Numbers 23:14

14 So Balak took Balaam to the plateau of Zophim on Pisgah Peak. He built seven altars there and offered a young bull and a ram on each altar.

Numbers 23:14 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 23:14

And he brought him into the field of Zophim
Or Sede Tzophim, as Hillerus ^F9 reads it, so called from the watch tower, and watchmen in it: Jarchi says, it was a high place, where a watchman stood to observe if an army came against a city, and so a very proper place to take a view of the armies of Israel from:

to the top of Pisgah;
a high hill in this place, where perhaps the watch tower was, or, however, the watchman stood: this looked towards Jeshimon or Bethjesimoth, in the plain of Moab, where Israel lay encamped, see ( Numbers 21:20 ) ( 33:49 ) : and built seven altars, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar: as he had done before, ( Numbers 23:2 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F9 Onomastic Sacr. p. 935.

Numbers 23:14 In-Context

12 But Balaam replied, “I will speak only the message that the LORD puts in my mouth.”

13 Then King Balak told him, “Come with me to another place. There you will see another part of the nation of Israel, but not all of them. Curse at least that many!”

14 So Balak took Balaam to the plateau of Zophim on Pisgah Peak. He built seven altars there and offered a young bull and a ram on each altar.

15 Then Balaam said to the king, “Stand here by your burnt offerings while I go over there to meet the LORD .”

16 And the LORD met Balaam and gave him a message. Then he said, “Go back to Balak and give him my message.”