Numbers 23:7

7 And in the words which the Lord had given him he said, From Aram Balak has sent for me, the king of Moab from the mountains of the East: come, put curses on Jacob for me and be angry with Israel.

Numbers 23:7 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 23:7

And he took up his parable, and said
Pronounced the word, the prophetic word, which God had put into his mouth; so the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem call it, the parable of his prophecy; so called, because, in prophecies, often figurative and enigmatical expressions are used, and also sententious and weighty ones, either of which are sometimes called parables; see ( Psalms 78:2 ) ( Job 27:1 ) ( 29:1 ) ( Proverbs 1:6 ) ,

Balak the king of Moab hath brought me from Aram;
or Syria, that is, from Mesopotamia, as the Septuagint translate it; and so the Targum of Jonathan, from Aram or Syria, which is by Euphrates:

out of the mountains of the east:
it being the mountainous part of Mesopotamia or Chaldea, where Balaam dwelt, which lay to the east of the land of Moab:

saying, come, curse me Jacob, and come, defy Israel;
he owns that this was Balak's view in sending for him; nor does he deny that be himself came with such an intention, could he be able to execute it; even curse the people of Israel, with the utmost abhorrence and detestation of them, and in the most furious and wrathful manner, as the last word used signifies.

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Numbers 23:7 In-Context

5 And the Lord put words in Balaam's mouth, and said, Go back to Balak, and this is what you are to say.
6 So he went back to him where he was waiting by his burned offering with all the chiefs of Moab.
7 And in the words which the Lord had given him he said, From Aram Balak has sent for me, the king of Moab from the mountains of the East: come, put curses on Jacob for me and be angry with Israel.
8 How may I put curses on him who is not cursed by God? how may I be angry with him with whom the Lord is not angry?
9 From the top of the rocks I see him, looking down on him from the hills: it is a people made separate, not to be numbered among the nations.
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