Numbers 23:22

22 "God, who brought them out of Egypt, gives them the strength of a wild ox;

Numbers 23:22 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 23:22

God brought them out of Egypt
With a mighty hand and stretched out arm, and he will conduct them through the wilderness, and bring them safe to Canaan's land; he that brought them from thence will not suffer them to perish by any means; it is in vain to attempt to curse a people that is in such hands, and for whom he has done such great things: Jarchi thinks this stands opposed to what Balak had said, ( Numbers 22:5 ) , thou sayest, "lo, a people is come out of Egypt";

``they did not come out of themselves, but God brought them:''

he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn;
that is, not God, but the people he brought out of Egypt, being a mighty people, able to push their enemies and subdue them, being numerous and strong, especially as strengthened by the mighty God of Jacob; and therefore their strength is expressed by the strength of this creature; for be it what it will, whether the rhinoceros or the wild ox, or one kind of goats, as Bochart F12 thinks; whatever is meant by the term here must be a strong creature, see ( Deuteronomy 33:17 ) ( Job 39:10 Job 39:11 ) and great is the strength of the spiritual Israel of God, which they have from him to exercise grace, perform duty, withstand and overcome all their spiritual enemies, sin, Satan, and the world.


FOOTNOTES:

F12 Hierozoic. par. 1. l. 3. c. 27. col. 965.

Numbers 23:22 In-Context

20 Look, I am ordered to bless; when he blesses, I can't reverse it.
21 "No one has seen guilt in Ya'akov, or perceived perversity in Isra'el; ADONAI their God is with them and acclaimed as king among them
22 "God, who brought them out of Egypt, gives them the strength of a wild ox;
23 thus one can't put a spell on Ya'akov, no magic will work against Isra'el. It can now be said of Ya'akov and Isra'el, 'What is this that God has done?!'
24 "Here is a people rising up like a lioness; like a lion he rears himself up -he will not lie down till he eats up the prey and drinks the blood of the slain."
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.