Numbers 23:19

23:19 God is not a man, that he should lie,

nor a human being, ¹  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? ² 

Numbers 23:1

Balaam Blesses Israel

23:1 ³ Balaam said to Balak, “Build me seven altars here, and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams.”

Numbers 15:29

15:29 You must have one law for the person who sins unintentionally, both for the native-born among the Israelites and for the resident foreigner who lives among them.

Psalms 122:6

122:6 Pray ⁴  for the peace of Jerusalem!

May those who love her prosper! ⁵ 

Isaiah 46:10

46:10 who announces the end from the beginning

and reveals beforehand ⁶  what has not yet occurred,

who says, ‘My plan will be realized,

I will accomplish what I desire,’

Malachi 3:6

Resistance to the Lord through Selfishness

3:6 “Since, I, the Lord, do not go back on my promises, ⁷  you, sons of Jacob, have not perished.

Romans 11:29

11:29 For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable.

Hebrews 1:11-12

1:11 They will perish, but you continue.

And they will all grow old like a garment,

1:12 and like a robe you will fold them up

and like a garment ⁸  they will be changed,

but you are the same and your years will never run out.” ⁹ 

Hebrews 13:8

13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever!

¹ tn Heb “son of man.”

² tn The verb is the Hiphil of קוּם (qum, “to cause to rise; to make stand”). The meaning here is more of the sense of fulfilling the promises made.

³ sn The first part of Balaam’s activity ends in disaster for Balak – he blesses Israel. The chapter falls into four units: the first prophecy (vv. 1-10), the relocation (vv. 11-17), the second prophecy (vv. 18-24), and a further location (vv. 25-30).

⁴ tn Heb “ask [for].”

⁵ tn Or “be secure.”

⁶ tn Or “from long ago”; KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV “from ancient times.”

⁷ tn Heb “do not change.” This refers to God’s ongoing commitment to his covenant promises to Israel.

⁸ tc The words “like a garment” (ὡς ἱμάτιον, Jw" Jimation) are found in excellent and early mss (Ì⁴⁶ א A B D* 1739) though absent in a majority of witnesses (D¹ Ψ 0243 0278 33 1881 Ï lat sy bo). Although it is possible that longer reading was produced by overzealous scribes who wanted to underscore the frailty of creation, it is much more likely that the shorter reading was produced by scribes who wanted to conform the wording to that of Ps 102:26 (101:27 LXX), which here lacks the second “like a garment.” Both external and internal considerations decidedly favor the longer reading, and point to the author of Hebrews as the one underscoring the difference between the Son and creation.

⁹ sn A quotation from Ps 102:25-27.