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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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| | 22:5 |
He sent emissaries to Balaam son of Beor, to his native land in Pethor on the [Euphrates] River. They were to summon him with the following message: 'A nation that covers the land's surface has left Egypt, and is now staying right near us.
Vayishlach mal'achim el-Bil'am ben-Be'or Petorah asher al-hanahar erets beney-amo likro-lo lemor hineh am yatsa miMitsrayim hineh chisah et-eyn ha'arets vehu yoshev mimuli. |
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Commentary:
Balaam
Bil'am in Hebrew. See Deuteronomy 23:5, Joshua 24:9, Michah 6:5, Nehemiah 12:3. See note on Genesis 36:32. Some say that Balaam was descended from Abraham's nephew Kemuel (Lekach Tov; see Genesis 22:21). Others say that he was a descendant of Laban (Sanhedrin 105a; Torah Temimah).
| Beor
See Genesis 36:32.
| his native land
Balaam's land (Ramban; Chizzkuni). Others say that Balak and Balaam were both from Pethor, and the verse refers to Balak's native land (BeMidbar Rabbah 20:7; Rashi; Midrash HaGadol).
| Pethor
In Aram Naharaim; see Deuteronomy 23:5. Some identify this with Padan Aram (Targum Yonathan; see Genesis 25:20). From the context it appears to be in the mountainous regions of Aram (see Numbers 23:7). Some identify it with Pitru, or the Egyptian Pedru, on the upper Euphrates. Thus, it must have been at least a 300 mile journey from Moab. See next note.
| Euphrates
(Targum Yonathan; Saadia; Josephus, Antiquities 4:6:2). The only mountainous region near the Euphrates is that in the vicinity of As Sukhnah or Dayr az Zawr, in what is now central Syria. It is also possible that Pethor was in the vicinity of Palmyra.
| us
Literally, 'me.'
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