The Meaning of Numbers 22:41 Explained

Numbers 22:41

KJV: And it came to pass on the morrow, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal, that thence he might see the utmost part of the people.

YLT: and it cometh to pass in the morning, that Balak taketh Balaam, and causeth him to go up the high places of Baal, and he seeth from thence the extremity of the people.

Darby: And it came to pass on the morrow, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up to the high places of Baal, and he saw from thence the extremity of the people.

ASV: And it came to pass in the morning, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal; and he saw from thence the utmost part of the people.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And it came to pass on the morrow,  that Balak  took  Balaam,  and brought him up  into the high places  of Baal,  that thence he might see  the utmost  [part] of the people. 

What does Numbers 22:41 Mean?

Study Notes

utmost
"Utmost part," etc., means the end of the encampment, the "fourth part of Israel" Numbers 23:10 . Balak's thought, as Grant (following Keil) points out, was not at all to permit Balaam to see the whole of the Hebrew host. In bringing Balaam to Pisgah Numbers 22:13 ; Numbers 22:14 . Balak corrects what, evidently, he thought a blunder. Numbers 23:13 ; Numbers 23:14 . But when the hireling sees the whole camp he must utter a grander word than before, "He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob," and that with the nation in full view! What an illustration of the truth of Romans 4:5-8 .

Chapter Summary: Numbers 22

1  Balak's first message for Balaam is refused
15  His second message obtains him
22  An angel would have slain him, if he had not been saved by his donkey
36  Balak entertains him

What do the individual words in Numbers 22:41 mean?

So it was the next day that took Balak - Balaam and brought him up into Bamoth-baal that he might observe from there the extent of the people
וַיְהִ֣י בַבֹּ֔קֶר וַיִּקַּ֤ח בָּלָק֙ אֶת־ בִּלְעָ֔ם וַֽיַּעֲלֵ֖הוּ בָּמ֣וֹת בָּ֑עַל וַיַּ֥רְא מִשָּׁ֖ם קְצֵ֥ה הָעָֽם

וַיְהִ֣י  So  it  was 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
בַבֹּ֔קֶר  the  next  day 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: בֹּקֶר 
Sense: morning, break of day.
וַיִּקַּ֤ח  that  took 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
בָּלָק֙  Balak 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: בָּלָק  
Sense: a king of Moab who hired Balaam to curse Israel.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
בִּלְעָ֔ם  Balaam 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: בִּלְעָם 
Sense: the son of Beor, a man endowed with the gift of prophecy.
וַֽיַּעֲלֵ֖הוּ  and  brought  him  up 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine singular
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
בָּמ֣וֹת  into 
Parse: Preposition
בָּ֑עַל  Bamoth-baal 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: בָּמֹות 
Sense: a town on the river Arnon in Moab.
וַיַּ֥רְא  that  he  might  observe 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
מִשָּׁ֖ם  from  there 
Parse: Preposition-m, Adverb
Root: שָׁם  
Sense: there, thither.
קְצֵ֥ה  the  extent 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: קָצֶה 
Sense: end, extremity.
הָעָֽם  of  the  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.