New English Translation
Numbers 24:9
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!’”
Numbers 24:9 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)He couched, he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion: who shall stir him up? Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee.
- New International Version (NIV)Like a lion they crouch and lie down, like a lioness—who dares to rouse them? “May those who bless you be blessed and those who curse you be cursed!”
- English Standard Version (ESV)He 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."
- New King James Version (NKJV)‘He bows down, he lies down as a lion; And as a lion, who shall rouse him?’ “Blessed is he who blesses you, And cursed is he who curses you.”
Context of Numbers 24:9
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. 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. They 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! 11So now, go back where you came from! I said that I would greatly honor you; but now the Lord has stood in the way of your honor.”
Read all of Numbers 24Numbers 24:9 word by word
כָּרַ֨ע שָׁכַ֧ב כַּאֲרִ֛י וּכְלָבִ֖יא מִ֣י יְקִימֶ֑נּוּ מְבָרֲכֶ֣יךָ בָר֔וּךְ וְאֹרְרֶ֖יךָ אָרֽוּר׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- He couchedכָּרַעkâra‛ · to bowH3766
- he lay downשָׁכַבshâkab · to lie down: lay downH7901
- as a lionאֲרִי'ărîy 'aryêh · lionH738
- and as a great lionלָבִיאlâbîy' lebîyâ' lebâ'îym lebâ'ôth · lionH3833
- who shall stir him upקוּםqûm · to arise: riseH6965
- Blessedבָּרַךְbârak · to blessH1288
- thee, and cursedאָרַר'ârar · to curseH779
Cross-references for Numbers 24:9
- Job 27:23It claps its hands at him in derision and hisses him away from his place.
- Ezekiel 21:14“And you, son of man, prophesy, and clap your hands together. Let the sword strike twice, even three times! It is a sword for slaughter, a sword for the great slaughter surrounding them.
- Ezekiel 22:13“‘See, I strike my hands together at the dishonest profit you have made, and at the bloodshed they have done among you.
- Numbers 22:6So now, please come and curse this nation for me, for they are too powerful for me. Perhaps I will prevail so that we may conquer them and drive them out of the land. For I know that whoever you bless is blessed, and whoever you curse is cursed.”
- Numbers 23:11Then Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies, but on the contrary you have only blessed them!”
- Deuteronomy 23:4for they did not meet you with food and water on the way as you came from Egypt, and furthermore, they hired Balaam son of Beor of Pethor in Aram Naharaim to curse you.
- Joshua 24:9Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, launched an attack against Israel. He summoned Balaam son of Beor to call down judgment on you.
- Nehemiah 13:2for they had not met the Israelites with food and water, but instead had hired Balaam to curse them. (Our God, however, turned the curse into blessing.)
Commentaries on Numbers 24:9
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9He couched, he lay down as a lion, etc. - See the original terms explained Numbers 23:24; (note). These oracles, delivered by Balaam, are evident prophecies of the victories which the Israelites should gain over their enemies, and of their firm possession of the promised land. They may also refer to the great victories to be obtained by the Lord Jesus Christ, that Lion of the tribe of Judah, over sin, death, and Satan, the grand enemies of the human race…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 24:9
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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