Numbers 23:4

4 God^[a] met with him and Balaam said to Him, "I have arranged seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

Numbers 23:4 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 23:4

And God met Balaam
Not in a kind and gracious manner; not out of any respect to him and his offerings; not to indulge him with any spiritual communion with him; nor to communicate his mind and will to him as a friend of his; not to gratify his desires, and grant the request of the king of Moab, or to smile upon and succeed the scheme that they had concerted; but for the sake of his people Israel, to counterwork the designs of their enemies; to blast and confound them, and turn their curses into blessings; and particularly to oblige Balaam to bless the people he was so desirous of cursing for the sake of gain:

and he said unto him;
in a bragging boasting way, in order to gain his favour, and carry his point:

I have prepared seven altars, and I have offered upon every altar a
bullock and a ram:
that is, to him the Lord; for had they been offered to Baal, he could never have had the nerve to have spoken of them to God; and which he could never have proposed as a reason why he should be regarded by him, or expect on account of them any favour from him: and indeed these altars and sacrifices were not at his expense, though they were prepared and offered at a motion of his; nor were they offered in a right manner, nor with a right end, nor from a right principle, and were far from being acceptable unto God, yea, were abominable unto him; see ( Proverbs 21:27 ) .

Numbers 23:4 In-Context

2 So Balak did as Balaam directed, and they offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

3 Balaam said to Balak, "Stay here by your burnt offering while I am gone. Maybe the Lord will meet with me. I will tell you whatever He reveals to me." So he went to a barren hill.

4 God met with him and Balaam said to Him, "I have arranged seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

5 Then the Lord put a message in Balaam's mouth and said, "Return to Balak and say what I tell you."

6 So he returned to Balak, who was standing there by his burnt offering with all the officials of Moab.

Footnotes

• [a] DSS, Sam read The Angel of God