Numbers 23

King James Version

Full text for Numbers Chapter 23

1¶ And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams.

2And Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on [every] altar a bullock and a ram.

3And Balaam said unto Balak, Stand by thy burnt offering, and I will go: peradventure the LORD will come to meet me: and whatsoever he sheweth me I will tell thee. And he went to an high place.

4And God met Balaam: and he said unto him, I have prepared seven altars, and I have offered upon [every] altar a bullock and a ram.

5And the LORD put a word in Balaam's mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus thou shalt speak.

6And he returned unto him, and, lo, he stood by his burnt sacrifice, he, and all the princes of Moab.

7And he took up his parable, and said, Balak the king of Moab hath brought me from Aram, out of the mountains of the east, [saying], Come, curse me Jacob, and come, defy Israel.

8How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, [whom] the LORD hath not defied?

9For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him: lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations.

10Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth [part] of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his!

11And Balak said unto Balaam, What hast thou done unto me? I took thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast blessed [them] altogether.

12And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD hath put in my mouth?

13¶ And Balak said unto him, Come, I pray thee, with me unto another place, from whence thou mayest see them: thou shalt see but the utmost part of them, and shalt not see them all: and curse me them from thence.

14And he brought him into the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered a bullock and a ram on [every] altar.

15And he said unto Balak, Stand here by thy burnt offering, while I meet [the LORD] yonder.

16And the LORD met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Go again unto Balak, and say thus.

17And when he came to him, behold, he stood by his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said unto him, What hath the LORD spoken?

18And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor:

19God [is] not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do [it]? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?

20Behold, I have received [commandment] to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.

21He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the LORD his God [is] with him, and the shout of a king [is] among them.

22God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn.

23Surely [there is] no enchantment against Jacob, neither [is there] any divination against Israel: according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought!

24Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion, and lift up himself as a young lion: he shall not lie down until he eat [of] the prey, and drink the blood of the slain.

25And Balak said unto Balaam, Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all.

26But Balaam answered and said unto Balak, Told not I thee, saying, All that the LORD speaketh, that I must do?

27And Balak said unto Balaam, Come, I pray thee, I will bring thee unto another place; peradventure it will please God that thou mayest curse me them from thence.

28And Balak brought Balaam unto the top of Peor, that looketh toward Jeshimon.

29And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams.

30And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bullock and a ram on [every] altar.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Balaam, hired by Balak to curse Israel, repeatedly attempts to do so by building altars and offering sacrifices. However, each time the LORD puts words in Balaam's mouth, compelling him to utter blessings and prophecies of Israel's strength and unique status, much to Balak's frustration. Balaam consistently affirms he can only speak what God commands.

Medium Summary

King Balak of Moab sought to curse the Israelites and hired Balaam, a prophet, for this purpose. Balaam instructed Balak to build seven altars and offer sacrifices, after which he would seek a word from the LORD. In his first oracle, Balaam declared he could not curse whom God had not cursed, prophesying Israel's distinctness and countless multitude. Angered by this blessing, Balak moved Balaam to another vantage point, where they repeated the ritual of altars and sacrifices. Again, the LORD met Balaam and put a word in his mouth, leading to a second prophecy. This oracle emphasized God's unchanging nature and His blessing upon Israel, stating that no enchantment could prevail against them and that they would rise like a lion. Despite Balak's growing frustration, Balaam maintained that he could only speak what the LORD commanded, leading to a third attempt at a different location.

Long Summary

Numbers chapter 23 details the initial attempts by King Balak of Moab to have the prophet Balaam curse the nation of Israel. Balaam instructed Balak to prepare seven altars and offer seven bullocks and seven rams, a ritual which Balak diligently performed. After the sacrifices, Balaam went to a high place to meet with the LORD, who then put a specific message into his mouth. Returning to Balak, Balaam delivered his first oracle, declaring his inability to curse a people whom God had not cursed. He prophesied that Israel would dwell alone, distinct from other nations, and spoke of their immense, uncountable population, expressing a desire to die the death of the righteous. Balak was greatly displeased, having brought Balaam to curse his enemies, only to hear them blessed. Balaam responded by asserting that he must speak only what the LORD commanded. Undeterred, Balak moved Balaam to a new location, the field of Zophim on the top of Pisgah, hoping a different perspective might yield a different outcome. Here, they again constructed seven altars and offered identical sacrifices. The LORD once more met Balaam and imparted a word to him. Balaam's second oracle began by affirming God's immutable nature: "God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent." He proclaimed that he had received a command to bless Israel, and this blessing could not be reversed. Furthermore, he declared that God saw no iniquity or perverseness in Jacob, and that the LORD their God was with them. Balaam emphasized God's powerful deliverance of Israel from Egypt and stated that no enchantment or divination could prevail against them. He concluded by prophesying Israel's strength, likening them to a lion that would rise up and conquer. Balak, exasperated, told Balaam to neither curse nor bless them, but Balaam reiterated his obligation to speak only the LORD's word. Finally, Balak made a third attempt, bringing Balaam to the top of Peor, where Balaam again requested the building of seven altars and the preparation of sacrifices.

Core Concepts

  • Divine Control over ProphecyBalaam's repeated assertion that he can only speak what the LORD puts in his mouth demonstrates that his prophetic utterances are not his own will but God's. This highlights God's sovereignty over the spoken word.
  • Israel's Blessed StatusDespite Balak's intent to curse, God's word through Balaam consistently declares blessings upon Israel. This underscores their unique favor and protection under God.
  • God's ImmutabilityThe declaration that "God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent" emphasizes God's unchanging nature. This ensures the certainty and reliability of His promises and actions.
  • Israel's Separation and StrengthProphecies describe Israel as a people who "shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations," and who will rise up with the strength of a lion. This illustrates their distinct identity and formidable power, divinely ordained.
  • Ritual SacrificeThe repeated instruction to build seven altars and offer seven bullocks and seven rams illustrates the established practice of seeking divine communication through specific sacrificial rites. These offerings precede Balaam's encounters with the LORD.
  • Balak's Persistence and FrustrationKing Balak's repeated attempts to change Balaam's location and secure a curse, despite the consistent blessings, showcase his determination to oppose Israel. His growing exasperation is evident as his efforts repeatedly fail.