Numbers 23:14

Numbers 23:14 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And he brought him into the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar.
• New International Version (NIV)So he took him to the field of Zophim on the top of Pisgah, and there he built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And he took him to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
• New Living Translation (NLT)So Balak took Balaam to the plateau of Zophim on Pisgah Peak. He built seven altars there and offered a young bull and a ram on each altar.

Context of Numbers 23:14

12So he answered and said, “Must I not take heed to speak what the Lord has put in my mouth?” 13Then Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place from which you may see them; you shall see only the outer part of them, and shall not see them all; curse them for me from there.” So he brought him to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar. 15And he said to Balak, “Stand here by your burnt offering while I meet the Lord over there.” 16Then the Lord met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, “Go back to Balak, and thus you shall speak.”

Numbers 23:14 word by word

וַיִּקָּחֵ֙הוּ֙ שְׂדֵ֣ה צֹפִ֔ים אֶל־רֹ֖אשׁ הַפִּסְגָּ֑ה וַיִּ֙בֶן֙ שִׁבְעָ֣ה מִזְבְּחֹ֔ת וַיַּ֛עַל פָּ֥ר וָאַ֖יִל בַּמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And he broughtלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
• him into the fieldשָׂדֶהώâdeh ώâday · land: countryH7704
• of Zophimצָפָהtsâphâh · to watchH6822
• of Zophimצֹפִיםtsôphîym · ZophimH6839
• to the topרֹאשׁrô'sh · head: topH7218
• of Pisgahפִּסְגָּהpisgâh · PisgahH6449
• and builtבָּנָהbânâh · to buildH1129
• sevenשֶׁ֫בַעsheba‛ shib‛âh · sevenH7651
• altarsמִזְבֵּחַmizbêach · altarH4196
• and offeredעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: offer upH5927
• a bullockפַּרpar pâr · bullockH6499
• and a ramאַ֫יִל'ayil · ramH352

Cross-references for Numbers 23:14

• Numbers 21:20and from Bamoth, in the valley that is in the country of Moab, to the top of Pisgah which looks down on the wasteland.
• Deuteronomy 3:27Go up to the top of Pisgah, and lift your eyes toward the west, the north, the south, and the east; behold it with your eyes, for you shall not cross over this Jordan.
• Deuteronomy 4:49and all the plain on the east side of the Jordan as far as the Sea of the Arabah, below the slopes of Pisgah.
• Deuteronomy 34:1Then Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is across from Jericho. And the Lord showed him all the land of Gilead as far as Dan,
• Numbers 23:1Then Balaam said to Balak, “Build seven altars for me here, and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams.”
• Isaiah 1:10Hear the word of the Lord, You rulers of Sodom; Give ear to the law of our God, You people of Gomorrah:
• Isaiah 46:6They lavish gold out of the bag, And weigh silver on the scales; They hire a goldsmith, and he makes it a god; They prostrate themselves, yes, they worship.
• Hosea 12:11Though Gilead has idols— Surely they are vanity— Though they sacrifice bulls in Gilgal, Indeed their altars shall be heaps in the furrows of the field.

Commentaries on Numbers 23:14

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 14The field of Zophim - Or, “of watchers.” It lay upon the top of Pisgah, north of the former station, and nearer to the Israelite camp; the greater part of which was, however, probably concealed from it by an intervening spur of the hill. Beyond the camp Balaam‘s eye would pass on to the bed of the Jordan. It was perhaps a lion coming up in his strength from the swelling of that stream (compare Jeremiah 49:19) that furnished him with the augury he awaited…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-30Verses 11-30 Balak was angry with Balaam. Thus a confession of God's overruling power is extorted from a wicked prophet, to the confusion of a wicked prince. A second time the curse is turned into a blessing; and this blessing is both larger and stronger than the former. Men change their minds, and break their words; but God never changes his mind, and therefore never recalls his promise. And when in Scripture he is said to repent, it does not mean any…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 13-26Balak hoped for different results by changing the location. The exact location of the plateau of Zophim on Pisgah Peak is unknown. Yet, Pisgah is part of the ridge that is above the plains of Moab (Deuteronomy 34:1). It is near Bamoth-baal and Mount Peor (Numbers 22:41; 23:28).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 13-1513-15. Come, ... with me unto another place, from whence thou mayest see them--Surprised and disappointed at this unexpected eulogy on Israel, Balak hoped that, if seen from a different point of observation, the prophet would give utterance to different feelings; and so, having made the same solemn preparations, Balaam retired, as before, to wait the divine afflatus.Read the comment

Topics related to Numbers 23:14

• Altar
• Pisgah
• Zophim

In the dictionaries

• Count
• Pisgah
• Zophim, Field of
• Abel-Shittim
• Balaam
• 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