Numbers 23:7-12

Balaam's First Oracle

7 Balaam proclaimed his poem: Balak brought me from Aram;[a] the king of Moab, from the eastern mountains: "Come, put a curse on Jacob for me; come, denounce Israel!"[b]
8 How can I curse someone God has not cursed? How can I denounce someone the Lord has not denounced?
9 I see them from the top of rocky cliffs, and I watch them from the hills. There is a people living alone;[c] it does not consider itself among the nations.
10 Who has counted the dust of Jacob or numbered the dust clouds[d] of Israel? Let me die the death of the upright; let the end of my [life] be like theirs.
11 "What have you done to me?" Balak asked Balaam. "I brought you to curse my enemies, but look, you have only blessed [them]!"
12 He answered, "Shouldn't I say exactly what the Lord puts in my mouth?"

Numbers 23:7-12 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.

Footnotes 4

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