Números 23:1-8

1 Y BALAAM dijo á Balac: Edifícame aquí siete altares, y prepárame aquí siete becerros y siete carneros.

2 Y Balac hizo como le dijo Balaam: y ofrecieron Balac y Balaam un becerro y un carnero en cada altar.

3 Y Balaam dijo á Balac: Ponte junto á tu holocausto, y yo iré: quizá Jehová me vendrá al encuentro, y cualquiera cosa que me mostrare, te la noticiaré. Y así se fué solo.

4 Y vino Dios al encuentro de Balaam, y éste le dijo: Siete altares he ordenado, y en cada altar he ofrecido un becerro y un carnero

5 Y Jehová puso palabra en la boca de Balaam, y díjole: Vuelve á Balac, y has de hablar así.

6 Y volvió á él, y he aquí estaba él junto á su holocausto, él y todos los príncipes de Moab.

7 Y él tomó su parábola, y dijo: De Aram me trajo Balac, Rey de Moab, de los montes del oriente: Ven, maldíceme á Jacob; Y ven, execra á Israel.

8 ¿Por qué maldeciré yo al que Dios no maldijo? ¿Y por qué he de execrar al que Jehová no ha execrado?

Números 23:1-8 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.