English Standard Version
Numbers 24:8
8God brings him out of Egypt and is for him like the horns of the wild ox; he shall eat up the nations, his adversaries, and shall break their bones in pieces and pierce them through with his arrows.
Numbers 24:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)God brought him forth out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn: he shall eat up the nations his enemies, and shall break their bones, and pierce them through with his arrows.
- New International Version (NIV)“God brought them out of Egypt; they have the strength of a wild ox. They devour hostile nations and break their bones in pieces; with their arrows they pierce them.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“God brings him out of Egypt; He has strength like a wild ox; He shall consume the nations, his enemies; He shall break their bones And pierce them with his arrows.
- New Living Translation (NLT)God brought them out of Egypt; for them he is as strong as a wild ox. He devours all the nations that oppose him, breaking their bones in pieces, shooting them with arrows.
Context of Numbers 24:8
6Like palm groves that stretch afar, like gardens beside a river, like aloes that the Lord has planted, like cedar trees beside the waters. 7Water shall flow from his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters; his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted. God brings him out of Egypt and is for him like the horns of the wild ox; he shall eat up the nations, his adversaries, and shall break their bones in pieces and pierce them through with his arrows. 9He crouched, he lay down like a lion and like a lioness; who will rouse him up? Blessed are those who bless you, and cursed are those who curse you." 10And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he struck his hands together. And Balak said to Balaam, "I called you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have blessed them these three times.
Read all of Numbers 24Numbers 24:8 word by word
אֵ֚ל מוֹצִיא֣וֹ מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם כְּתוֹעֲפֹ֥ת רְאֵ֖ם ל֑וֹ יֹאכַ֞ל גּוֹיִ֣ם צָרָ֗יו וְעַצְמֹתֵיהֶ֛ם יְגָרֵ֖ם וְחִצָּ֥יו יִמְחָֽץ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Godאֵל'êl · GodH410
- brought him forthיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: sendH3318
- out of Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםmitsrayim · EgyptH4714
- he hath as it were the strengthתּוֹעָפָהtô‛âphâh · peakH8443
- of an unicornרְאֵםre'êm re'êym rêym rêm · wild oxH7214
- he shall eat upאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
- the nationsגּוֹיgôy gôy · nationH1471
- his enemiesצַרtsar tsâr · enemyH6862
- and shall breakגָּרַםgâram · to break bonesH1633
- their bonesעֶ֫צֶם‛etsem · boneH6106
- and pierceמָחַץmâchats · to woundH4272
- through with his arrowsחֵץchêts · arrowH2671
Cross-references for Numbers 24:8
- Genesis 49:9Judah is a lion's cub; from the prey, my son, you have gone up. He stooped down; he crouched as a lion and as a lioness; who dares rouse him?
- Job 38:39"Can you hunt the prey for the lion, or satisfy the appetite of the young lions,
- Numbers 23:24Behold, a people! As a lioness it rises up and as a lion it lifts itself; it does not lie down until it has devoured the prey and drunk the blood of the slain."
- Job 41:10No one is so fierce that he dares to stir him up. Who then is he who can stand before me?
- Psalms 2:12Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.
- Genesis 12:3I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."
- Genesis 27:29Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers, and may your mother's sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be everyone who blesses you!"
- Psalms 122:6Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! "May they be secure who love you!
- Matthew 25:40And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'
- Acts 9:5And he said, "Who are you, Lord?" And he said, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
Commentaries on Numbers 24:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8God brought him forth out of Egypt - They were neither expelled thence, nor came voluntarily away. God alone, with a high hand and uplifted arm, brought them forth. Concerning the unicorn, see Numbers 23:22; (note).Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7-9God's blessing would allow the Israelites defeat their enemies (see 24:15–24). Agag was an Amalekite king whom King Saul defeated (1 Samuel 15:7–9, 32–33). The Amalekites, a desert people, were traditional enemies of the Hebrews (compare Numbers 14:45; Exodus 17:8–16). Agag was probably a traditional title for their king. Since God brought Israel out of Egypt, he fought for them like a warrior and a wild animal (wild ox and lion; Numbers 24:8–9). Blessed…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-251. to seek for--that is, to use enchantments. His experience on the two former occasions [Nu 23:3, 15] had taught him that these superstitious accompaniments of his worship were useless, and therefore he now simply looked towards the camp of Israel, either with a secret design to curse them, or to await the divine afflatus.Read the comment
Topics related to Numbers 24:8
In the dictionaries
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
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Commentaries