Numbers 24:24

Numbers 24:24 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And ships shall come from the coast of Chittim, and shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber, and he also shall perish for ever.
• New International Version (NIV)Ships will come from the shores of Cyprus; they will subdue Ashur and Eber, but they too will come to ruin.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)But ships shall come from Kittim and shall afflict Asshur and Eber; and he too shall come to utter destruction."
• New King James Version (NKJV)But ships shall come from the coasts of Cyprus, And they shall afflict Asshur and afflict Eber, And so shall Amalek, until he perishes.”

Context of Numbers 24:24

22Kain will be destroyed when Asshur takes you captive. 23Once more he proclaimed his poem: Ah, who can live when God does this? Ships will come from the coast of Kittim; they will carry out raids against Asshur and Eber, but they too will come to destruction. 25Balaam then arose and went back to his homeland, and Balak also went his way.

Numbers 24:24 word by word

וְצִים֙ מִיַּ֣ד כִּתִּ֔ים וְעִנּ֥וּ אַשּׁ֖וּר וְעִנּוּ־עֵ֑בֶר וְגַם־ה֖וּא עֲדֵ֥י אֹבֵֽד׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And shipsצִיtsîy · shipH6716
• from the coastיָדyâd · hand: toH3027
• of Chittimכִּתִּיkittîy kittîyîy · CyprusH3794
• and shall afflictעָנָה‛ânâh · to afflictH6031
• Asshurאַשּׁוּר'ashshûr 'ashshûr · AssyriaH804
• Eberעֵ֫בֶר‛êber · EberH5677
• and he also shall perishאֹבֵד'ôbêd · destructionH8
• for everעַד‛ad · perpetuityH5703

Cross-references for Numbers 24:24

• Numbers 24:11Now go to your home! I said I would reward you richly, but look, the Lord has denied you a reward.”
• Numbers 31:8Along with the others slain by them, they killed the Midianite kings — Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian. They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword.
• Joshua 13:22Along with those the Israelites put to death, they also killed the diviner, Balaam son of Beor, with the sword.

Commentaries on Numbers 24:24

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 24Ships shall come from the coast of Chittim - Some think by Chittim the Romans, others the Macedonians under Alexander the Great, are meant. It is certain that the Romans did conquer the Assyrians, including all the people of Syria, Mesopotamia, etc., but Calmet strongly contends that by Chittim Macedonia is meant, and that the prophecy refers to the conquests of Alexander. Chittim was one of the sons of Javan, the son of Japheth, the son of Noah, Genesis…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 24Chittim - i. e., Cyprus, the nearest of the western islands, the only one visible from Palestine, and so the representative to Balsam and to Israel of all those unknown western regions across the Mediterranean Sea, from which were at length to come the conquerors of the mighty empires of the East. Compare Isaiah 23:1, Isaiah 23:12; Jeremiah 2:10. Eber - i. e., the descendants of Shem. Of these Asshur was one (compare marginal references), and is here…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-25Verses 15-25 Under the powerful influence of the Spirit of prophecy, Balaam foretold the future prosperity and extensive dominion of Israel. Balaam boasts that his eyes are open. The prophets were in old times called seers. He had heard the words of God, which many do who neither heed them, nor hear God in them. He knew the knowledge of the Most High. A man may be full of the knowledge of God, yet utterly destitute of the grace of God. He calls God the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 24Eber has the same spelling as the ancestor of the Hebrews (compare Genesis 10:21–25; 11:10–16). It may refer to a people on the other side of the Euphrates River. This region fits the parallel reference to Assyria (see Joshua 24:3; Isaiah 7:20).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2424. Chittim--the countries lying on the Mediterranean, particularly Greece and Italy (Da 11:29, 30). The Assyrians were themselves to be overthrown--first, by the Greeks under Alexander the Great and his successors; secondly, by the Romans. Eber--the posterity of the Hebrews (Ge 10:24). he also shall perish--that is, the conqueror of Asher and Eber, namely, the Greek and Roman empires.Read the comment

Topics related to Numbers 24:24

• Chittim
• Eber
• Ship

In the dictionaries

• Advertise
• Asshur
• Chittim
• Coast
• Cyprus
• Eber
• Rise
• Ships
• Tabernacle
• Abel-Shittim

Commentaries on Numbers 24

• 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