Christian Standard Bible
Numbers 23:14
14So Balak took him to Lookout Field on top of Pisgah, built seven altars, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
Numbers 23:14 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And 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.
- New International Version (NIV)So he took him to the field of Zophim on the top of Pisgah, and there he built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And he took him to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
- New King James Version (NKJV)So he brought him to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
Context of Numbers 23:14
12He answered, “Shouldn’t I say exactly what the Lord puts in my mouth?” 13Then 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.” So Balak took him to Lookout Field on top of Pisgah, built seven altars, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar. 15Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here by your burnt offering while I seek the Lord over there.” 16The Lord met with Balaam and put a message in his mouth. Then he said, “Return to Balak and say what I tell you.”
Read all of Numbers 23Numbers 23:14 word by word
וַיִּקָּחֵ֙הוּ֙ שְׂדֵ֣ה צֹפִ֔ים אֶל־רֹ֖אשׁ הַפִּסְגָּ֑ה וַיִּ֙בֶן֙ שִׁבְעָ֣ה מִזְבְּחֹ֔ת וַיַּ֛עַל פָּ֥ר וָאַ֖יִל בַּמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And he broughtלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
- him into the fieldשָׂדֶהώâdeh ώâday · land: countryH7704
- of Zophimצָפָהtsâphâh · to watchH6822
- of Zophimצֹפִיםtsôphîym · ZophimH6839
- to the topרֹאשׁrô'sh · head: topH7218
- of Pisgahפִּסְגָּהpisgâh · PisgahH6449
- and builtבָּנָהbânâh · to buildH1129
- sevenשֶׁ֫בַעsheba‛ shib‛âh · sevenH7651
- altarsמִזְבֵּחַmizbêach · altarH4196
- and offeredעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: offer upH5927
- a bullockפַּרpar pâr · bullockH6499
- and a ramאַ֫יִל'ayil · ramH352
Cross-references for Numbers 23:14
- Numbers 21:20from Bamoth to the valley in the territory of Moab near the Pisgah highlands that overlook the wasteland.
- Deuteronomy 3:27Go to the top of Pisgah and look to the west, north, south, and east, and see it with your own eyes, for you will not cross the Jordan.
- Deuteronomy 4:49and all the Arabah on the east side of the Jordan as far as the Dead Sea below the slopes of Pisgah.
- Deuteronomy 34:1Then Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which faces Jericho, and the Lord showed him all the land: Gilead as far as Dan,
- Numbers 23:1Then Balaam said to Balak, “Build me seven altars here and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me.”
- Isaiah 1:10Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom! Listen to the instruction of our God, you people of Gomorrah!
- Isaiah 46:6Those who pour out their bags of gold and weigh out silver on scales — they hire a goldsmith and he makes it into a god. Then they kneel and bow down to it.
- Hosea 12:11Since Gilead is full of evil, they will certainly come to nothing. They sacrifice bulls in Gilgal; even their altars will be like piles of rocks on the furrows of a field.
Commentaries on Numbers 23:14
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 14The field of Zophim - Or, “of watchers.” It lay upon the top of Pisgah, north of the former station, and nearer to the Israelite camp; the greater part of which was, however, probably concealed from it by an intervening spur of the hill. Beyond the camp Balaam‘s eye would pass on to the bed of the Jordan. It was perhaps a lion coming up in his strength from the swelling of that stream (compare Jeremiah 49:19) that furnished him with the augury he awaited…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-30Verses 11-30 Balak was angry with Balaam. Thus a confession of God's overruling power is extorted from a wicked prophet, to the confusion of a wicked prince. A second time the curse is turned into a blessing; and this blessing is both larger and stronger than the former. Men change their minds, and break their words; but God never changes his mind, and therefore never recalls his promise. And when in Scripture he is said to repent, it does not mean any…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 13-26Balak hoped for different results by changing the location. The exact location of the plateau of Zophim on Pisgah Peak is unknown. Yet, Pisgah is part of the ridge that is above the plains of Moab (Deuteronomy 34:1). It is near Bamoth-baal and Mount Peor (Numbers 22:41; 23:28).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 13-1513-15. Come, ... with me unto another place, from whence thou mayest see them--Surprised and disappointed at this unexpected eulogy on Israel, Balak hoped that, if seen from a different point of observation, the prophet would give utterance to different feelings; and so, having made the same solemn preparations, Balaam retired, as before, to wait the divine afflatus.Read the comment
Topics related to Numbers 23:14
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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