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Numbers 24:8

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8 God brings him out of Egypt and is for him like the 1horns of the wild ox; he shall 2eat up the nations, his adversaries, and shall 3break their bones in pieces and 4pierce them through with his arrows.
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Numbers 24:8 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 24:8

God brought him forth out of Egypt, he hath as it were the
strength of an unicorn
Here he repeats what he had said in a former prophecy, (See Gill on Numbers 23:22): he shall eat up the nations his enemies: the seven nations of Canaan, which should be subdued by Israel, and that with as much ease as a lion devours its prey; nor would the Canaanites be able to make any more resistance to them than a creature in the paws of a lion; and the phrase denotes the utter destruction of them:

and shall break their bones;
as the lion breaks the bones of such creatures that fall a prey to him; signifying that all their strength should be taken from them, their mighty men slain, and their fortified cities taken:

and pierce [them] through with his arrows:
slay them utterly.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Numbers 24:8 In-Context

6 Like palm groves that stretch afar, like gardens beside a river, like aloes that the LORD has planted, like cedar trees beside the waters.
7 Water shall flow from his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters; his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted.
8 God brings him out of Egypt and is for him like the horns of the wild ox; he shall eat up the nations, his adversaries, and shall break their bones in pieces and pierce them through with his arrows.
9 He crouched, he lay down like a lion and like a lioness; who will rouse him up? Blessed are those who bless you, and cursed are those who curse you."
10 And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he struck his hands together. And Balak said to Balaam, "I called you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have blessed them these three times.

Cross References 4

  • 1. See Numbers 23:22
  • 2. [Numbers 14:9; Numbers 23:24]
  • 3. Isaiah 38:13; Jeremiah 50:17
  • 4. Psalms 45:5; Jeremiah 50:9
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.