Numbers 23:8

8 How can I curse those whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce those whom the LORD has not denounced?

Numbers 23:8 in Other Translations

8 How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the LORD hath not defied?

8 How can I curse whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce whom the Lord has not denounced?

8 But how can I curse those whom God has not cursed? How can I condemn those whom the LORD has not condemned?

8 How can I curse whom God has not cursed? How can I damn whom God has not damned?

8 How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? And how shall I defy, whom Jehovah hath not defied?

8 How can I curse those whom God hasn't cursed? How can I condemn those whom the LORD hasn't condemned?

8 How can I curse someone God has not cursed? How can I denounce someone the Lord has not denounced?

8 But how can I put a curse on people God hasn't cursed? How can I speak against people the LORD hasn't spoken against?

Numbers 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.

Numbers 23:8 In-Context

6 So he went back to him and found him standing beside his offering, with all the Moabite officials.

7 Then Balaam spoke his message: “Balak brought me from Aram, the king of Moab from the eastern mountains. ‘Come,’ he said, ‘curse Jacob for me; come, denounce Israel.’

8 How can I curse those whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce those whom the LORD has not denounced?

9 From the rocky peaks I see them, from the heights I view them. I see a people who live apart and do not consider themselves one of the nations.

10 Who can count the dust of Jacob or number even a fourth of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and may my final end be like theirs!”

Cross References

• 1. Numbers 22:12
• 2. ver 20; Isaiah 43:13