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Texts -- Numbers 24:5-25 (NET)

Context
24:5 ‘How beautiful are your tents , O Jacob , and your dwelling places , O Israel ! 24:6 They are like valleys stretched forth , like gardens by the river’s side , like aloes that the Lord has planted , and like cedar trees beside the waters . 24:7 He will pour the water out of his buckets , and their descendants will be like abundant water ; their king will be greater than Agag , and their kingdom will be exalted . 24:8 God brought them out of Egypt . They have, as it were, the strength of a young bull ; they will devour hostile people and will break their bones and will pierce them through with arrows . 24:9 They crouch and lie down like a lion , and as a lioness , who can stir him? Blessed is the one who blesses you, and cursed is the one who curses you!’” 24:10 Then Balak became very angry at Balaam , and he struck his hands together. Balak said to Balaam , “I called you to curse my enemies , and look , you have done nothing but bless them these three times ! 24:11 So now , go back where you came from ! I said that I would greatly honor you; but now the Lord has stood in the way of your honor .” 24:12 Balaam said to Balak , “Did I not also tell your messengers whom you sent to me, 24:13 ‘If Balak would give me his palace full of silver and gold , I cannot go beyond the commandment of the Lord to do either good or evil of my own will , but whatever the Lord tells me I must speak ’? 24:14 And now , I am about to go back to my own people . Come now, and I will advise you as to what this people will do to your people in the future .”
Balaam Prophesies a Fourth Time
24:15 Then he uttered this oracle : “The oracle of Balaam son of Beor ; the oracle of the man whose eyes are open ; 24:16 the oracle of the one who hears the words of God , and who knows the knowledge of the Most High, who sees a vision from the Almighty , although falling flat on the ground with eyes open : 24:17 ‘I see him, but not now ; I behold him, but not close at hand. A star will march forth out of Jacob , and a scepter will rise out of Israel . He will crush the skulls of Moab , and the heads of all the sons of Sheth . 24:18 Edom will be a possession , Seir , his enemies , will also be a possession ; but Israel will act valiantly . 24:19 A ruler will be established from Jacob ; he will destroy the remains of the city .’”
Balaam’s Final Prophecies
24:20 Then Balaam looked on Amalek and delivered this oracle : “Amalek was the first of the nations , but his end will be that he will perish .” 24:21 Then he looked on the Kenites and uttered this oracle : “Your dwelling place seems strong , and your nest is set on a rocky cliff . 24:22 Nevertheless the Kenite will be consumed . How long will Asshur take you away captive ?” 24:23 Then he uttered this oracle : “O , who will survive when God does this! 24:24 Ships will come from the coast of Kittim , and will afflict Asshur , and will afflict Eber , and he will also perish forever .” 24:25 Balaam got up and departed and returned to his home , and Balak also went his way .

Pericope

NET

Bible Dictionary

  • 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 ...
    [nave] BALAAM, son of Beor. From Mesopotamia, Deut. 23:4. A soothsayer, Josh. 13:22. A prophet, Num. 24:2-9; 2 Pet. 2:14, 16. Balak sends for, to curse Israel, Num. 22:5-7; Josh. 24:9; Neh. 13:2; Mic. 6:5. Anger of, rebuked by h...

  • 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...

  • 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...

  • 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. ...

  • 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...

  • Agag

    [ebd] flame, the usual title of the Amalekite kings, as "Pharaoh" was of the Egyptian. (1.) A king of the Amalekites referred to by Balaam (Num. 24:7). He lived at the time of the Exodus. (2.) Another king of the Amalekites whom S...
    [isbe] AGAG - a'-gag ('aghagh, or 'aghagh, meaning unknown, possibly "violent," BDB): A name, or title, applied to the king of the Amalekites, like Abimelech in Philistia and Pharaoh in Egypt. It is used of two of these kings: (1) ...
    [smith] (flame), possibly the title of the kings of Amalek, like Pharaoh of Egypt. One king of this name is mentioned in (Numbers 24:7) and another in 1Sam 15:8,9,20,32 The latter was the king of the Amalekites, whom Saul spared cont...
    [nave] AGAG 1. A king of the Amalekites, Num. 24:7. 2. A king of the Amalekites, taken prisoner by Saul, and slain by Samuel, 1 Sam. 15:8, 33.

  • Kenites

    [isbe] KENITES - ke'-nits (ha-qeni, haqeni; in Nu 24:22 and Jdg 4:11, qayin; of hoi Kenaioi, hoi Kinaioi): A tribe of nomads named in association with various other peoples. They are first mentioned along with the Kadmonites and Ke...
    [nave] KENITES 1. A Canaanite tribe whose country was given to Abraham, Gen. 15:19; Num. 24:21-23. 2. The descendants of Jethro, a Midianite, father-in-law of Moses. Join the Israelites and dwell at Jericho, Judg. 1:16; 4:11; 1 Ch...

  • 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...

  • 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.

  • Sheth

    [ebd] tumult. (1.) "The children of Sheth" (Num. 24:17); R.V., "the sons of tumult," which is probably the correct rendering, as there is no evidence that this is a proper name here. (2.) The antediluvian patriarch (1 Chr. 1:1).
    [smith] (compensation). The patriarch Seth. (1 Chronicles 1:1) In the Authorized Version of (Numbers 24:17) not a proper name, but there is reason to regard it as an appellative. Read instead of "the sons of Sheth." "the suns of ...
    [nave] SHETH 1. Num. 24:17. 2. See: Seth.

  • Bucket

    [ebd] a vessel to draw water with (Isa. 40:15); used figuratively, probably, of a numerous issue (Num. 24:7).
    [isbe] BUCKET - buk'-et (deli): The word is found only in Isa 40:15; Nu 24:7, in the latter passage in a figurative use. The bucket was doubtless a waterskin with two cross-pieces at the top to fit it for use in drawing water, like...
    [nave] BUCKET. Num. 24:7; Isa. 40:15.

  • ASTRONOMY, II

    [isbe] ASTRONOMY, II - II. The Constellations. The principal achievement of the science of astronomy in the centuries during which the books of the Old Testament were written was the arrangement and naming of the constellations, an...

  • BEOR

    [ebd] a torch. (1.) The father of Bela, one of the kings of Edom (Gen. 36:32). (2.) The father of Balaam (Num. 22:5; 24:3, 15; 31:8). In 2 Pet. 2:15 he is called Bosor.
    [isbe] BEOR - be'-or (be`or, "destroyer"(?)): (1) Father of Bela, the first king of Edom (Gen 36:32; 1 Ch 1:43). (2) The father of the seer Balaam (Nu 22:5; 24:3,15; 31:8; Dt 23:4; Josh 13:22; 24:9, omitted in Septuagint; Mic 6:5; ...
    [smith] (burning or torch). The father of Bela, one of the early Edomite kings. (Genesis 36:32; 1 Chronicles 1:43) Father of Balaam. (Numbers 22:5; 24:3,15; 31:8; 23:4; Joshua 13:22; 24:9; Micah 6:5) He is called BOSOR in the New...

  • MESSIAH

    [smith] (anointed). This word (Mashiach) answers to the word Christ (Christos) in the New Testament, and is applicable in its first sense to any one anointed with the holy oil. The kings of Israel were called anointed , from the mode...

  • Minister

    [nave] MINISTER, a sacred teacher. Index of Sub-topics Miscellany of Minor Sub-topics; Call of; Character and Qualifications of; Charge Delivered to; Courage of; Duties of; Duties of the Church to; Emoluments of; Faithful, Instanc...

  • KING, CHRIST AS

    [isbe] KING, CHRIST AS - || I. THE REALITY OF CHRIST'S KINGSHIP 1. The Old Testament Foreshadowings In the Psalms and Prophets 2. The Gospel Presentation (1) Christ's Claim to Be King (2) Christ's Acceptance of the Title (3) Christ...

  • Trance

    [isbe] TRANCE - trans (ekstasis): The condition expressed by this word is a mental state in which the person affected is partially or wholly unconscious of objective sensations, but intensely alive to subjective impressions which, ...
    [smith] (1) In the only passage-- (Numbers 24:4,16) --in which this word occurs in the English of the Old Testament italics show no corresponding word in Hebrew. In the New Testament we meet with the word three times -- (Acts 10:10; ...
    [nave] TRANCE Of Balaam, Num. 24:4, 16. Of Peter, Acts 10:10. Of Paul, Acts 22:17.

  • Asshur

    [ebd] second son of Shem (Gen. 10:22; 1 Chr. 1:17). He went from the land of Shinar and built Nineveh, etc. (Gen. 10:11,12). He probably gave his name to Assyria, which is the usual translation of the word, although the form Asshu...

  • NINEVEH

    [smith] (abode of Ninus), the capital of the ancient kingdom and empire of Assyria. The name appears to be compounded from that of an Assyrian deity "Nin," corresponding, it is conjectured, with the Greek Hercules, and occurring in t...
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Arts

Hymns

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  • [Num 24:5] Goodly Were Thy Tents, O Israel
  • [Num 24:17] Come, And Christ The Lord Be Praising
  • [Num 24:17] What Star Is This, With Beams So Bright?
  • [Num 24:17] When Marshaled On The Nightly Plain

Questions

  • These wise men were from either Arabia, Mesopotamia, Egypt, or somewhere else in the East. "East" is not to be understood in our wide, modern sense, but referred to those countries that lie to the east as well as north of Pal...
  • "What symbols are used for both Christ and his people?" is a frequent question. There are six symbols used for both Christ and his people.1. A BRANCH. For Christ, in Isa. 11:1-4, "A branch out of his roots shall bear fruit," ...
  • Concerning the eternal Sonship of Christ, Ryrie has this to say: I agree with Buswell (A Systematic Theology of the Christian Religion, pp. 105-12) that generation is not an exegetically based doctrine. The concept it tri...
  • The Amalekites were a wicked, oppressive, war-like and cruel people. They were powerful and influential and possessed cities in the south of Canaan. (See I Sam. 15:18; Judg. 10:12; Num. 24:7.) They were the first to oppose Is...

Resources/Books

Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • Jacob blessed all 12 of his sons and foretold what would become of each of them and their descendants. He disqualified Reuben, Simeon, and Levi from leadership and gave that blessing to Judah. He granted the double portion to...
  • 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 ...
  • 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 ...
  • When the Israelites had entered the Promised Land and had attained a measure of rest there, they were to remember that God had commanded them to exterminate the Amalekites. They were to exterminate the Amalekites for their tr...
  • 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...
  • After receiving the reminder of his death and as one of his final official acts as Israel's leader, Moses pronounced a prophetic blessing on the tribes of Israel (cf. Gen. 49)."In the ancient Near East, a dying father's final...
  • 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...
  • The events we read in chapter 3 took place four years after Esther became queen (cf. 2:16; 3:7).Agag was the name of an area in Media that had become part of the Persian Empire.54However, Agag was also the name of the Amaleki...
  • 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...
  • 45:1 The psalmist claimed to be full of joy and inspiration as he composed this song. He said what he did out of a full heart.45:2 To him the king was the greatest man he knew. One evidence of this was his gracious speech for...
  • 30:18 Yahweh promised to restore Israel's tribal fortunes (cf. Num. 24:5-6), to have compassion on His peoples' towns and homes, and to rebuild Jerusalem and the royal palace there.30:19 Thanksgiving and merrymaking would mar...
  • This oracle is similar to the one in Isaiah 15 and 16.555Other oracles against Moab appear in Ezekiel 25:8-11, Amos 2:1-3, and Zephaniah 2:9, but this is the longest one. It is very difficult to say when Jeremiah gave this or...
  • 21:8-10 Another of Ezekiel's messages was to be poetic. He was to announce that a sword had been sharpened and polished and was now ready to go to work slaughtering people quickly."A sword, a veritable Excalibur with a life o...
  • What follows in this chapter is another oracle against a foreign nation (cf. chs. 25-32). What is it doing here? Evidently the writer included this oracle here because it promises to desolate an enemy of Israel that wanted to...
  • References to the work and word of the Lord frame this section. Obadiah announced that a reversal of rolls was coming for Edom and all the nations.v. 15 "The day of the Lord"here is a future day in which God will reverse the ...
  • 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 ...
  • 2:8 Probably Zephaniah linked Moab and Ammon because both nations descended from Lot (Gen. 19:30-38) as well as because both lay to Judah's east. Both nations had taunted and reviled the Israelites from their earliest history...
  • 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, ...
  • Even though Mark had already reported that Jesus had exorcized many demons, this case was extraordinary.5:1 Mark and Luke called this area the country of the Gerasenes, but Matthew called it the country of the Gadarenes. Gerg...
  • This is the second major song of praise in Luke, the "Benedictus."This title also comes from the first word in the Latin version translated "blessed"(Gr. eulogetos). The first part of the song praises God for messianic delive...
  • The raging of this demoniac was even worse than the raging of the waters of Galilee (cf. Ps. 65:7). Demonic power was evident in the Hellenistic world of Luke's original readers. The fact that this incident happened in predom...
  • 6:1 "I saw"marks the continuation of what John had seen that chapters 4 and 5 record, but also the commencement of revelation concerning future events on earth. Chapters 1-5 have introduced this revelation. John was an eyewit...
  • 22:12 Jesus Christ repeated His promise to return soon (v. 7, cf. 1:3; 22:20)."Nowhere is a date set, nor was there any definite promise that the consummation would occur within the lifetime of the first century Christians. N...
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