Numbers 23:1-10

1 And Balam sayed vnto Balac: bylde me here seven alters and prouyde here. seue oxen and seuen rammes.

2 And Balac dyd as Balam sayed. And Balac and Balam offered on euery alter an oxe and a ram.

3 And Balam sayed vnto Balac: stonde by the sacrifyce whyle I goo to wete whether the Lorde will come ad mete me: and what soeuer he sheweth me I will tell the and he went forthwith.

4 And god came vnto Balam and Balam sayed vnto him: I haue prepared .vij. alters and haue offered apo euery alter an oxe and a ram

5 And ye Lorde put a sayenge in Balas mouth and sayed: goo agayne to Balac and saye on this wyse.

6 And he went agayne vnto him and loo he stode by his sacrifice both he ad all the lordes of Moab.

7 And he began hys parable and sayed: Balac the kinge of Moab hath fett me fro Mesopotamia out of the mountaynes of the easte sayenge: come and curse me Iacob come and defye me Israel.

8 How shall I curse whom God curseth not and how shall I defye whom the Lorde defyeth not?

9 from the toppe of ye rockes I se him and from the hylles I beholde him: loo ye people shall dwell by him selfe and shall not be rekened amoge other nacions.

10 Who can tell the dust of Iacob and the numbre of the fourth parte of Israel. I praye God that my soule maye dye the deeth of the righteous ad that my last ende maye be like his.

Numbers 23:1-10 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.