Numbers 23:4-14

4 God granted Balaam an appearance. Balaam said to him, "I have arranged seven altars and I have sacrificed a bull and a ram on each altar."
5 The LORD gave Balaam something to say, and said to him, "Return to Balak and say this."
6 Balaam returned to him, while he and all the officials of Moab were standing next to his entirely burned offering.
7 Then he raised his voice and made his address: "From Aram Balak led me, the king of Moab, from the eastern mountains. Come, curse Jacob for me; come, denounce Israel.
8 How can I curse whom God hasn't cursed? How can I denounce whom God hasn't denounced?
9 From the top of the rocks I see him; from the hills I gaze on him. Here is a people living alone; it doesn't consider itself among the nations.
10 Who can count the dust of Jacob, or number a fourth of Israel? Let me die the death of those who do right, and let my end be like his."
11 Then Balak said to Balaam, "What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemy. But now you've blessed him."
12 He answered and said, "Don't I have to take care to speak whatever the LORD gives me to say?"

Balaam’s second blessing of the Israelites

13 Then Balak said to Balaam, "Come with me, please, to another place where you'll see them. You'll see only part of them. You won't see all of them. Then curse them for me from there."
14 He took him to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah. He built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

Numbers 23:4-14 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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