Numbers 24 · Verse 17

Numbers 24:17

I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.
Numbers 24:17, King James Version

Numbers 24:17 in other translations

BSBI see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come forth from Jacob, and a scepter will arise from Israel. He will crush the skulls of Moab and strike down all the sons of Sheth.
WEBI see him, but not now. I see him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob. A scepter will rise out of Israel, and shall strike through the corners of Moab, and crush all the sons of Sheth.
ASVI see him, but not now; I behold him, but not nigh: There shall come forth a star out of Jacob, And a sceptre shall rise out of Israel, And shall smite through the corners of Moab, And break down all the sons of tumult.
YLTI see it, but not now; I behold it, but not near; A star hath proceeded from Jacob, And a sceptre hath risen from Israel, And hath smitten corners of Moab, And hath destroyed all sons of Sheth.
DARBYI shall see him, but not now; I shall behold him, but not nigh: There cometh a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and he shall cut in pieces the corners of Moab, and destroy all the sons of tumult.
BBEI see him, but not now: looking on him, but not near: a star will come out of Jacob, and a rod of authority out of Israel, sending destruction to the farthest limits of Moab and on the head of all the sons of Sheth.
WebsterI shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Scepter shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.

What does Numbers 24:17 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
17. I shall see him--rather, "I do see" or "I have seen him"--a prophetic sight, like that of Abraham (Joh 8:56). him--that is, Israel. there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel--This imagery, in the hieroglyphic language of the East, denotes some eminent ruler--primarily David; but secondarily and pre-eminently, the Messiah (see on Ge 49:10). corners--border, often used for a whole country (Ex 8:2; Psa 74:17). children of Sheth--some prince of Moab; or, according to some, "the children of the East."

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 17 I shall see him, but not now - Or, I shall see him, but he is not now. I shall behold him, but not nigh - I shall have a full view of him, but the time is yet distant. That is, The person of whom I am now prophesying does not at present exist among these Israelites, nor shall he appear in this generation. There shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel - a person eminent for wisdom, and formidable for strength and power, shall arise as king among this people. He shall smite the corners of Moab - he shall bring the Moabites perfectly under subjection; (See 2Sam 8:2); and destroy all the children of Sheth. The original word קרקר karkar, from קרה karah, to meet, associate, join, blend, and the like, is variously translated; vastabit, he shall waste, Vulgate - προνομευσει, shall prey on, Sept - ישלוט yishlot, shall rule over, Targum - Shall shake, Arabic - barbend, shall put a yoke on, Pers - Shall unwall, Ainsworth, etc., etc. The Targum of Onkelos translates the whole passage thus: "I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but he is not near. When a king shall arise from the house of Jacob, and the Messiah be anointed from the house of Israel, he shall slay the princes of Moab, and rule over all the children of men." The Jerusalem Targum is a little different: "A king shall arise from the house of Jacob, a redeemer and governor from the house of Israel, who shall slay the chiefs of the Moabites, and empty out and destroy all the children of the East." Rabbi Moses ben Maimon has, in my opinion, perfectly hit the meaning of the prophecy in the following paraphrase of the text: "I shall see him, but not now. This is David - I shall behold him, but not nigh. This is the king Messiah - A Star shall come out of Jacob. This is David - And a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel. This is the king Messiah - And shall smite the corners of Moab. This is David, (as it is written, 2Sam 8:2 : And he smote Moab, casting them down to the ground) - And shall destroy all the children of Sheth. This is the king Messiah, of whom it is written, (Psa 72:8), He shall have dominion from sea to sea."

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Numbers 24:15-25

Under the powerful influence of the Spirit of prophecy, Balaam foretold the future prosperity and extensive dominion of Israel. Balaam boasts that his eyes are open. The prophets were in old times called seers. He had heard the words of God, which many do who neither heed them, nor hear God in them. He knew the knowledge of the Most High. A man may be full of the knowledge of God, yet utterly destitute of the grace…

Read the full comment on Numbers 24:15-25 →

Numbers 24:17 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.

אֶרְאֶ֙נּוּ֙'er.'E.nuI see himH7200
וְלֹ֣אve.Lo'and notH3808
עַתָּ֔ה'a.TahnowH6258
אֲשׁוּרֶ֖נּוּ'a.shu.Re.nuI observe himH7789
וְלֹ֣אve.Lo'and notH3808
קָר֑וֹבka.RovnearH7138
דָּרַ֨ךְda.Rakhit will march forthH1869
כּוֹכָ֜בko.Khava starH3556
מִֽיַּעֲקֹ֗בmi.ya.'a.Kofrom JacobH3290
וְקָ֥םve.Kamand it will ariseH6965
שֵׁ֙בֶט֙she.veta scepterH7626
מִיִּשְׂרָאֵ֔לmi.Yis.ra.'Elfrom IsraelH3478
וּמָחַץ֙u.ma.Chatzand it will shatterH4272
פַּאֲתֵ֣יpa.'a.Tei[the] corners ofH6285
מוֹאָ֔בmo.'AvMoabH4124
וְקַרְקַ֖רve.kar.Karand it will destroyH6979
כָּל\־kol-allH3605
בְּנֵי\־be.nei-[the] descendants ofH1121
שֵֽׁת\׃ShetShethH8352

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

Cross references for Numbers 24:17

  • Revelation 22:16

    I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.

  • Luke 1:32-33

    He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

  • Genesis 49:10

    The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.

  • Revelation 1:7

    Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

  • Revelation 11:15

    And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.

  • Zechariah 10:4

    Out of him came forth the corner, out of him the nail, out of him the battle bow, out of him every oppressor together.

  • Matthew 2:2-9

    Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judea: for thus it is written by the prophet, …

  • Psalms 45:6

    Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre.

  • 2 Peter 1:19

    We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

  • Luke 1:78

    Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,

  • Hebrews 1:8

    But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.

  • 2 Samuel 8:2

    And he smote Moab, and measured them with a line, casting them down to the ground; even with two lines measured he to put to death, and with one full line to keep alive. And so the Moabites became David’s servants, and brought gifts.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
I shall see him.The Targum of Onkelos translates this passage in the following manner: "I shall see him, but not now; I shall behold him, but he is not near. When a king shall arise from the house of Jacob, and the Messiah be anointed from the house of Israel; he shall slay the princes of Moab, and rule over all the children of men." The marginal references will direct the reader to the fulfilment of these remarkable prophecies.
Job 19:25-27; Zec 12:10; Jude 1:11,14,15; Re 1:7
a Star.
Mt 2:2-9; Lu 1:78; 2Pe 1:19; Re 22:16
a Sceptre.
Ge 49:10; Ps 45:6; 78:70-72; 110:2; Isa 9:7; Lu 1:32,33; Heb 1:8
smite the corners of Moab. or, smite through the princes ofMoab.
1Sa 14:38; *marg:
Zec 10:4
Moab.
2Sa 8:2; 2Ki 3:5,26,27; 1Ch 18:2; Jer 48:45
all the children.
Ge 4:25,26; 5:3-29
Seth.
Ps 72:8-11; Re 11:15

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

Context

  • Numbers 24:16

    He hath said, which heard the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the most High, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:

  • Numbers 24:17

    I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.

  • Numbers 24:18

    And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly.

Read all of Numbers 24

Numbers 24:17 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Verélo, mas no ahora: lo miraré, mas no de cerca: saldrá ESTRELLA de Jacob, y levantaráse cetro de Israel, y herirá los cantones de Moab, y destruirá á todos los hijos de Seth.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Je le verrai, mais pas maintenant; je le regarderai, mais pas de près. Une étoile surgira de Jacob, et un sceptre s’élèvera d’Israël, et transpercera les coins de Moab, et détruira tous les fils de tumulte.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Ich sehe ihn, aber nicht jetzt, ich schaue ihn, aber nicht nahe; es tritt hervor ein Stern aus Jakob, und ein Scepter erhebt sich aus Israel und zerschlägt die Seiten Moabs und zerschmettert alle Söhne des Getümmels.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Videbo eum, sed non modo: intuebor illum, sed non prope. Orietur stella ex Jacob, et consurget virga de Israël: et percutiet duces Moab, vastabitque omnes filios Seth.