Numbers 23:25

25 Then Balak said to Balaam, "Don't put a curse on them at all! And don't give them a blessing at all!"

Numbers 23:25 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 23:25

And Balak said unto Balaam, neither curse them at all, nor
bless them at all.
] Signifying that it would be as well or better to do nothing at all, than to do what he did; but the sense is not, that he would not have him curse them, that he could never say, since he had pressed it both before and after this; wherefore the words should be rendered, as they are by some ^F16, "if in cursing thou dost not curse", or will not curse, "neither in blessing bless", or, however, do not bless: if he could not or would not curse Israel, he would not have him bless them on any account; if he could do him and his people no good in ridding them of their enemies, yet he desires him by no means to do them any harm by discouraging them and encouraging Israel.

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FOOTNOTES:

F16 So Fagius, Vatablus; with which agree the Arabic version, and Noldius, p. 221. No. 1024.

Numbers 23:25 In-Context

23 There isn't any magic that can hurt the people of Jacob. No one can use magic words to harm Israel. Here is what will be said about the people of Jacob. Here is what will be said about Israel. People will say, 'See what God has done!'

24 The people of Israel are going to wake up like a female lion. They are going to get up like a male lion. They are like a lion that won't rest until it eats what it has caught. They are like a lion that won't rest until it drinks the blood of what it has killed."

25 Then Balak said to Balaam, "Don't put a curse on them at all! And don't give them a blessing at all!"

26 Balaam answered, "Didn't I tell you that I have to do only what the LORD says?"

27 Then Balak said to Balaam, "Come. Let me take you to another place. Perhaps God will be pleased to let you put a curse on them for me from there."