Numbers 23

Numbers · Chapter 23

Numbers 23:4

1And 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?13And 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.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
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.and God met with him. “I have set up seven altars,” Balaam said, “and on each altar I have offered a bull and a ram.”And God met Balaam: and he said unto him, I have prepared the seven altars, and I have offered up a bullock and a ram on every altar.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
and he metוַיִּקָּ֥רvai-yi-KARH7136A
to meet

קָרָה (qa.rah) 1) to encounter, meet, befall, happen, come to meet 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to encounter, meet 1a2) to befall 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to encounter, meet (without pre-arrangement) 1b2) to chance to be present 1b3) to come to meet 1c) (Hiphil) to cause to meet, appoint

Godאֱלֹהִ֖ים'E-lo-HIMH0430G
God

אֱלֹהִים (e.lo.him) This name means "gods" (plural intensive-singular meaning), "God" Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)

toאֶל־'el-H0413
to(wards)

אֶל (el) 1) to, toward, unto (of motion) 2) into (limit is actually entered) 2a) in among 3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion) 4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character) 5) in addition to, to 6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of 7) according to (rule or standard) 8) at, by, against (of one's presence) 9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)

Balaamבִּלְעָ֑םbil-'AMH1109A
Balaam

בִּלְעָם (bil.am) A man living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Num.22.5; son of: Beor (H1160H) Also named: Balaam (Βαλαάμ "Balaam" G0903) § Balaam = "not of the people" the son of Beor, a man endowed with the gift of prophecy

and he saidוַיֹּ֣אמֶרvai-YO-merH0559
to say

אָמַר (a.mar) 1) to say, speak, utter 1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend 1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called 1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly 1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)

to himאֵלָ֗יו'e-LAVH0413
to(wards)

אֶל (el) 1) to, toward, unto (of motion) 2) into (limit is actually entered) 2a) in among 3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion) 4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character) 5) in addition to, to 6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of 7) according to (rule or standard) 8) at, by, against (of one's presence) 9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)

[the] sevenשִׁבְעַ֤תshiv-'ATH7651
seven

שֶׁ֫בַע (she.va) 1) seven (cardinal number) 1a) as ordinal number 1b) in combination-17, 700 etc Aramaic equivalent: shiv.ah (שִׁבְעָה "seven" H7655)

the altarsהַֽמִּזְבְּחֹת֙ha-miz-be-CHOTH4196
sacrifice

דְּבַח (de.vach) sacrifice Aramaic of miz.be.ach (מִזְבֵּחַ "altar" H4196)

I have arrangedעָרַ֔כְתִּי'a-RAKH-tiH6186A
to arrange

עָרַךְ (a.rakh) 1) to arrange, set or put or lay in order, set in array, prepare, order, ordain, handle, furnish, esteem, equal, direct, compare 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to arrange or set or lay in order, arrange, state in order, set forth (a legal case), set in place 1a2) to compare, be comparable

and I have offered upוָאַ֛עַלva-'A-'alH5927I
to ascend: rise

עָלָה (a.lah) : rise/go 1) to go up, ascend, climb 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to go up, ascend 1a2) to meet, visit, follow, depart, withdraw, retreat 1a3) to go up, come up (of animals) 1a4) to spring up, grow, shoot forth (of vegetation) 1a5) to go up, go up over, rise (of natural phenomenon) 1a6) to come up (before God) 1a7) to go up, go up over, extend (of boundary) 1a8) to excel, be superior to 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be taken up, be brought up, be taken away 1b2) to take oneself away 1b3) to be exalted 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to bring up, cause to ascend or climb, cause to go up 1c2) to bring up, bring against, take away …

a young bullפָּ֥רparH6499
bullock

פַּר (par) young bull, steer, bullock

and a ramוָאַ֖יִלva-'A-yilH0352A
ram

אַ֫יִל (a.yil) 1) ram 1a) ram (as food) 1b) ram (as sacrifice) 1c) ram (skin dyed red, for tabernacle)

on the altarבַּמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃ba-miz-BE-achH4196
sacrifice

דְּבַח (de.vach) sacrifice Aramaic of miz.be.ach (מִזְבֵּחַ "altar" H4196)

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.