New English Translation
Numbers 24:8
8God brought them out of Egypt. They have, as it were, the strength of a young bull; they will devour hostile people and will break their bones and will pierce them through with 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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)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.
- 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.
Context of Numbers 24:8
6They are like valleys stretched forth, like gardens by the river’s side, like aloes that the Lord has planted, and like cedar trees beside the waters. 7He will pour the water out of his buckets, and their descendants will be like abundant water; their king will be greater than Agag, and their kingdom will be exalted. God brought them out of Egypt. They have, as it were, the strength of a young bull; they will devour hostile people and will break their bones and will pierce them through with arrows. 9They crouch and lie down like a lion, and as a lioness, who can stir him? Blessed is the one who blesses you, and cursed is the one who curses you!’” 10Then Balak became very angry at Balaam, and he struck his hands together. Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, and look, you have done nothing but bless 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 49:9You are a lion’s cub, Judah, from the prey, my son, you have gone up. He crouches and lies down like a lion; like a lioness – who will rouse him?
- Job 38:39“Do you hunt prey for the lioness, and satisfy the appetite of the lions,
- Numbers 23:24Indeed, the people will rise up like a lioness, and like a lion raises himself up; they will not lie down until they eat their prey, and drink the blood of the slain.”
- Job 41:10Is it not fierce when it is awakened? Who is he, then, who can stand before it?
- Psalms 2:12Give sincere homage! Otherwise he will be angry, and you will die because of your behavior, when his anger quickly ignites. How blessed are all who take shelter in him!
- Genesis 12:3I will bless those who bless you, but the one who treats you lightly I must curse, and all the families of the earth will bless one another by your name.”
- Genesis 27:29May peoples serve you and nations bow down to you. You will be lord over your brothers, and the sons of your mother will bow down to you. May those who curse you be cursed, and those who bless you be blessed.”
- Psalms 122:6Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! May those who love her prosper!
- Matthew 25:40And the king will answer them, ‘I tell you the truth, just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of mine, you did it for me.’
- Acts 9:5So he said, “Who are you, Lord?” He replied, “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