Números 23
David Guzik · Citado em PreceptAustin
Números 23
Guzik - We might be surprised that God spoke to and through someone as obviously wicked as Balaam. But this shows us that spiritual giftedness does not equal spiritual maturity or holiness of life. God spoke through a donkey in the previous chapter and now He spoke through a bigger donkey. And said, "Return to Balak, and you shall speak thus - This was the same as the Angel's instruction in Nu 22:35 that "you shall speak only the word which I tell you.” Bush - And the Lord put a word in Balaam’s mouth. Paying no attention to Balaam’s pompous parade of his hypocritical worship, which was in fact an abomination to him, Pr 15:8 ( "The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, But the prayer of the upright is His delight."), he sends him back with a burden of blessing instead of cursing, though contrary to his own and to Balak’s desire. The plans of the heart belong to man, But the answer of the tongue is from the LORD. -- Proverbs 16:1 Matthew
Números 23
Guzik quips "When Balaam returned, Balak and all the princes of Moab were ready. They were ready to learn what their money bought them from Balaam." Allen - They (Balak and the leaders of Moab) were standing by the altar, hoping for a word from heaven that would destroy their presumed foe. They received a word from heaven, all right; but it was far from what they expected. Mattoon - God had put a restraint in Balaam's heart, mind, and mouth. This unwilling prophet was forced to say what God put into his mouth. We ought to ask God to restrain us too. (Ps 19:13, Ps 141:3). Numbers 23:7 He took up his discourse and said, "From Aram Balak has brought me, Moab's king from the mountains of the East, 'Come curse Jacob for me, And come, denounce Israel!' BGT Numbers 23:7 καὶ ἐγενήθη πνεῦμα θεοῦ ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ καὶ ἀναλαβὼν τὴν παραβολὴν αὐτοῦ εἶπεν ἐκ Μεσοποταμίας μετεπέμψατό με Βαλακ βασιλεὺς Μωαβ ἐξ ὀρέων ἀπ᾽ ἀνατολῶν λέγων δεῦρο ἄρασαί μοι τὸν Ιακωβ καὶ δεῦρο ἐπικατάρασαί μοι τὸν Ισραηλ NET Numbers 23:7 Then Balaam uttered his oracle, saying, "Balak, the king of Moab, brought me from Aram, out of the mountains of the east, saying, 'Come, pronounce a curse on Jacob for me; come, denounce Israel.' NLT Numbers 23:7 This was the message Balaam delivered: "Balak summoned me to come from Aram; the king of Moab brought me from the eastern hills. 'Come,' he said, 'curse Jacob for me! Come and announce Israel's doom.' ESV Numbers 23:7 And Balaam took up his discourse and said, "From Aram Balak has brought me, the king of Moab from the eastern mountains: 'Come, curse Jacob for me, and come, denounce Israel!' NIV Numbers 23:7 Then Balaam uttered his oracle: "Balak brought me from Aram, the king of Moab from the eastern mountains. 'Come,' he said, 'curse Jacob for me; come, denounce Israel.' KJV Numbers 23:7 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. YLT Numbers 23:7 And he taketh up his simile, and saith: 'From Aram he doth lead me -- Balak king of Moab; From mountains of the east: Come -- curse for me Jacob, And come -- be indignant with Israel. LXE Numbers 23:7 And he took up his parable, and said, Balac king of Moab sent for me out of Mesopotamia, out of the mountains of the east, saying, Come, curse me Jacob, and Come, call for a curse for me upon Israel. ASV Numbers 23:7 And he took up his parable, and said, From Aram hath Balak brought me, The king of Moab from the mountains of the East: Come, curse me Jacob, And come, defy Israel. CSB Numbers 23:7 Balaam proclaimed his poem: Balak brought me from Aram; the king of Moab, from the eastern mountains: "Come, put a curse on Jacob for me; come, denounce Israel!" NKJ Numbers 23:7 And he took up his oracle and said: "Balak the king of Moab has brought me from Aram, From the mountains of the east.`Come, curse Jacob for me, And come, denounce Israel!' NRS Numbers 23:7 Then Balaam uttered his oracle, saying: "Balak has brought me from Aram, the king of Moab from the eastern mountains: 'Come, curse Jacob for me; Come, denounce Israel!' NAB Numbers 23:7 Then Balaam gave voice to his oracle: From Aram has Balak brought me here, Moab's king, from the Eastern Mountains: "Come and lay a curse for me on Jacob, come and denounce Israel." NJB Numbers 23:7 He then declaimed his poem as follows: Balak has brought me from Aram, the king of Moab from the hills of Kedem: 'Come and curse Jacob for me, come and denounce Israel!' GWN Numbers 23:7 Then Balaam delivered this message: "Balak brought me from Aram. The king of Moab summoned me from the eastern mountains. 'Come, curse Jacob for me,' he said. 'Come, condemn Israel.' He took up his discourse: Nu 23:18 24:3,15,23 Job 27:1 29:1 Ps 78:2 Eze 17:2 20:49 Mic 2:4 Hab 2:6 Mt 13:33,35 Mk 12:12 discourse: The word {mashal,} which as a verb is to rule, have authority, and also to compare, as a noun signifies whatever is expressed in parabolic or figurative language. All these oracular speeches of Balaam are in hemistich metre in the original. They are highly dignified and sublime; and may be considered as immediate poetic productions of the Spirit of God. (Nu 24:2.) Aram: Nu 22:5 Ge 10:22 28:2,7 De 23:4 Come: Nu 22:6,11,17 Pr 26:2 defy Israel: 1Sa 17:10,25,26,36,45 2Sa 21:21 23:9 Numbers 23 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries BALAAM'S FIRST ORACLE TO ISRAEL Note that He took up his discourse occurs 7 times in Nu 23-24 - Num. 23:7; Num. 23:18; Num. 24:3; Num. 24:15; Num. 24:20; Num. 24:21; Num. 24:23; Job 29:1 TECHNICAL NOTE: The Septuagint is very interesting here for it describes "the Spirit of God upon him." Brenton's translation of the Lxx does not translate this literally but the Lexham English Septuagint does "the Spirit of God came upon him." This is different from the Hebrew here although later we do read that "the Spirit of God came upon him." (Nu 24:2). Considering the fact that Balaam is beginning to speak the Word God had put in his mouth, it is logical to attribute his discourse to the Spirit of God upon him. One is reminded of Peter's words telling us that "no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God." (2 Peter 1:21) While I think Peter is primarily speaking of men who were righteous, and were likely true prophets, God is still able to speak through a man like Balaam even though he is not a genuine prophet like the OT prophets. Bush - And he took up his parable. Heb. mâshâl, comparison, similitude. The term is applied to any kind of allegorical or figurative speech of a more solemn and weighty import than usual. Under this head come such sayings as the proverbs and apophthegms of wise men, and such prophetical utterances as those here recorded, of which the style is somewhat elevated and majestic. We do not find it, however, a designation of prophecy in general, but only of that species which partakes of the sententious and oracular. Targ. Jon. “He took up the parable of his prophecy.” By “taking up” is denoted uttering or pronouncing in a somewhat elevated tone of voice, such as would be calculated to command particular attention. Allen - The theme of this first oracle is centered on the notion of the blessing of Israel. This blessing is unique. It is altogether different than anything Balaam (or Balak) had ever experienced. It is an irrevocable blessing; hence, any attempt to curse Israel is ineffective. Israel is a nation that is distinct from all others. Her uniqueness is to be found in her God. (EBC) He took up his discourse (KJV - parable) - Discourse is the Hebrew word mashal usually translated as “proverb” (21/41x); here the translation “oracle” is appropriate. By this word the distinctive nature of the prophecies of Balaam is established; none of the prophecies of the true prophets of Israel is described by this term. Allen makes a good point regarding mashal noting that "By this word the distinctive nature of the prophecies of Balaam is established; none of the prophecies of the true prophets of Israel is described by this term." (EBC) Discourse (04912)(mashal from the verb mashal - to rule e.g., Ge 1:18 or more generally indicates idea of comparison, likeness) usually conveys the meaning of a wise saying, but in two occurrences of the connotation of parable or allegory (as defined above) is clearly evident (viz. Ezek 17:2ff = a parable centering on two eagles, Ezek 17:12 representing Babylon and Ezek 17:15 representing Egypt, as well as centering on a vine Ezek 17:6), both in indictments against Israel for her sin. In Nu 23: 7, 18, 24:3ff. mashal refers not to a popular or common saying but to Balaam’s prophetic oracles (the first 7 uses in Scripture). In Isa 14:4 the context is after Israel's return to the land and the song is one of contempt or taunting (mashal) directed at the king of Babylon. A proverb is a truth expressed in brief and striking words, like "Pride cometh before a fall." John Phillips noting that the root verb means to rule says "Mashal therefore are words and sayings that are supposed to rule and govern life. The book of Proverbs then is not simply a collection of bits of human wisdom. It contains God's rules." (Proverbs Commentary) UBS - The Hebrew term for discourse is mashal, which normally refers to a brief proverb, wisdom saying, artistically structured poetic expression (formulated in parallelisms; see 1 Kgs 4:32). It can also refer to a longer discourse (see Job 27:1). Here in Num 23–24 it may be rendered “prophecy,” “oracle,” or “oracle speech Mashal - 40v - Num. 23:7; Num. 23:18; Num. 24:3; Num. 24:15; Num. 24:20; Num. 24:21; Num. 24:23; Deut. 28:37; 1 Sam. 10:12; 1 Sam. 24:13; 1 Ki. 4:32; 1 Ki. 9:7; 2 Chr. 7:20; Job 13:12; Job 27:1; Job 29:1; Ps. 44:14; Ps. 49:4; Ps. 69:11; Ps. 78:2; Prov. 1:1; Prov. 1:6; Prov. 10:1; Prov. 25:1; Prov. 26:7; Prov. 26:9; Eccl. 12:9; Isa. 14:4; Jer. 24:9; Ezek. 12:22; Ezek. 12:23; Ezek. 14:8; Ezek. 17:2; Ezek. 18:2; Ezek. 18:3; Ezek. 20:49; Ezek. 24:3; Joel 2:17; Mic. 2:4; Hab. 2:6 and said, "From Aram (region of Mesopotamia) Balak has brought me, Moab's king from the mountains of the East, Bush - brought me from Aram. That is, Aram-Naharaim, Aram of the two rivers (Tigris and Euphrates), to which answers the ancient Mesopotamia, or region between the rivers. Compare Deuteronomy 23:4 "because they did not meet you with food and water on the way when you came out of Egypt, and because they hired against you Balaam the son of Beor from Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse you." This region is for the most part flat, but the northern part of it is mountainous, and from that quarter came Balaam, as he here declares that he was called out of “the mountains of the east.” 'Come curse Jacob for me, And come, denounce Israel! - Balaam begins with truth Balak was aware of. Bush- denounce Israel!. Heb. zoamâh, implying to execrate with violent threats and indignant rage—a word of peculiar intensity of meaning. It occurs Dan. 11:30, “Therefore shall he be grieved, and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant.” Hengstenberg remarks, “The sense of being angry will appear quite appropriate to this passage, if it be considered that the curse can only be the result of the most violent inward excitement against the object of it, and that any one would strive, before pronouncing it, to arouse himself to rage in every way, upon the intensity of which the efficacy of the curse depended.” UBS - The Hebrew words for curse and denounce have almost the same meaning, except that the second one refers more explicitly to anger, so NLT renders it “announce … doom,” and NCV has “call down evil on.” NN - The opening lines seem to be a formula for the seer to identify himself and the occasion for the oracle. The tension is laid out early; Balaam knows that God has intended to bless Israel, but he has been paid to curse them. Numbers 23:8 "How shall I curse whom God has not cursed? And how can I denounce whom the LORD has not denounced? BGT Numbers 23:8 τί ἀράσωμαι ὃν μὴ καταρᾶται κύριος ἢ τί καταράσωμαι ὃν μὴ καταρᾶται ὁ θεός NET Numbers 23:8 How can I curse one whom God has not cursed, or how can I denounce one whom the LORD has not denounced? NLT Numbers 23:8 But how can I curse those whom God has not cursed? How can I condemn those whom the LORD has not condemned? ESV Numbers 23:8 How can I curse whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce whom the LORD has not denounced? NIV Numbers 23:8 How can I curse those whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce those whom the LORD has not denounced? KJV Numbers 23:8 How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the LORD hath not defied? YLT Numbers 23:8 What -- do I pierce? -- God hath not pierced! And what -- am I indignant? -- Jehovah hath not been indignant! LXE Numbers 23:8 How can I curse whom the Lord curses not? or how can I devote whom God devotes not? ASV Numbers 23:8 How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? And how shall I defy, whom Jehovah hath not defied? CSB Numbers 23:8 How can I curse someone God has not cursed? How can I denounce someone the LORD has not denounced? NKJ Numbers 23:8 "How shall I curse whom God has not cursed? And how shall I denounce whom the LORD has not denounced? NRS Numbers 23:8 How can I curse whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce those whom the LORD has not denounced? NAB Numbers 23:8 How can I curse whom God has not cursed? How denounce whom the LORD has not denounced? NJB Numbers 23:8 How shall I curse someone whom God has not cursed, how denounce someone God has not denounced? GWN Numbers 23:8 How can I curse those whom God hasn't cursed? How can I condemn those whom the LORD hasn't condemned? Nu 23:20,23 Isa 44:25 47:12,13 Numbers 23 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries ALL ATTEMPTS TO CURSE ISRAEL WILL BE FUTILE How shall I curse whom God has not cursed? This is rhetorical. This is the first time Balak is specifically told Balaam cannot curse Israel because God had not cursed Israel. "The figure is erotesis, a rhetorical question. He is actually saying he cannot curse them because God has not cursed them." (NN) How may I imprecate whom God has not imprecated? How may I execrate whom Yahweh has not execrated? In Numbers 23:20 Balaam reiterated this truth as it applied to him declaring “Behold, I have received a command to bless; When He has blessed, then I cannot revoke it." Wenham comments that "In Genesis 12:1–3, and subsequent passages, Abraham was promised three things: land, descendants and a covenant relationship. Balaam’s first oracle mentions Israel’s special relationship with God and her great population (Nu 23:8; cf. Gen. 12:3. Num. 22:17; cf. Gen. 13:16; 12:2–3)." (TOTC-Nu) Bush - How shall I curse whom God hath not cursed, etc. I am required, says Balaam, to curse Israel, but how can I, when God, the true author and sole lord of blessing and cursing, does not curse, but blesses him? This was honestly acknowledging that his tongue was tied, so that he could utter nothing except as he was prompted by a divine impulse. The fundamental import of the declaration is, that as God hath not cursed, so Balaam cannot. Blessed are they whom the Lord himself will not curse, and upon whom he pronounces a blessing, even in the presence of them that would curse. This is the privilege of all the Israel of God, and of every single believer in Christ. To every secret or open enemy the Lord says, “Thou shalt not curse whom I have blessed.” This was a clear demonstration of the vanity of the compliment paid him by Balak, “I wot that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed.” And how can I denounce whom the LORD has not denounced? - This is rhetorical. Clearly Balaam as human had no power to curse what Yahweh had not denounced. Numbers 23:9 "As I see him from the top of the rocks, And I look at him from the hills; Behold, a people who dwells apart, And will not be reckoned among the nations. BGT Numbers 23:9 ὅτι ἀπὸ κορυφῆς ὀρέων ὄψομαι αὐτὸν καὶ ἀπὸ βουνῶν προσνοήσω αὐτόν ἰδοὺ λαὸς μόνος κατοικήσει καὶ ἐν ἔθνεσιν οὐ συλλογισθήσεται NET Numbers 23:9 For from the top of the rocks I see them; from the hills I watch them. Indeed, a nation that lives alone, and it will not be reckoned among the nations. NLT Numbers 23:9 I see them from the cliff tops; I watch them from the hills. I see a people who live by themselves, set apart from other nations. ESV Numbers 23:9 For from the top of the crags I see him, from the hills I behold him; behold, a people dwelling alone, and not counting itself among the nations! NIV Numbers 23:9 From the rocky peaks I see them, from the heights I view them. I see a people who live apart and do not consider themselves one of the nations. KJV Numbers 23:9 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. YLT Numbers 23:9 For from the top of rocks I see it, And from heights I behold it; Lo a people! alone it doth tabernacle, And among nations doth not reckon itself. LXE Numbers 23:9 For from the top of the mountains I shall see him, and from the hills I shall observe him: behold, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations. ASV Numbers 23:9 For from the top of the rocks I see him, And from the hills I behold him: lo, it is a people that dwelleth alone, And shall not be reckoned among the nations. CSB Numbers 23:9 I see them from the top of rocky cliffs, and I watch them from the hills. There is a people living alone; it does not consider itself among the nations. NKJ Numbers 23:9 For from the top of the rocks I see him, And from the hills I behold him; There! A people dwelling alone, Not reckoning itself among the nations. NRS Numbers 23:9 For from the top of the crags I see him, from the hills I behold him; Here is a people living alone, and not reckoning itself among the nations! NAB Numbers 23:9 For from the top of the crags I see him, from the heights I behold him. Here is a people that lives apart and does not reckon itself among the nations. NJB Numbers 23:9 Yes, from the top of the crags I see him, from the hills I descry him: a people that dwells on its own, not to be reckoned among other nations! GWN Numbers 23:9 I see them from the top of rocky cliffs, I look at them from the hills. I see a nation that lives by itself, people who do not consider themselves to be like other nations. people: They shall ever be a distinct nation. This prophecy has been literally fulfilled, through a period of 3,300 years, to the present day. dwell alone: Ex 19:5,6 33:16 De 33:28 Es 3:8 2Co 6:17 Tit 2:14 1Pe 2:9 shall not: De 32:8 Ezr 9:2 Jer 46:28 Am 9:9 Ro 15:8-10 Eph 2:12-14 Numbers 23 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries ISRAEL WAS DISTINCT FROM THE GENTILE NATIONS As I see him (Israel) from the top of the rocks, And I look at him from the hills - "His elevated position on the rocks gave him a commanding view of the encampment of Israel, but the words have a reach of meaning beyond what was embraced in the mere external vision. Though as seen from the great distance at which he stood they must have been diminished to a dwarflike size, yet they portended something great and formidable. In the spirit of prophecy he sees far more in the people of God than struck the outward eye. In fact, we are no doubt to consider that Balaam’s ecstatic vision throughout out was not merely corporeal, but that with the seeing of the bodily eye there was combined the penetration of the spiritual eye which pierces into the depths and essences of invisible things. This is evident from the subsequent prophecy, ch. 24:5, when, with open eyes he depicts the loveliness of the tents of Israel in a manner which shows that the outward beholding is introduced only as a basis for the inward." (Bush) Related Passage Deuteronomy 32:8-10 “When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance, When He separated the sons of man, He set the boundaries of the peoples According to the number of the sons of Israel. 9 “For the LORD’S portion is His people; Jacob is the allotment of His inheritance. 10 “He found him in a desert land, And in the howling waste of a wilderness; He encircled him, He cared for him, He guarded him as the pupil of His eye. Behold (hinneh - another emphatic marker), a people who dwells apart - The hinneh highlights what Balaam sees both visually and in the sense of a vision. Israel was separate from all the people of the earth. In Exodus 19:5-6 Yahweh declared "Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel.” Dwells apart is not speaking of Israel's literal physical location as Balaam observes the ordered camp, but speaks of their status as God's chosen people (Dt 7:6-8). NN - Balaam reports his observation of the nation of Israel spread out below him in the valley. Based on that vision, and the LORD’s word, he announces the uniqueness of Israel—they are not just like one of the other nations. He was correct, of course; they were the only people linked with the living God by covenant. Jensen - Israel was a distinct and unique nation, separated from heathen ways, with a unique destiny. Mattoon - Balaam saw God's people as a separated people (vs. 9). The Jews have remained a distinct, separated people even while they dwelled among the nations of the world. They are to be separated unto the Lord. As God's people, Christians are to be a separated people too. They are not to live wickedly and worldly like heathens. Our dress, talk, and entertainment are not to be sensual, suggestive, carnal, or filthy. We are to be holy and separate in our lifestyles and relationships. (2 Cor 6:14-18). And will not be reckoned among the nations - In other words Israel was separate from the nations. Numbers 23:10 "Who can count the dust of Jacob, Or number the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the upright, And let my end be like his!" BGT Numbers 23:10 τίς ἐξηκριβάσατο τὸ σπέρμα Ιακωβ καὶ τίς ἐξαριθμήσεται δήμους Ισραηλ ἀποθάνοι ἡ ψυχή μου ἐν ψυχαῖς δικαίων καὶ γένοιτο τὸ σπέρμα μου ὡς τὸ σπέρμα τούτων NET Numbers 23:10 Who can count the dust of Jacob, Or number the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the upright, and let the end of my life be like theirs." NLT Numbers 23:10 Who can count Jacob's descendants, as numerous as dust? Who can count even a fourth of Israel's people? Let me die like the righteous; let my life end like theirs." ESV Numbers 23:10 Who can count the dust of Jacob or number the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the upright, and let my end be like his!" NIV Numbers 23:10 Who can count the dust of Jacob or number the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and may my end be like theirs!" KJV Numbers 23:10 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! YLT Numbers 23:10 Who hath counted the dust of Jacob, And the number of the fourth of Israel? Let me die the death of upright ones, And let my last end be like his!' LXE Numbers 23:10 Who has exactly calculated the seed of Jacob, and who shall number the families of Israel? let my soul die with the souls of the righteous, and let my seed be as their seed. ASV Numbers 23:10 Who can count the dust of Jacob, Or number the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, And let my last end be like his! CSB Numbers 23:10 Who has counted the dust of Jacob or numbered the dust clouds of Israel? Let me die the death of the upright; let the end of my life be like theirs. NKJ Numbers 23:10 "Who can count the dust of Jacob, Or number one-fourth of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, And let my end be like his!" NRS Numbers 23:10 Who can count the dust of Jacob, or number the dust-cloud of Israel? Let me die the death of the upright, and let my end be like his!" NAB Numbers 23:10 Who has ever counted the dust of Jacob, or numbered Israel's wind-borne particles? May I die the death of the just, may my descendants be as many as theirs! NJB Numbers 23:10 Who can count the dust of Jacob? Who can number the cloud of Israel? May I die the death of the just, and may my future be like theirs! GWN Numbers 23:10 The descendants of Jacob are like specks of dust. Who can count them or number even one-fourth of the people of Israel? Let me die the death of innocent people. Let my end be like theirs." can count: Ge 13:16 22:17 28:14 the dust: i.e. The posterity of Jacob, which was to be so numerous as to resemble the dust. the fourth: Nu 2:9,16,24,31 the death: Ps 37:37 116:15 Pr 14:32 Isa 57:1,2 Lu 2:29,30 1Co 3:21,22 1Co 15:53-57 2Co 5:1 Php 1:21-23 2Ti 4:6-8 2Pe 1:13-15 Rev 14:13 Numbers 23 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries ISRAEL WAS MIGHTY IN NUMBER Who can count the dust of Jacob - Rhetorical of course, no one! They are innumerable! This was a partial fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham in Genesis 13:16 "I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth, so that if anyone can number the dust of the earth, then your descendants can also be numbered." Note Four "Parts" Or number the fourth part of Israel? - "The “fourth part of Israel” refers to that quarter of the camp (see depiction above) that was closest to Balaam as he prophesied. He could not even count the quarter of the nation that was closest to him. This is another indication, besides the number of Israelite males counted in each tribe, that Israel was about two million strong at this time." (Constable) Let me die the death of the upright, And let my end (Lit “my latter end.”) be like his!" - NLT = "Let me die like the righteous; let my life end like theirs." He seems insightful enough to realize that to be identified with Israel was a blessing. Does he wish he was an Israelite? Perhaps. My end refers to the end of his life, but he is sorely deceived! Balaam would not get his wish of dying as one who was upright! In fact he died the diametric opposite, the death of one unrighteous! (See Nu 31:8+) NN - Here the seer’s words link with the promise of Gen 12:3, that whoever blesses Israel will be blessed. Since the blessing belongs to them, the upright (and not Balak), Balaam would like his lot to be with them. Guzik - Balaam was one of the many who long to die the death of the righteous, yet have no desire to live the life of the righteous. The two go together. Mattoon laments how many vainly make Balaam's plea - As Balaam looked upon Israel's blessings, he said, "Let me die the death of the righteous and let my last end be like his!" Balaam wanted this, but was not willing to live the life of the righteous. People today want to die the death of the righteous, they want to go to Heaven, but they are unwilling to trust Jesus Christ as their Savior. What does the Bible say about the death of the righteous? Numbers 23:11 Then Balak said to Balaam, "What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, but behold, you have actually blessed them!" BGT Numbers 23:11 καὶ εἶπεν Βαλακ πρὸς Βαλααμ τί πεποίηκάς μοι εἰς κατάρασιν ἐχθρῶν μου κέκληκά σε καὶ ἰδοὺ εὐλόγηκας εὐλογίαν NET Numbers 23:11 Then Balak said to Balaam, "What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies, but on the contrary you have only blessed them!" NLT Numbers 23:11 Then King Balak demanded of Balaam, "What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies. Instead, you have blessed them!" ESV Numbers 23:11 And Balak said to Balaam, "What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have done nothing but bless them." NIV Numbers 23:11 Balak said to Balaam, "What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies, but you have done nothing but bless them!" KJV Numbers 23:11 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. YLT Numbers 23:11 And Balak saith unto Balaam, 'What hast thou done to me? to pierce mine enemies I have taken thee -- and lo, thou hast certainly blessed;' LXE Numbers 23:11 And Balac said to Balaam, What hast thou done to me? I called thee to curse my enemies, and behold thou hast greatly blessed them. ASV Numbers 23:11 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. CSB Numbers 23:11 "What have you done to me?" Balak asked Balaam. "I brought you to curse my enemies, but look, you have only blessed them!" NKJ Numbers 23:11 Then Balak said to Balaam, "What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, and look, you have blessed them bountifully!" NRS Numbers 23:11 Then Balak said to Balaam, "What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies, but now you have done nothing but bless them." NAB Numbers 23:11 "What have you done to me?" cried Balak to Balaam. "It was to curse my foes that I brought you here; instead, you have even blessed them." NJB Numbers 23:11 Balak said to Balaam, 'What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies, and you have heaped blessings on them!' GWN Numbers 23:11 Balak said to Balaam, "What have you done to me? I brought you here to curse my enemies, but all you've done is bless them!" Nu 23:7,8 22:11,17 24:10 Ps 109:17-20 Numbers 23 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries BALAK IS ABASHED! Abashed means uneasy, disconcerted, ill at ease, confused, etc Then Balak said to Balaam, "What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, but behold (hinneh - to stress the contrast), you have actually blessed them! - This recalls Balak's belief that "whom you (Balaam) bless is blessed." (Nu 22:6). He was not yet aware of the Angel of the LORD'S words to Balaam in Pethor (Nu 22:12). He did not fully understand that Balaam had no power to curse what God had blessed (cf Nu 23:8ff). Wenham - Balaam is thus trapped between the demands of Balak and the commands of God. Mattoon - King Balak is suffering from the Backfired Plans Syndrome. He is a very upset and confused man, but also a man who did not pay attention to Balaam's warning. The king asked, "What have you done to me?" He scolded Balaam, "I hired you to curse my enemies and you bless them!" Balaam warned the king, however, that he would speak what God told him to speak. King Balak is upset because Balaam did not fulfill his expectations. We will respond the same way when we put our expectations in people. Our expectations make people our prisoners. If they are not fulfilled, then we become angry. If they are fulfilled, we are ungrateful because we say, "It's their duty to us. They owe us." God wants us to learn to put our expectations in Him. Numbers 23:12 He replied, "Must I not be careful to speak what the LORD puts in my mouth?" BGT Numbers 23:12 καὶ εἶπεν Βαλααμ πρὸς Βαλακ οὐχὶ ὅσα ἐὰν ἐμβάλῃ ὁ θεὸς εἰς τὸ στόμα μου τοῦτο φυλάξω λαλῆσαι NET Numbers 23:12 Balaam replied, "Must I not be careful to speak what the LORD has put in my mouth?" NLT Numbers 23:12 But Balaam replied, "I will speak only the message that the LORD puts in my mouth." ESV Numbers 23:12 And he answered and said, "Must I not take care to speak what the LORD puts in my mouth?" NIV Numbers 23:12 He answered, "Must I not speak what the LORD puts in my mouth?" KJV Numbers 23:12 And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD hath put in my mouth? YLT Numbers 23:12 and he answereth and saith, 'That which Jehovah doth put in my mouth -- it do I not take heed to speak?' LXE Numbers 23:12 And Balaam said to Balac, Whatsoever the Lord shall put into my mouth, shall I not take heed to speak this? ASV Numbers 23:12 And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which Jehovah putteth in my mouth? CSB Numbers 23:12 He answered, "Shouldn't I say exactly what the LORD puts in my mouth?" NKJ Numbers 23:12 So he answered and said, "Must I not take heed to speak what the LORD has put in my mouth?" NRS Numbers 23:12 He answered, "Must I not take care to say what the LORD puts into my mouth?" NAB Numbers 23:12 Balaam replied, "Is it not what the LORD puts in my mouth that I must repeat with care?" NJB Numbers 23:12 Balaam replied, 'Am I to depart from what Yahweh puts into my mouth?' GWN Numbers 23:12 Balaam answered, "I must say what the LORD tells me to say." Nu 23:20,26 22:38 24:13 Pr 26:25 Ro 16:18 Tit 1:16 Numbers 23 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries He replied, "Must I not be careful to speak what the LORD puts in my mouth?" - This is of course rhetorical and clearly the answer is affirmative (as it should be for every genuine pastor and teacher of the Lord). NN on be careful - The verb שָׁמַר (shamar) means “to guard, watch, observe” and so here with a sense of “be careful” or even “take heed” (so KJV, ASV). Bush - Must I not take heed to speak that, etc. Or, Heb. “Shall I not observe to speak?” Although the proud king, in the preceding verse, reproaches Balaam as though he had fairly purchased the authority to control his utterances as he pleased, yet the prophet here represses his arrogance by pleading the divine command, and assuring him that he could announce only what the Lord had put into his mouth. It is clear, however, from the whole narrative, that the inclination of his heart was towards Balak and his rewards, and that if he had been left to himself, he would have yielded without reserve to the wishes of his royal employer. But being inwardly withheld from cursing, he speaks as if he would make a virtue of his obedience to the necessity laid upon him, which probably went to deepen the self-deception that he was all along practising upon himself. Numbers 23:13 Then Balak said to him, "Please come with me to another place from where you may see them, although you will only see the extreme end of them and will not see all of them; and curse them for me from there." BGT Numbers 23:13 καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτὸν Βαλακ δεῦρο ἔτι μετ᾽ ἐμοῦ εἰς τόπον ἄλλον ἐξ ὧν οὐκ ὄψῃ αὐτὸν ἐκεῖθεν ἀλλ᾽ ἢ μέρος τι αὐτοῦ ὄψῃ πάντας δὲ οὐ μὴ ἴδῃς καὶ κατάρασαί μοι αὐτὸν ἐκεῖθεν NET Numbers 23:13 Balak said to him, "Please come with me to another place from which you can observe them. You will see only a part of them, but you will not see all of them. Curse them for me from there." NLT Numbers 23:13 Then King Balak told him, "Come with me to another place. There you will see another part of the nation of Israel, but not all of them. Curse at least that many!" ESV Numbers 23:13 And Balak said to him, "Please come with me to another place, from which you may see them. You shall see only a fraction of them and shall not see them all. Then curse them for me from there." NIV Numbers 23:13 Then Balak said to him, "Come with me to another place where you can see them; you will see only a part but not all of them. And from there, curse them for me." KJV Numbers 23:13 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. YLT Numbers 23:13 And Balak saith unto him, 'Come, I pray thee, with me unto another place, whence thou dost see it, only its extremity thou dost see, and all of it thou dost not see, and pierce it for me thence;' LXE Numbers 23:13 And Balac said to him, Come yet with me to another place where thou shalt not see the people, but only thou shalt see a part of them, and shalt not see them all; and curse me them from thence. ASV Numbers 23:13 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. CSB Numbers 23:13 Then Balak said to him, "Please come with me to another place where you can see them. You will only see the outskirts of their camp; you won't see all of them. From there, put a curse on them for me." NKJ Numbers 23:13 Then Balak said to him, "Please come with me to another place from which you may see them; you shall see only the outer part of them, and shall not see them all; curse them for me from there." NRS Numbers 23:13 So Balak said to him, "Come with me to another place from which you may see them; you shall see only part of them, and shall not see them all; then curse them for me from there." NAB Numbers 23:13 Then Balak said to him, "Please come with me to another place from which you can see only some and not all of them, and from there curse them for me." NJB Numbers 23:13 Balak then said, 'Please come somewhere else. From here you can see only the fringe of them, you cannot see them all. Curse them for me over there.' GWN Numbers 23:13 Then Balak said to him, "Please come with me to another place, where you can see the Israelites. You will see only some of them, not all of them. Curse them for me from there." to: 1Ki 20:23,28 Mic 6:5 extreme end : Nu 22:41 and curse : Jos 24:9 Ps 109:17 Jas 3:9,10 Numbers 23 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Looking at Israel from top of Pisgah BALAK'S SECOND ATTEMPT TO SECURE A CURSE Then Balak said to him - Balak is saying since the first time did not work let's try again at a different location. Please come with me to another place from where you may see them - Superstitious ancients thought you had to be able to see those you would curse. Although you will only see the extreme end of them and will not see all of them; and curse them for me from there - If you can see them, you should be able to curse them.