Numbers 23:1-10

The Prophecies of Balaam

1 Then Balaam said to Balak, "Build seven altars for me here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me here."
2 Balak did just as Balaam had spoken, and Balak and Balaam offered up a bull and a ram on each altar.
3 Then Balaam said to Balak, "Stand beside your burnt offering, and I will go; perhaps the LORD will come to meet me, and whatever * He shows me I will tell you." So he went to a bare hill.
4 Now God met Balaam, and he said to Him, "I have set up the seven altars, and I have offered up a bull and a ram on each altar.
5 Then the LORD 1put a word in Balaam's mouth and said, "Return to Balak, and you shall speak thus."
6 So he returned to him, and behold, he was standing beside his burnt offering, he and all the leaders of Moab.
7 He took up his discourse and said, "From 2Aram Balak has brought me, Moab's king from the mountains of the East, '3Come curse Jacob for me, And come, denounce Israel!'
8 "4How shall I curse whom God has not cursed? And how can I denounce whom the LORD has not denounced?
9 "As I see him from the top of the rocks, And I look at him from the hills; 5Behold, a people who dwells apart, And will not be reckoned among the nations.
10 "6Who can count the dust of Jacob, Or number the fourth part of Israel? 7Let me die the death of the upright, 8And 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.

Cross References 8

  • 1. Numbers 22:20; Deuteronomy 18:18; Jeremiah 1:9
  • 2. Numbers 22:5; Deuteronomy 23:4
  • 3. Numbers 22:6
  • 4. Numbers 22:12
  • 5. Deuteronomy 32:8; Deuteronomy 33:28
  • 6. Genesis 13:16; Genesis 28:14
  • 7. Isaiah 57:1
  • 8. Psalms 37:37

Footnotes 2

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