The Meaning of Numbers 23:9 Explained

Numbers 23:9

KJV: For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him: lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations.

YLT: For from the top of rocks I see it, And from heights I behold it; Lo a people! alone it doth tabernacle, And among nations doth not reckon itself.

Darby: For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him: Lo, it is a people that shall dwell alone and shall not be reckoned among the nations.

ASV: For from the top of the rocks I see him, And from the hills I behold him: lo, it is a people that dwelleth alone, And shall not be reckoned among the nations.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For from the top  of the rocks  I see  him, and from the hills  I behold  him: lo, the people  shall dwell  alone,  and shall not be reckoned  among the nations. 

What does Numbers 23:9 Mean?

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 23:9 mean?

for from the top of the rocks I see him and from the hills I behold him there a people alone dwelling and among the nations Not reckoning itself
כִּֽי־ מֵרֹ֤אשׁ צֻרִים֙ אֶרְאֶ֔נּוּ וּמִגְּבָע֖וֹת אֲשׁוּרֶ֑נּוּ הֶן־ עָם֙ לְבָדָ֣ד יִשְׁכֹּ֔ן וּבַגּוֹיִ֖ם לֹ֥א יִתְחַשָּֽׁב

מֵרֹ֤אשׁ  from  the  top 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
צֻרִים֙  of  the  rocks 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: צוּר 
Sense: rock, cliff.
אֶרְאֶ֔נּוּ  I  see  him 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular, third person masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
וּמִגְּבָע֖וֹת  and  from  the  hills 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m, Noun, feminine plural
Root: גִּבְעָה  
Sense: hill.
אֲשׁוּרֶ֑נּוּ  I  behold  him 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular, third person masculine singular
Root: שׁוּר  
Sense: to see, behold, observe, regard.
עָם֙  a  people 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
לְבָדָ֣ד  alone 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: בָּדָד  
Sense: isolation, withdrawal, separation.
יִשְׁכֹּ֔ן  dwelling 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁכַן  
Sense: to settle down, abide, dwell, tabernacle, reside.
וּבַגּוֹיִ֖ם  and  among  the  nations 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: גֹּוי 
Sense: nation, people.
יִתְחַשָּֽׁב  reckoning  itself 
Parse: Verb, Hitpael, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָשַׁב 
Sense: to think, plan, esteem, calculate, invent, make a judgment, imagine, count.