Numbers 23:1
And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams.
Numbers 23:1 in other translations
| BSB | Then Balaam said to Balak, “Build for me seven altars here, and prepare for me seven bulls and seven rams.” |
|---|---|
| WEB | Balaam said to Balak, “Build here seven altars for me, and prepare here seven bulls and seven rams for me.” |
| ASV | And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams. |
| YLT | And Balaam saith unto Balak, ‘Build for me in this place seven altars, and make ready for me in this place seven bullocks and seven rams.' |
| DARBY | And Balaam said to Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams. |
| BBE | And Balaam said to Balak, Make me here seven altars and get ready seven oxen and seven male sheep. |
| Webster | And Balaam said to Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams. |
What does Numbers 23:1 mean?
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
Nu 23:1-30. Balak's Sacrifices.
1. Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars--Balak, being a heathen, would naturally suppose these altars were erected in honor of Baal, the patron deity of his country. It is evident, from Nu 23:4 that they were prepared for the worship of the true God; although in choosing the high places of Baal as their site and rearing a number of altars (2Ki 18:22; Is 17:8; Jr 11:13; Ho 8:11; 10:1), instead of one only, as God had appointed, Balaam blended his own superstitions with the divine worship. The heathen, both in ancient and modern times, attached a mysterious virtue to the number seven; and Balaam, in ordering the preparation of so many altars, designed to mystify and delude the king.Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain
Adam Clarke's Commentary
Introduction
Being arrived at the high places of Baal, (Num 22:41), Balaam orders Balak to build seven altars, and prepare oxen and rams for sacrifice, Num 23:1, Num 23:2. Balaam inquires of the Lord, receives an answer, with which he returns to Balak, Num 23:3-10. Balak, finding that this was a prediction of the prosperity of the Israelites, is greatly troubled, Num 23:11. Balaam excuses himself, Num 23:12. He brings him to another place, where he might see only a part of Israel, and repeats his sacrifices, Num 23:13, Num 23:14. Balaam again consults the Lord, Num 23:15-17. Returns with his answer, and again predicts the glory of Israel, Num 23:18-24. Balak is angry, Num 23:25; and Balaam again excuses himself. Balak proposes another trial, takes him to another place, and repeats the same sacrifices, Num 23:26-30. Verse 1 Build me here seven altars, etc. - The oxen and the rams were such as the Mosaic law had ordered to be offered to God in sacrifice; the building of seven altars was not commanded. Some think that these seven altars were built to the seven planets: this is most gratuitously said; of it there is no proof whatever; it is mere trifling, even with conjecture. As seven was a number of perfection, Balaam chose it on this occasion, because he intended to offer a grand sacrifice, and to offer a bullock and a ram upon each of the altars; the whole to be made a burnt-offering at the same time. And as he intended to offer seven bullocks and seven rams at the same time, it could not be conveniently done on one altar, therefore he ordered seven to be built. We need go no farther to find out his reasons.Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Numbers 23:1-10
Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain
Numbers 23:1 in the original Hebrew
Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.
Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).
Cross references for Numbers 23:1
- Numbers 23:29
And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams.
- Jude 1:11
Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.
- Matthew 23:13
But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.
- 2 Chronicles 29:21
And they brought seven bullocks, and seven rams, and seven lambs, and seven he goats, for a sin offering for the kingdom, and for the sanctuary, and for Judah. And he commanded the priests the sons of Aaron to offer them on the altar of the Lord.
- Proverbs 15:8
The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord: but the prayer of the upright is his delight.
- Numbers 29:32
And on the seventh day seven bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish:
- Psalms 50:8-9
I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices or thy burnt offerings, to have been continually before me. I will take no bullock out of thy house, nor he goats out of thy folds.
- Ezekiel 33:31
And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.
- Exodus 27:1-8
And thou shalt make an altar of shittim wood, five cubits long, and five cubits broad; the altar shall be foursquare: and the height thereof shall be three cubits. And thou shalt make the horns of it upon the four corners thereof: his horns shall be of the same: and thou shalt overlay it with brass. And thou shalt make his pans to receive his ashes, and his shovels, and his basons, and his fleshhooks, and his firepans: all the vessels thereof thou shalt make of brass. And thou shalt make for it a grate of network of brass; and upon the net shalt thou make four brasen rings in the four corners thereof. …
- 1 Chronicles 15:26
And it came to pass, when God helped the Levites that bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord, that they offered seven bullocks and seven rams.
- Job 42:8
Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job.
- 2 Kings 18:22
But if ye say unto me, We trust in the Lord our God: is not that he, whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away, and hath said to Judah and Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem?
Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
7 Balaam's parables.
13 Balak's sacrifices.
18 Balaam's parables.
25 Balak's sacrifices.
Build me.
29; Eze 33:31; Jude 1:11
seven altars.
Ex 20:24; 27:1-8; 1Sa 15:22; 2Ki 18:22; Ps 50:8,9; Pr 15:8
Isa 1:11-15; Mt 23:14
seven oxen.
29:32; 1Ch 15:26; 2Ch 29:21; Job 42:8; Eze 45:23
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain
Context
- Numbers 23:1
And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams.
- Numbers 23:2
And Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bullock and a ram.
Numbers 23:1 in other languages
| Spanish Reina-Valera 1909 | Y BALAAM dijo á Balac: Edifícame aquí siete altares, y prepárame aquí siete becerros y siete carneros. |
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| French Bible J.N. Darby 1885 | Et Balaam dit à Balak: Bâtis-moi ici sept autels, et prépare-moi ici sept taureaux et sept béliers. |
| German Elberfelder 1871 | Und Bileam sprach zu Balak: Baue mir hier sieben Altäre, und stelle mir hier bereit sieben Farren und sieben Widder. |
| Latin Clementine Vulgate | Dixitque Balaam ad Balac: Ædifica mihi hic septem aras, et para totidem vitulos, ejusdemque numeri arietes. |