The Living Word

KING JAMES VERSION

"The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever."

— Isaiah 40:8

Numbers 23

Listen to the Word

Initializing audio...

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36

1

And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams.

WhatsApp Copy

2

And Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bullock and a ram.

WhatsApp Copy

3

And Balaam said unto Balak, Stand by thy burnt offering, and I will go: peradventure the LORD will come to meet me: and whatsoever he showeth me I will tell thee. And he went to an high place.

WhatsApp Copy

4

And God met Balaam: and he said unto him, I have prepared seven altars, and I have offered upon every altar a bullock and a ram.

WhatsApp Copy

5

And the LORD put a word in Balaam's mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus thou shalt speak.

WhatsApp Copy

6

And he returned unto him, and, lo, he stood by his burnt sacrifice, he, and all the princes of Moab.

WhatsApp Copy

7

And he took up his parable, and said, Balak the king of Moab hath brought me from Aram, out of the mountains of the east, saying, Come, curse me Jacob, and come, defy Israel.

WhatsApp Copy

8

How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the LORD hath not defied?

WhatsApp Copy

9

For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him: lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations.

WhatsApp Copy

10

Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his!

WhatsApp Copy

11

And Balak said unto Balaam, What hast thou done unto me? I took thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast blessed them altogether.

WhatsApp Copy

12

And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD hath put in my mouth?

WhatsApp Copy

13

And Balak said unto him, Come, I pray thee, with me unto another place, from whence thou mayest see them: thou shalt see but the utmost part of them, and shalt not see them all: and curse me them from thence.

WhatsApp Copy

14

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.

WhatsApp Copy

15

And he said unto Balak, Stand here by thy burnt offering, while I meet the LORD yonder.

WhatsApp Copy

16

And the LORD met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Go again unto Balak, and say thus.

WhatsApp Copy

17

And when he came to him, behold, he stood by his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said unto him, What hath the LORD spoken?

WhatsApp Copy

18

And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor:

WhatsApp Copy

19

God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?

WhatsApp Copy

20

Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.

WhatsApp Copy

21

He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the LORD his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them.

WhatsApp Copy

22

God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn.

WhatsApp Copy

23

Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel: according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought!

WhatsApp Copy

24

Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion, and lift up himself as a young lion: he shall not lie down until he eat of the prey, and drink the blood of the slain.

WhatsApp Copy

25

And Balak said unto Balaam, Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all.

WhatsApp Copy

26

But Balaam answered and said unto Balak, Told not I thee, saying, All that the LORD speaketh, that I must do?

WhatsApp Copy

27

And Balak said unto Balaam, Come, I pray thee, I will bring thee unto another place; peradventure it will please God that thou mayest curse me them from thence.

WhatsApp Copy

28

And Balak brought Balaam unto the top of Peor, that looketh toward Jeshimon.

WhatsApp Copy

29

And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams.

WhatsApp Copy

30

And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar.

WhatsApp Copy

Previous Next

Chapter Study & Analysis

Overview

Balaam attempts to curse Israel from the high places of Baal. Instead, God puts a word in his mouth, blessing Israel as a people that shall "dwell alone" and not be reckoned among the nations. In his second prophecy, he declares, "God is not a man, that he should lie."

Practical Lessons

1. The Infallibility of God’s Word: What God has promised, He is able to perform. He does not change His mind like men do.
2. Separation of God’s People: Israel’s strength lies in being distinct and set apart for God’s purpose.
3. No Enchantment against God: Sorcery and divination have no power over those who are under the protection of the Almighty.

Copied to clipboard!