Numbers 23:7-17

7 And he began hys parable and sayed: Balac the kinge of Moab hath fett me fro Mesopotamia out of the mountaynes of the easte sayenge: come and curse me Iacob come and defye me Israel.

8 How shall I curse whom God curseth not and how shall I defye whom the Lorde defyeth not?

9 from the toppe of ye rockes I se him and from the hylles I beholde him: loo ye people shall dwell by him selfe and shall not be rekened amoge other nacions.

10 Who can tell the dust of Iacob and the numbre of the fourth parte of Israel. I praye God that my soule maye dye the deeth of the righteous ad that my last ende maye be like his.

11 And Balac sayed vnto Balam what hast thou done vnto me? I fett ye to curse myne enemyes: and beholde thou blessest them.

12 And he answered and sayed: must I not kepe that and speake it which the Lorde hath put in my mouthe?

13 And Balac sayed vnto him: Come I praye the with me vnto another place whence thou shalt se them and shalt se but ye vtmoste parte of them ad shalt not se them all and curse me them there.

14 And he brought him in to a playne felde where men myght se farre euen to the toppe of Pisga and bylt .vij. alters and offered an oxe and a ra on euery alter

15 And he sayed vnto Balac: stonde here by thi sacrifyce whyle I goo yonder.

16 And the Lorde mett Balam and put wordes in his mouth and sayed: goo agayne vnto Balac ad thus saye.

17 And when he came to him: beholde he stode by his sacrifyce and the lordes of Moab with him And Balac sayed vnto him: what sayeth ye Lorde?

Numbers 23:7-17 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.