Numbers 23:1-9

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.

Numbers 23:1-9 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 5

  • 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

Footnotes 1

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