Numbers 22:4

Numbers 22:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Moab said unto the elders of Midian, Now shall this company lick up all that are round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time.
• New International Version (NIV)The Moabites said to the elders of Midian, “This horde is going to lick up everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.” So Balak son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time,
• English Standard Version (ESV)And Moab said to the elders of Midian, "This horde will now lick up all that is around us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field." So Balak the son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time,
• New King James Version (NKJV)So Moab said to the elders of Midian, “Now this company will lick up everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.” And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time.

Context of Numbers 22:4

2Balak son of Zippor, the Moabite king, had seen everything the Israelites did to the Amorites. 3And when the people of Moab saw how many Israelites there were, they were terrified. The king of Moab said to the elders of Midian, “This mob will devour everything in sight, like an ox devours grass in the field!” So Balak, king of Moab, 5sent messengers to call Balaam son of Beor, who was living in his native land of Pethor near the Euphrates River. His message said: “Look, a vast horde of people has arrived from Egypt. They cover the face of the earth and are threatening me. 6Please come and curse these people for me because they are too powerful for me. Then perhaps I will be able to conquer them and drive them from the land. I know that blessings fall on any people you bless, and curses fall on people you curse.”

Numbers 22:4 word by word

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר מוֹאָ֜ב אֶל־זִקְנֵ֣י מִדְיָ֗ן עַתָּ֞ה יְלַחֲכ֤וּ הַקָּהָל֙ אֶת־כָּל־סְבִ֣יבֹתֵ֔ינוּ כִּלְחֹ֣ךְ הַשּׁ֔וֹר אֵ֖ת יֶ֣רֶק הַשָּׂדֶ֑ה וּבָלָ֧ק בֶּן־צִפּ֛וֹר מֶ֥לֶךְ לְמוֹאָ֖ב בָּעֵ֥ת הַהִֽוא׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Moabמוֹאָבmô'âb · MoabH4124
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• unto the eldersזָקֵןzâqên · old: elderH2205
• of Midianמִדְיָןmidyân · MidianH4080
• Now shall this companyקָהָלqâhâl · assemblyH6951
• lick upלָחַךְlâchak · to lickH3897
• round aboutסָבִיבsâbîyb sebîybâh · aroundH5439
• us, as the oxשׁוֹרshôr · cattleH7794
• the grassיֶ֫רֶקyereq · greenH3418
• of the fieldשָׂדֶהώâdeh ώâday · land: countryH7704
• And Balakבָּלָקbâlâq · BalakH1111
• the sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• of Zipporצִפּוֹרtsippôr · ZipporH6834
• kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• at that timeעֵת‛êth · timeH6256

Cross-references for Numbers 22:4

• Numbers 22:7Balak’s messengers, who were elders of Moab and Midian, set out with money to pay Balaam to place a curse upon Israel. They went to Balaam and delivered Balak’s message to him.
• Numbers 25:15The woman’s name was Cozbi; she was the daughter of Zur, the leader of a Midianite clan.
• Numbers 31:8All five of the Midianite kings—Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba—died in the battle. They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword.
• Joshua 13:21The land of Reuben also included all the towns of the plain and the entire kingdom of Sihon. Sihon was the Amorite king who had reigned in Heshbon and was killed by Moses along with the leaders of Midian—Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba—princes living in the region who were allied with Sihon.
• Numbers 24:17I 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.
• Jeremiah 48:38There is crying and sorrow in every Moabite home and on every street. For I have smashed Moab like an old, unwanted jar.
• Numbers 22:2Balak son of Zippor, the Moabite king, had seen everything the Israelites did to the Amorites.
• Judges 11:25Are you any better than Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab? Did he try to make a case against Israel for disputed land? Did he go to war against them?

Commentaries on Numbers 22:4

• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4Midian: This desert people descended from Abraham (Genesis 25:1–2; Exodus 2:15–16). Their agreement with Moab started their conflicts with Israel (Numbers 22:7; see 25:6, 14–18; 31:2–10; Judges 6–8).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. elders of Midian--called kings (Nu 31:8) and princes (Jos 13:21). The Midianites, a distinct people on the southern frontier of Moab, united with them as confederates against Israel, their common enemy.Read the comment

Topics related to Numbers 22:4

• Balak
• Government
• Moabites
• Zippor

In the dictionaries

• Midian
• Moab
• Midian; Midianites
• Moab; Moabites
• Midian, Midianite
• Moab, Moabite
• Balak
• Crush
• Curse
• Lick

Commentaries on Numbers 22

• 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