“... BUT ONLY. Only our targumist inserts “but only,” implying thereby that Balaam ceased his former ruses and was not attempting to destroy the Israelites only through enchantments. His interpretation of this verse is contrary to many commentaries: Numbers Rabbah, Lekach Tov, Rashi, Rashbam, ibn Ezra, Sforno, Chazkunee, Nachmanides, and others. They maintain that Balaam abandoned all of his past attempts to harm Israel through enchantments. [...] TOWARD THE DESERT. Rashi mentions an Onkelos version that reads, “He [Balaam] turned his face toward the calf that the Israelites made in the wilderness.” This reading, stating that Balaam began to think of the Israelite past misdeed, is in Neophyti, Pseudo-Jonathan, and some presently existing Onkelos versions, as well as the Zohar, which quotes our Targum. This version shows that Balaam did not abandon his intention to harm the Israelites. Nachmanides and Luzzato (Ohev Ger) discuss this variant reading and dismiss it as spurious. ...”