Números 24:9

9 Se encorvará para echarse como león, Y como leona; ¿quién lo despertará? Benditos los que te bendijeren, Y malditos los que te maldijeren.

Números 24:9 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 24:9

He couched
Which may respect the posture of the armies of Israel in the plains of Moab:

he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion;
as he would do, and did in the land of Canaan, when conquered by Israel; they took up their residence on it quietly, and dwelt in it securely, and in no more fear of their enemies than a lion, which lays itself down and sleeps without concern anywhere:

who shall stir him up?
who dare do it? as it would be a very rash, bold, daring, and dangerous thing to rouse up a lion lying down; so it is suggested it would be alike to provoke Israel to war at some certain times, in the days of David more especially:

blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee;
which are the very words in which Isaac blessed Jacob, the ancestor of these people, ( Genesis 27:29 ) and which blessing is confirmed by Balaam against his will, and whereby he cursed himself instead of Israel; for though he could not curse him with words, he had cursed him in his heart, and would have done it verbally if he could ^F1.

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FOOTNOTES:

F1 "Qui, quia non licuit, non facit, ille facit". Ovid.

Números 24:9 In-Context

7 De sus manos destilarán aguas, Y su simiente será en muchas aguas: Y ensalzarse ha su rey más que Agag, Y su reino será ensalzado.

8 Dios lo sacó de Egipto; Tiene fuerzas como de unicornio: Comerá á las gentes sus enemigas, Y desmenuzará sus huesos, Y asaeteará con sus saetas.

9 Se encorvará para echarse como león, Y como leona; ¿quién lo despertará? Benditos los que te bendijeren, Y malditos los que te maldijeren.

10 Entonces se encendió la ira de Balac contra Balaam, y batiendo sus palmas le dijo: Para maldecir á mis enemigos te he llamado, y he aquí los has resueltamente bendecido ya tres veces.

11 Húyete, por tanto, ahora á tu lugar: yo dije que te honraría, mas he aquí que Jehová te ha privado de honra.