Numbers 24

1 Now when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not resort to divination as at other times, but turned his face toward the wilderness.
2 When Balaam looked out and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of God came on him
3 and he spoke his message: “The prophecy of Balaam son of Beor, the prophecy of one whose eye sees clearly,
4 the prophecy of one who hears the words of God, who sees a vision from the Almighty,[a]who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened:
5 “How beautiful are your tents, Jacob, your dwelling places, Israel!
6 “Like valleys they spread out, like gardens beside a river, like aloes planted by the LORD, like cedars beside the waters.
7 Water will flow from their buckets; their seed will have abundant water. “Their king will be greater than Agag; their kingdom will be exalted.
8 “God brought them out of Egypt; they have the strength of a wild ox. They devour hostile nations and break their bones in pieces; with their arrows they pierce them.
9 Like a lion they crouch and lie down, like a lioness—who dares to rouse them? “May those who bless you be blessed and those who curse you be cursed!”
10 Then Balak’s anger burned against Balaam. He struck his hands together and said to him, “I summoned you to curse my enemies, but you have blessed them these three times.
11 Now leave at once and go home! I said I would reward you handsomely, but the LORD has kept you from being rewarded.”
12 Balaam answered Balak, “Did I not tell the messengers you sent me,
13 ‘Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not do anything of my own accord, good or bad, to go beyond the command of the LORD—and I must say only what the LORD says’?
14 Now I am going back to my people, but come, let me warn you of what this people will do to your people in days to come.”

Balaam’s Fourth Message

15 Then he spoke his message: “The prophecy of Balaam son of Beor, the prophecy of one whose eye sees clearly,
16 the prophecy of one who hears the words of God, who has knowledge from the Most High, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened:
17 “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel. He will crush the foreheads of Moab, the skulls[b] of[c] all the people of Sheth.[d]
18 Edom will be conquered; Seir, his enemy, will be conquered, but Israel will grow strong.
19 A ruler will come out of Jacob and destroy the survivors of the city.”

Balaam’s Fifth Message

20 Then Balaam saw Amalek and spoke his message: “Amalek was first among the nations, but their end will be utter destruction.”

Balaam’s Sixth Message

21 Then he saw the Kenites and spoke his message: “Your dwelling place is secure, your nest is set in a rock;
22 yet you Kenites will be destroyed when Ashur takes you captive.”

Balaam’s Seventh Message

23 Then he spoke his message: “Alas! Who can live when God does this?[e]
24 Ships will come from the shores of Cyprus; they will subdue Ashur and Eber, but they too will come to ruin.”
25 Then Balaam got up and returned home, and Balak went his own way.

Cross References 51

  • 1. S Numbers 23:20
  • 2. S Numbers 23:23
  • 3. Numbers 23:28
  • 4. S Numbers 11:25,26; 1 Samuel 10:10; 1 Samuel 19:20; 2 Chronicles 15:1
  • 5. ver 15
  • 6. S Numbers 22:9; Numbers 22:20
  • 7. S Genesis 15:1
  • 8. Jeremiah 4:20; Jeremiah 30:18; Malachi 2:12
  • 9. S Genesis 2:10
  • 10. Psalms 45:8; Song of Songs 4:14
  • 11. Job 29:19; Psalms 1:3; Psalms 104:16; Ezekiel 31:5
  • 12. S Exodus 17:8-16; 2 Samuel 15:8
  • 13. Deuteronomy 28:1; 2 Samuel 5:12; 1 Chronicles 14:2; Psalms 89:27; Psalms 145:11-13
  • 14. S Exodus 15:6; Psalms 2:9; Jer 50: 17
  • 15. 2 Samuel 18:14; Psalms 45:5
  • 16. Genesis 49:9; S Numbers 23:24
  • 17. S Genesis 12:2
  • 18. S Genesis 12:3
  • 19. S Exodus 4:14
  • 20. Job 27:23; Job 34:37; Lamentations 2:15; Ezekiel 21:14; Ezekiel 22:13; Ezekiel 25:6
  • 21. S Numbers 22:6
  • 22. S Numbers 23:11; S Deuteronomy 23:5
  • 23. ver 3-9; Nu 23:7-10,18-24; Nehemiah 13:2
  • 24. ver 14,25
  • 25. S Numbers 22:17
  • 26. Numbers 22:18
  • 27. S Numbers 22:18
  • 28. S Numbers 22:20
  • 29. S Genesis 49:1; Numbers 31:8,16; Daniel 2:28; Micah 6:5
  • 30. S Numbers 22:9
  • 31. Genesis 14:18; Isaiah 14:14
  • 32. Revelation 1:7
  • 33. Matthew 2:2
  • 34. S Genesis 49:10
  • 35. S Genesis 19:37; S Numbers 21:29; S Deuteronomy 23:6; Isa 15:1-16:14
  • 36. Jeremiah 48:45
  • 37. 2 Samuel 8:12; 1 Chronicles 18:11; Psalms 60:8; Isaiah 11:14; Amos 9:12
  • 38. S Genesis 14:6; Deuteronomy 1:44; Joshua 12:7; Joshua 15:10; Judges 5:4
  • 39. Obadiah 1:2
  • 40. S Genesis 9:25
  • 41. S Genesis 49:10; Micah 5:2
  • 42. S Genesis 14:7; S Exodus 17:14
  • 43. Deuteronomy 25:19; 1 Samuel 15:20; 1 Samuel 30:17-20; 2 Samuel 8:12; 1 Chronicles 18:11
  • 44. S Genesis 15:19
  • 45. Psalms 37:27; Proverbs 1:33; Isaiah 32:18; Ezekiel 34:27
  • 46. S Genesis 10:22
  • 47. S Genesis 10:4
  • 48. ver 22
  • 49. S Genesis 10:21
  • 50. ver 20
  • 51. S Numbers 22:5; Numbers 31:8

Footnotes 5

  • [a]. Hebrew "Shaddai" ; also in verse 16
  • [b]. Samaritan Pentateuch (see also Jer. 48:45); the meaning of the word in the Masoretic Text is uncertain.
  • [c]. Or possibly "Moab," / "batter"
  • [d]. Or "all the noisy boasters"
  • [e]. Masoretic Text; with a different word division of the Hebrew "The people from the islands will gather from the north" .

Numbers 24 Commentaries

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