Bible Commentaries
Numbers 23

Verses 1-30

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.

Numbers 23:7 “Aram” - Comments - Aram is Syria, whose territory reached to the Euphrates and to Pethor, the home of Balaam (Numbers 22:5).

Numbers 22:5, “He sent messengers therefore unto Balaam the son of Beor to Pethor, which is by the river of the land of the children of his people , to call him, saying, Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide over against me:”

Numbers 23:19 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?

Numbers 23:19 Scripture References - Note a similar verse:

1 Samuel 15:29, “And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent.”

Numbers 23:21 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.

Numbers 23:21 Comments - Because of Israel’s great sins in the wilderness, God judged the people in order t purge out these sins. According to Balaam’s prophecy, Israel now stands before God as clean.

Numbers 23:22 God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn.

Numbers 23:22 Word Study on “an unicorn” Gesenius says the Hebrew word “unicorn” ( רְאֵם ) (H7214) refers to “a wild animal, fierce and untamed, resembling an ox.” Strong says it refers to “a wild bull.” BDB says it is “a wild ox, as fierce and strong.” BDB says it probably refers to “the great aurochs or wild bulls which are now extinct. The exact meaning is not known”. Therefore, it is often translated “wild ox.” This Hebrew word is found 9 times in the Old Testament and is translated “unicorn” all 9 times in the KJV. This word is only found in Hebrew poetry.

Numbers 23:24 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.

Numbers 23:24 Comments - There is no other wild beast that rules stronger than a lion. In nature, it is at the top of the food chain and is therefore called the “king of beasts.” It has no enemies that can overcome and devour it.

A lion rests during the heat of the day. When it rises in the evening, it is rising to hunt it prey. It will hunt through the night until its hunger is satisfied. Although a lion may not always take its prey every night and thus have to lie down in the morning hungry, yet Israel will never go hungry. It will always overcome its prey each time.

Numbers 23:26 But Balaam answered and said unto Balak, Told not I thee, saying, All that the LORD speaketh, that I must do?

Numbers 23:26 Scripture References - Note:

Amos 3:8, “The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord GOD hath spoken, who can but prophesy ?”