Numbers 23:13-26

Numbers 23:13-26

[13] And Balak  said  I pray thee, with me unto another  place,  from whence thou mayest see  but  the utmost  part of them, and shalt not see  them all: and curse  me them from thence. [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.  [15] And he said  unto Balak,  Stand  here  by thy burnt offering,  while I meet  the LORD yonder.  [16] And the LORD  met  Balaam,  and put  a word  in his mouth,  and said,  Go again  unto Balak,  and say  [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?  [18] And he took up  his parable,  and said,  Rise up,  Balak,  and hear;  hearken  unto me, thou son  of Zippor:  [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?  [20] Behold, I have received  commandment to bless:  and I cannot reverse  [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. [22] God  brought them out  of Egypt;  he hath as it were the strength  of an unicorn.  [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!  [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.  [25] And Balak  said  unto Balaam,  Neither curse  them at all,  nor bless  [26] But Balaam  answered  and said  unto Balak,  Told  not I thee, saying,  All that the LORD  speaketh,  that I must do? 

What does Numbers 23:13-26 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

A new site afforded a better view of Israel, though the whole nation was still not in view. Balak repeated the same ritual of sacrifice.
God does not change His ultimate purposes or go back on His solemn promises. He does, of course, respond to the words and actions of people by adjusting His plans. It is from God"s larger purposes that He does not "repent" ( Numbers 23:19). [1] The point is that God is not fickle. No one can induce Him to curse those whom He has chosen to bless.
"Balaam is constantly shifting, prevaricating, equivocating, changing-he is himself the prime example of the distinction between God and man." [2]
"It may be of interest to note that Pharaoh"s plans were stymied by the apparent deception of the Hebrew midwives and that in Balaam"s second oracle he states, "God is not a Prayer of Manasseh , that he should lie" ( Numbers 23:19)." [3]
God had "not observed misfortune [4] in Jacob" to the extent that He would curse rather than bless the nation ( Numbers 23:21). Obviously Israel had sinned, but her sins were not sufficient to change God"s ultimate purpose to bless her.
"Only in the family is the sinfulness of the people addressed. Since Yahweh the King is in their midst, they are invincible from outside attack." [5]
Israel would be victorious in battle as well as enjoy God"s blessing ( Numbers 23:24; cf. Genesis 49:9-11; Micah 5:8-9). This was the opposite of what Balak wanted to hear. No one can curse someone whom God has blessed.
Since Balaam"s curses had turned out to be blessings, Balak instructed Balaam to say nothing rather than continue to prophesy.
This oracle, as the first, began with a criticism of Balak"s theological assumption that people can manipulate God. In this oracle Balaam saw Israel blessed and God as King walking among His people ( Numbers 23:21). The Exodus was the supreme example of God"s care for Israel ( Numbers 23:22). Israel"s future would be bright just as her past had been ( Numbers 23:23-24). Balaam also alluded to Israel"s possession of the land as God had promised Abraham ( Numbers 23:26). [6]