Numbers 23:24

24 These people rise up like a lioness, like a majestic lion rousing itself. They refuse to rest until they have feasted on prey, drinking the blood of the slaughtered!”

Numbers 23:24 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 23:24

Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion
Or rather, "as the lioness" ^F14, which, as Aelianus says ^F15, is the strongest and most warlike beast, the most fierce and furious, as is believed both by Greeks and Barbarians; and he mentions the heroism of Perdiccas the Macedonian, and Semiramis the Assyrian, in engaging with and killing, not the lion or leopard, but lioness:

and shall lift up himself as a young lion;
both phrases denoting the courage and strength of the people of Israel, in attacking their enemies and engaging them:

he shall not lie down;
being once roused up and engaged in war:

until he eat of the prey, and drink the blood of the slain;
as the lion does when it has seized on a creature, tears it to pieces, eats its flesh and drinks its blood: this may refer to the slaughter of the Midianites that would be quickly made, and among the slain of whom Balaam himself was, ( Numbers 31:7 Numbers 31:8 ) , and to the slaughter and conquest of the Canaanites under Joshua, and taking their spoils.

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FOOTNOTES:

F14 (ayblk) "ut leaena", V. L. Tigurine version.
F15 Var. Hist. l. 12. c. 39. Vid. Herodot. Thalia, sive, l. 3. c. 108.

Numbers 23:24 In-Context

22 God brought them out of Egypt; for them he is as strong as a wild ox.

23 No curse can touch Jacob; no magic has any power against Israel. For now it will be said of Jacob, ‘What wonders God has done for Israel!’

24 These people rise up like a lioness, like a majestic lion rousing itself. They refuse to rest until they have feasted on prey, drinking the blood of the slaughtered!”

25 Then Balak said to Balaam, “Fine, but if you won’t curse them, at least don’t bless them!”

26 But Balaam replied to Balak, “Didn’t I tell you that I can do only what the LORD tells me?”