Numbers 24:9

9 Israel crouches like a lion and naps, king-of-the-beasts - who dares disturb him? Whoever blesses you is blessed, whoever curses you is cursed.

Numbers 24:9 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 24:9

He couched
Which may respect the posture of the armies of Israel in the plains of Moab:

he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion;
as he would do, and did in the land of Canaan, when conquered by Israel; they took up their residence on it quietly, and dwelt in it securely, and in no more fear of their enemies than a lion, which lays itself down and sleeps without concern anywhere:

who shall stir him up?
who dare do it? as it would be a very rash, bold, daring, and dangerous thing to rouse up a lion lying down; so it is suggested it would be alike to provoke Israel to war at some certain times, in the days of David more especially:

blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee;
which are the very words in which Isaac blessed Jacob, the ancestor of these people, ( Genesis 27:29 ) and which blessing is confirmed by Balaam against his will, and whereby he cursed himself instead of Israel; for though he could not curse him with words, he had cursed him in his heart, and would have done it verbally if he could ^F1.

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FOOTNOTES:

F1 "Qui, quia non licuit, non facit, ille facit". Ovid.

Numbers 24:9 In-Context

7 Their buckets will brim with water, their seed will spread life everywhere. Their king will tower over Agag and his ilk, their kingdom surpassingly majestic.

8 God brought them out of Egypt, rampaging like a wild ox, Gulping enemies like morsels of meat, crushing their bones, snapping their arrows.

9 Israel crouches like a lion and naps, king-of-the-beasts - who dares disturb him? Whoever blesses you is blessed, whoever curses you is cursed.

10 Balak lost his temper with Balaam. He shook his fist. He said to Balaam: "I got you in here to curse my enemies and what have you done? Blessed them! Blessed them three times!

11 Get out of here! Go home! I told you I would pay you well, but you're getting nothing. You can blame God."