Numbers 24:15-25

Balaam's Fourth Oracle

15 Then he proclaimed his poem: The oracle of Balaam son of Beor, the oracle of the man whose eyes are opened;^[a]

16 the oracle of one who hears the sayings of God and has knowledge from the Most High, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who falls [into a trance] with [his] eyes uncovered:^[b]

17 I see him,^[c] but not now; I perceive him,^[d] but not near. A star will come from Jacob, and a scepter will arise from Israel.^[e] He will smash the forehead^[f] of Moab and strike down^[g] all the Shethites.^[h]

18 Edom will become a possession; Seir^[i] will become a possession of its enemies, but Israel will be triumphant.

19 One who comes from Jacob will rule; he will destroy the city's survivors.

20 Then Balaam saw Amalek and proclaimed his poem: Amalek was first among the nations,^[j] but his future is destruction.

21 Next he saw the Kenites and proclaimed his poem: Your dwelling place is enduring; your nest is set in the cliffs.

22 Kain will be destroyed when Asshur takes you captive.

23 Once more he proclaimed his poem: Ah, who can live when God does this?

24 Ships will come from the coast of Kittim;^[k] they will afflict Asshur and Eber,^[l] but they too will come to destruction.

25 Balaam then arose and went back to his homeland, and Balak also went his way.

Numbers 24:15-25 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 24

In this chapter we are told, that Balaam leaving his enchantments, the Spirit of God came on him, and he spake of the happiness of Israel, and prophesied of their future greatness and glory, Nu 24:1-9 which so exasperated Balak, that he ordered him at once to depart from him, Nu 24:10,11. Balaam justified himself in what he said and did, and suggested that before they parted, he had something to say in a prophetic manner, concerning what Israel should do to Moab in "future" times, Nu 24:12-14 and then prophesies concerning the Messiah, and the destruction of Moab, and of some neighbouring nations, and even of some at a greater distance, as the Assyrians and Romans, Nu 24:15-25.

Footnotes

• [a]. LXX reads true; Vg reads closed
• [b]. Nm 24:3-4
• [c]. Or Him
• [d]. Or Him
• [e]. Gn 49:10; Mt 2:2; Rv 22:16
• [f]. Or frontiers
• [g]. Sam reads and the skulls of; Jr 48:45
• [h]. Or Sethites
• [i]. Gn 32:3
• [j]. Ex 17:8-16; 1 Sm 15
• [k]. Gn 10:4; Isa 23:1,12; Jr 2:10; Dn 11:30
• [l]. Gn 10:21,24-25; 11:14-27