Numbers 23:1-9

1 And Balaam said unto Balak, "Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams."

2 And Balak did as Balaam had spoken, and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bullock and a ram.

3 And Balaam said unto Balak, "Stand by thy burnt offering, and I will go. Perhaps the LORD will come to meet me, and whatsoever He showeth me I will tell thee." And he went to a high place.

4 And God met Balaam; and he said unto Him, "I have prepared seven altars, and I have offered upon every altar a bullock and a ram.

5 And the LORD put a word in Balaam's mouth and said, "Return unto Balak, and thus thou shalt speak."

6 And he returned unto him, and lo, he stood by his burnt sacrifice, he and all the princes of Moab.

7 And he took up his parable and said: "Balak the king of Moab hath brought me from Aram, out of the mountains of the east, saying, `Come, curse for me Jacob, and come, defy Israel.'

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

9 For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him; lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations.

Numbers 23:1-9 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 23

This chapter gives an account of the sacrifices offered by Balak and Balaam, and how God met Balsam, and put a word into his mouth, which he delivered in the presence of the king of Moab and his princes, Nu 23:1-7, the substance of which are, the separate state and condition of Israel from other nations, their number, and the happiness of the righteous at death, Nu 23:8-10, which made Balak uneasy, since instead of cursing he blessed Israel, and therefore he had him to another place to take a view of the people, Nu 23:11-13 where having offered sacrifices, another word was put into the mouth of Balaam, and which he also delivered before the king and his nobles, Nu 23:14-18, in which were expressed the unchangeableness of God, the irreversibleness of the blessing of Israel, the strength, safety, happiness, and glory of that people, Nu 23:19-24 which made Balak more uneasy still; but willing to try him a third time, he carried him to another place, and there built altars, and offered sacrifices, the consequence of which is related in the next chapter, Nu 23:25-30.