Números 23:8

8 Como amaldiçoarei a quem Deus não amaldiçoou? e como denunciarei a quem o Senhor não denunciou?

Números 23:8 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 23:8

How shall I curse whom God hath not cursed?
&c.] The sense is, that it was impossible for him to curse those that God did not curse himself, or would not have cursed by others; not but that he had a good will to it, to get Balak's money and honour, but he knew not how to accomplish it; yea, he saw it was in vain to attempt it, it was a thing that could not possibly be done: God does not, nor will he curse his spiritual Israel; they are blessed by him in Christ, and they shall be blessed; nor is it in the power of their enemies to curse them, or do them any harm: the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem, instead of God and the Lord in this and the following clause, use the phase,

``the Word of the Lord;''

the essential Word, the Son of God, who is so far from cursing his people, that he has delivered them from the curses of the law, being made a curse for them, that the blessings of the everlasting covenant of grace might come upon them; and they are blessed of God in him, and for his sake, with all spiritual blessings:

or how shall I defy whom the Lord hath not defied?
which is the same thing in other words, only this last word is expressive of more contempt and indignation.

Números 23:8 In-Context

6 Voltou, pois, para ele, e eis que estava em pé junto ao seu holocausto, ele e todos os príncipes de Moabe.

7 Então proferiu Balaão a sua parábola, dizendo: De Arã me mandou trazer Balaque, o rei de Moabe, desde as montanhas do Oriente, dizendo: Vem, amaldiçoa-me a Jacó; vem, denuncia a Israel.

8 Como amaldiçoarei a quem Deus não amaldiçoou? e como denunciarei a quem o Senhor não denunciou?

9 Pois do cume das penhas o vejo, e dos outeiros o contemplo; eis que é um povo que habita só, e entre as nações não será contado.

10 Quem poderá contar o pó de Jacó e o número da quarta parte de Israel? Que eu morra a morte dos justos, e seja o meu fim como o deles.