And God met Balaam: This clause refers to the first meeting of God (as distinct from “the LORD”) with Balaam in Moab. Balaam just expressed uncertainty whether this would happen. The new sentence here in Revised Standard Version and New Revised Standard Version (“Then God met Balaam”) does more justice to the importance of this meeting than the clause “and God met him” in Good News Translation, which simply continues the preceding sentence. The Hebrew verb rendered met (yiqah) is the same passive verb translated “come” in the previous verse (see the comments there). It will be helpful if translators are consistent with the rendering of this verb.

And Balaam said to him is literally “and he said to him.” In this context it is clear that Balaam spoke to God, perhaps in the form of a prayer. This is the only time in the Balaam narrative that mentions Balaam speaking to God before receiving a revelation.

I have prepared the seven altars: Good News Translation says “I have built the seven altars.” However, it should not be implied that Balaam himself constructed all of the altars needed for the sacrificial offerings. The seven altars refers to the same altars mentioned in verse 1 (see the comments there), where Balaam told Balak to build them. The Hebrew verb for prepared is more precise than the one rendered “Build” in verse 1. The verb here means “arrange” or “set in order,” but few translations reflect this meaning. A model for this clause that expresses it is “I have had the seven altars built and arranged.”

And I have offered upon each altar a bull and a ram: See verse 2. Balaam is not simply informing God that he had the altars built and offered sacrifices on them, but he is asking God to respond in return.

Quoted with permission from de Regt, Lénart J. and Wendland, Ernst R. A Handbook on Numbers. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .