 'son of man' (בֶּן־אָדָם) = a human being, emphasizing creaturely frailty and mutability.
ἀπειληθῆναιto be threatenedAor Pass Inf · ἀπειλέωepexegetical infinitive (parallel: 'so as to be threatened')→ epexegetical aorist passive infinitive (defining the human frailty God lacks)ἀπειλέω: 'threaten'; in the passive 'be threatened / be subjected to threat'; the LXX here renders Hebrew נָחַם (hithpael 'relent / change one's mind'), reconstruing it as God's not being coercible by threat — he cannot be intimidated into altering his purpose; parallel to διαρτηθῆναι, completing the portrait of divine constancy.
αὐτὸςhe himselfNominativeintensive pronoun (subject: 'he himself')→ participant referenceαὐτός: intensive 'himself'; emphasizes that God personally, in his own person, both speaks and acts — no gap between his word and its fulfilment.
εἴπαςhaving spokenAor Act Part Nom Sg Masc · λέγωcircumstantial participle (antecedent: 'having spoken')→ antecedent aorist participle (he has spoken, therefore...)λέγω (aor. part. εἴπας): 'having said / spoken'; the participle (rendering Hebrew אָמַר) sets up the rhetorical questions — since God has spoken, performance must follow.
οὐχὶwill he notinterrogative negative (expecting affirmative answer)→ clausal contributionοὐχί: emphatic 'not'; in a rhetorical question expecting 'yes' — 'will he not surely do it?'
ποιήσειwill he do / actFut Act Indic 3 Sg · ποιέωmain verb (rhetorical question)→ predictive future (certain performance)ποιέω: 'do / perform / accomplish'; renders עָשָׂה; God's deed inevitably follows his word — divine speech is performative.
λαλήσειwill he speakFut Act Indic 3 Sg · λαλέωmain verb (second rhetorical question)→ predictive future (certain fulfilment)λαλέω: 'speak'; renders דִּבֶּר; the parallel question: what God speaks, he will surely make stand.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
οὐχὶwill he notinterrogative negative (expecting affirmative answer)→ clausal contributionοὐχί: the repeated rhetorical 'not?', driving home the certainty of divine constancy.
ἐμμενεῖwill he abide / stand by itFut Act Indic 3 Sg · ἐμμένωmain verb (final rhetorical question)→ predictive future (he will hold to his word)ἐμμένω: 'abide in / hold fast to / stand by'; the compound ἐν- ('in') denotes remaining firmly within a commitment; renders יְקִימֶנָּה ('confirm / establish it'); God will abide by and make good his every word — the climactic assertion of his faithfulness.
20
ἰδοὺ εὐλογεῖν παρείλημμαι εὐλογήσω καὶ οὐ μὴ ἀποστρέψω
Behold, I have been taken up to bless; I will bless, and I will by no means turn it back.
The immutability of v. 19 issues in the practical impossibility of revoking the blessing. The perfect passive παρείλημμαι ('I have been taken / received') casts Balaam as one seized for a purpose not his own: he has been commandeered to bless. The emphatic οὐ μὴ ἀποστρέψω ('I will by no means turn it back') uses the strongest negation to declare the blessing irreversible — a direct rebuff to Balak's commission.
Word-by-word analysis· 8 words
ἰδοὺbeholdpresentative particle→ discourse linkage or contrastἰδού: 'behold!'; renders הִנֵּה; introduces Balaam's declaration of his constrained role.
εὐλογεῖνto blessPres Act Inf · εὐλογέωcomplementary/object infinitive (with παρείλημμαι: 'taken up to bless')→ complementary present infinitive (the purpose for which he was taken)εὐλογέω: 'bless'; the present infinitive expresses the ongoing purpose for which Balaam was 'taken' — to pronounce blessing, not curse; renders בָּרֵךְ.
παρείλημμαιI have been taken / receivedPf Pass Indic 1 Sg · παραλαμβάνωmain verb (Balaam's commandeered role)→ resultative perfect passive (I stand taken / commissioned)παραλαμβάνω: 'take / receive / take to oneself'; the perfect-passive παρείλημμαι ('I have been taken and so remain') casts Balaam as seized by God for the task of blessing; the same verb describes Balak's 'taking' Balaam to each site (vv. 14, 27–28), but here God has 'taken' him to bless — an ironic reversal.
εὐλογήσωI will blessFut Act Indic 1 Sg · εὐλογέωmain verb (declaration of intent)→ predictive/volitive future (I will surely bless)εὐλογέω: 'bless'; the future states the irreversible outcome — Balaam will bless, as he has been commissioned to do.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
οὐnotnegative particle (with μή: emphatic denial)→ discourse linkage or contrastοὐ: with μή forms the emphatic future denial.
μὴnotnegative particle (οὐ μή + future: emphatic negation)→ discourse linkage or contrastμή: the οὐ μή construction (here with future indicative) gives the strongest possible denial — 'by no means.'
ἀποστρέψωI will turn back / revokeFut Act Indic 1 Sg · ἀποστρέφωmain verb (emphatic denial)→ emphatic future of denial (I will never revoke it)ἀποστρέφω: 'turn back / turn away / revoke'; transitive here ('turn it back / reverse it'); renders אֲשִׁיבֶנָּה ('I will reverse it'); with οὐ μή, the blessing is declared irreversible — Balaam cannot, and will not, take it back.
21
οὐκ ἔσται μόχθος ἐν Ιακωβ οὐδὲ ὀφθήσεται πόνος ἐν Ισραηλ κύριος ὁ θεὸς αὐτοῦ μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ τὰ ἔνδοξα ἀρχόντων ἐν αὐτῷ
There shall be no trouble in Jacob, nor shall distress be seen in Israel; the LORD his God is with him, the glorious things of rulers are among them.
The blessing's positive content: no trouble or distress will befall Israel because κύριος ὁ θεὸς αὐτοῦ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ ('the LORD his God is with him'). The closing phrase τὰ ἔνδοξα ἀρχόντων ('the glorious things of rulers') renders the Hebrew תְּרוּעַת מֶלֶךְ ('the acclamation/shout of a king'), proclaiming YHWH's royal presence in the midst of his people — divine kingship as Israel's security.
Word-by-word analysis· 21 words
οὐκnotnegative particle→ discourse linkage or contrastοὐ: negates ἔσται — no trouble will exist in Jacob.
ἔσταιshall beFut Mid Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίmain verb (existential: 'there shall be')→ predictive future (assured absence of trouble)εἰμί (fut. ἔσται): 'be / exist'; the existential future denies the presence of any μόχθος in Israel's future.
μόχθοςtrouble / hardshipNominativesubject of ἔσται→ participant prominenceμόχθος: 'toil / hardship / misery'; renders אָוֶן ('iniquity / trouble'); the LXX reads it as affliction — no calamity will overtake Jacob.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (sphere)→ spatial or relational framingἐν + dat.: 'in / within.'
ΙακωβJacobdative object of ἐν (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΙακωβ: indeclinable; here the nation viewed as a sphere — 'in Jacob.'
οὐδὲnornegative conjunction (parallel line)→ discourse linkage or contrastοὐδέ: 'nor'; continues the denial into the parallel clause.
ὀφθήσεταιshall be seenFut Pass Indic 3 Sg · ὁράωmain verb (passive: 'will not be seen')→ predictive future passive (no distress will appear)ὁράω (fut. pass. ὀφθήσεται): 'be seen / appear'; renders רָאָה / עָמָל; no distress will so much as be visible in Israel.
πόνοςdistress / laborNominativesubject of ὀφθήσεται→ participant prominenceπόνος: 'toil / pain / distress'; renders עָמָל ('trouble / misery'); in synonymous parallelism with μόχθος, completing the denial of any affliction in Israel.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (sphere)→ spatial or relational framingἐν: meaning 'in'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + dative (sphere).
ΙσραηλIsraeldative object of ἐν (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΙσραηλ: indeclinable; in poetic parallel to Ιακωβ.
κύριοςLORDNominativesubject (nominal clause: 'the LORD ... is with him')→ participant prominenceκύριος: rendering of the Tetragrammaton יהוה; the ground of Israel's freedom from trouble — YHWH's covenant presence with his people.
ὁtheNominativearticle→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεὸςGodNominativeappositive to κύριος→ participant prominenceθεός: in apposition, 'the LORD his God' — renders יהוה אֱלֹהָיו, the covenant formula of belonging.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession (Israel's God)→ relational specificationαὐτός: 'his God' — YHWH belongs to Israel as its covenant God.
μετ᾿withpreposition + genitive (accompaniment, elided)→ spatial or relational framingμετά + gen.: 'with'; the great covenant assurance of divine presence (cf. Immanuel, Isa 7:14).
αὐτοῦhimGenitivegenitive object of μετά→ relational specificationαὐτός: 'with him' — God dwells among his people.
τὰtheNominativearticle (substantivizing ἔνδοξα)→ noun-phrase markingτὰ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἔνδοξαglorious things / acclaimNominativesubject (substantival adjective: 'the glories')→ participant prominenceἔνδοξος: 'glorious / honored / splendid'; the neuter plural substantive τὰ ἔνδοξα ('the glorious things / splendors') renders the Hebrew תְּרוּעַת ('shout / acclamation'); the LXX recasts the royal acclamation as the 'glories' attending Israel.
ἀρχόντωνof rulersGenitivegenitive (of rulers/kingship: 'glories of rulers')→ relational specificationἄρχων: 'ruler / king'; the genitive plural renders מֶלֶךְ ('king'); 'the glories of rulers among them' proclaims kingly — ultimately divine — majesty present in Israel's midst.
ἐνamong / inpreposition + dative (location)→ spatial or relational framingἐν + dat.: 'among / in'; the royal glory resides in Israel.
αὐτῷhim / themDativedative object of ἐν (Israel collectively)→ participant reference or interestαὐτός: 'in him / among them' — the kingly glory is present in the people.
22
θεὸς ὁ ἐξαγαγὼν αὐτοὺς ἐξ Αἰγύπτου ὡς δόξα μονοκέρωτος αὐτῷ
It was God who brought them out of Egypt; his is as the glory of a wild ox.
The blessing is anchored in salvation history: the God present with Israel (v. 21) is the very God who brought them out of Egypt. The exodus participle (ὁ ἐξαγαγών) is the standard credal designation of YHWH (cf. Exod 20:2). The image ὡς δόξα μονοκέρωτος ('as the glory of a wild ox/unicorn') ascribes to God — or to the people empowered by him — the untamable strength of the wild ox, the μονόκερως the LXX uses for the Hebrew רְאֵם.
Word-by-word analysis· 10 words
θεὸςGodNominativesubject (nominal clause)→ participant prominenceθεός: 'God'; renders אֵל; the subject of the exodus deliverance, here identified as Israel's redeemer.
ὁthe (who)Nominativearticle (substantivizing the participle)→ noun-phrase markingὁ: the article turns the participle into a relative-like attribute, 'the one who brought out.'
ἐξαγαγὼνhaving brought out / who brought outAor Act Part Nom Sg Masc · ἐξάγωarticular participle (attributive: 'the one who led out')→ constative aorist participle (the completed exodus act)ἐξάγω: 'lead out / bring out'; the compound ἐξ- ('out') is the standard exodus verb (rendering הוֹצִיא); the articular participle ὁ ἐξαγαγών is a fixed credal title for YHWH the deliverer (cf. Exod 20:2; Lev 19:36).
αὐτοὺςthemAccusativedirect object of ἐξαγαγών (Israel)→ participant referenceαὐτός: 'them' — the Israelites delivered from Egypt.
ἐξout ofpreposition + genitive (source)→ spatial or relational framingἐκ/ἐξ + gen.: 'out of'; the place of bondage from which Israel was led.
ΑἰγύπτουEgyptGenitivegenitive object of ἐξ→ relational specificationΑἴγυπτος: standard LXX form of מִצְרַיִם; the land of slavery left behind in the exodus.
ὡςas / likecomparative particle→ discourse linkage or contrastὡς: 'as / like'; introduces the wild-ox image.
δόξαgloryNominativepredicate nominative (term of comparison)→ participant prominenceδόξα: 'glory / splendor / honor'; renders תּוֹעֲפֹת ('eminence / towering strength'); the strength and majesty likened to that of the wild ox.
μονοκέρωτοςof a wild ox / unicornGenitivegenitive of comparison (with δόξα: 'glory of a wild ox')→ relational specificationμονόκερως: 'one-horned (beast) / wild ox / unicorn'; the LXX's standard rendering of רְאֵם (the wild ox/aurochs), so called for its single prominent horn; emblem of untamable power; the image attributes such irresistible strength to God's deliverance of Israel.
αὐτῷhis / to himDativedative of possession ('he has the glory of a wild ox')→ participant reference or interestαὐτός: dative of possession — the wild-ox glory belongs to him (God, or Israel empowered by him).
23
οὐ γάρ ἐστιν οἰωνισμὸς ἐν Ιακωβ οὐδὲ μαντεία ἐν Ισραηλ κατὰ καιρὸν ῥηθήσεται Ιακωβ καὶ τῷ Ισραηλ τί ἐπιτελέσει ὁ θεός
For there is no augury in Jacob, nor divination in Israel; in due time it shall be told to Jacob and to Israel what God will accomplish.
γάρ grounds the preceding blessing: Israel is invulnerable to magic. From the mouth of a professional diviner comes the striking confession that no οἰωνισμός ('augury') or μαντεία ('divination') has power in Jacob — the very arts Balak hired cannot touch them. Instead, κατὰ καιρόν ('in due time') God himself will disclose to Israel what he will do: revelation, not divination, is Israel's mode of knowing.
Word-by-word analysis· 21 words
οὐnotnegative particle→ discourse linkage or contrastοὐ: negates ἐστιν — no augury exists in Jacob.
γάρforcausal conjunction (post-positive)→ discourse linkage or contrastγάρ: 'for / because'; grounds the blessing of vv. 21–22 — Israel's safety rests on its immunity to hostile divination.
ἐστινis / existsPres Act Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίmain verb (existential)→ gnomic present (states a settled reality)εἰμί: 'be / exist'; the existential present denies that any augury operates within Israel.
οἰωνισμὸςaugury / omen-readingNominativesubject of ἐστιν→ participant prominenceοἰωνισμός: 'augury / divination by the flight and cries of birds'; from οἰωνός ('bird of omen'); renders נַחַשׁ ('omen / enchantment'); one of the forbidden divinatory arts (cf. Deut 18:10) — and precisely Balaam's own trade, here declared powerless against Jacob.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (sphere)→ spatial or relational framingἐν: meaning 'in'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + dative (sphere).
ΙακωβJacobdative object of ἐν (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΙακωβ: indeclinable; 'in Jacob.'
οὐδὲnornegative conjunction (parallel)→ discourse linkage or contrastοὐδέ: 'nor'; extends the denial to the parallel term.
μαντείαdivinationNominativesubject of implied ἐστιν (parallel to οἰωνισμός)→ participant prominenceμαντεία: 'divination / soothsaying'; from μάντις ('seer'); renders קֶסֶם ('divination'); paired with οἰωνισμός as the second of the forbidden mantic arts — neither prevails against Israel.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (sphere)→ spatial or relational framingἐν: meaning 'in'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + dative (sphere).
ΙσραηλIsraeldative object of ἐν (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΙσραηλ: indeclinable; in parallel to Ιακωβ.
κατὰaccording to / inpreposition + accusative (temporal: 'in due time')→ spatial or relational framingκατά + acc.: 'according to / at'; in the phrase κατὰ καιρόν, 'at the proper time / in due season.'
καιρὸνtime / seasonAccusativeaccusative object of κατά (temporal)→ object specificationκαιρός: 'appointed time / opportune season'; renders עֵת; God reveals his purpose at the time he chooses — orderly revelation against chaotic divination.
ῥηθήσεταιshall be toldFut Pass Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (passive: 'it will be declared')→ predictive future passive (in due time God will disclose)λέγω (fut. pass. ῥηθήσεται, from the root ἐρ-): 'be said / be told'; renders יֵאָמֵר ('it shall be said'); the divine plan is made known to Israel by revelation, not wrested by augury.
Ιακωβto Jacobdative of indirect object (indeclinable: 'to Jacob')→ participant identificationΙακωβ: indeclinable; here a dative recipient, 'to Jacob' (paralleled by the articular τῷ Ισραηλ).
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
τῷthe (to)Dativearticle (marking Ισραηλ as dative)→ noun-phrase markingὁ: the article makes the indeclinable Ισραηλ explicitly dative, 'to Israel.'
ΙσραηλIsraeldative of indirect object (case marked by τῷ)→ participant identificationΙσραηλ: indeclinable; the recipient of God's disclosure, in parallel to Jacob.
τίwhatAccusativeinterrogative pronoun (object of ἐπιτελέσει, indirect question)→ participant referenceτίς, τί: interrogative 'what?'; introduces the indirect question — what God will accomplish.
ἐπιτελέσειwill accomplish / bring to passFut Act Indic 3 Sg · ἐπιτελέωmain verb of indirect question→ predictive future (God's sure accomplishment)ἐπιτελέω: 'complete / accomplish / bring to fulfilment'; the compound ἐπι- stresses bringing to full completion; renders פָּעַל ('do / work'); what God purposes for Israel he will fully carry out.
ὁtheNominativearticle→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεόςGodNominativesubject of ἐπιτελέσει→ participant prominenceθεός: 'God'; the sole author of Israel's destiny, who reveals and accomplishes his own purpose.
24
ἰδοὺ λαὸς ὡς σκύμνος ἀναστήσεται καὶ ὡς λέων γαυριωθήσεται οὐ κοιμηθήσεται ἕως φάγῃ θήραν καὶ αἷμα τραυματιῶν πίεται
Behold, a people that shall rise up like a lion's cub, and like a lion shall it exalt itself; it shall not lie down until it has devoured the prey and drunk the blood of the slain.
The second oracle closes with a martial image answering Balak's hope of cursing: far from being cursed, Israel is a lion-people, rising (ἀναστήσεται) and exulting (γαυριωθήσεται) like a lion that will not lie down until it has consumed its prey. The double simile (σκύμνος ‖ λέων) and the relentless feeding imagery (φάγῃ θήραν … αἷμα … πίεται) portray a people of irresistible, victorious strength — the very opposite of the doomed nation Balak commissioned.
Word-by-word analysis· 18 words
ἰδοὺbeholdpresentative particle→ discourse linkage or contrastἰδού: 'behold!'; renders הֶן; introduces the climactic lion-image of Israel.
λαὸςpeopleNominativesubject (of ἀναστήσεται and following verbs)→ participant prominenceλαός: 'people'; Israel, here imaged as a single predatory lion.
ὡςas / likecomparative particle→ discourse linkage or contrastὡς: 'like'; introduces the lion-cub simile.
σκύμνοςlion's cubNominativepredicate of comparison (with ὡς)→ participant prominenceσκύμνος: 'cub / young lion / whelp'; renders לָבִיא ('lioness / young lion'); the rising young lion, an image of fresh and vigorous power.
ἀναστήσεταιshall rise upFut Mid Indic 3 Sg · ἀνίστημιmain verb (the people rising)→ predictive future (the people rises to act)ἀνίστημι (fut. mid. ἀναστήσεται): 'rise / stand up'; renders יָקוּם; the lion-people rouses itself to conquest.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (parallel simile)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ὡςas / likecomparative particle (parallel)→ discourse linkage or contrastὡς: the repeated 'like', now with the full-grown lion.
λέωνlionNominativepredicate of comparison→ participant prominenceλέων: 'lion'; renders אֲרִי; the mature lion paired with the cub (σκύμνος), the classic Hebrew lion word-pair denoting overwhelming strength.
γαυριωθήσεταιshall exalt itself / rear up proudlyFut Pass Indic 3 Sg · γαυριόωmain verb (parallel to ἀναστήσεται)→ predictive future (the lion rises in its pride)γαυριόω: 'exult / be proud / rear up in strength'; the passive-deponent form γαυριωθήσεται renders יִתְנַשָּׂא ('lift itself up'); the lion-people rises in conscious, triumphant might.
οὐnotnegative particle→ discourse linkage or contrastοὐ: negates κοιμηθήσεται.
κοιμηθήσεταιshall lie down / sleepFut Pass Indic 3 Sg · κοιμάωmain verb (negated: 'will not lie down')→ predictive future passive (it will not rest)κοιμάω (pass. 'lie down / fall asleep'): renders שָׁכַב; the lion will not settle to rest until its conquest is complete — relentless victory.
ἕωςuntiltemporal conjunction (with subjunctive)→ discourse linkage or contrastἕως: 'until'; introduces the temporal clause marking the goal of the lion's action.
φάγῃit devoursAor Act Subj 3 Sg · ἐσθίωverb of temporal clause (subjunctive after ἕως)→ aorist subjunctive (until it shall have eaten)ἐσθίω (aor. ἔφαγον): 'eat / devour'; renders אָכַל; the lion's consuming of its prey, the climax of its hunt.
θήρανpreyAccusativedirect object of φάγῃ→ object specificationθήρα: 'prey / catch / quarry'; renders טֶרֶף ('torn prey'); the captured victim the lion-people devours.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
αἷμαbloodAccusativedirect object of πίεται (fronted)→ object specificationαἷμα: 'blood'; renders דָּם; the blood of the slain, drunk by the conquering lion — vivid image of total victory.
τραυματιῶνof the slain / woundedGenitivegenitive (of the slain: 'blood of the slain')→ relational specificationτραυματίας: 'one wounded / slain (in battle)'; from τραῦμα ('wound'); renders חֲלָלִים ('the slain'); the battle-casualties whose blood the victorious people drinks.
πίεταιit shall drinkFut Mid Indic 3 Sg · πίνωmain verb (completing the predatory image)→ predictive future (it will drink the blood)πίνω (fut. mid. πίεται): 'drink'; renders יִשְׁתֶּה; the final stroke of the lion-image — Israel's complete and bloody triumph over its foes.
25
καὶ εἶπεν Βαλακ πρὸς Βαλααμ οὔτε κατάραις καταράσῃ μοι αὐτὸν οὔτε εὐλογῶν μὴ εὐλογήσῃς αὐτόν
And Balak said to Balaam, 'Neither curse him at all for me, nor by any means bless him!'
Balak's frustration deepens to near-despair: if Balaam cannot curse, let him at least stop blessing. The balanced οὔτε … οὔτε ('neither … nor') and the cognate constructions (κατάραις καταράσῃ, 'curse with curses'; εὐλογῶν … εὐλογήσῃς, 'blessing, bless') intensify both verbs in Hebraizing fashion — Balak would silence the seer altogether rather than hear Israel blessed again.
Word-by-word analysis· 15 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ constative aoristλέγω: introduces Balak's exasperated command.
ΒαλακBalaksubject (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΒαλακ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as subject (indeclinable).
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction of speech)→ spatial or relational framingπρὸς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction of speech).
ΒαλααμBalaamaccusative object of πρός (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΒαλααμ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as accusative object of πρός (indeclinable).
οὔτεneithercorrelative negative conjunction (first member)→ discourse linkage or contrastοὔτε: 'neither / and not'; the first of the correlative pair οὔτε … οὔτε, balancing the prohibitions of cursing and blessing.
κατάραιςwith cursesDativecognate/instrumental dative (with καταράσῃ: Hebraism)→ sphere or referenceκατάρα: 'curse'; the dative plural κατάραις with the cognate verb καταράσῃ ('curse with curses') is a Hebraism intensifying the verb (rendering an infinitive-absolute idiom), 'curse at all / emphatically.'
καταράσῃshall you curseFut Mid Indic 2 Sg · καταράομαιmain verb (prohibition with οὔτε)→ imperatival future of prohibition (do not curse!)καταράομαι: 'curse'; the future with οὔτε functions as a prohibition — 'do not curse him for me at all'; Balak gives up on the curse he commissioned.
μοιfor meDativedative of advantage→ participant reference or interestἐγώ: 'for me / on my behalf.'
αὐτὸνhimAccusativedirect object of καταράσῃ (Israel)→ participant referenceαὐτός: the people, object of the (forbidden) curse.
οὔτεnorcorrelative negative conjunction (second member)→ discourse linkage or contrastοὔτε: the second member of the correlative pair — 'nor (bless).'
εὐλογῶνblessingPres Act Part Nom Sg Masc · εὐλογέωcognate participle (intensifying εὐλογήσῃς: Hebraism)→ imperfective participle (the Hebraizing intensifying participle)εὐλογέω (pres. part.): the participle εὐλογῶν with the finite εὐλογήσῃς ('blessing, may you bless') is a Hebraism rendering the infinitive-absolute construction, intensifying the verb — 'by no means bless at all.'
μὴnotnegative particle (with subjunctive of prohibition)→ discourse linkage or contrastμή: the prohibitive negative with the aorist subjunctive εὐλογήσῃς.
εὐλογήσῃςyou should blessAor Act Subj 2 Sg · εὐλογέωmain verb (prohibitive subjunctive)→ aorist subjunctive of prohibition (do not bless!)εὐλογέω: 'bless'; the μή + aorist subjunctive is a strong prohibition — Balak forbids further blessing as firmly as he had sought the curse.
αὐτόνhimAccusativedirect object of εὐλογήσῃς (Israel)→ participant referenceαὐτός: the people, object of the (forbidden) blessing.
26
καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς Βαλααμ εἶπεν τῷ Βαλακ οὐκ ἐλάλησά σοι λέγων τὸ ῥῆμα ὃ ἐὰν λαλήσῃ ὁ θεός τοῦτο ποιήσω
And Balaam answered and said to Balak, 'Did I not tell you, saying, "Whatever word God speaks, this I will do"?'
Balaam answers Balak's retraction by recalling his standing principle (cf. v. 12; 22:38): he is bound to do only what God speaks. The rhetorical οὐκ ἐλάλησά σοι ('did I not tell you?') appeals to the consistency of his position, and the resumptive idiom τὸ ῥῆμα ὃ ἐάν … τοῦτο ('the word which … this') restates the absolute priority of the divine command over Balak's wishes.
Word-by-word analysis· 19 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀποκριθεὶςansweringAor Pass Part Nom Sg Masc · ἀποκρίνομαιcircumstantial participle (Semitic 'answered and said')→ coincident aorist participle (in answering, he said)ἀποκρίνομαι: 'answer / reply'; the participle ἀποκριθεὶς … εἶπεν is the standard LXX rendering of the Hebrew וַיַּעַן … וַיֹּאמֶר ('answered and said'), a redundant Semitic speech-formula.
ΒαλααμBalaamsubject (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΒαλααμ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as subject (indeclinable).
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ constative aoristλέγω: the main verb of the answer-formula.
τῷthe (to)Dativearticle (with dative name)→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΒαλακBalakdative indirect object (case marked by τῷ)→ participant identificationΒαλακ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as dative indirect object (case marked by τῷ).
οὐκnotnegative particle (interrogative: expecting 'yes')→ discourse linkage or contrastοὐ: in the rhetorical question 'did I not tell you?', expecting affirmation.
ἐλάλησάI told / spokeAor Act Indic 1 Sg · λαλέωmain verb (rhetorical question)→ constative aorist (I already told you)λαλέω: 'speak / tell'; Balaam recalls his earlier declaration (v. 12), appealing to his consistency.
σοιto youDativedative indirect object→ participant reference or interestσύ: Balak, addressed.
λέγωνsayingPres Act Part Nom Sg Masc · λέγωcircumstantial participle (speech-introducing: introduces the quoted maxim)→ imperfective participle (the Hebraizing λέγων-formula)λέγω (pres. part.): the participle λέγων (= לֵאמֹר) introduces the content of what Balaam had said.
τὸtheAccusativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ῥῆμαwordAccusativedirect object of ποιήσω (fronted, with relative)→ object specificationῥῆμα: 'word / utterance'; the divine word Balaam is bound to enact, resumed by τοῦτο.
ὃwhich / whateverAccusativerelative pronoun (object of λαλήσῃ)→ participant referenceὅς: relative pronoun; with ἐάν an indefinite relative, 'whatever (word).'
ἐὰνevermodal particle (with relative + subjunctive: indefinite)→ discourse linkage or contrastἐάν: generalizes the relative ὃ and governs the subjunctive λαλήσῃ.
λαλήσῃGod speaksAor Act Subj 3 Sg · λαλέωverb of indefinite relative clause→ aorist subjunctive (indefinite contingency)λαλέω: 'speak'; the subjunctive after ὃ ἐάν frames God's speaking as the controlling condition on Balaam's action.
ὁtheNominativearticle→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεόςGodNominativesubject of λαλήσῃ→ participant prominenceθεός: God, whose word alone determines what Balaam will do.
τοῦτοthisAccusativedemonstrative pronoun (resumptive object of ποιήσω)→ participant referenceοὗτος: the resumptive 'this' picks up τὸ ῥῆμα in Hebraizing pleonasm — 'whatever God speaks, this I will do.'
ποιήσωI will doFut Act Indic 1 Sg · ποιέωmain verb (Balaam's principle)→ predictive/volitive future (this I will do)ποιέω: 'do / perform'; Balaam's settled commitment to enact only the divine word, restating v. 12.
27
καὶ εἶπεν Βαλακ πρὸς Βαλααμ δεῦρο παραλάβω σε εἰς τόπον ἄλλον εἰ ἀρέσει τῷ θεῷ καὶ καταρᾶσαί μοι αὐτὸν ἐκεῖθεν
And Balak said to Balaam, 'Come, let me take you to another place, if it should please God, and curse him for me from there.'
Undeterred even now, Balak proposes a third vantage, but his confidence has eroded: the conditional εἰ ἀρέσει τῷ θεῷ ('if it should please God') concedes that the outcome rests with the very God whose word keeps thwarting him. The hortatory subjunctive παραλάβω ('let me take you') and the renewed command καταρᾶσαι ('curse') show his hope dwindling to a wish that God might, this once, permit a curse.
Word-by-word analysis· 20 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ constative aoristλέγω: introduces Balak's third proposal.
ΒαλακBalaksubject (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΒαλακ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as subject (indeclinable).
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction of speech)→ spatial or relational framingπρὸς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction of speech).
ΒαλααμBalaamaccusative object of πρός (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΒαλααμ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as accusative object of πρός (indeclinable).
δεῦροcomeadverb of summons (hortatory)→ clausal contributionδεῦρο: 'come!'; renders לְכָה; the summons to a new site, as in v. 13.
παραλάβωlet me takeAor Act Subj 1 Sg · παραλαμβάνωmain verb (hortatory subjunctive)→ hortatory aorist subjunctive (let me take you)παραλαμβάνω: 'take along'; the hortatory subjunctive proposes the move to the third vantage — Balak conducting Balaam once more.
σεyouAccusativedirect object of παραλάβω→ participant referenceσύ: Balaam, to be taken to the new place.
εἰςtopreposition + accusative (destination)→ spatial or relational framingεἰς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (destination).
τόπονplaceAccusativeaccusative object of εἰς→ object specificationτόπος: 'place'; the third vantage point.
ἄλλονanotherAccusativeattributive adjective (modifying τόπον)→ object specificationἄλλος: 'another'; yet a third site, as in v. 13.
εἰifconditional particle→ discourse linkage or contrastεἰ: 'if'; introduces Balak's conceding condition — the outcome depends on God's pleasure.
ἀρέσειit will pleaseFut Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀρέσκωverb of conditional clause→ predictive future (if it should prove pleasing)ἀρέσκω: 'please / be pleasing to'; renders יָשַׁר בְּעֵינֵי ('be right in the eyes of'); Balak now hopes merely that God might find it agreeable to permit a curse — a marked retreat from his earlier confidence.
τῷthe (to)Dativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεῷGodDativedative object of ἀρέσει (the one pleased)→ sphere or referenceθεός: God, on whose pleasure the whole enterprise now openly depends.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
καταρᾶσαίcurseAor Mid Impv 2 Sg · καταράομαιmain verb (imperative to Balaam)→ ingressive aorist imperative (lay a curse!)καταράομαι: 'curse'; Balak's renewed command, repeated from vv. 13, 25, now hedged by the condition of God's pleasure.
μοιfor meDativedative of advantage→ participant reference or interestἐγώ: 'for me / on my behalf.'
αὐτὸνhimAccusativedirect object of καταρᾶσαι (Israel)→ participant referenceαὐτός: the people to be cursed.
ἐκεῖθενfrom thereadverb of place (source)→ clausal contributionἐκεῖθεν: 'from there'; from the new vantage point.
28
καὶ παρέλαβεν Βαλακ τὸν Βαλααμ ἐπὶ κορυφὴν τοῦ Φογωρ τὸ παρατεῖνον εἰς τὴν ἔρημον
And Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, which stretches out toward the wilderness.
Balak conducts Balaam to the third and final vantage of the chapter, the summit of Peor (Φογωρ) overlooking the wilderness where Israel is encamped. The site is ominous: Peor will become, in ch. 25, the place of Israel's apostasy with the Baal of Peor — a dark counterpoint to the blessing pronounced here.
Word-by-word analysis· 14 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
παρέλαβενtookAor Act Indic 3 Sg · παραλαμβάνωmain verb (Balak conducts Balaam)→ constative aorist (completed taking)παραλαμβάνω: 'take along'; Balak leads Balaam to the third site, as proposed in v. 27 (cf. v. 14).
ΒαλακBalaksubject (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΒαλακ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as subject (indeclinable).
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (marking Βαλααμ as accusative)→ noun-phrase markingὁ: the article makes the indeclinable Βαλααμ explicitly accusative, the object taken.
ΒαλααμBalaamdirect object of παρέλαβεν (case marked by τόν)→ participant identificationΒαλααμ: indeclinable; the one conducted to Peor.
ἐπὶto / uponpreposition + accusative (goal)→ spatial or relational framingἐπί + acc.: 'up to / onto'; the summit reached.
κορυφὴνtop / summitAccusativeaccusative object of ἐπί→ object specificationκορυφή: 'summit'; renders רֹאשׁ; the peak of Peor.
τοῦof theGenitivearticle (marking Φογωρ as genitive)→ noun-phrase markingὁ: the article governs the indeclinable Φογωρ as genitive, 'of Peor.'
ΦογωρPeorgenitive of relationship (case marked by τοῦ: 'summit of Peor')→ participant identificationΦογωρ: transliteration of Hebrew פְּעוֹר (Peor); indeclinable; the mountain that will be the scene of Israel's apostasy in ch. 25 (Baal-Peor) — a foreboding location for this final oracle-site.
τὸthe (which)Accusativearticle (substantivizing the participle, agreeing with κορυφήν conceptually)→ noun-phrase markingὁ: the neuter article introduces the attributive participle describing the height.
παρατεῖνονstretching out / extendingPres Act Part Acc Sg Neut · παρατείνωarticular participle (attributive: 'which stretches out')→ imperfective present participle (the height as continually extending)παρατείνω: 'stretch out alongside / extend'; the participle describes the ridge of Peor as 'looking out / extending toward' the wilderness; renders the Hebrew הַנִּשְׁקָף ('that overlooks') the desert.
εἰςtowardpreposition + accusative (direction)→ spatial or relational framingεἰς + acc.: 'toward / into'; the direction in which the height overlooks.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἔρημονwilderness / desertAccusativeaccusative object of εἰς→ object specificationἔρημος: 'wilderness / desert'; renders יְשִׁימֹן ('the wasteland'); the desert region where Israel is encamped, visible from the height of Peor.
29
καὶ εἶπεν Βαλααμ πρὸς Βαλακ οἰκοδόμησόν μοι ὧδε ἑπτὰ βωμοὺς καὶ ἑτοίμασόν μοι ὧδε ἑπτὰ μόσχους καὶ ἑπτὰ κριούς
And Balaam said to Balak, 'Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven calves and seven rams.'
The chapter's ritual template returns a third time, almost verbatim from v. 1 (only ἐνταῦθα is replaced by the synonym ὧδε, 'here'). This repetition forms an inclusio framing the two oracles and sets the stage for the third oracle of ch. 24, which — unlike here — Balaam will deliver without any divinatory withdrawal (24:1).
Word-by-word analysis· 19 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ constative aoristλέγω: introduces Balaam's renewed ritual instruction.
ΒαλααμBalaamsubject (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΒαλααμ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as subject (indeclinable).
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction of speech)→ spatial or relational framingπρὸς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction of speech).
ΒαλακBalakaccusative object of πρός (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΒαλακ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as accusative object of πρός (indeclinable).
οἰκοδόμησόνbuildAor Act Impv 2 Sg · οἰκοδομέωmain verb (imperative to Balak)→ ingressive aorist imperative (commanded single act)οἰκοδομέω: 'build'; the command repeats v. 1 verbatim, raising the seven altars a third time.
μοιfor meDativedative of advantage→ participant reference or interestἐγώ: 'for me / on my behalf.'
ὧδεhereadverb of place→ clausal contributionὧδε: 'here / in this place'; a synonym of the ἐνταῦθα of v. 1, fixing the rite at the summit of Peor.
ἑπτὰsevennumeral (modifying βωμούς)→ measure or countἑπτά: 'seven'; the recurring sacred number of the rite.
βωμοὺςaltarsAccusativedirect object of οἰκοδόμησον→ object specificationβωμός: 'altar'; the seven altars raised a third time.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἑτοίμασόνprepareAor Act Impv 2 Sg · ἑτοιμάζωmain verb (second imperative to Balak)→ ingressive aorist imperative (commanded single act)ἑτοιμάζω: 'prepare / make ready'; the readying of the sacrificial victims, repeating v. 1.
μοιfor meDativedative of advantage→ participant reference or interestμοι: meaning 'for me'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as dative of advantage.
ὧδεhereadverb of place→ clausal contributionὧδε: meaning 'here'; it shapes the local clause or phrase relation in this passage.
ἑπτὰsevennumeral (modifying μόσχους)→ measure or countἑπτά: 'seven'; one bull per altar.
μόσχουςcalves / bullsAccusativedirect object of ἑτοίμασον→ object specificationμόσχος: 'calf / young bull'; the seven bulls of the rite.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἑπτὰsevennumeral (modifying κριούς)→ measure or countἑπτά: 'seven'; one ram per altar.
κριούςramsAccusativedirect object (coordinate with μόσχους)→ object specificationκριός: 'ram'; the seven rams completing the sacrificial pairing.
30
καὶ ἐποίησεν Βαλακ καθάπερ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Βαλααμ καὶ ἀνήνεγκεν μόσχον καὶ κριὸν ἐπὶ τὸν βωμόν
And Balak did just as Balaam told him, and he offered up a calf and a ram on the altar.
The chapter closes as it began (cf. v. 2), with Balak's exact compliance — καθάπερ ('just as') here varying the ὃν τρόπον of v. 2 — and the representative offering of bull and ram on the altar. The narrative is left poised: the altars are built, the sacrifices made, and the reader awaits the third oracle of ch. 24, where Balaam, seeing it pleases God to bless Israel, will no longer resort to omens.
Word-by-word analysis· 15 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐποίησενdid / madeAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ποιέωmain verb (compliance)→ constative aorist (completed compliance)ποιέω: 'do / make'; Balak's compliant execution, closing the chapter as v. 2 opened the rite.
ΒαλακBalaksubject (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΒαλακ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as subject (indeclinable).
καθάπερjust ascomparative conjunction ('exactly as')→ discourse linkage or contrastκαθάπερ: 'just as / exactly as'; an intensive form of καθώς; expresses Balak's precise correspondence to Balaam's instruction, varying the ὃν τρόπον of v. 2.
εἶπενtold / saidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωverb of comparative clause→ constative aoristλέγω: refers to Balaam's instruction in v. 29.
αὐτῷhimDativedative indirect object (to Balak)→ participant reference or interestαὐτός: Balak, the one instructed.
ΒαλααμBalaamsubject of εἶπεν (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΒαλααμ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as subject of εἶπεν (indeclinable).
καὶandnarrative conjunction (sequential)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀνήνεγκενoffered upAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀναφέρωmain verb (sacrificial action)→ constative aorist (completed offering)ἀναφέρω: 'bring up / offer up'; the sacrificial verb of v. 2, closing the chapter's third and final offering.
μόσχονcalf / bullAccusativedirect object of ἀνήνεγκεν→ object specificationμόσχος: the bull offered on the altar.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
κριὸνramAccusativedirect object (coordinate with μόσχον)→ object specificationκριός: the ram offered with the bull.
ἐπὶuponpreposition + accusative (place of offering)→ spatial or relational framingἐπὶ: meaning 'upon'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (place of offering).
τὸνtheAccusativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
βωμόνaltarAccusativeaccusative object of ἐπί→ object specificationβωμός: the collective singular altar on which the final offering was made, closing the chapter.