The Meaning of Numbers 22:36 Explained

Numbers 22:36

KJV: And when Balak heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him unto a city of Moab, which is in the border of Arnon, which is in the utmost coast.

YLT: And Balak heareth that Balaam hath come, and goeth out to meet him, unto a city of Moab, which is on the border of Arnon, which is in the extremity of the border;

Darby: And when Balak heard that Balaam came, he went out to meet him, to the city of Moab, which is on the border of the Arnon, which is at the extremity of the border.

ASV: And when Balak heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him unto the City of Moab, which is on the border of the Arnon, which is in the utmost part of the border.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And when Balak  heard  that Balaam  was come,  he went out  to meet  him unto a city  of Moab,  which [is] in the border  of Arnon,  which [is] in the utmost  coast. 

What does Numbers 22:36 Mean?

Context Summary

Numbers 22:21-40 - Balaam Warned What To Speak
If only Balaam had abided by his first answer to Balak's request, he would have been saved from the disgrace and suffering which ensued. But he seemed to think that it was possible to alter God's mind; hence his request to the second company of messengers that they give him time to ascertain God's will. Already that will had been clearly made known to him; what object had he in pressing for a further response?
When, finally, he was told that he might go, he rose up in the morning, saddled his ass, and started post-haste. He was trying to serve two masters-to speak as God bade him, but to please Balak and pocket his gold.
How many agencies God uses to arrest our evil courses! Peter specially refers to this incident, 2 Peter 2:16. Many cries are raised to stop the boat that is caught in the rapids above Niagara! Thus the way of transgressors is made hard by the love of God! [source]

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 22:36 mean?

And when heard Balak that was coming Balaam and he went out to meet him at the city of Moab which [is] on the border at the Arnon that the boundary of the territory
וַיִּשְׁמַ֥ע בָּלָ֖ק כִּ֣י בָ֣א בִלְעָ֑ם וַיֵּצֵ֨א לִקְרָאת֜וֹ אֶל־ עִ֣יר מוֹאָ֗ב אֲשֶׁר֙ עַל־ גְּב֣וּל אַרְנֹ֔ן אֲשֶׁ֖ר בִּקְצֵ֥ה הַגְּבֽוּל

וַיִּשְׁמַ֥ע  And  when  heard 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
בָּלָ֖ק  Balak 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: בָּלָק  
Sense: a king of Moab who hired Balaam to curse Israel.
כִּ֣י  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
בָ֣א  was  coming 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
בִלְעָ֑ם  Balaam 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: בִּלְעָם 
Sense: the son of Beor, a man endowed with the gift of prophecy.
וַיֵּצֵ֨א  and  he  went  out 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
לִקְרָאת֜וֹ  to  meet  him 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, third person masculine singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to encounter, befall, meet.
אֶל־  at 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
עִ֣יר  the  city 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
מוֹאָ֗ב  of  Moab 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מֹואָב 
Sense: a son of Lot by his eldest daughter.
אֲשֶׁר֙  which  [is] 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
גְּב֣וּל  the  border  at 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: גְּבוּל  
Sense: border, territory.
אַרְנֹ֔ן  the  Arnon 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: אַרְנׄון  
Sense: a river and surrounding valley in south Palestine, forms the border between Moab and the Amorites.
אֲשֶׁ֖ר  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
בִּקְצֵ֥ה  the  boundary 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: קָצֶה 
Sense: end, extremity.
הַגְּבֽוּל  of  the  territory 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: גְּבוּל  
Sense: border, territory.