Numbers 24:23

23 And when a parable was taken, or showed to him, he said again (And when he had received his prophecy, he said), Alas! who shall live, when the Lord shall do these things?

Numbers 24:23 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 24:23

And he took up his parable, and said
Or delivered another prophecy, having made some little pause:

alas, who shall live when God doeth this?
referring not to what goes before, but to what follows; though Jarchi and Aben Ezra think it refers to the Assyria conquering and carrying captive, not only the Kenites, but all the nations of the world, so that there was no living comfortably in it on his account; but this is said after Balaam had taken up his parable again, and so respects what follows, as the destruction of the Persian empire by Alexander, in which Ashur or the Assyrians were included; and the destruction of the Jews by the Romans more especially; which was such as had not been the like from the beginning of the world, ( Matthew 24:21 Matthew 24:22 ) , and perhaps may have a further respect to the affliction of the witnesses and church of Christ by antichrist; see ( Daniel 12:1 ) .

Numbers 24:23 In-Context

21 Also he saw Kenites, and when a parable was taken, he said, Soothly thy dwelling place is strong, but if thou shalt set thy nest in a stone, (And he also saw the Kenites, and when he had received his prophecy, he said, Thy dwelling place is strong, and thou shalt set thy nest in a stone,)

22 and shalt be chosen of the generation of Kenites, how long shalt thou be able to dwell? soothly Assur shall take thee. (and shalt be the chosen of the generation of Kenites, but how long shalt thou be able to live there? for Assyria shall take thee captive.)

23 And when a parable was taken, or showed to him, he said again (And when he had received his prophecy, he said), Alas! who shall live, when the Lord shall do these things?

24 They shall come in great ships from Italy (They shall come in great ships from Chittim), (and) they shall overcome Assyria, and they shall destroy Eber, and at the last also they themselves shall perish.

25 And Balaam rose, and turned again into his place; and Balak went again by the way in which he came. (And then Balaam rose up, and returned to his home; and Balak returned by the way by which he came.)