Numbers Chapter 23
Showing all 30 verses for Numbers Chapter 23.
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"And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams. "
"Balaam told Balak, "Build seven altars here for me, and get seven bulls and seven rams ready.""
Balaam asks for seven altars and seven pairs of animals, following the ritual he trusts to prepare for hearing from God. Jesus knows the heart matters far more than the ritual, yet He can meet even a formal, structured request for guidance with genuine truth.
"And Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bullock and a ram. "
"Balak did what Balaam asked, and the two of them offered a bull and a ram on each altar."
Balak obeys Balaam's instructions exactly, offering on every altar as told, eager to see his plan succeed. Jesus sees how precisely people can follow religious form while their underlying purpose remains entirely self-serving.
"And 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. "
"Balaam said to Balak, "Stay here by your burnt offering while I go and see if the LORD will meet me. Whatever he shows me, I'll tell you." Then he went up to a bare hilltop."
Balaam steps away to a high place, admitting he does not control what the LORD will say and promising to report whatever he is shown. Jesus welcomes this honesty about our limits before Him - none of us dictate what God says, we simply wait and relay it faithfully.
"And 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. "
"God met with Balaam, and Balaam said to him, "I've set up seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each one.""
God meets Balaam exactly where he is, in the middle of his ritual preparations, and Balaam reports what he has done as if presenting his case. Jesus meets people in the middle of their imperfect approaches to Him, ready to speak truth regardless of how mixed the motives bringing them there might be.
"And the LORD put a word in Balaam’s mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus thou shalt speak. "
"The LORD put a message in Balaam's mouth and said, "Go back to Balak and say exactly this.""
The LORD puts specific words directly into Balaam's mouth for him to speak back to Balak, showing that the message will be God's own, not Balaam's invention. Jesus wants His people's words, when they speak for Him, to be genuinely His - not shaped to please the one listening.
"And he returned unto him, and, lo, he stood by his burnt sacrifice, he, and all the princes of Moab. "
"So Balaam went back to Balak, and found him standing by his burnt offering with all the leaders of Moab."
Balaam returns to find Balak and all the princes of Moab waiting expectantly by the sacrifice, hungry for the curse they paid for. Jesus knows the discomfort of returning to deliver news that will disappoint those who expected something else from you.
"And 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. "
"Then Balaam spoke his message: "Balak, king of Moab, brought me here from Aram, from the mountains in the east, saying, 'Come and curse Jacob for me, come and denounce Israel.'""
Balaam openly names why he was brought - to curse Jacob and defy Israel - stating Balak's true intention plainly before revealing that he cannot do it. Jesus values naming things honestly, even uncomfortable intentions, rather than pretending the real purpose was something else.
"How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the LORD hath not defied? "
""How can I curse someone God hasn't cursed? How can I denounce someone the LORD hasn't denounced?""
Balaam asks how he can curse whom God has not cursed, recognising that human intention cannot override God's own verdict on a person or people. Jesus reminds you that no one you meet is beyond His blessing simply because someone else wishes them harm.
"For 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. "
""From the top of the cliffs I see them, from the hills I look at them: this is a people who live apart, not counting themselves among the other nations.""
Balaam looks down from the rocks and describes Israel as a people who dwell alone, set apart and not reckoned among the nations. Jesus calls His people to embrace being distinct for good reasons - not from pride, but from genuine devotion that marks them out.
"Who 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! "
""Who can count the dust of Jacob, or number even a quarter of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my end be like theirs!""
Balaam marvels at Israel's uncountable number and wishes for himself the death of the righteous, admitting he wants their blessed end even while opposing their cause. Jesus notices when someone half-recognises the good they are fighting against, and He invites full surrender rather than mere admiration from a distance.
"And Balak said unto Balaam, What hast thou done unto me? I took thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast blessed them altogether. "
"Balak said to Balaam, "What have you done to me? I brought you here to curse my enemies, and instead you've done nothing but bless them!""
Balak's frustration boils over - he wanted a curse, and instead received a blessing altogether. Jesus is not moved by anyone's disappointment when His truth fails to match what they hoped to hear; the truth stands regardless of the reaction it provokes.
"And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD hath put in my mouth? "
"Balaam answered, "Shouldn't I be careful to say only what the LORD puts in my mouth?""
Balaam simply asks whether he must not take heed to speak only what the LORD has put in his mouth, holding firm under pressure. Jesus calls you to the same accountability - guard your words so they match what is actually true and God-given, not what will smooth over another's anger.
"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. "
"Balak said to him, "Please come with me to another spot where you can see them - though only part of them, not all of them - and curse them for me from there.""
Balak tries again, hoping a different vantage point showing only part of Israel will yield a different result. Jesus sees through the human habit of changing the angle or the setting while hoping for a different truth, when the truth itself has not changed at all.
"And 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. "
"So he took him to the field of Zophim, on top of Pisgah, and built seven altars there, offering a bull and a ram on each one."
The same ritual of seven altars is repeated at Pisgah, showing Balak's stubborn hope that repetition of the process might change the outcome. Jesus knows that repeating an action while ignoring the answer already given rarely produces anything but the same true answer again.
"And he said unto Balak, Stand here by thy burnt offering, while I meet the LORD yonder. "
"Balaam said to Balak, "Stand here by your burnt offering while I go and meet the LORD over there.""
Balaam again positions himself to meet the LORD, keeping his practice of waiting for a genuine word rather than inventing one to satisfy Balak. Jesus honours this discipline of always waiting on Him first, even under repeated pressure to simply produce a desired answer.
"And the LORD met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Go again unto Balak, and say thus. "
"The LORD met Balaam again, put a message in his mouth, and said, "Go back to Balak and say this.""
The LORD meets Balaam again and puts a word in his mouth once more, showing His patient consistency even as Balak keeps trying to force a different message. Jesus remains steady and true no matter how many times people try to wear Him down into saying something else.
"And 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? "
"When Balaam came back to him, Balak was standing by his burnt offering with the leaders of Moab, and Balak asked him, "What did the LORD say?""
Balak asks eagerly what the LORD has spoken, still hoping this time will be different. Jesus sees how hope can persist even against all evidence, and He calls you to let hope be grounded in truth rather than in wishful repetition.
"And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor: "
"So Balaam delivered his message: "Get up, Balak, and listen; pay attention to me, son of Zippor.""
Balaam calls Balak by name and tells him plainly to rise up and listen, preparing him for a hard truth delivered with respect. Jesus can be both direct and dignifying at once - firm truth need not be delivered with contempt for the person hearing it.
"God 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? "
""God is not a man, that he should lie, or a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and then not follow through?""
Balaam declares that God is not a man that He should lie, nor the son of man that He should repent, meaning what He has said and promised will surely come to pass. Jesus stakes His whole ministry on this same reliability - every promise God has made stands utterly firm, whatever the circumstances suggest.
"Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it. "
""Look, I have been told to bless, and God has blessed - and I can't reverse it.""
Balaam confesses he has received a command to bless, and he cannot reverse it - even his own will bends before the finality of God's declared blessing. Jesus wants you to trust that what God has genuinely blessed cannot be undone by any outside opposition, however determined.
"He 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. "
""He has not seen wrongdoing in Jacob, nor has he seen trouble in Israel. The LORD their God is with them, and the shout of a king is among them.""
Balaam declares that God has not beheld iniquity in Jacob, seeing instead the LORD's presence with them and the shout of a king among them - a picture of covering grace rather than moral perfection. Jesus offers exactly this kind of covering; He does not deny our failures exist, but He refuses to let them define how He sees those who are His.
"God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn. "
""God brought them out of Egypt; they have the strength of a wild ox.""
Balaam recalls that God brought Israel out of Egypt with strength like a wild ox, crediting their deliverance entirely to God's power, not their own. Jesus wants every rescue in your life to be remembered the same way - as evidence of what He did, not what you achieved alone.
"Surely 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! "
""There's no magic spell that works against Jacob, no divination against Israel. In fact, at just the right time it will be said of them, 'Look what God has done!'""
Balaam admits there is no enchantment against Jacob and no divination against Israel, confessing the very tools of his own trade are powerless here. Jesus reassures you that no scheme, curse, or hidden manipulation against His people can ultimately prevail over what He has determined for good.
"Behold, 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. "
""Look, this people rises up like a lioness, and rears up like a lion; it will not rest until it has devoured its prey and drunk the blood of the slain.""
Balaam pictures the people rising like a lion that will not lie down until it has finished its prey, describing a strength and purpose that cannot be casually turned aside. Jesus reminds you that when God's purpose is set in motion, it moves with unstoppable determination towards its completion.
"And Balak said unto Balaam, Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all. "
"Balak said to Balaam, "Fine - don't curse them at all, but don't bless them either!""
Balak, exasperated, tells Balaam to neither curse nor bless them at all, wanting to simply withdraw from a situation he cannot control. Jesus understands the temptation to disengage entirely when truth refuses to bend to our wishes, though withdrawing does not change what is actually true.
"But Balaam answered and said unto Balak, Told not I thee, saying, All that the LORD speaketh, that I must do? "
"But Balaam answered him, "Didn't I tell you that I have to do whatever the LORD says?""
Balaam simply reminds Balak that he already said he must do only what the LORD speaks, holding steady rather than shifting under repeated frustration. Jesus commends this kind of quiet consistency - saying the same true thing again, patiently, rather than being provoked into compromise.
"And 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. "
"Balak said to Balaam, "Come, please, I'll take you to another place. Maybe it will please God to let you curse them from there.""
Balak tries yet again for a third location, still hoping that a new place might please God enough to change His answer. Jesus knows this pattern well - hoping that changed circumstances, rather than a changed heart, will alter what is true.
"And Balak brought Balaam unto the top of Peor, that looketh toward Jeshimon. "
"So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, overlooking the wasteland."
Balak brings Balaam to the top of Peor, a place that will later become the very site of Israel's own downfall through idolatry and immorality, an ironic setting for this scene. Jesus knows that the places and temptations that fail to bring us down one way may still succeed another way if we let our guard down.
"And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams. "
"Balaam said, "Build seven altars for me here, and get seven bulls and seven rams ready.""
Balaam calls once more for seven altars and seven pairs of animals, maintaining the same pattern of seeking God properly even in this repeated, futile attempt by Balak. Jesus notices that even flawed motives can be wrapped in careful, correct-looking practice, and He looks past the ritual to the reality underneath.
"And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar. "
"Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bull and a ram on every altar."
Balak obeys the ritual one final time, offering as instructed, still hoping against all previous evidence for a different word from God. Jesus invites you to let go of hoping repetition alone will change an outcome, and instead to actually listen to what has already been clearly spoken.