Berean Standard Bible
Numbers 23:4
4and God met with him. “I have set up seven altars,” Balaam said, “and on each altar I have offered a bull and a ram.”
Numbers 23:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)God met with him, and Balaam said, “I have prepared seven altars, and on each altar I have offered a bull and a ram.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)and God met Balaam. And Balaam said to him, "I have arranged the seven altars and I have offered on each altar a bull and a ram."
- New King James Version (NKJV)And God met Balaam, and he said to Him, “I have prepared the seven altars, and I have offered on each altar a bull and a ram.”
Context of Numbers 23:4
2So Balak did as Balaam had instructed, and Balak and Balaam offered a bull and a ram on each altar. 3“Stay here by your burnt offering while I am gone,” Balaam said to Balak. “Perhaps the LORD will meet with me. And whatever He reveals to me, I will tell you.” So Balaam went off to a barren height, 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.” 5Then the LORD put a message in Balaam’s mouth, saying, “Return to Balak and give him this message.” 6So he returned to Balak, who was standing there beside his burnt offering, with all the princes of Moab.
Read all of Numbers 23Numbers 23:4 word by word
וַיִּקָּ֥ר אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶל־בִּלְעָ֑ם וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֗יו אֶת־שִׁבְעַ֤ת הַֽמִּזְבְּחֹת֙ עָרַ֔כְתִּי וָאַ֛עַל פָּ֥ר וָאַ֖יִל בַּמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃Read the interlinear
- and Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- metקָרָהqârâh · to meetH7136
- withאֶל'êl 'el · to(wards)H413
- himבִּלְעָםbil‛âm · BalaamH1109
- I have set upעָרַךְ‛ârak · to arrangeH6186
- sevenשֶׁ֫בַעsheba‛ shib‛âh · sevenH7651
- altarsמִזְבֵּחַmizbêach · altarH4196
- Balaam saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- ·אֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
- I have offeredעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: offer upH5927
- a bullפַּרpar pâr · bullockH6499
- and a ramאַ֫יִל'ayil · ramH352
Cross-references for Numbers 23:4
- Numbers 23:16And the LORD met with Balaam and put a message in his mouth, saying, “Return to Balak and speak what I tell you.”
- Numbers 22:9Then God came to Balaam and asked, “Who are these men with you?”
- Numbers 23:1Then Balaam said to Balak, “Build for me seven altars here, and prepare for me seven bulls and seven rams.”
- Isaiah 58:3“Why have we fasted, and You have not seen? Why have we humbled ourselves, and You have not noticed?” “Behold, on the day of your fast, you do as you please, and you oppress all your workers.
- Matthew 20:12‘These men who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the scorching heat of the day.’
- Luke 18:12I fast twice a week and pay tithes of all that I acquire.’
- John 16:2They will put you out of the synagogues. In fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God.
- Romans 3:27Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of works? No, but on that of faith.
- Ephesians 2:9not by works, so that no one can boast.
Commentaries on Numbers 23:4
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4God met Balaam - God served His own purposes through the arts of Balaam, and manifested His will through the agencies employed to seek it, dealing thus with Balaam in an exceptional manner. To God‘s own people auguries were forbidden Leviticus 19:26. I have prepared seven altars - And therefore Balaam expected that God on His part would do what was desired by the donor; compare Numbers 22:15 note.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-30As a diviner, Balaam carried out rituals to look for signs about the future of Israel (compare 23:23; 24:1). Balak had called him to curse Israel, but God repeatedly stopped him. These sacrifices might have related to extispicy. This was the practice of examining animal livers or other organs to predict the future. Ancient Near Eastern texts show that this fortune-telling method was common and well-developed. God had forbidden Israel from such practices…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 4-64-6. God met Balaam--not in compliance with his incantations, but to frustrate his wicked designs and compel him, contrary to his desires and interests, to pronounce the following benediction [Nu 23:8-10].Read the comment
In the dictionaries
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
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