Numbers 24:8

8 God led him out of Egypt, whose strength is like an unicorn; the sons of Israel shall waste, or devour, (the) heathen men, their enemies; and they shall break the bones of them, and pierce (them through) with (their) arrows.

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.

Numbers 24:8 In-Context

6 as valleys full of trees, and moist gardens beside floods, as tabernacles which the Lord hath set (up), as cedar trees beside waters; (like valleys full of trees, and watered gardens beside the river, like aloes planted by the Lord, and cedar trees beside the water;)

7 water shall flow (out) of his bucket, and his seed shall be into many waters, that is, peoples. The king of him shall be taken away for Agag, and the realm of him shall be done away. (water shall flow out of his bucket, and his descendants shall be like many waters, that is, they shall become many people. His king shall be greater than Agag, and his kingdom shall prevail.)

8 God led him out of Egypt, whose strength is like an unicorn; the sons of Israel shall waste, or devour, (the) heathen men, their enemies; and they shall break the bones of them, and pierce (them through) with (their) arrows.

9 He rested, and slept as a lion, and as a lioness, whom no man shall dare raise. He that blesseth thee, shall be blessed; and he that curseth, shall be areckoned into cursing. (He rested, and slept like a lion, and like a lioness, whom no man shall dare raise up. He who blesseth thee, shall be blessed; and he who curseth thee, shall be cursed.)

10 And Balak was wroth against Balaam, and he said, when his hands were wrung together, I called thee to curse mine enemies, whom, on the contrary, thou hast blessed thrice (but who, instead, thou hast now blessed three times!).