Numbers 24:14

14 Now I am going back to my people, but come, let me warn you of what this people will do to your people in days to come.”

Numbers 24:14 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
14 And now, behold, I go unto my people: come therefore, and I will advertise thee what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days.
English Standard Version (ESV)
14 And now, behold, I am going to my people. Come, I will let you know what this people will do to your people in the latter days."
New Living Translation (NLT)
14 Now I am returning to my own people. But first let me tell you what the Israelites will do to your people in the future.”
The Message Bible (MSG)
14 I'm leaving for home and my people, but I warn you of what this people will do to your people in the days to come."
American Standard Version (ASV)
14 And now, behold, I go unto my people: come, [and] I will advertise thee what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days.
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
14 Even though I'm going back to my people, I'll give you some advice. I'll tell you what these people will do to your people in the days to come."
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
14 Now I am going back to my people, but first, let me warn you what these people will do to your people in the future."
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
14 "Now I'm going back to my people. But come. Let me warn you about what these people will do to your people in days to come."

Numbers 24:14 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 24:14

And now, behold, I go unto my people
According to thine order, I shall not stay to make thee uneasy with my company, only I crave thy patience to hear me a little before we part:

come therefore, and I will advertise thee;
about some things that shall come to pass in future time, respecting this people, and thine, and other nations, both near and remote; and he hoped by this to bring him into a better temper, and part good friends: or "I will counsel thee"; what thou shall do, as the Targum of Onkelos, and so makes a sentence of this of itself, independent of, and distinct from what follows, beginning the next clause thus,

and I will show them what this people
referring the former to the counsel Balaam gave to Balak, how to seduce the people into idolatry; and the Targum of Jonathan expresses it at large;

``come, I will counsel thee, go and prepare victualling houses, and place lewd women there to sell food and drink at a low price, and bring this people to eat, and drink, and be drunken; and let them lie with them, and deny their God, and they will be delivered into thine hands in a little time, and many of them will fall;''

which advice was followed, ( Numbers 25:1 Numbers 25:2 ) and is referred to, ( Numbers 31:16 ) ( Revelation 2:14 ) but though Balaam did give him such advice before he left him, which is highly probable, yet it is not what is intended here, since what follows is closely connected with the above clause, and contains the thing he advertised or advised him of:

what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days;
not what the Moabites should do to the Israelites now, as the Vulgate Latin version, quite contrary to the original text, but what the Israelites should do to the Moabites in future times; not only in the times of David, by whom they were subdued, ( 2 Samuel 8:2 ) but in much later times, even in the times of Alexander, or King Jannaeus, who overcame them, as Josephus F2 relates. Now this might be said to Balak to make him easy, that it would not be until the latter days, many hundreds of years hence, ere the people of Israel would fight with Moab, and subdue it; and therefore he need be under no concern about them, since he would meet with no trouble from them in his time, nor his people for years to come.


FOOTNOTES:

F2 Antiqu. l. 13. c. 13. sect. 5.

Numbers 24:14 In-Context

12 Balaam answered Balak, “Did I not tell the messengers you sent me,
13 ‘Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not do anything of my own accord, good or bad, to go beyond the command of the LORD—and I must say only what the LORD says’?
14 Now I am going back to my people, but come, let me warn you of what this people will do to your people in days to come.”
15 Then he spoke his message: “The prophecy of Balaam son of Beor, the prophecy of one whose eye sees clearly,
16 the prophecy of one who hears the words of God, who has knowledge from the Most High, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened:

Cross References 1

  • 1. S Genesis 49:1; Numbers 31:8,16; Daniel 2:28; Micah 6:5
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