Numbers 23:10

Numbers 23:10 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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!
• New International Version (NIV)Who can count the dust of Jacob or number even a fourth of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and may my final end be like theirs!”
• English Standard Version (ESV)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!"
• New King James Version (NKJV)“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!”

Context of Numbers 23:10

8How can I curse those whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce those whom the LORD has not denounced? 9For I see them from atop the rocky cliffs, and I watch them from the hills. Behold, a people dwelling apart, not reckoning themselves among the nations. Who can count the dust of Jacob or number even a fourth of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous; let my end be like theirs!” 11Then Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you here to curse my enemies, and behold, you have only blessed them!” 12But Balaam replied, “Should I not speak exactly what the LORD puts in my mouth?”

Numbers 23:10 word by word

מִ֤י מָנָה֙ עֲפַ֣ר יַעֲקֹ֔ב וּמִסְפָּ֖ר אֶת־רֹ֣בַע יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל תָּמֹ֤ת נַפְשִׁי֙ מ֣וֹת יְשָׁרִ֔ים וּתְהִ֥י אַחֲרִיתִ֖י כָּמֹֽהוּ׃Read the interlinear

• Whoמִיmîy · who?H4310
• can countמָנָהmânâh · to countH4487
• the dustעָפָר‛âphâr · dustH6083
• of Jacobיַעֲקֹבya‛ăqôb · JacobH3290
• or numberמִסְפָּרmispâr · numberH4557
• ·אֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
• a fourthרֹ֫בַעrôba‛ · fourthH7255
• of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• Let meנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: myselfH5315
• dieמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
• the deathמָ֫וֶתmâveth · deathH4194
• of the righteousיָשָׁרyâshâr · uprightH3477
• let my endאַחֲרִית'achărîyth · endH319
• beהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
• like theirsכְּמוֹkemô kâmô · likeH3644

Cross-references for Numbers 23:10

• Genesis 13:16I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if one could count the dust of the earth, then your offspring could be counted.
• Genesis 22:17I will surely bless you, and I will multiply your descendants like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will possess the gates of their enemies.
• Genesis 28:14Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and east and north and south. All the families of the earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.
• Numbers 2:9The total number of men in the divisions of the camp of Judah is 186,400; they shall set out first.
• Psalms 37:37Consider the blameless and observe the upright, for posterity awaits the man of peace.
• Psalms 116:15Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His saints.
• Proverbs 14:32The wicked man is thrown down by his own sin, but the righteous man has a refuge even in death.
• Isaiah 57:1The righteous perish, and no one takes it to heart; devout men are taken away, while no one considers that the righteous are taken away from the presence of evil.
• Luke 2:29“Sovereign Lord, as You have promised, You now dismiss Your servant in peace.
• 1 Corinthians 3:21Therefore, stop boasting in men. All things are yours,
• 1 Corinthians 15:53For the perishable must be clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.
• 2 Corinthians 5:1For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is dismantled, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.
• Philippians 1:21For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
• 2 Timothy 4:6For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand.
• 2 Peter 1:13I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of my body,
• Revelation 14:13And I heard a voice from heaven telling me to write, “Blessed are the dead—those who die in the Lord from this moment on.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labors, for their deeds will follow them.”

Commentaries on Numbers 23:10

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 10Let me die the death of the righteous - Probably Balaam had some presentiment that he should be taken off by a premature death, and therefore he lodges this petition against it. The death of the righteous in those times implied being gathered to one's fathers in a good old age, having seen his children, and children's children; and to this, probably, the latter part of this petition applies: And let my last end be like his, (כמהו אחריתי ותהי uthehi…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 10The fourth part of Israel - i. e., each one of the four camps, into which the host of Israel was divided (see Genesis 13:16; Genesis 28:14. The righteous - i. e., the ancestors of Israel, who “died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off” Hebrews 11:13. With their histories Balaam was familiar, particularly with that of Abraham, “the righteous man” whom God had “raised up from the east (and) called to His foot” Isaiah…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7-10In his first message from God, Balaam reviewed why he had come to Moab (23:5, 16). He explained how Balak had called him. He also stressed that God had a special relationship with Israel. Balaam made clear that he could not harm Israel because God was protecting them. These messages are written as poetry. Hebrew poetry often uses parallelism. Parallelism places two similar lines together. The second line repeats or strengthens the first line in a clear…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1010. Who can count the dust of Jacob?--an Oriental hyperbole for a very populous nation, as Jacob's posterity was promised to be (Ge 13:16; 28:14). the number of the fourth part of Israel--that is, the camp consisted of four divisions; every one of these parts was formidable in numbers. Let me die the death of the righteous--Hebrew, "of Jeshurun"; or, the Israelites. The meaning is: they are a people happy, above all others, not only in life, but at death…Read the comment

Topics related to Numbers 23:10

• Death

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Jacob
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Fourth Part
• Count
• Abel-Shittim
• Balaam
• Balak
• Bless

Commentaries on Numbers 23

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings