The Meaning of Numbers 23:1 Explained

Numbers 23:1

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

YLT: And Balaam saith unto Balak, 'Build for me in this place seven altars, and make ready for me in this place seven bullocks and seven rams.'

Darby: And Balaam said to Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams.

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

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Numbers 23:1 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 .

Context Summary

Numbers 23:1-12 - A Blessing Instead Of A Curse
Notice the position of these chapters, preceding the awful story of Baal-peor. Presently the Israelites will be perpetrating such terrible sins that it might seem impossible for God to continue to acknowledge them; yet here God stands for them and restrains the spirit of evil. He will take their chastisement, when needed, into his own hands.
With all his might Balaam strove to earn the royal gifts. Ah, thought he, that I could really feel that I was the organ of the divine malediction! But he could not feel in his heart that God's spirit was urging him in the direction that Balak wished. The stream of destiny was not running that way. On the contrary, he could forge no weapon against Israel that could prosper, and when he tried to raise his tongue in judgment against the people of God he was condemned. It was as if God said, "Touch not mine anointed." Psalms 105:15; Isaiah 54:17; Romans 8:31. [source]

Chapter Summary: Numbers 23

1  Balak's sacrifices

What do the individual words in Numbers 23:1 mean?

And said Balaam to Balak Build for me in this [place] seven altars and prepare for me in this [place] bulls and seven rams
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר בִּלְעָם֙ אֶל־ בָּלָ֔ק בְּנֵה־ לִ֥י בָזֶ֖ה שִׁבְעָ֣ה מִזְבְּחֹ֑ת וְהָכֵ֥ן לִי֙ בָּזֶ֔ה פָרִ֖ים וְשִׁבְעָ֥ה אֵילִֽים

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
בִּלְעָם֙  Balaam 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: בִּלְעָם 
Sense: the son of Beor, a man endowed with the gift of prophecy.
בָּלָ֔ק  Balak 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: בָּלָק  
Sense: a king of Moab who hired Balaam to curse Israel.
בְּנֵה־  Build 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: בָּנָה  
Sense: to build, rebuild, establish, cause to continue.
לִ֥י  for  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
בָזֶ֖ה  in  this  [place] 
Parse: Preposition-b, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
שִׁבְעָ֣ה  seven 
Parse: Number, masculine singular
Root: שֶׁבַע  
Sense: seven (cardinal number).
מִזְבְּחֹ֑ת  altars 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: מִזְבֵּחַ  
Sense: altar.
וְהָכֵ֥ן  and  prepare 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: כּוּן 
Sense: to be firm, be stable, be established.
לִי֙  for  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
בָּזֶ֔ה  in  this  [place] 
Parse: Preposition-b, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
פָרִ֖ים  bulls 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: פַּר  
Sense: .
וְשִׁבְעָ֥ה  and  seven 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Number, masculine singular
Root: שֶׁבַע  
Sense: seven (cardinal number).
אֵילִֽים  rams 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אַיִל 
Sense: ram.