The MacArthur Study Bible, NKJV

by John MacArthur

  16And they came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak the son of Zippor: ‘Please let nothing hinder you from coming to me;

  17‘for I will certainly mhonor you greatly, and I will do whatever you say to me. nTherefore please come, curse this people for me.’ ”

  18Then Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, o“Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, pI could not go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more.

  19“Now therefore, please, you also qstay here tonight, that I may know what more the LORD will say to me.”

  20rAnd God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “If the men come to call you, rise and go with them; but sonly the word which I speak to you—that you shall do.”

  21So Balaam rose in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.

  Balaam, the Donkey, and the Angel

  22Then God’s anger was aroused because he went, tand the Angel of the LORD took His stand in the way as an adversary against him. And he was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him.

  23Now uthe donkey saw the Angel of the LORD standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand, and the donkey turned aside out of the way and went into the field. So Balaam struck the donkey to turn her back onto the road.

  24Then the Angel of the LORD stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with a wall on this side and a wall on that side.

  25And when the donkey saw the Angel of the LORD, she pushed herself against the wall and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall; so he struck her again.

  26Then the Angel of the LORD went further, and stood in a narrow place where there was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.

  27And when the donkey saw the Angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam; so Balaam’s anger was aroused, and he struck the donkey with his staff.

  28Then the LORD vopened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?”

  29And Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have 5abused me. I wish there were a sword in my hand, wfor now I would kill you!”

  30xSo the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey on which you have ridden, ever since I became yours, to this day? Was I ever 6disposed to do this to you?” And he said, “No.”

  31Then the LORD yopened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the Angel of the LORD standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand; and he bowed his head and fell flat on his face.

  32And the Angel of the LORD said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out 7to stand against you, because your way is zperverse8 before Me.

  33“The donkey saw Me and turned aside from Me these three times. If she had not turned aside from Me, surely I would also have killed you by now, and let her live.”

  34And Balaam said to the Angel of the LORD, a“I have sinned, for I did not know You stood in the way against me. Now therefore, if it 9displeases You, I will turn back.”

  35Then the Angel of the LORD said to Balaam, “Go with the men, bbut only the word that I speak to you, that you shall speak.” So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.

  36Now when Balak heard that Balaam was coming, che went out to meet him at the city of Moab, dwhich is on the border at the Arnon, the boundary of the territory.

  37Then Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not earnestly send to you, calling for you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not able eto honor you?”

  38And Balaam said to Balak, “Look, I have come to you! Now, have I any power at all to say anything? fThe word that God puts in my mouth, that I must speak.”

  39So Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kirjath Huzoth.

  40Then Balak offered oxen and sheep, and he sent some to Balaam and to the princes who were with him.

  Balaam’s First Prophecy

  41So it was, the next day, that Balak took Balaam and brought him up to the ghigh places of Baal, that from there he might observe 10the extent of the people.

  Numbers 23

  The Prophecies of Balaam

  1Then Balaam said to Balak, a“Build seven altars for me here, and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams.”

  2And Balak did just as Balaam had spoken, and Balak and Balaam boffered a bull and a ram on each altar.

  3Then Balaam said to Balak, c“Stand by your burnt offering, and I will go; perhaps the LORD will come dto meet me, and whatever He shows me I will tell you.” So he went to a desolate height.

  4eAnd God met Balaam, and he said to Him, “I have prepared the seven altars, and I have offered on each altar a bull and a ram.”

  5Then the LORD fput a word in Balaam’s mouth, and said, “Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak.”

  6So he returned to him, and there he was, standing by his burnt offering, he and all the princes of Moab.

  7And he gtook up his 1oracle and said:

  “Balak the king of Moab has brought me from Aram,

  From the mountains of the east.

  h‘Come, curse Jacob for me,

  And come, idenounce Israel!’

  8“Howj shall I curse whom God has not cursed?

  And how shall I denounce whom the LORD has not denounced?

  9For from the top of the rocks I see him,

  And from the hills I behold him;

  There! kA people dwelling alone,

  l Not reckoning itself among the nations.

  10“Whom can count the 2dust of Jacob,

  Or number one-fourth of Israel?

  Let me die nthe death of the righteous,

  And let my end be like his!”

  11Then Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? oI took you to curse my enemies, and look, you have blessed them bountifully!”

  12So he answered and said, p“Must I not take heed to speak what the LORD has put in my mouth?”

  Balaam’s Second Prophecy

  13Then Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place from which you may see them; you shall see only the outer part of them, and shall not see them all; curse them for me from there.”

  14So he brought him to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, qand built seven altars, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

  15And he said to Balak, “Stand here by your burnt offering while I 3meet the LORD over there.”

  16Then the LORD met Balaam, and rput a word in his mouth, and said, “Go back to Balak, and thus you shall speak.”

  17So he came to him, and there he was, standing by his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab were with him. And Balak said to him, “What has the LORD spoken?”

  18Then he took up his oracle and said:

  s“Rise up, Balak, and hear!

  Listen to me, son of Zippor!

  19“Godt is not a man, that He should lie,

  Nor a son of man, that He should repent.

  Has He usaid, and will He not do?

  Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?

  20Behold, I have received a command to bless;

  v He has blessed, and I cannot reverse it.

  21“Hew has not observed iniquity in Jacob,

  Nor has He seen 4wickedness in Israel.

  The LORD his God is with him,

  x And the shout of a King is among them.

  22y God brings them out of Egypt;

  He has zstrength like a wild ox.

  23“For there is no 5sorcery against Jacob,

  Nor any 6divination against Israel.

  It now must be said of Jacob

  And of Israel, ‘Oh, awhat God has done!’

  24Look, a people rises blike a lioness,

  And lifts itself up like a lion;

  c It shall not lie down until it devours the prey,

  And drinks the blood of the slain.”

  25Then Balak said to Balaam, “Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all!”

  26So Balaam answered and
said to Balak, “Did I not tell you, saying, d‘All that the LORD speaks, that I must do’?”

  Balaam’s Third Prophecy

  27Then Balak said to Balaam, “Please come, I will take you to another place; perhaps it will please God that you may curse them for me from there.”

  28So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, that eoverlooks the 7wasteland.

  29Then Balaam said to Balak, “Build for me here seven altars, and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams.”

  30And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bull and a ram on every altar.

  Numbers 24

  Balaam Foretells the Happiness of Israel

  1Now when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not go as at aother times, to seek to use 1sorcery, but he set his face toward the wilderness.

  2And Balaam raised his eyes, and saw Israel bencamped according to their tribes; and cthe Spirit of God came upon him.

  3dThen he took up his oracle and said:

  “The utterance of Balaam the son of Beor,

  The utterance of the man whose eyes are opened,

  4The utterance of him who hears the words of God,

  Who sees the vision of the Almighty,

  Who efalls down, with eyes wide open:

  5“How lovely are your tents, O Jacob!

  Your dwellings, O Israel!

  6Like valleys that stretch out,

  Like gardens by the riverside,

  f Like aloes gplanted by the LORD,

  Like cedars beside the waters.

  7He shall pour water from his buckets,

  And his seed shall be hin many waters.

  “His king shall be higher than iAgag,

  And his jkingdom shall be exalted.

  8“Godk brings him out of Egypt;

  He has strength like a wild ox;

  He shall lconsume the nations, his enemies;

  He shall mbreak their bones

  And npierce them with his arrows.

  9‘Heo bows down, he lies down as a lion;

  And as a lion, who shall rouse him?’

  p“Blessed is he who blesses you,

  And cursed is he who curses you.”

  10Then Balak’s anger was aroused against Balaam, and he qstruck his hands together; and Balak said to Balaam, r“I called you to curse my enemies, and look, you have bountifully blessed them these three times!

  11“Now therefore, flee to your place. sI said I would greatly honor you, but in fact, the LORD has kept you back from honor.”

  12So Balaam said to Balak, “Did I not also speak to your messengers whom you sent to me, saying,

  13‘If Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the word of the LORD, to do good or bad of my own will. What the LORD says, that I must speak’?

  14“And now, indeed, I am going to my people. Come, tI will advise you what this people will do to your people in the ulatter days.”

  Balaam’s Fourth Prophecy

  15So he took up his oracle and said:

  “The utterance of Balaam the son of Beor,

  And the utterance of the man whose eyes are opened;

  16The utterance of him who hears the words of God,

  And has the knowledge of the Most High,

  Who sees the vision of the Almighty,

  Who falls down, with eyes wide open:

  17“Iv see Him, but not now;

  I behold Him, but not near;

  w A Star shall come out of Jacob;

  x A Scepter shall rise out of Israel,

  And 2batter the brow of Moab,

  And destroy all the sons of 3tumult.

  18“And yEdom shall be a possession;

  Seir also, his enemies, shall be a possession,

  While Israel does 4valiantly.

  19z Out of Jacob One 5shall have dominion,

  And destroy the remains of the city.”

  20Then he looked on Amalek, and he took up his oracle and said:

  “Amalek was first among the nations,

  But shall be last until he perishes.”

  21Then he looked on the Kenites, and he took up his oracle and said:

  “Firm is your dwelling place,

  And your nest is set in the rock;

  22Nevertheless Kain shall be burned.

  How long until Asshur carries you away captive?”

  23Then he took up his oracle and said:

  “Alas! Who shall live when God does this?

  24But ships shall come from the coasts of aCyprus,6

  And they shall afflict Asshur and afflict bEber,

  And so shall 7Amalek, until he perishes.”

  25So Balaam rose and departed and creturned to his place; Balak also went his way.

  Numbers 25

  Israel’s Harlotry in Moab

  1Now Israel remained in aAcacia Grove,1 and the bpeople began to commit harlotry with the women of Moab.

  2cThey invited the people to dthe sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and ebowed down to their gods.

  3So Israel was joined to Baal of Peor, and fthe anger of the LORD was aroused against Israel.

  4Then the LORD said to Moses, g“Take all the leaders of the people and hang the offenders before the LORD, out in the sun, hthat the fierce anger of the LORD may turn away from Israel.”

  5So Moses said to ithe judges of Israel, j“Every one of you kill his men who were joined to Baal of Peor.”

  6And indeed, one of the children of Israel came and presented to his brethren a Midianite woman in the sight of Moses and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, kwho were weeping at the door of the tabernacle of meeting.

  7Now lwhen Phinehas mthe son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose from among the congregation and took a javelin in his hand;

  8and he went after the man of Israel into the tent and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her body. So nthe plague was ostopped among the children of Israel.

  9And pthose who died in the plague were twenty-four thousand.

  10Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying:

  11q“Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned back My wrath from the children of Israel, because he was zealous with My zeal among them, so that I did not consume the children of Israel in rMy zeal.

  12“Therefore say, s‘Behold, I give to him My tcovenant of peace;

  13‘and it shall be to him and uhis descendants after him a covenant of van everlasting priesthood, because he was wzealous for his God, and xmade 2atonement for the children of Israel.’ ”

  14Now the name of the Israelite who was killed, who was killed with the Midianite woman, was Zimri the son of Salu, a leader of a father’s house among the Simeonites.

  15And the name of the Midianite woman who was killed was Cozbi the daughter of yZur; he was head of the people of a father’s house in Midian.

  16Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying:

  17z“Harass the Midianites, and 3attack them;

  18“for they harassed you with their aschemes4 by which they seduced you in the matter of Peor and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of a leader of Midian, their sister, who was killed in the day of the plague because of Peor.”

  Numbers 26

  The Second Census of Israel

  1And it came to pass, after the aplague, that the LORD spoke to Moses and Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, saying:

  2b“Take a census of all the congregation of the children of Israel cfrom twenty years old and above, by their fathers’ houses, all who are able to go to war in Israel.”

  3So Moses and Eleazar the priest spoke with them din the plains of Moab by the Jordan, across from Jericho, saying:

  4“Take a census of the people from twenty years old and above, just as the LORD ecommanded Moses and the children of Israel who came out of the land of Egypt.”

  5fReuben was the firstborn of Israel. The children of Reuben were: of
Hanoch, the family of the Hanochites; of Pallu, the family of the Palluites;

  6of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites; of Carmi, the family of the Carmites.

  7These are the families of the Reubenites: those who were numbered of them were forty-three thousand seven hundred and thirty.

  8And the son of Pallu was Eliab.

  9The sons of Eliab were Nemuelites, Dathan, and Abiram. These are the Dathan and Abiram, grepresentatives of the congregation, who contended against Moses and Aaron in the company of Korah, when they contended against the LORD;

  10hand the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up together with Korah when that company died, when the fire devoured two hundred and fifty men; iand they became a sign.

  11Nevertheless jthe children of Korah did not die.

  12The sons of Simeon according to their families were: of 1Nemuelites, the family of the Nemuelites; of Jamin, the family of the Jaminites; of 2Jachin, the family of the Jachinites;

  13of 3Zerah, the family of the Zarhites; of Shaul, the family of the Shaulites.

  14These are the families of the Simeonites: twenty-two thousand two hundred.

  15The sons of Gad according to their families were: of 4Zephon, the family of the Zephonites; of Haggi, the family of the Haggites; of Shuni, the family of the Shunites;

  16of 5Ozni, the family of the Oznites; of Eri, the family of the Erites;

  17of 6Arod, the family of the Arodites; of Areli, the family of the Arelites.

  18These are the families of the sons of Gad according to those who were numbered of them: forty thousand five hundred.

  19kThe sons of Judah were Er and Onan; and Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan.

  20And lthe sons of Judah according to their families were: of Shelah, the family of the Shelanites; of Perez, the family of the Parzites; of Zerah, the family of the Zarhites.

  21And the sons of Perez were: of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites; of Hamul, the family of the Hamulites.

  22These are the families of Judah according to those who were numbered of them: seventy-six thousand five hundred.

  23The sons of Issachar according to their families were: of Tola, the family of the Tolaites; of 7Puah, the family of the 8Punites;

  24of 9Jashub, the family of the Jashubites; of Shimron, the family of the Shimronites.