Nombres 23:8

8 Comment maudirais-je celui que Dieu n'a point maudit? Comment serais-je irrité quand l'Eternel n'est point irrité?

Nombres 23:8 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 23:8

How shall I curse whom God hath not cursed?
&c.] The sense is, that it was impossible for him to curse those that God did not curse himself, or would not have cursed by others; not but that he had a good will to it, to get Balak's money and honour, but he knew not how to accomplish it; yea, he saw it was in vain to attempt it, it was a thing that could not possibly be done: God does not, nor will he curse his spiritual Israel; they are blessed by him in Christ, and they shall be blessed; nor is it in the power of their enemies to curse them, or do them any harm: the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem, instead of God and the Lord in this and the following clause, use the phase,

``the Word of the Lord;''

the essential Word, the Son of God, who is so far from cursing his people, that he has delivered them from the curses of the law, being made a curse for them, that the blessings of the everlasting covenant of grace might come upon them; and they are blessed of God in him, and for his sake, with all spiritual blessings:

or how shall I defy whom the Lord hath not defied?
which is the same thing in other words, only this last word is expressive of more contempt and indignation.

Nombres 23:8 In-Context

6 Il retourna vers lui; et voici, Balak se tenait près de son holocauste, lui et tous les chefs de Moab.

7 Balaam prononça son oracle, et dit: Balak m'a fait descendre d'Aram, Le roi de Moab m'a fait descendre des montagnes de l'Orient. -Viens, maudis-moi Jacob! Viens, sois irrité contre Israël!

8 Comment maudirais-je celui que Dieu n'a point maudit? Comment serais-je irrité quand l'Eternel n'est point irrité?

9 Je le vois du sommet des rochers, Je le contemple du haut des collines: C'est un peuple qui a sa demeure à part, Et qui ne fait point partie des nations.

10 Qui peut compter la poussière de Jacob, Et dire le nombre du quart d'Israël? Que je meure de la mort des justes, Et que ma fin soit semblable à la leur!