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Texts -- Numbers 23:3-30 (NET)

Context
23:3 Balaam said to Balak , “Station yourself by your burnt offering , and I will go off ; perhaps the Lord will come to meet me, and whatever he reveals to me I will tell you.” Then he went to a deserted height . 23:4 Then God met Balaam , who said to him, “I have prepared seven altars , and I have offered on each altar a bull and a ram .” 23:5 Then the Lord put a message in Balaam’s mouth and said , “Return to Balak , and speak what I tell you.” 23:6 So he returned to him, and he was still standing by his burnt offering , he and all the princes of Moab . 23:7 Then Balaam uttered his oracle , saying , “Balak , the king of Moab , brought me from Aram , out of the mountains of the east , saying, ‘Come , pronounce a curse on Jacob for me; come , denounce Israel .’ 23:8 How can I curse one whom God has not cursed , or how can I denounce one whom the Lord has not denounced ? 23:9 For from the top of the rocks I see them; from the hills I watch them. Indeed , a nation that lives alone , and it will not be reckoned among the nations . 23:10 Who can count the dust of Jacob , Or number the fourth part of Israel ? Let me die the death of the upright , and let the end of my life be like theirs .”
Balaam Relocates
23:11 Then Balak said to Balaam , “What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies , but on the contrary you have only blessed them!” 23:12 Balaam replied , “Must I not be careful to speak what the Lord has put in my mouth ?” 23:13 Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place from which you can observe them. You will see only a part of them, but you will not see all of them. Curse them for me from there .” 23:14 So Balak brought Balaam to the field of Zophim , to the top of Pisgah , where he built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar . 23:15 And Balaam said to Balak , “Station yourself here by your burnt offering , while I meet the Lord there . 23:16 Then the Lord met Balaam and put a message in his mouth and said , “Return to Balak , and speak what I tell you.” 23:17 When Balaam came to him, he was still standing by his burnt offering , along with the princes of Moab . And Balak said to him, “What has the Lord spoken ?”
Balaam Prophesies Again
23:18 Balaam uttered his oracle , and said , “Rise up , Balak , and hear ; Listen to me, son of Zippor : 23:19 God is not a man , that he should lie , nor a human being , that he should change his mind . Has he said , and will he not do it? Or has he spoken , and will he not make it happen ? 23:20 Indeed , I have received a command to bless ; he has blessed , and I cannot reverse it. 23:21 He has not looked on iniquity in Jacob , nor has he seen trouble in Israel . The Lord their God is with them; his acclamation as king is among them. 23:22 God brought them out of Egypt . They have, as it were, the strength of a wild bull . 23:23 For there is no spell against Jacob , nor is there any divination against Israel . At this time it must be said of Jacob and of Israel , ‘Look at what God has done !’ 23:24 Indeed , the people will rise up like a lioness , and like a lion raises himself up ; they will not lie down until they eat their prey , and drink the blood of the slain .”
Balaam Relocates Yet Again
23:25 Balak said to Balaam , “Neither curse them at all nor bless them at all !” 23:26 But Balaam replied to Balak , “Did I not tell you, ‘All that the Lord speaks , I must do ’?” 23:27 Balak said to Balaam , “Come , please ; I will take you to another place . Perhaps it will please God to let you curse them for me from there .” 23:28 So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor , that looks toward the wilderness . 23:29 Then Balaam said to Balak , “Build seven altars here for me, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams .” 23:30 So Balak did as Balaam had said , and offered a bull and a ram on each altar .

Pericope

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Bible Dictionary

  • POETRY, HEBREW

    [isbe] POETRY, HEBREW - po'-et-ri: I. IS THERE POETRY IN THE OLD TESTAMENT? Poetry Defined: 1. In Matter, Concrete and Imaginative 2. In Form, Emotional and Rhythmical II. NEGLECT OF HEBREW POETRY: CAUSES III. CHARACTERISTICS OF HE...

  • PROPHECY; PROPHETS, 1

    [isbe] PROPHECY; PROPHETS, 1 - prof'-e-si, prof'-e-si, prof'-ets: I. THE IDEA OF BIBLICAL PROPHECY 1. The Seer and Speaker of God 2. Prophetical Inspiration 3. Relation to Dreams 4. Freedom of Inspiration 5. Supernatural Visions of...

  • Moabites

    [nave] MOABITES Descendants of Lot through his son Moab, Gen. 19:37. Called the people of Chemosh, Num. 21:29. The territory E. of Jordan, bounded on the N. by the river Arnon, Num. 21:13; Judg. 11:18. Children of Israel command...

  • Hypocrisy

    [nave] HYPOCRISY. Job 8:13-15; Job 13:16; Job 15:31, 33, 34; Job 17:8; Job 20:4, 5 vs. 6-18.; Job 27:8-10 vs. 13-18.; Job 31:33, 34; Job 34:30; Job 36:13, 14; Psa. 5:9; Psa. 50:16, 17; Psa. 52:4; Psa. 55:12-14, 20, 21, 23; Psa. 78...

  • God

    [nave] GOD. List of Sub-Topics Miscellany; Unclassified Scriptures Relating to; Access to; Compassion of; Creator; Creator of Mankind; Eternity of; Faithfulness of; Fatherhood of; Favor of; Foreknowledge of; Glory of; Goodness of...

  • Temptation

    [nave] TEMPTATION. Gen. 3:1-13; Gen. 20:6; Ex. 34:12 vs. 13-16.; Deut. 7:25; Deut. 8:11-14, 17, 18; Deut. 13:3; 1 Chr. 21:1; 2 Chr. 32:30, 31; Psa. 119:165; Prov. 1:10-17; Prov. 2:10-12, 16; Prov. 4:14, 15; Prov. 5:6-21; Prov. 6:2...

  • Sorcery

    [nave] SORCERY, divination by an alleged assistance of evil spirits. Forbidden, Lev. 19:26-28, 31; 20:6; Deut. 18:9-14. Denounced, Isa. 8:19; Mal. 3:5. Practiced: By the Egyptians, Isa. 19:3, 11, 12; by the magicians, Ex. 7:11, 22...

  • Worldliness

    [nave] WORLDLINESS. 1 Sam. 8:19, 20; Job 20:4-29; Job 21:11-15; Psa. 49:16-18; Psa. 73:2-22; Prov. 14:12, 13; Prov. 15:21; Prov. 21:17; Prov. 23:20, 21; Prov. 27:1, 7; Eccl. 1:8; Eccl. 2:1-12; Eccl. 6:11, 12; Eccl. 8:15-17; Eccl. ...

  • BALAAM

    [ebd] lord of the people; foreigner or glutton, as interpreted by others, the son of Beor, was a man of some rank among the Midianites (Num. 31:8; comp. 16). He resided at Pethor (Deut. 23:4), in Mesopotamia (Num. 23:7). It is evi...
    [isbe] BALAAM - ba'-lam bil`am, "devourer"): The son of Beor, from a city in Mesopotamia called Pethor, a man possessing the gift of prophecy, whose remarkable history may be found in Nu 22:2 through 24:25; compare Num 31:8,16; Dt ...

  • Pisgah

    [ebd] a part, a mountain summit in the land of Moab, in the territory of Reuben, where Balak offered up sacrifices (Num. 21:20; 23:14), and from which Moses viewed the promised land (Deut. 3:27). It is probably the modern Jebel Si...
    [isbe] PISGAH - piz'-ga (ha-picgah; Phasga, to lelaxeumenon, he laxeute): This name, which has always the definite article, appears only in combination either with ro'sh, "head," "top," or 'ashdoth, not translated in the King James...
    [smith] (section , i.e. peak), (Numbers 21:20; 23:14; 3:27; 34:1) a mountain range or district, the same as or a part of, that called the mountains of Abarim. Comp. (32:49) with Deuteronomy 34:1 It lay on the east of Jordan contiguou...
    [nave] PISGAH, a ridge or mountain E. of the Jordan, opposite to Jericho. The Israelites come to, Num. 21:20. A boundary of the country assigned to the Reubenites and Gadites, Deut. 3:17; 4:49; Josh. 12:3. Balaam prophesies on, Nu...

  • Peor

    [ebd] opening. (1.) A mountain peak (Num. 23:28) to which Balak led Balaam as a last effort to induce him to pronounce a curse upon Israel. When he looked on the tribes encamped in the acacia groves below him, he could not refrain...
    [isbe] PEOR - pe'-or (ha-pe`or; Phogor): (1) A mountain in the land of Moab, the last of the three heights to which Balaam was guided by Balak in order that he might curse Israel (Nu 23:28). It is placed by Eusebius, Onomasticon on...
    [smith] (cleft), a mountain peak in Moab belonging to the Abarim range, and near Pisgah, to which, after having ascended Pisgah, the prophet Balaam was conducted by Balak that he might look upon the whole host of Israel and curse the...
    [nave] PEOR, a mountain in Moab. Balak builds altars on, Num. 23:28-30.

  • BLESS

    [isbe] BLESS - (barakh): This word is found more frequently in the Old Testament than in the New Testament, and is used in different relations. (1) It is first met in Gen 1:22 at the introduction of animal life upon the earth, wher...

  • Prophets

    [nave] PROPHETS Called Seers, 1 Sam. 9:19; 2 Sam. 15:27; 24:11; 2 Kin. 17:13; 1 Chr. 9:22; 29:29; 2 Chr. 9:29; 12:15; 29:30; Isa. 30:10; Mic. 3:7. Schools of, 1 Kin. 20:35; 2 Kin. 2:3-15; 4:1, 38; 9:1. Kept the chronicles, 1 Chr....

  • REVELATION, 3-4

    [isbe] REVELATION, 3-4 - III. The Modes of Revelation. 1. Modes of Revelation: Theophany may be taken as the typical form of "external manifestation"; but by its side may be ranged all of those mighty works by which God makes Himse...

  • Jeshimon

    [ebd] the waste, probably some high waste land to the south of the Dead Sea (Num. 21:20; 23:28; 1 Sam. 23:19, 24); or rather not a proper name at all, but simply "the waste" or "wilderness," the district on which the plateau of Zi...
    [isbe] JESHIMON - je-she'-mon, jesh'-i-mon (ha-yeshimon, "the desert," and in the Revised Version (British and American) so translated but in the King James Version, Nu 21:20; 23:28; 1 Sam 23:19,24; 26:1,3, "Jeshimon" as a place-na...
    [nave] JESHIMON 1. A place in the Sinai peninsula, E. of the Jordan, Num. 21:20; 23:28. 2. A place in the desert of Judah, 1 Sam. 23:24; 26:1.

  • Zippor

    [isbe] ZIPPOR - zip'-or (tsippor; in Nu 22:4; 23:18; tsippor, "bird," "swallow" (HPN, 94)): Father of Balak, king of Moab (Nu 22:2,10,16; Josh 24:9; Jdg 11:25).
    [smith] (sparrow), father of Balak king of Moab. (Numbers 22:2,4,10,16; 23:18; Joshua 24:9; Judges 11:25) Whether he was the "former king of Moab" alluded to in (Numbers 21:26) we are not told. (B.C. 1451.)
    [nave] ZIPPOR, father of Balak, Num. 22:2, 4, 10, 16; 23:18; Josh. 24:9.

  • PARABLE

    [ebd] (Gr. parabole), a placing beside; a comparison; equivalent to the Heb. mashal, a similitude. In the Old Testament this is used to denote (1) a proverb (1 Sam. 10:12; 24:13; 2 Chr. 7:20), (2) a prophetic utterance (Num. 23:7;...
    [smith] (The word parable is in Greek parable (parabole) which signifies placing beside or together, a comparison, a parable is therefore literally a placing beside, a comparison, a similitude, an illustration of one subject by anoth...

  • Unicorn

    [ebd] described as an animal of great ferocity and strength (Num. 23:22, R.V., "wild ox," marg., "ox-antelope;" 24:8; Isa. 34:7, R.V., "wild oxen"), and untamable (Job 39:9). It was in reality a two-horned animal; but the exact re...
    [isbe] UNICORN - u'-ni-korn (re'em (Nu 23:22; 24:8; Dt 33:17; Job 39:9,10; Ps 22:21; 29:6; 92:10; Isa 34:7)): "Unicorn" occurs in the King James Version in the passages cited, where the Revised Version (British and American) has "w...
    [nave] UNICORN Intractable, Job 39:9-12. Horned, Deut. 33:17; Psa. 22:21; 92:10. Great strength of, Num. 23:22; 24:8; Job 39:9-12. Agile, Psa. 29:6. Figurative Of the judgments of God, Isa. 34:7.

  • Zophim

    [smith] (watchers), The field of, a spot on or near the top of Pisgah, from which Balaam had his second view of the encampment of Israel. (Numbers 23:14) The position of the field of Zophim is not defined. Possibly it is the same pla...
    [nave] ZOPHIM 1. A place on the top of Pisgah, Num. 23:14. 2. A city on Mount Ephraim, 1 Sam. 1:1.

  • Altar

    [nave] ALTAR Built by Noah, Gen. 8:20; Abraham, Gen. 12:7, 8; 13:18; 22:9; Isaac, Gen. 26:25; Jacob, Gen. 33:20; 35:1-7; Moses, Ex. 17:15; 24:4; Balaam, Num. 23:1, 14, 29; Joshua, Deut. 27:4-7; Josh. 8:30-32; Reubenites and Gadites...
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  • [Num 23:21] Jesus, Lord Of Our Salvation

Questions

  • They were the descendants of Lot and were neighbors of the Amorites on the opposite side of the River Arnon (Num. 21:13). They were governed by kings and possessed many great cities (Num. 21:28-30; Is. 15:1; Num. 23:7). They ...

Resources/Books

Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • This section continues the events begun in verses 1-7.Jacob's eyes were failing in his old age (v. 10) so he did not recognize Ephraim and Manasseh (cf. 27:1). He may not have seen them for several years previously and may ha...
  • This pericope serves a double purpose. It introduces the rigorous conditions under which the Egyptians forced the Israelites to live, and it sets the stage for the birth of Moses.1:8-14 The new king (v. 8) was perhaps Ahmose ...
  • "Only voluntary gifts were acceptable as materials for the Lord's house (25:2; 35:3, 21-22, 29), since love rather than compulsion is the basis of all truly biblical giving (2 Cor. 9:7)."431Moses employed four different terms...
  • To formulate a statement that summarizes the teaching of this book it will be helpful to identify some of the major revelations in Numbers. These constitute the unique values of the book.The first major value of Numbers is th...
  • I. Experiences of the older generation in the wilderness chs. 1-25A. Preparations for entering the Promised Land from the south chs. 1-101. The first census and the organization of the people chs. 1-42. Commands and rituals t...
  • 22:1-20 Moab had not attacked Israel as the people of God had moved north along Moab's eastern border. In fact the Moabites sold the Israelites bread and water (Deut. 2:29). The Moabites probably counted on Sihon, who had for...
  • "Chapters 23 and 24 are two of the brightest chapters in the book of Numbers. Scores of wonderful things are said about Israel, mainly prophetical. The dark sins of the past were forgotten; only happy deliverance from Egypt w...
  • This chapter contains one of the great failures of Israel that followed one of its great blessings.238As God was preparing to bless His people they were preparing to disobey Him."So now we come to the ultimate rebellion of Is...
  • In the preceding chapter Moses explained the proper types of marital union. In this chapter he set forth the proper types of union of individuals with the covenant community.This section of verses (vv. 1-8) deals with people ...
  • One writer called the Song of Moses "one of the most impressive religious poems in the entire Old Testament."336It contrasts the faithfulness and loyal love of God with the unfaithfulness and perversity of His people. As othe...
  • Jephthah did not rush into battle but wisely tried to settle the Ammonites' grievance with Israel peacefully. His approach reveals his humility as well as his wisdom. Most men would have wanted to demonstrate their prowess in...
  • "In the short pericope 13:7b-15a obedience was the stone on which Saul stumbled; here it is the rock that crushes him."147Chapter 15 records one of the battles Saul had with the Amalekites, Israel's enemy to the south (cf. 14...
  • Perhaps Haman did not mention the Jews by name since Ahasuerus' predecessors, Cyrus and Darius I (Hystaspes), had issued proclamations favorable to them (Ezra 1:1-4; 6:3-5, 8-12). In any case his failure to mention them by na...
  • Haman covered his head (v. 12) as a sign of his grief (cf. 2 Sam. 15:30; 19:4; Jer. 14:3-4; Ezek. 24:17). His friends evidently realized that unseen forces were maintaining the blessing that they had observed following the Je...
  • The analogies in chapter 25 dealt with both wise and foolish conduct, but those in chapter 26 deal mainly with fools and folly.26:2 If someone curses another person who does not deserve it, the curse will not be effective (cf...
  • This prophecy shows that there were no more rulers left in Judah who could restore the nation to its former glory. Evidently the exiles hoped that some Davidic descendant would prove successful in overcoming the Babylonians a...
  • 5:14 Again the prophet urged the Israelites to seek good rather than evil so they could live (cf. vv. 4-6). Then the sovereign, almighty Yahweh would truly be with them, as they professed He was even as they practiced their i...
  • 6:1-2 Micah called his audience to hear what Yahweh had told him to say. Yahweh had a case (lawsuit, Heb. rib) to bring against His people. The Lord was summoning Israel to defend herself in a courtroom setting. He addressed ...
  • 2:1-2 When did the Magi visit Jesus in Bethlehem?74There are several factors that point to a time about a year after Jesus' birth. First, Matthew described Jesus as a "child"(Gr. paidion, v. 11), not an "infant"(Gr. brephos, ...
  • 5:6 As with our dreams, John's vision contained some unusual features. John saw the Messiah as a Lamb.229The Lamb is a symbol of Jesus Christ at His first advent, meek and submissive to a sacrificial death as our substitute (...

Expositions Of Holy Scripture (Maclaren)

  • Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his!'--Num. 23:10.Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword.'--Num. 31:8.PONDER these two pictures. Take the first scene. A prophet, who knows God ...
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