New King James Version
Numbers 24:17
17“I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; A Star shall come out of Jacob; A Scepter shall rise out of Israel, And batter the brow of Moab, And destroy all the sons of tumult.
Numbers 24:17 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.
- New International Version (NIV)“I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel. He will crush the foreheads of Moab, the skulls of all the people of Sheth.
- English Standard Version (ESV)I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near: a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel; it shall crush the forehead of Moab and break down all the sons of Sheth.
- New Living Translation (NLT)I see him, but not here and now. I perceive him, but far in the distant future. A star will rise from Jacob; a scepter will emerge from Israel. It will crush the heads of Moab’s people, cracking the skulls of the people of Sheth.
Context of Numbers 24:17
15So he took up his oracle and said: “The utterance of Balaam the son of Beor, And the utterance of the man whose eyes are opened; 16The utterance of him who hears the words of God, And has the knowledge of the Most High, Who sees the vision of the Almighty, Who falls down, with eyes wide open: “I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; A Star shall come out of Jacob; A Scepter shall rise out of Israel, And batter the brow of Moab, And destroy all the sons of tumult. 18“And Edom shall be a possession; Seir also, his enemies, shall be a possession, While Israel does valiantly. 19Out of Jacob One shall have dominion, And destroy the remains of the city.”
Read all of Numbers 24Numbers 24:17 word by word
אֶרְאֶ֙נּוּ֙ וְלֹ֣א עַתָּ֔ה אֲשׁוּרֶ֖נּוּ וְלֹ֣א קָר֑וֹב דָּרַ֨ךְ כּוֹכָ֜ב מִֽיַּעֲקֹ֗ב וְקָ֥ם שֵׁ֙בֶט֙ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וּמָחַץ֙ פַּאֲתֵ֣י מוֹאָ֔ב וְקַרְקַ֖ר כָּל־בְּנֵי־שֵֽׁת׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- I shall seeרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- him, but not now: I shall beholdשׁוּרshûr · to seeH7789
- him, but not nighקָרֹבqârôb qârôb · nearH7138
- there shall comeדָּרַךְdârak · to treadH1869
- a Starכּוֹכָבkôkâb · starH3556
- out of Jacobיַעֲקֹבya‛ăqôb · JacobH3290
- and a Sceptreשֵׁ֫בֶטshêbeţ · tribe: staffH7626
- shall riseקוּםqûm · to arise: riseH6965
- out of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- and shall smiteמָחַץmâchats · to woundH4272
- the cornersפֵּאָהpê'âh · sideH6285
- of Moabמוֹאָבmô'âb · MoabH4124
- and destroyקָרַרqûr · to destroyH6979
- all the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
- of Shethשֵׁתshêth · ShethH8351
- of Shethשֵׁתshêth · SethH8352
Cross-references for Numbers 24:17
- Genesis 27:29Let peoples serve you, And nations bow down to you. Be master over your brethren, And let your mother’s sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you, And blessed be those who bless you!”
- 2 Samuel 8:14He also put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom he put garrisons, and all the Edomites became David’s servants. And the Lord preserved David wherever he went.
- Psalms 60:1O God, You have cast us off; You have broken us down; You have been displeased; Oh, restore us again!
- Psalms 8:1O Lord, our Lord, How excellent is Your name in all the earth, Who have set Your glory above the heavens!
- Psalms 9:1I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will tell of all Your marvelous works.
- Psalms 10:1Why do You stand afar off, O Lord? Why do You hide in times of trouble?
- Psalms 11:1In the Lord I put my trust; How can you say to my soul, “Flee as a bird to your mountain”?
- Psalms 12:1Help, Lord, for the godly man ceases! For the faithful disappear from among the sons of men.
- Isaiah 34:5“For My sword shall be bathed in heaven; Indeed it shall come down on Edom, And on the people of My curse, for judgment.
- Isaiah 63:1Who is this who comes from Edom, With dyed garments from Bozrah, This One who is glorious in His apparel, Traveling in the greatness of His strength?— “I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save.”
- Amos 9:12That they may possess the remnant of Edom, And all the Gentiles who are called by My name,” Says the Lord who does this thing.
Commentaries on Numbers 24:17
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17I shall see him, but not now - Or, I shall see him, but he is not now. I shall behold him, but not nigh - I shall have a full view of him, but the time is yet distant. That is, The person of whom I am now prophesying does not at present exist among these Israelites, nor shall he appear in this generation. There shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel - a person eminent for wisdom, and formidable for strength and power, shall…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17Render, I see him, though he be not now: I behold him, though he be not near. Balaam here describes what is actually before him in inward vision. Him - i. e., the prince, represented in the succeeding words by the Star and Scepter. The star has among all nations served as a symbol of regal power and splendour: and the birth and future glory of great monarchs were believed by the ancients to be heralded by the appearance of stars or comets: compare also…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-25Verses 15-25 Under the powerful influence of the Spirit of prophecy, Balaam foretold the future prosperity and extensive dominion of Israel. Balaam boasts that his eyes are open. The prophets were in old times called seers. He had heard the words of God, which many do who neither heed them, nor hear God in them. He knew the knowledge of the Most High. A man may be full of the knowledge of God, yet utterly destitute of the grace of God. He calls God the…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17A star symbolized a king (see Isaiah 14:12; Matthew 2:1–10). A scepter symbolized power and majesty (see Genesis 49:10; Psalm 45:6). Historically, King David fits this description. The Moabites, whose defeat Numbers 24:17 mentions, were among the many peoples he conquered during David's rule (2 Samuel 8:2). Yet, Moab remained a threat to Israel after David's time (see 2 Kings 3:1–27; Isaiah 15–16; Jeremiah 48). Many interpreters have extended this image…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1717. I shall see him--rather, "I do see" or "I have seen him"--a prophetic sight, like that of Abraham (Joh 8:56). him--that is, Israel. there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel--This imagery, in the hieroglyphic language of the East, denotes some eminent ruler--primarily David; but secondarily and pre-eminently, the Messiah (see on Ge 49:10). corners--border, often used for a whole country (Ex 8:2; Psa 74:17). children…Read the comment
Topics related to Numbers 24:17
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries