The Meaning of Numbers 23:22 Explained

Numbers 23:22

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

YLT: God is bringing them out from Egypt, As the swiftness of a Reem is to him;

Darby: God brought him out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of a buffalo.

ASV: God bringeth them forth out of Egypt; He hath as it were the strength of the wild-ox.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Numbers 23:22 Mean?

Study Notes

unicorn
i.e. the aurochs, or wild ox.

Context Summary

Numbers 23:13-30 - No Enchantment Against Israel
Balak was surprised and disappointed. He therefore bethought himself of limiting the seer's vision, so that he might see an attenuated Israel from a height that commanded only a partial view of the camp. How often we try to see only what we want to see! How often we shut our eyes to a rival's real merits! Instead of entering into God's great thoughts we shut ourselves up in a tiny limited world. We will not acknowledge what our pride does not want to acknowledge. We are like children building sand-castles against the tide. You had better bring your mind to harmonize with God's facts than minimize or evade their truth. You are hurting yourself, but can never alter them. Take God's way and be at peace!
Let us ponder Numbers 23:21 -it is as we are in God's purpose; and Numbers 23:23 -when faced by our enemies; and Numbers 23:24 -when most convinced of our helplessness. [source]

Chapter Summary: Numbers 23

1  Balak's sacrifices

What do the individual words in Numbers 23:22 mean?

God brings them out of Egypt like strength a wild ox He has
אֵ֖ל מוֹצִיאָ֣ם מִמִּצְרָ֑יִם כְּתוֹעֲפֹ֥ת רְאֵ֖ם לֽוֹ

אֵ֖ל  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֵל 
Sense: god, god-like one, mighty one.
מוֹצִיאָ֣ם  brings  them  out 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
מִמִּצְרָ֑יִם  of  Egypt 
Parse: Preposition-m, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִצְרַיִם  
Sense: a country at the northeastern section of Africa, adjacent to Palestine, and through which the Nile flows adj Egyptians = “double straits”.
כְּתוֹעֲפֹ֥ת  like  strength 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: תֹּועָפֹות  
Sense: eminence, lofty horns, summit.
רְאֵ֖ם  a  wild  ox 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: רְאֵם  
Sense: probably the great aurochs or wild bulls which are now extinct.
לֽוֹ  He  has 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular