Numbers 23:4

Numbers 23:4 in other versions

• New International Version (NIV)God met with him, and Balaam said, “I have prepared seven altars, and on each altar I have offered a bull and a ram.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)and God met Balaam. And Balaam said to him, "I have arranged the seven altars and I have offered on each altar a bull and a ram."
• New King James Version (NKJV)And God met Balaam, and he said to Him, “I have prepared the seven altars, and I have offered on each altar a bull and a ram.”
• New Living Translation (NLT)and God met him there. Balaam said to him, “I have prepared seven altars and have sacrificed a young bull and a ram on each altar.”

Context of Numbers 23:4

2And Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bullock and a ram. 3And Balaam said unto Balak, Stand by thy burnt offering, and I will go: peradventure the Lord will come to meet me: and whatsoever he sheweth me I will tell thee. And he went to an high place. And God met Balaam: and he said unto him, I have prepared seven altars, and I have offered upon every altar a bullock and a ram. 5And the Lord put a word in Balaam’s mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus thou shalt speak. 6And he returned unto him, and, lo, he stood by his burnt sacrifice, he, and all the princes of Moab.

Numbers 23:4 word by word

וַיִּקָּ֥ר אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶל־בִּלְעָ֑ם וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֗יו אֶת־שִׁבְעַ֤ת הַֽמִּזְבְּחֹת֙ עָרַ֔כְתִּי וָאַ֛עַל פָּ֥ר וָאַ֖יִל בַּמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃Read the interlinear

• And Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• metקָרָהqârâh · to meetH7136
• Balaamבִּלְעָםbil‛âm · BalaamH1109
• and he saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• unto him, I have preparedעָרַךְ‛ârak · to arrangeH6186
• sevenשֶׁ֫בַעsheba‛ shib‛âh · sevenH7651
• altarsמִזְבֵּחַmizbêach · altarH4196
• and I have offeredעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: offer upH5927
• a bullockפַּרpar pâr · bullockH6499
• and a ramאַ֫יִל'ayil · ramH352

Cross-references for Numbers 23:4

• Numbers 23:16And the Lord met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Go again unto Balak, and say thus.
• Numbers 22:9And God came unto Balaam, and said, What men are these with thee?
• Numbers 23:1And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams.
• Isaiah 58:3Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours.
• Matthew 20:12Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.
• Luke 18:12I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
• John 16:2They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.
• Romans 3:27Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.
• Ephesians 2:9Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Commentaries on Numbers 23:4

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4God met Balaam - God served His own purposes through the arts of Balaam, and manifested His will through the agencies employed to seek it, dealing thus with Balaam in an exceptional manner. To God‘s own people auguries were forbidden Leviticus 19:26. I have prepared seven altars - And therefore Balaam expected that God on His part would do what was desired by the donor; compare Numbers 22:15 note.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-30As a diviner, Balaam carried out rituals to look for signs about the future of Israel (compare 23:23; 24:1). Balak had called him to curse Israel, but God repeatedly stopped him. These sacrifices might have related to extispicy. This was the practice of examining animal livers or other organs to predict the future. Ancient Near Eastern texts show that this fortune-telling method was common and well-developed. God had forbidden Israel from such practices…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 4-64-6. God met Balaam--not in compliance with his incantations, but to frustrate his wicked designs and compel him, contrary to his desires and interests, to pronounce the following benediction [Nu 23:8-10].Read the comment

In the dictionaries

• Balaam
• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Count
• Abel-Shittim
• Balak
• Charm
• Divination
• Genealogy
• Magic; Magician

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