Numbers 23:1-10
New English Translation
Balaam Blesses Israel
23 [a] Balaam said to Balak, “Build me seven altars here, and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams.” 2 So Balak did just as Balaam had said. Balak and Balaam then offered on each[b] altar a bull and a ram. 3 Balaam said to Balak, “Station yourself[c] by your burnt offering, and I will go off; perhaps the Lord will come to meet me, and whatever he reveals to me[d] I will tell you.”[e] Then he went to a deserted height.[f]
4 Then God met Balaam, who[g] said to him, “I have prepared seven altars, and I have offered on each altar a bull and a ram.” 5 Then the Lord put a message[h] in Balaam’s mouth and said, “Return to Balak, and speak what I tell you.”[i]
6 So he returned to him, and he was still[j] standing by his burnt offering, he and all the princes of Moab. 7 Then Balaam[k] uttered[l] his oracle, saying,
“Balak, the king of Moab, brought me[m] from Aram,
out of the mountains of the east, saying,
‘Come, pronounce a curse on Jacob for me;
come, denounce Israel.’[n]
8 How[o] can I curse[p] one whom God has not cursed,
or how can I denounce one whom the Lord has not denounced?
9 For from the top of the rocks I see them;[q]
from the hills I watch them.[r]
Indeed, a nation that lives alone,
and it will not be reckoned[s] among the nations.
10 Who[t] can count[u] the dust[v] of Jacob,
or number[w] the fourth part of Israel?
Let me[x] die the death of the upright,[y]
and let the end of my life[z] be like theirs.”[aa]
Footnotes
- Numbers 23:1 sn The first part of Balaam’s activity ends in disaster for Balak—he blesses Israel. The chapter falls into four units: the first prophecy (vv. 1-10), the relocation (vv. 11-17), the second prophecy (vv. 18-24), and a further location (vv. 25-30).
- Numbers 23:2 tn The Hebrew text has “on the altar,” but since there were seven of each animal and seven altars, the implication is that this means on each altar.
- Numbers 23:3 tn The verb הִתְיַצֵּב (hityatsev) means “to take a stand, station oneself.” It is more intentional than simply standing by something. He was to position himself by the sacrifice as Balaam withdrew to seek the oracle.
- Numbers 23:3 tn Heb “and the word of what he shows me.” The noun is in construct, and so the clause that follows functions as a noun clause in the genitive. The point is that the word will consist of divine revelation.
- Numbers 23:3 tn The verb is the perfect tense with vav (ו) consecutive. This clause is dependent on the clause that precedes it.
- Numbers 23:3 sn He went up to a bald spot, to a barren height. The statement underscores the general belief that such tops were the closest things to the gods. On such heights people built their shrines and temples.
- Numbers 23:4 tn The relative pronoun is added here in place of the conjunction to clarify that Balaam is speaking to God and not vice versa.
- Numbers 23:5 tn Heb “word.”
- Numbers 23:5 tn Heb “and thus you shall speak.”
- Numbers 23:6 tn The Hebrew text draws the vividness of the scene with the deictic particle הִנֵּה (hinneh)—Balaam returned, and there he was, standing there.
- Numbers 23:7 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Balaam) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Numbers 23:7 tn Heb “took up.”
- Numbers 23:7 tn The passage calls for a past tense translation; since the verb form is a prefixed conjugation, this tense should be classified as a preterite without the vav (ו). Such forms do occur, especially in the ancient poetic passages.
- Numbers 23:7 sn The opening lines seem to be a formula for the seer to identify himself and the occasion for the oracle. The tension is laid out early; Balaam knows that God has intended to bless Israel, but he has been paid to curse them.
- Numbers 23:8 tn The figure is erotesis, a rhetorical question. He is actually saying he cannot curse them because God has not cursed them.
- Numbers 23:8 tn The imperfect tense should here be classified as a potential imperfect.
- Numbers 23:9 tn Heb “him,” but here it refers to the Israelites (Israel).
- Numbers 23:9 sn Balaam reports his observation of the nation of Israel spread out below him in the valley. Based on that vision, and the Lord’s word, he announces the uniqueness of Israel—they are not just like one of the other nations. He was correct, of course; they were the only people linked with the living God by covenant.
- Numbers 23:9 tn The verb could also be taken as a reflexive—Israel does not consider itself as among the nations, meaning, they consider themselves to be unique.
- Numbers 23:10 tn The question is again rhetorical; it means no one can count them—they are innumerable.
- Numbers 23:10 tn The perfect tense can also be classified as a potential nuance. It does not occur very often, but does occur several times.
- Numbers 23:10 sn The reference in the oracle is back to Gen 13:16, which would not be clear to Balaam. But God had described their growth like the dust of the earth. Here it is part of the description of the vast numbers.
- Numbers 23:10 tn Heb “and as a number, the fourth part of Israel.” The noun in the MT is not in the construct state, and so it should be taken as an adverbial accusative, forming a parallel with the verb “count.” The second object of the verse then follows, “the fourth part of Israel.” Smr and the LXX have “and who has numbered” (וּמִסְפָּר, umispar), making this colon more parallel to the preceding one. The editor of BHS prefers this reading.
- Numbers 23:10 tn The use of נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) for the subject of the verb stresses the personal nature—me.
- Numbers 23:10 sn Here the seer’s words link with the promise of Gen 12:3, that whoever blesses Israel will be blessed. Since the blessing belongs to them, the upright (and not Balak), Balaam would like his lot to be with them.
- Numbers 23:10 tn Heb “my latter end.”
- Numbers 23:10 tn Heb “his.”
Numbers 23:1-10
Christian Standard Bible
Balaam’s Oracles
23 Then Balaam said to Balak, “Build me seven altars here and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me.”(A) 2 So Balak did as Balaam directed, and they offered a bull and a ram on each altar. 3 Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here by your burnt offering while I am gone. Maybe the Lord will meet with me. I will tell you whatever he reveals to me.” So he went to a barren hill.
4 God met with him and Balaam said to him, “I have arranged seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.” 5 Then the Lord put a message in Balaam’s mouth and said, “Return to Balak and say what I tell you.”
6 So he returned to Balak, who was standing there by his burnt offering with all the officials of Moab.
Balaam’s First Oracle
7 Balaam proclaimed his poem:
Balak brought me from Aram;(B)
the king of Moab, from the eastern mountains:
“Come, put a curse on Jacob for me;
come, denounce Israel!” (C)
8 How can I curse someone God has not cursed?
How can I denounce someone the Lord has not denounced?
9 I see them from the top of rocky cliffs,
and I watch them from the hills.
There is a people living alone;(D)
it does not consider itself among the nations.
10 Who has counted the dust of Jacob(E)
or numbered even one-fourth of Israel?
Let me die the death of the upright;
let the end of my life be like theirs.
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