Numbers 23:18

18 Then he took up his parable and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor:

Numbers 23:18 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 23:18

And he took up his parable
Pronounced the word put into his mouth,

and said, rise up Balak, and hear;
not from his seat, as Eglon a successor of his did, ( Judges 3:20 ) for he was now standing by his burnt offering; but the sense is, that he would raise his attention, and stir up himself with all diligence to hear what he was about to say:

hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor;
or to his word, as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan, which follow.

Numbers 23:18 In-Context

16 And the LORD met Balaam and put a word in his mouth and said unto him, Go again unto Balak and say thus.

17 And he came unto him, and behold, he stood by his burnt offering and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said unto him, What has the LORD spoken?

18 Then he took up his parable and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor:

19 God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent; he said and shall he not do it? He spoke and shall he not execute it?

20 Behold, I have received blessing; and he has blessed; and I cannot reverse it.