Bamidbar 23:25

25 And Balak said unto Balaam, Neither curse them at all, nor at all make a brocha on them.

Bamidbar 23:25 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 23:25

And Balak said unto Balaam, neither curse them at all, nor
bless them at all.
] Signifying that it would be as well or better to do nothing at all, than to do what he did; but the sense is not, that he would not have him curse them, that he could never say, since he had pressed it both before and after this; wherefore the words should be rendered, as they are by some ^F16, "if in cursing thou dost not curse", or will not curse, "neither in blessing bless", or, however, do not bless: if he could not or would not curse Israel, he would not have him bless them on any account; if he could do him and his people no good in ridding them of their enemies, yet he desires him by no means to do them any harm by discouraging them and encouraging Israel.

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FOOTNOTES:

F16 So Fagius, Vatablus; with which agree the Arabic version, and Noldius, p. 221. No. 1024.

Bamidbar 23:25 In-Context

23 Surely there is no nachash (augury) in Ya’akov; neither is there any kesem (divination) in Yisroel; at the time it is spoken to Ya’akov and to Yisroel what El doeth!

24 See, the people shall rise up as a lioness, and lift up himself as an ari; he shall not lie down until he devours the prey, and drinks the dahm of the slain.

25 And Balak said unto Balaam, Neither curse them at all, nor at all make a brocha on them.

26 But Balaam answered and said unto Balak, Did I not tell thee, saying, All that Hashem speaketh, that I must do?

27 And Balak said unto Balaam, Come now, I will bring thee unto another place; perhaps it will please HaElohim that thou mayest curse them for me from there.