Numbers 23 14

Numbers 23:14 kjv

And he brought him into the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar.

Numbers 23:14 nkjv

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

Numbers 23:14 niv

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

Numbers 23:14 esv

And he took him to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

Numbers 23:14 nlt

So Balak took Balaam to the plateau of Zophim on Pisgah Peak. He built seven altars there and offered a young bull and a ram on each altar.

Numbers 23 verses

Numbers 23 14 Meaning

Numbers 23:14 describes Balak, the king of Moab, bringing Balaam to another high vantage point, the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, after his initial failure to elicit a curse against Israel. There, Balak again constructs seven altars and offers a bull and a ram on each. This action demonstrates Balak's stubborn refusal to accept the unchangeable will of the God of Israel and his desperate belief that a different location or more intense pagan rituals might alter divine decree or produce a different outcome for Balaam's prophecies. It highlights the futile and superstitious attempts of a pagan king to manipulate supernatural powers against God's chosen people, contrasting with the absolute sovereignty of Yahweh.

Numbers 23 14 Context

Numbers chapter 23 details Balak's continued, desperate efforts to have Balaam curse the Israelites. Following Balaam's first divine utterance, which blessed Israel instead of cursing them, Balak attributed the failure to the vantage point. He surmised that a full view of the Israelite camp was too overwhelming, hence his decision in verse 14 to move Balaam to the "field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah," from which a partial view or perhaps a different symbolic perspective of Israel might allow a curse to be uttered. Historically, this account takes place as Israel is camped in the plains of Moab, nearing the end of their wilderness wandering and on the verge of entering the Promised Land. Balak, fearing their sheer numbers and recent victories, resorted to sorcery and pagan rituals common in the ancient Near East to try and halt their progress, unknowingly challenging the immutable God who had promised to bless Israel.

Numbers 23 14 Word analysis

• Then he brought him: "He" refers to Balak, the King of Moab, indicating his active role in guiding Balaam and his persistent, desperate measures. "Him" is Balaam.
• to the field of Zophim: Hebrew Sedeh Tsofim (שְׂדֵה צֹפִים). The name "Zophim" comes from the root tsapah (צָפָה), meaning "to look out," "watch," or "spy." It suggests a "field of watchmen" or "a place of viewing." Balak perhaps believed that from this specific vantage point, Balaam would gain a different, possibly more favorable, prophetic perspective to issue a curse. This reveals a superstitious belief that a change in location could alter divine revelation.
• to the top of Pisgah: Hebrew Rosh haPisgah (רֹאשׁ הַפִּסְגָּה). "Pisgah" refers to a mountain peak or ridge. This specific mountain is famously associated with Moses viewing the Promised Land (Deut 3:27, 34:1). Balak's choice of a high, significant geographical feature further emphasizes his belief in the power of sacred locations or specific vistas to influence spiritual outcomes, aligning with common ancient pagan practices of seeking divination from elevated places.
• and built seven altars: Hebrew vayiven shiv'ah mizbechot (וַיִּבֶן שִׁבְעָה מִזְבְּחֹת). "Altars" (mizbechot) are structures for sacrifices, essential to ancient religious rites. The number "seven" (shiv'ah) carries great symbolic weight across cultures, especially in the ancient Near East, often signifying completeness, perfection, or divine initiation. Balak's repetition of "seven altars" for the second time (first in Num 23:1) signifies an intensification of his ritualistic effort, believing that increased devotion or ceremonial completeness might compel the deity to act as he wished. This underscores a polytheistic mindset, where gods could be appeased or coerced through offerings.
• and offered a bull and a ram on each altar: Hebrew vaya'al par v'ayil (וַיַּעַל פַּר וָאַיִל). "Bull" (par) and "ram" (ayil) were common sacrificial animals, found in both Israelite (e.g., Lev 1, 8) and pagan worship. Offering these costly animals "on each altar" indicates the considerable expense and seriousness Balak attached to this endeavor. The sheer quantity of offerings (7 bulls and 7 rams) reflects a desperate, ritualistic escalation, designed to secure supernatural favor. This approach reveals a fundamental misunderstanding of the Lord, who cannot be bribed or manipulated by elaborate ceremonies.

Numbers 23 14 Bonus section

• Location as a Determinant: Balak's insistence on changing locations from Kirjath-huzoth (Num 22:39), to Bamoth-Baal (Num 22:41), then to the field of Zophim on Pisgah (Num 23:14), and later to the top of Peor (Num 23:28) reveals a widespread ancient Near Eastern belief that sacred or auspicious locations held intrinsic power or offered unique access to deities. He thought that by altering the vista of Israel or the cultic site, he could alter the divine outcome, fundamentally misunderstanding Yahweh's omnipresence and sovereignty.
• Balaam's Complicity: While Balaam ultimately delivers God's messages, his repeated participation in Balak's pagan rituals, despite knowing their futility, hints at his deep moral compromise and the desire for financial gain (as later revealed in 2 Peter 2:15 and Jude 1:11). He goes through the motions of Balak's elaborate setup, revealing a duplicity that contrasts with the unyielding truth of God's word.
• Polemic against Paganism: The narrative as a whole (Numbers 22-24) serves as a powerful polemic against the efficacy of paganism and its attempts to control or manipulate divine power. Balak's repeated failures, despite escalating his rituals, underscore the absolute sovereignty of Yahweh over all human and spiritual powers, and the futility of human-conceived methods to curse those whom God has blessed.

Numbers 23 14 Commentary

Numbers 23:14 portrays Balak's determined but ultimately futile attempt to subvert God's decree through pagan ritual and changing physical perspectives. Balak, adhering to a superstitious worldview common in the ancient Near East, believed that shifting locations or intensifying sacrificial rites could change divine will or enable Balaam to curse Israel. The elaborate nature of his actions—building seven altars and sacrificing costly animals on each for the second time—reveals his profound desperation and ignorance regarding the character of the sovereign God. Unlike the capricious deities of paganism, the Lord God is immutable; His word is fixed, and His plans cannot be manipulated or thwarted by human rituals, however grand. This verse sets the stage for God to once again declare His unchanging purpose for Israel, demonstrating the impotence of human or demonic schemes against divine blessing.