Números 23

ARC · Chapter 23/36

1Então Balaão disse a Balac: Edifica-me aqui sete altares, e prepara-me aqui sete bezerros e sete carneiros.

2Fez pois Balac como Balaão dissera: e Balac e Balaão offereceram um bezerro e um carneiro sobre cada altar.

3Então Balaão disse a Balac: Fica-te ao pé do teu holocausto, e eu irei; porventura o Senhor me sairá ao encontro, e o que me mostrar te notificarei. Então foi a um alto

4E, encontrando-se Deus com Balaão, lhe disse este: Preparei sete altares, e offereci um bezerro e um carneiro sobre cada altar.

5Então o Senhor poz a palavra na bocca de Balaão, e disse: Torna-te para Balac, e falla assim.

6E, tornando para elle, eis que estava ao pé do seu holocausto, elle e todos os principes dos moabitas.

7Então alçou a sua parabola, e disse: Da Syria me mandou trazer Balac, rei dos moabitas, das montanhas do oriente, dizendo: Vem, amaldiçoa-me a Jacob; e vem, detesta a Israel.

8Como amaldiçoarei o que Deus não amaldiçoa? e como detestarei, quando o Senhor não detesta?

9Porque do cume das penhas o vejo, e dos outeiros o contemplo: eis que este povo habitará só, e entre as gentes não será contado.

10Quem contará o pó de Jacob e o numero da quarta parte de Israel? a minha alma morra da morte dos justos, e seja o meu fim como o seu.

11Então disse Balac a Balaão: Que me fizeste? chamei-te para amaldiçoar os meus inimigos, mas eis que inteiramente os abençoaste.

12E elle respondeu, e disse: Porventura não terei cuidado de fallar o que o Senhor poz na minha bocca?

13Então Balac lhe disse: Rogo-te que venhas comigo a outro logar, d'onde o verás; verás sómente a ultima parte d'elle, mas a todo elle não verás: e amaldiçoa-m'o d'ali.

14Assim o tomou comsigo ao campo de Zophim, ao cume de Pisga: e edificou sete altares, e offereceu um bezerro e um carneiro sobre cada altar.

15Então disse a Balac: Fica aqui ao pé do teu holocausto, e eu irei ali ao seu encontro.

16E, encontrando-se o Senhor com Balaão, poz uma palavra na sua bocca, e disse: Torna para Balac, e falla assim.

17E, vindo a elle, eis-que estava ao pé do holocausto, e os principes dos moabitas com elle: disse-lhe pois Balac: Que coisa fallou o Senhor?

18Então alçou a sua parabola, e disse: Levanta-te, Balac, e ouve: inclina os teus ouvidos a mim, filho de Zippor.

19Deus não é homem, para que minta; nem filho do homem, para que se arrependa: porventura diria elle, e não o faria? ou fallaria, e não o confirmaria?

20Eis que recebi mandado de abençoar: pois elle tem abençoado, e eu não o posso revogar.

21Não viu iniquidade em Israel, nem contemplou maldade em Jacob: o Senhor seu Deus é com elle, e n'elle, e entre elles se ouve o alarido d'um rei.

22Deus os tirou do Egypto; as suas forças são como as do unicornio.

23Pois contra Jacob não vale encantamento, nem adivinhação contra Israel: n'este tempo se dirá de Jacob e d'Israel: Que coisas Deus tem obrado!

24Eis que o povo se levantará como leoa, e se exalçará como leão: não se deitará até que coma a presa, e beba o sangue de mortos

25Então Balac disse a Balaão: Nem totalmente o amaldiçoarás, nem totalmente o abençoarás.

26Porém Balaão respondeu, e disse a Balac: Não te fallei eu, dizendo: Tudo o que o Senhor fallar aquillo farei?

27Disse mais Balac a Balaão: Ora vem, e te levarei a outro logar: porventura bem parecerá aos olhos de Deus que d'ali m'o amaldiçoes.

28Então Balac levou Balaão comsigo ao cume de Peor, que olha para a banda do deserto.

29Balaão disse a Balac: Edifica-me aqui sete altares, e prepara-me aqui sete bezerros e sete carneiros.

30Balac pois fez como dissera Balaão; e offereceu um bezerro e um carneiro sobre cada altar.

📖 Chapter study

Summary

Despite Balak's pressure, Balaam is only able to pronounce blessings over Israel instead of curses, in two consecutive prophetic oracles, to the great frustration of the Moabite king.

Explanation

This chapter shows the power of God's sovereignty even over prophets hired for money: no matter how many times Balak changes location and offers more sacrifices, God simply does not allow Balaam to speak anything other than the truth He had already declared about Israel — blessing, not curse. The declaration 'God is not a man, that he should lie' (v. 19) is one of the most quoted theological statements in the Bible about the absolute reliability of God's word, contrasting with human inconstancy. Balak's growing frustration, as he tries to manipulate the outcome through rituals repeated in different places, ironically shows the futility of trying to control or bargain with God through religious formulas.

Fun facts

  • The phrase 'God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent' (v. 19) is quoted almost word for word in 1 Samuel 15:29, becoming a recurring theological formula in biblical tradition about God's unchanging nature.
  • Balak takes Balaam to three different locations (Bamoth-baal, Pisgah, and later Peor in the next chapter) reflecting the common pagan belief of the time that regional gods had power limited to specific territories — a belief the biblical narrative systematically disproves, showing the God of Israel as sovereign over all the earth.

Verse-by-verse explanation

  1. Números 23:1Balaam asks Balak to build seven altars and prepare seven bulls and seven rams, starting the first attempt at a ritual curse.
  2. Números 23:2Balak does exactly as asked, and the two offer a bull and a ram on each of the seven altars.
  3. Números 23:3Balaam asks Balak to stay by the burnt offering while he goes off alone, hoping the LORD will come to meet him and reveal something for him to pass on.
  4. Números 23:4God does meet Balaam, and he reports what he has done: prepared seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each one.
  5. Números 23:5The LORD puts words in Balaam’s mouth and instructs him to go back to Balak and say exactly that.
  6. Números 23:6Balaam goes back and finds Balak still standing by his burnt offering, surrounded by the princes of Moab.
  7. Números 23:7Balaam then recites his first poem, explaining that he was brought from far away specifically to curse Jacob and denounce Israel.
  8. Números 23:8But he asks: how can he curse whom God does not curse, or denounce whom the LORD does not denounce?
  9. Números 23:9He describes Israel, seen from the rocks above, as a people that lives apart, not mixing with the other nations.
  10. Números 23:10Balaam is amazed at the sheer size of the people, impossible to count, and even wishes for himself a death as righteous as theirs.
  11. Números 23:11Balak reacts furiously, asking what Balaam had done, since he had called him to curse his enemies and instead he only blessed them.
  12. Números 23:12Balaam defends himself: he can only say exactly what the LORD puts in his mouth, nothing more.
  13. Números 23:13Balak insists on trying again, proposing to take him to another place, from where he would see only part of the people, hoping for a different outcome.
  14. Números 23:14Balak takes him to the field of Zophim, at the top of Pisgah, and repeats the same ritual: seven altars, with a bull and a ram on each.
  15. Números 23:15Balaam again asks Balak to stay by the burnt offering while he goes to meet the LORD.
  16. Números 23:16Again the LORD meets Balaam, puts a word in his mouth, and instructs him to go back and say exactly that to Balak.
  17. Números 23:17Balaam returns and finds Balak waiting by the burnt offering with the princes; Balak anxiously asks what the LORD had said.
  18. Números 23:18Balaam begins his second poem asking Balak for attention, formally addressing him by his father’s name.
  19. Números 23:19In this verse, Balaam states that God does not change His mind like a human being, nor does He promise something only to go back on it. It is part of his explanation to Balak for why he cannot simply curse Israel: the blessing had already been given by God and would not be revoked just because the king was paying for something else.
  20. Números 23:20He explains that he received a command to bless, and that once God has blessed, it is not in his power to reverse it.
  21. Números 23:21Balaam declares that he sees no wickedness or iniquity in Israel, because the LORD is with them, and among the people there is something like the shout of a victorious king.
  22. Números 23:22He repeats the reminder that it was God who brought the people out of Egypt, comparing their strength to that of a wild ox.
  23. Números 23:23Balaam declares that no sorcery or divination can really work against Israel. This is the third time in the chapter that he tries to curse the people at Balak’s request and instead ends up blessing them — reinforcing the idea that God’s protection over Israel could not be bought or reversed by outside rituals.
  24. Números 23:24Balaam describes the people rising up like a lion that will not rest until it has completely devoured its prey — an image of unstoppable strength.
  25. Números 23:25Frustrated again, Balak asks Balaam to do neither one thing nor the other: neither curse them nor bless them.
  26. Números 23:26Balaam answers by reminding him of what he had already warned from the start: he can only say what the LORD tells him.
  27. Números 23:27Even so, Balak proposes a third attempt, taking Balaam to yet another place, hoping that from there God would allow the curse.
  28. Números 23:28Balak takes Balaam to the top of Mount Peor, overlooking the wilderness.
  29. Números 23:29Balaam repeats the same request as always: seven altars, seven bulls, and seven rams.
  30. Números 23:30Balak follows the instruction once more, offering a bull and a ram on each of the seven altars.

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