Numbers 23:22-30

22 It was God who brought him out of Egypt; he has as it were the glory of a unicorn.
23 For there is no divination in Jacob, nor enchantment in Israel; in season it shall be told to Jacob and Israel what God shall perform.
24 Behold, the people shall rise up as a lion's whelp, and shall exalt himself as a lion; he shall not lie down till he have eaten the prey, and he shall drink the blood of the slain.
25 And Balac said to Balaam, Neither curse the people at all for me, nor bless them at all.
26 And Balaam answered and said to Balac, Spoke I not to thee, saying, Whatsoever thing God shall speak to me, that will I do?
27 And Balac said to Balaam, Come I will remove thee to another place, if it shall please God, and curse me them from thence.
28 And Balac took Balaam to the top of Phogor, which extends to the wilderness.
29 And Balaam said to Balac, build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven calves, and seven rams.
30 And Balac did as Balaam told him, and offered a calf and a ram on altar.

Numbers 23:22-30 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.

Footnotes 3

The Brenton translation of the Septuagint is in the public domain.