Numbers 22:17
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| Overview - Numbers 22 | |
| 1 | Balak's first message for Balaam is refused. |
| 15 | His second message obtains him. |
| 22 | An angel would have slain him, if he had not been saved by his ass. |
| 36 | Balak entertains him. |
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Numbers 22:17 (King James Version)
For I will promote thee unto very great honour, and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people.
- I will promote
- 24:11 Deuteronomy 16:9 ; Esther 5:11 ; 7:9 Matthew 4:8 Matthew 4:9 ; 16:26
- and I will do
- Numbers 23:2 Numbers 23:3 Numbers 23:29 Numbers 23:30 Matthew 14:7
- come
- 22:6
- curse me
- An erroneous opinion prevailed, both in those days and in after ages, that some men had the power, by the help of their gods, to devote, not only particular persons, but cities and whole armies, to destruction. This they are said to have done sometimes by words of imprecation; of which there was a set form among some people, which schines calls [diorizomenen aran ,] "the determinate curse." Macrobius has a whole chapter on this subject. He gives us two of the ancient forms used in reference to the destruction of Carthage; the first, which was only pronounced by the dictator, or general, was to call over the protecting deities to their side, and the other to devote the city to destruction, which they were supposed to have abandoned. The Romans held, that no city would be taken till its tutelary god had forsaken it; or if it could be taken, it would be unlawful, as it would be sacrilege to lead the gods into captivity. Virgil intimates, that Troy was destroyed because {Excessere omnes adytis, arisque relictis dii, quibus imperium hoc steterat,} "All the gods, by whose assistance the empire had hitherto been preserved, forsook their altars and temples
- " See more on this subject in Dr. A. Clarke, Bp
- Patrick, and Burder's Oriental Customs, No. 734.