Numbers 23:22

22 God brought them out of Egypt, rampaging like a wild ox.

Numbers 23:22 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 23:22

God brought them out of Egypt
With a mighty hand and stretched out arm, and he will conduct them through the wilderness, and bring them safe to Canaan's land; he that brought them from thence will not suffer them to perish by any means; it is in vain to attempt to curse a people that is in such hands, and for whom he has done such great things: Jarchi thinks this stands opposed to what Balak had said, ( Numbers 22:5 ) , thou sayest, "lo, a people is come out of Egypt";

``they did not come out of themselves, but God brought them:''

he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn;
that is, not God, but the people he brought out of Egypt, being a mighty people, able to push their enemies and subdue them, being numerous and strong, especially as strengthened by the mighty God of Jacob; and therefore their strength is expressed by the strength of this creature; for be it what it will, whether the rhinoceros or the wild ox, or one kind of goats, as Bochart F12 thinks; whatever is meant by the term here must be a strong creature, see ( Deuteronomy 33:17 ) ( Job 39:10 Job 39:11 ) and great is the strength of the spiritual Israel of God, which they have from him to exercise grace, perform duty, withstand and overcome all their spiritual enemies, sin, Satan, and the world.


FOOTNOTES:

F12 Hierozoic. par. 1. l. 3. c. 27. col. 965.

Numbers 23:22 In-Context

20 I was brought here to bless; and now he's blessed - how can I change that?
21 He has no bone to pick with Jacob, he sees nothing wrong with Israel. God is with them, and they're with him, shouting praises to their King
22 God brought them out of Egypt, rampaging like a wild ox.
23 No magic spells can bind Jacob, no incantations can hold back Israel. People will look at Jacob and Israel and say, "What a great thing has God done!"
24 Look, a people rising to its feet, stretching like a lion, a king-of-the-beasts, aroused, Unsleeping, unresting until its hunt is over and it's eaten and drunk its fill.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.