Numbers 23:10

Numbers 23:10 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his!
• New International Version (NIV)Who can count the dust of Jacob or number even a fourth of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and may my final end be like theirs!”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Who can count the dust of Jacob or number the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the upright, and let my end be like his!"
• New King James Version (NKJV)“Who can count the dust of Jacob, Or number one-fourth of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, And let my end be like his!”

Context of Numbers 23:10

8How can I curse those whom God hasn’t cursed? How can I condemn those whom the Lord hasn’t condemned? 9I see them from the top of rocky cliffs, I look at them from the hills. I see a nation that lives by itself, people who do not consider themselves to be like other nations. The descendants of Jacob are like specks of dust. Who can count them or number even one-fourth of the people of Israel? Let me die the death of innocent people. Let my end be like theirs.” 11Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you here to curse my enemies, but all you’ve done is bless them!” 12Balaam answered, “I must say what the Lord tells me to say.”

Numbers 23:10 word by word

מִ֤י מָנָה֙ עֲפַ֣ר יַעֲקֹ֔ב וּמִסְפָּ֖ר אֶת־רֹ֣בַע יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל תָּמֹ֤ת נַפְשִׁי֙ מ֣וֹת יְשָׁרִ֔ים וּתְהִ֥י אַחֲרִיתִ֖י כָּמֹֽהוּ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Who can countמָנָהmânâh · to countH4487
• the dustעָפָר‛âphâr · dustH6083
• of Jacobיַעֲקֹבya‛ăqôb · JacobH3290
• and the numberמִסְפָּרmispâr · numberH4557
• of the fourthרֹ֫בַעrôba‛ · fourthH7255
• of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• Let me dieנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: myselfH5315
• Let me dieמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
• the deathמָ֫וֶתmâveth · deathH4194
• of the righteousיָשָׁרyâshâr · uprightH3477
• and let my lastאַחֲרִית'achărîyth · endH319

Cross-references for Numbers 23:10

• Genesis 13:16I will also give you as many descendants as the dust of the earth. If anyone could count the dust of the earth, then he could also count your descendants.
• Genesis 22:17I will certainly bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and the grains of sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of their enemies’ cities.
• Genesis 28:14Your descendants will be like the dust on the earth. You will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. Through you and through your descendant every family on earth will be blessed.
• Numbers 2:9“The grand total of all the troops in Judah’s camp is 186,400. They will be the first group to move out.
• Psalms 37:37Notice the innocent person, and look at the decent person, because the peacemaker has a future.
• Psalms 116:15Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful ones.
• Proverbs 14:32A wicked person is thrown down by his own wrongdoing, but even in his death a righteous person has a refuge.
• Isaiah 57:1Righteous people die, and no one cares. Loyal people are taken away, and no one understands. Righteous people are spared when evil comes.
• Luke 2:29“Now, Lord, you are allowing your servant to leave in peace as you promised.
• 1 Corinthians 3:21So don’t brag about people. Everything belongs to you.
• 1 Corinthians 15:53This body that decays must be changed into a body that cannot decay. This mortal body must be changed into a body that will live forever.
• 2 Corinthians 5:1We know that if the life we live here on earth is ever taken down like a tent, we still have a building from God. It is an eternal house in heaven that isn’t made by human hands.
• Philippians 1:21Christ means everything to me in this life, and when I die I’ll have even more.
• 2 Timothy 4:6My life is coming to an end, and it is now time for me to be poured out as a sacrifice to God.
• 2 Peter 1:13As long as I’m still alive, I think it’s right to refresh your memory.
• Revelation 14:13I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: From now on those who die believing in the Lord are blessed.” “Yes,” says the Spirit. “Let them rest from their hard work. What they have done goes with them.”

Commentaries on Numbers 23:10

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 10Let me die the death of the righteous - Probably Balaam had some presentiment that he should be taken off by a premature death, and therefore he lodges this petition against it. The death of the righteous in those times implied being gathered to one's fathers in a good old age, having seen his children, and children's children; and to this, probably, the latter part of this petition applies: And let my last end be like his, (כמהו אחריתי ותהי uthehi…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 10The fourth part of Israel - i. e., each one of the four camps, into which the host of Israel was divided (see Genesis 13:16; Genesis 28:14. The righteous - i. e., the ancestors of Israel, who “died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off” Hebrews 11:13. With their histories Balaam was familiar, particularly with that of Abraham, “the righteous man” whom God had “raised up from the east (and) called to His foot” Isaiah…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7-10In his first message from God, Balaam reviewed why he had come to Moab (23:5, 16). He explained how Balak had called him. He also stressed that God had a special relationship with Israel. Balaam made clear that he could not harm Israel because God was protecting them. These messages are written as poetry. Hebrew poetry often uses parallelism. Parallelism places two similar lines together. The second line repeats or strengthens the first line in a clear…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1010. Who can count the dust of Jacob?--an Oriental hyperbole for a very populous nation, as Jacob's posterity was promised to be (Ge 13:16; 28:14). the number of the fourth part of Israel--that is, the camp consisted of four divisions; every one of these parts was formidable in numbers. Let me die the death of the righteous--Hebrew, "of Jeshurun"; or, the Israelites. The meaning is: they are a people happy, above all others, not only in life, but at death…Read the comment

Topics related to Numbers 23:10

• Death

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Jacob
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Fourth Part
• Count
• Abel-Shittim
• Balaam
• Balak
• Bless

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