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First Reading, Second Reading, Third Reading, Fourth Reading, Fifth Reading, Sixth Reading, Seventh Reading, Last Reading |
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First Reading, Second Reading, Third Reading, Fourth Reading, Fifth Reading, Sixth Reading, Seventh Reading, Last Reading |
Balak |  |
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| | 22:2 |
First Reading
When Balak son of Tzippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites,
Vayar Balak ben-Tsipor et kol-asher-asah Yisra'el la-Emori. |
| 22:3 |
the Moabites became deathly afraid because the [Israelite] people were so numerous. Dreading the Israelites,
Vayagor Moav mipeney ha'am me'od ki rav-hu vayakots Moav mipeney beney Yisra'el. |
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Commentary:
Balak
See Joshua 24:9, Judges 11:25, Micah 6:5. Balak was a descendant of Lot (BeMidbar Rabbah 20:19). According to tradition, he was the ancestor of Ruth (Sotah 47a; Nazir 23b). See notes on Numbers 22:4,5.
| Tzippor
Hebrew for bird. It is similar to Tzipporah, the name of Moses' Midianite wife (Exodus 2:21). Some say that he was called Tzippor because he practiced bird divination (Zohar 3:184b).
| Amorites
Sichon, see Numbers 21:21 ff.
| deathly afraid
(HaKethav VeHaKabbalah; Rashi; Ibn Ezra; cf. I Samuel 18:15, Psalms 22:24). Or, 'huddled [in their cities]' (Paneach Raza; cf. Psalms 59:4, 149:3).
| Dreading
Or, 'distressed at' (Ibn Ezra; Radak, Sherashim). See Exodus 1:12. Or, 'grieved at' (Ibn Janach; Septuagint), or 'disgusted with life' (Rashi: Rashbam).
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