Literary Devices – Bemidbar 22/0

Literary Devices – Bemidbar 22

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Allusions

Egypt's Denigration of Israel

• Balak’s reaction to the Israelites contains a number of allusions to the Egyptians’ feelings about them^.1 Both are distressed at the Israelite's great numbers. Thus, the words “רַב” and “עָצוּם” appear both in Bemidbar 22 and in Shemot 1, as does the root “קץ”. Similarly, the phrase “כִסָּה אֶת עֵין הָאָרֶץ” (Bemidbar 22:5) hearkens back to the plague of locusts (Shemot 10:5). 

Avraham

Key Words

הלך

Tanakh Lab demonstrates that the word “הלך” is the most frequently appearing word in this chapter, being used 17 times.  It is related to the central theme of the chapter: Bilaam’s journey and his choice to go with the messengers of Balak and attempt to curse the people against Hashem's instructions  (see verse 12).

Sight (ראה, שור, חזה, נבט)

The verb "ראה” (see) appears seven times in this chapter, and is likewise a key word of chapters 23-24. Other words relating to sight appear multiple times as well. Thus, “עין” (eye) appears four times in the chapter and six times in chapter 24, and the roots “שור” , “נבט” , and “חזה” (all meaning to look, view or gaze) each appear one or two times. These words highlight the theme of prophecy/vision, which is granted only to those whom God chooses (even a donkey) and cannot be manipulated as Balak imagines.

Character Titles

¹ This is noted by Robert Alter in his commentary on Bemidbar 22:3.