Christian Standard Bible
Numbers 23:8
8How can I curse someone God has not cursed? How can I denounce someone the Lord has not denounced?
Numbers 23:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the Lord hath not defied?
- New International Version (NIV)How can I curse those whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce those whom the Lord has not denounced?
- English Standard Version (ESV)How can I curse whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce whom the Lord has not denounced?
- New King James Version (NKJV)“How shall I curse whom God has not cursed? And how shall I denounce whom the Lord has not denounced?
Context of Numbers 23:8
6So he returned to Balak, who was standing there by his burnt offering with all the officials of Moab. 7Balaam 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!” How can I curse someone God has not cursed? How can I denounce someone the Lord has not denounced? 9I 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. 10Who has counted the dust of Jacob or numbered even one-fourth of Israel? Let me die the death of the upright; let the end of my life be like theirs.
Read all of Numbers 23Numbers 23:8 word by word
מָ֣ה אֶקֹּ֔ב לֹ֥א קַבֹּ֖ה אֵ֑ל וּמָ֣ה אֶזְעֹ֔ם לֹ֥א זָעַ֖ם יְהוָֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Numbers 23:8
- Numbers 23:20I have indeed received a command to bless; since he has blessed, I cannot change it.
- Isaiah 44:25who destroys the omens of the false prophets and makes fools of diviners; who confounds the wise and makes their knowledge foolishness;
- Isaiah 47:12So take your stand with your spells and your many sorceries, which you have wearied yourself with from your youth. Perhaps you will be able to succeed; perhaps you will inspire terror!
Commentaries on Numbers 23:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? - It was granted on all hands that no incantations nor imprecations could avail, unless God concurred and ratified them. From God's communication to Balaam he saw that God was determined to bless and defend Israel, and therefore all endeavors to injure them must be in vain.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7-8Instead of cursing Israel, Balaam spoke about their special status (compare Exodus 19:5–6; Deuteronomy 7:6–9). He recognized that God's blessing had transformed a humble people into a great nation (compare Genesis 12:2–3; 13:16; 28:14). Balaam hoped for similar good fortune for himself (Numbers 23:10).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed?--A divine blessing has been pronounced over the posterity of Jacob; and therefore, whatever prodigies can be achieved by my charms, all magical skill, all human power, is utterly impotent to counteract the decree of God.Read the comment
Topics related to Numbers 23:8
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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