Numbers 23 · Verse 21

Numbers 23:21

He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the Lord his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them.
Numbers 23:21, King James Version

Numbers 23:21 in other translations

BSBHe considers no disaster for Jacob; He sees no trouble for Israel. The LORD their God is with them, and the shout of the King is among them.
WEBHe has not seen iniquity in Jacob. Neither has he seen perverseness in Israel. The LORD his God is with him. The shout of a king is among them.
ASVHe hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob; Neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: Jehovah his God is with him, And the shout of a king is among them.
YLTHe hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, Nor hath He seen perverseness in Israel; Jehovah his God is with him, And a shout of a king is in him.
DARBYHe hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen wrong in Israel; Jehovah his God is with him, and the shout of a king is in his midst.
BBEHe has seen no evil in Jacob or wrongdoing in Israel: the Lord his God is with him, and the glad cry of a king is among them.
WebsterHe hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel; the LORD his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them.

What does Numbers 23:21 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
21. He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob--Many sins were observed and punished in this people. But no such universal and hopeless apostasy had as yet appeared, to induce God to abandon or destroy them. the Lord his God is with him--has a favor for them. and the shout of a king is among them--such joyful acclamations as of a people rejoicing in the presence of a victorious prince.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 21 He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel - This is a difficult passage; for if we take the words as spoken of the people Israel, as their iniquity and their perverseness were almost unparalleled, such words cannot be spoken of them with strict truth. If we consider them as spoken of the patriarch Jacob and Israel, or of Jacob after he became Israel, they are most strictly true, as after that time a more unblemished and noble character (Abraham excepted) is not to be found in the page of history, whether sacred or profane; and for his sake, and for the sake of his father Isaac, and his grandfather Abraham, God is ever represented as favoring, blessing, and sparing a rebellious and undeserving people; see the note on Gen 49:33. In this way, I think, this difficult text may be safely understood. There is another way in which the words may be interpreted, which will give a good sense. און aven not only signifies iniquity, but most frequently trouble, labor, distress, and affliction; and these indeed are its ideal meanings, and iniquity is only an accommodated or metaphorical one, because of the pain, distress, etc., produced by sin. עמל amal, translated here perverseness, occurs often in Scripture, but is never translated perverseness except in this place. It signifies simply labor, especially that which is of an afflictive or oppressive kind. The words may therefore be considered as implying that God will not suffer the people either to be exterminated by the sword, or to be brought under a yoke of slavery. Either of these methods of interpretation gives a good sense, but our common version gives none. Dr. Kennicott contends for the reading of the Samaritan, which, instead of לא הביט lo hibbit, he hath not seen, has לא אבט lo abbit, I do not see, I do not discover any thing among them on which I could ground my curse. But the sense above given is to be preferred.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Numbers 23:11-30

Balak was angry with Balaam. Thus a confession of God's overruling power is extorted from a wicked prophet, to the confusion of a wicked prince. A second time the curse is turned into a blessing; and this blessing is both larger and stronger than the former. Men change their minds, and break their words; but God never changes his mind, and therefore never recalls his promise. And when in Scripture he is said to…

Read the full comment on Numbers 23:11-30 →

Numbers 23:21 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.

לֹֽא\־lo'-notH3808
הִבִּ֥יטhi.Bithe has looked atH5027
אָ֙וֶן֙'a.vendisasterH205
בְּיַעֲקֹ֔בbe.ya.'a.Koin JacobH3290
וְלֹא\־ve.lo'-and notH3808
רָאָ֥הra.'Ahhe has seenH7200
עָמָ֖ל'a.MaltroubleH5999
בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑לbe.Yis.ra.'Elin IsraelH3478
יְהוָ֤הYah.wehYahwehH3068
אֱלֹהָיו֙'e.lo.HavGod hisH430
עִמּ֔וֹi.Mo[is] with himH5973
וּתְרוּעַ֥תu.te.ru.'Atand a shout ofH8643
מֶ֖לֶךְMe.lekha kingH4428
בּֽוֹ\׃bo[is] among <the> him

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Numbers 23:21

  • Psalms 23:4

    Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

  • Matthew 1:23

    Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

  • Jeremiah 50:20

    In those days, and in that time, saith the Lord, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found: for I will pardon them whom I reserve.

  • Romans 4:7-8

    Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.

  • Exodus 29:45-46

    And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God. And they shall know that I am the Lord their God, that brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them: I am the Lord their God.

  • Isaiah 38:17

    Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back.

  • Psalms 46:11

    The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

  • Micah 7:18-20

    Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy. He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.

  • Isaiah 8:10

    Take counsel together, and it shall come to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand: for God is with us.

  • Isaiah 33:22

    For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; he will save us.

  • Hosea 14:2-4

    Take with you words, and turn to the Lord: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips. Asshur shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses: neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, Ye are our gods: for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy. I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.

  • Isaiah 1:18

    Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
hath not.
Ps 103:12; Isa 1:18; 38:17; Jer 50:20; Ho 14:2-4; Mic 7:18-20
Ro 4:7,8; 6:14; 8:1; 2Co 5:19
the Lord.
Ex 13:21; 29:45,46; 33:14-16; 34:9; Jud 6:13; 2Ch 13:12; Ps 23:4
Ps 46:7,11; Isa 8:10; 12:6; 41:10; Eze 48:35; Mt 1:23; 2Co 6:16
the shout.
Ps 47:5-7; 89:15,18; 97:1; 118:15; Isa 33:22; Lu 19:37,38; 2Co 2:14

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Numbers 23:20

    Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.

  • Numbers 23:21

    He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the Lord his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them.

  • Numbers 23:22

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

Read all of Numbers 23

Numbers 23:21 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		No ha notado iniquidad en Jacob, ni ha visto perversidad en Israel: Jehová su Dios es con él, y júbilo de rey en él.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Il n’a pas aperçu d’iniquité en Jacob, ni n’a vu d’injustice en Israël; l’ Éternel, son Dieu, est avec lui, et un chant de triomphe royal est au milieu de lui.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Er erblickt keine Ungerechtigkeit in Jakob und sieht kein Unrecht in Israel; Jehova, sein Gott, ist mit ihm, und Jubelgeschrei wie um einen König ist unter ihm.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Non est idolum in Jacob, nec videtur simulacrum in Israël. Dominus Deus ejus cum eo est, et clangor victoriæ regis in illo.