God’s Word Translation
Numbers 22:4
4So the Moabites said to the leaders of Midian, “All those people will eventually eat up everything around us the same way an ox eats up the grass in a field.” At that time Balak, son of Zippor, was king of Moab.
Numbers 22:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Moab said unto the elders of Midian, Now shall this company lick up all that are round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time.
- New International Version (NIV)The Moabites said to the elders of Midian, “This horde is going to lick up everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.” So Balak son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time,
- English Standard Version (ESV)And Moab said to the elders of Midian, "This horde will now lick up all that is around us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field." So Balak the son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time,
- New King James Version (NKJV)So Moab said to the elders of Midian, “Now this company will lick up everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.” And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time.
Context of Numbers 22:4
2Balak, son of Zippor, saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. 3The Moabites were very afraid because there were so many Israelites. Besides, the Moabites couldn’t stand these people. So the Moabites said to the leaders of Midian, “All those people will eventually eat up everything around us the same way an ox eats up the grass in a field.” At that time Balak, son of Zippor, was king of Moab. 5He sent messengers to summon Balaam, son of Beor, who was at Pethor, on the Euphrates River, in the land where his people lived. Balak’s message was, “A nation has just come here from Egypt. They’ve spread out all over the countryside and are setting up their camp here in front of me. 6Please come and curse these people for me, because they are too strong for me. Maybe then I’ll be able to defeat them and force them out of the country. I know that whomever you bless is blessed and whomever you curse is cursed.”
Read all of Numbers 22Numbers 22:4 word by word
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר מוֹאָ֜ב אֶל־זִקְנֵ֣י מִדְיָ֗ן עַתָּ֞ה יְלַחֲכ֤וּ הַקָּהָל֙ אֶת־כָּל־סְבִ֣יבֹתֵ֔ינוּ כִּלְחֹ֣ךְ הַשּׁ֔וֹר אֵ֖ת יֶ֣רֶק הַשָּׂדֶ֑ה וּבָלָ֧ק בֶּן־צִפּ֛וֹר מֶ֥לֶךְ לְמוֹאָ֖ב בָּעֵ֥ת הַהִֽוא׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Moabמוֹאָבmô'âb · MoabH4124
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto the eldersזָקֵןzâqên · old: elderH2205
- of Midianמִדְיָןmidyân · MidianH4080
- Now shall this companyקָהָלqâhâl · assemblyH6951
- lick upלָחַךְlâchak · to lickH3897
- round aboutסָבִיבsâbîyb sebîybâh · aroundH5439
- us, as the oxשׁוֹרshôr · cattleH7794
- the grassיֶ֫רֶקyereq · greenH3418
- of the fieldשָׂדֶהώâdeh ώâday · land: countryH7704
- And Balakבָּלָקbâlâq · BalakH1111
- the sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- of Zipporצִפּוֹרtsippôr · ZipporH6834
- kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- at that timeעֵת‛êth · timeH6256
Cross-references for Numbers 22:4
- Numbers 22:7The leaders of Moab and Midian left, taking money with them to pay for Balaam’s services. They came to Balaam and told him what Balak had said.
- Numbers 25:15The name of the Midianite woman who was killed was Cozbi, daughter of Zur. (Zur was the head of a family from the Midianite tribes.)
- Numbers 31:8Among those killed were the five kings of Midian—Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba. They also killed Balaam, son of Beor, in battle.
- Joshua 13:21It also included all the cities of the plateau, the whole kingdom of King Sihon of the Amorites, who ruled in Heshbon. Moses defeated him and Midian’s leaders—Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba. They were princes of Sihon, who lived in that country.
- Numbers 24:17I see someone who is not here now. I look at someone who is not nearby. A star will come from Jacob. A scepter will rise from Israel. He will crush the heads of the Moabites and destroy all the people of Sheth.
- Jeremiah 48:38People in Moab will mourn on every rooftop and in every street. There will be mourning everywhere, because I will break Moab like a jar that no one wants,” declares the Lord.
- Numbers 22:2Balak, son of Zippor, saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.
- Judges 11:25You’re not any better than Balak, son of King Zippor of Moab, are you? Did he ever have a case against Israel? Or did he ever fight against Israel?
Commentaries on Numbers 22:4
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4Midian: This desert people descended from Abraham (Genesis 25:1–2; Exodus 2:15–16). Their agreement with Moab started their conflicts with Israel (Numbers 22:7; see 25:6, 14–18; 31:2–10; Judges 6–8).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. elders of Midian--called kings (Nu 31:8) and princes (Jos 13:21). The Midianites, a distinct people on the southern frontier of Moab, united with them as confederates against Israel, their common enemy.Read the comment
Topics related to Numbers 22:4
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Numbers 22
- 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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