Numbers 23:1-10

Listen to Numbers 23:1-10

Balaam’s First Oracle

1 And Balaam said to Balak, 1“Build for me here seven altars, and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams. ”
2 Balak did as Balaam had said. And Balak and Balaam 2offered on each altar a bull and a ram.
3 And Balaam said to Balak, 3“Stand beside your burnt offering, and I will go. Perhaps the Lord will come 4to meet me, and whatever he shows me I will tell you. ” And he went to a bare height,
4 5and God met Balaam. And Balaam said to him, “I have arranged the seven altars and I have offered on each altar a bull and a ram. ”
5 And the Lord 6put a word in Balaam’s mouth and said, “Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak. ”
6 And he returned to him, and behold, he and all the princes of Moab were standing beside his burnt offering.
7 And Balaam 7took up his discourse and said, “From 8Aram Balak has brought me, the king of Moab 9from the eastern mountains: ‘Come, 10curse Jacob for me, and come, denounce Israel! ’
8 How can I curse whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce whom the Lord has not denounced?
9 For from the top of the crags 11I see him, from the hills I behold him; behold, 12a people dwelling alone, and 13not counting itself among the nations!
10 14Who can count the dust of Jacob or number the fourth part[a] of Israel? Let me die 15the death of the upright, and let my end be like his! ”

Numbers 23:1-10 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 23

This chapter gives an account of the sacrifices offered by Balak and Balaam, and how God met Balsam, and put a word into his mouth, which he delivered in the presence of the king of Moab and his princes, Nu 23:1-7, the substance of which are, the separate state and condition of Israel from other nations, their number, and the happiness of the righteous at death, Nu 23:8-10, which made Balak uneasy, since instead of cursing he blessed Israel, and therefore he had him to another place to take a view of the people, Nu 23:11-13 where having offered sacrifices, another word was put into the mouth of Balaam, and which he also delivered before the king and his nobles, Nu 23:14-18, in which were expressed the unchangeableness of God, the irreversibleness of the blessing of Israel, the strength, safety, happiness, and glory of that people, Nu 23:19-24 which made Balak more uneasy still; but willing to try him a third time, he carried him to another place, and there built altars, and offered sacrifices, the consequence of which is related in the next chapter, Nu 23:25-30.

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Cross References 15

  • 1. 23:1 ver. 29
  • 2. 23:2 ver. 14, 30
  • 3. 23:3 ver. 15
  • 4. 23:3 [ch. 24:1]
  • 5. 23:4 ver. 16
  • 6. 23:5 ver. 12, 16; ch. 22:38; Deut. 18:18; Isa. 51:16; 59:21; Jer. 1:9
  • 7. 23:7 ver. 18; ch. 24:3, 15, 20, 21, 23; Job 27:1; 29:1; Ps. 49:4; 78:2; Isa. 14:4; Mic. 2:4; [ch. 21:27]
  • 8. 23:7 [ch. 22:5]
  • 9. 23:7 [Gen. 29:1]
  • 10. 23:7 ch. 22:6
  • 11. 23:9 [ch. 24:17]
  • 12. 23:9 Deut. 32:28
  • 13. 23:9 Ex. 33:16; [Ezra 9:2; Esth. 3:8; Eph. 2:14]
  • 14. 23:10 See Gen. 13:16
  • 15. 23:10 Ps. 37:37; 116:15; Rev. 14:13

Footnotes 1

  • [a] 23:10 Or 'dust clouds'
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025