Numbers 23:15 kjv
And he said unto Balak, Stand here by thy burnt offering, while I meet the LORD yonder.
Numbers 23:15 nkjv
And he said to Balak, "Stand here by your burnt offering while I meet the LORD over there."
Numbers 23:15 niv
Balaam said to Balak, "Stay here beside your offering while I meet with him over there."
Numbers 23:15 esv
Balaam said to Balak, "Stand here beside your burnt offering, while I meet the LORD over there."
Numbers 23:15 nlt
Then Balaam said to the king, "Stand here by your burnt offerings while I go over there to meet the LORD."
Numbers 23 15 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Num 22:38 | Balaam answered Balak, "I can only speak what God puts in my mouth." | Balaam's limitation by God's word |
| Num 23:3 | And God met Balaam... | God's encounter in the first instance |
| Num 23:12 | Then Balaam replied... "Must I not take heed to speak what the Lord puts in my mouth?" | Balaam bound to God's word |
| Num 23:26 | Balaam answered Balak, "Did I not tell you... what the Lord speaks, that I must do?" | Repetition of God's control over Balaam's speech |
| Num 24:13 | ...what the Lord says, that I must speak. | Further reiteration of Balaam's lack of control |
| Deut 23:4-5 | ...because they did not meet you... and they hired Balaam... | Balaam hired to curse Israel |
| Josh 13:22 | Balaam... was put to the sword. | Balaam's end for his later counsel |
| Josh 24:9-10 | ...Balak... sent and invited Balaam to curse you. But I would not listen to Balaam... | God protecting Israel despite the curse attempt |
| Mic 6:5 | Remember what Balak king of Moab devised, and what Balaam... answered him. | Prophetic reminder of God's protective grace |
| 2 Pet 2:15-16 | For they have forsaken the right way... following the way of Balaam... | Balaam as a warning against covetous error |
| Jude 1:11 | ...and have rushed on in the error of Balaam for profit. | Balaam as a symbol of apostasy for gain |
| Rev 2:14 | But I have a few things against you... they hold the teaching of Balaam... | Balaam's corrupting counsel among God's people |
| Gen 20:6-7 | And God said to him in a dream... "Now then, return the man's wife..." | God speaks to a gentile ruler (Abimelech) |
| Psa 33:10-11 | The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing... | God's absolute sovereignty over human plans |
| Prov 16:9 | The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps. | Divine control over human intentions |
| Isa 46:9-10 | ...I am God, and there is none like me... declaring the end from the beginning. | God's foreknowledge and sovereign plan |
| Isa 55:10-11 | For as the rain... returns not there till it has watered the earth... so shall my word be. | God's word achieves its purpose |
| Jer 1:7-9 | But the Lord said to me, "Do not say, 'I am only a youth,' for to all to whom I send you..." | God giving words to prophets |
| Rom 9:15-16 | For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy..." | God's sovereign right to choose and bless |
| Rom 9:20 | ...But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? | Human inability to question divine will |
| Lev 1:1-3 | The Lord called Moses... and said to him, "Speak to the people of Israel and say..." | Regulations for burnt offerings (Olah) |
| Gen 8:20-21 | Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and took some of every clean animal... | Example of early burnt offerings |
| 1 Sam 7:9 | So Samuel took a young lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering... | Offering for divine favor and intervention |
Numbers 23 verses
Numbers 23 15 Meaning
This verse captures Balaam, the diviner hired by Balak, preparing for his second attempt to curse the Israelites. It records Balaam instructing Balak to remain with his sacrificial burnt offering while Balaam withdraws to a separate place, expecting to receive a word from the Lord. It signifies Balaam's ritualistic approach to obtaining divine communication, setting the scene for the subsequent divine oracle.
Numbers 23 15 Context
Numbers chapter 23 opens with Balak leading Balaam to a new location, Bamoth-baal, hoping a change of scenery would enable a curse on Israel. Following Balaam's instructions, Balak builds seven altars and offers a bull and a ram on each. This verse marks the continuation of this ritual. After his first oracle (Num 23:7-10) unexpectedly blessed Israel, Balaam is now instructing Balak for a second attempt from another vantage point, Pisgah, implying a renewed strategy for Balaam to "meet the Lord" and perhaps extract a more favorable, to Balak, word. The context underscores Balak's desperation and Balaam's repeated, yet ultimately unsuccessful, efforts to override God's unchangeable will concerning Israel. It highlights the clash between pagan expectations and the sovereignty of YHWH.
Numbers 23 15 Word analysis
- And he said: Refers to Balaam, demonstrating his authoritative role as the diviner directing Balak, the king.
- to Balak: The king of Moab, who has hired Balaam to curse Israel. Balak is positioned as the client awaiting results.
- Stand here: A direct command (Hebrew: הִתְיַצֵּב, hityatsev, "cause yourself to stand"), indicating Balaam's control over Balak and the setup of the ritual. Balak's posture signifies his readiness to receive news from Balaam's encounter.
- beside your burnt offering: Referring to the עוֹלָה (olah), a sacrifice entirely consumed by fire, signifying complete dedication or atonement. These were offered by Balak, ostensibly to gain divine favor or influence the outcome, a common practice in ancient Near Eastern rituals to solicit a deity's response for a specific purpose. It highlights the pagan backdrop of the events.
- while I meet: Hebrew: אִוָּעֲדָה (ivva'adah), from the Hithpael of יָעַד (ya'ad), meaning "to meet by appointment" or "to designate a meeting place." This signifies Balaam's expectation of a deliberate, planned encounter with God, as if he can initiate or schedule divine communication. This contrasts with וַיִּקָּר (vayyiqar) from קָרָה (qarah), "to happen upon, to encounter by chance," used for God's spontaneous meeting with Balaam earlier (Num 23:3-4).
- the Lord: Hebrew: יְהוָה (YHWH), the covenant name of the God of Israel. Balaam consistently acknowledges YHWH as the source of true revelation, even as a non-Israelite diviner operating in a pagan context. This recognition underscores YHWH's universal authority.
- yonder: Signifies a private, set-apart location. This physical separation is common in prophetic or divinatory practices for solitude, meditation, and receiving visions or words from the divine.
- "Stand here beside your burnt offering": This phrase details Balak's active participation in the ritual (providing sacrifices) while remaining passive in receiving revelation. The offerings are intended as a propitiation or inducement for divine communication.
- "while I meet the Lord yonder": This phrase highlights Balaam's specific method of divine consultation—withdrawing to a designated place for an expected rendezvous with YHWH. It establishes his claim to unique access to God's will.
Numbers 23 15 Bonus section
The fact that YHWH, the God of Israel, would appear to and communicate with a gentile diviner like Balaam, rather than exclusively to Israelite prophets, showcases His universal sovereignty and His ability to use any means or person to achieve His redemptive purposes for Israel and the world. Balaam's access to YHWH's word did not grant him righteousness; despite speaking prophecies, he later advised Balak to entice Israel into sin (Numbers 31:16, Revelation 2:14), revealing the distinction between divine revelation and moral obedience. God uses, but does not necessarily endorse, the instrument.
Numbers 23 15 Commentary
Numbers 23:15 is a concise verse yet profoundly revelatory in the ongoing narrative of Balaam. It underscores Balaam's persistent, ritualistic attempt to influence divine will through pagan methodologies (altars, burnt offerings, solitary withdrawal) while operating within the explicit confines of YHWH's authority. By commanding Balak to remain by the sacrifice, Balaam positions himself as the sole conduit of revelation. His choice of the verb ya'ad ("to meet by appointment") reveals a presumptuous expectation that he can compel YHWH's appearance or dictate the terms of divine encounter, a subtle but significant detail given God's previous "happening upon" Balaam. However, this verse ultimately serves as a setup for YHWH to once again assert His absolute sovereignty, putting His own words into Balaam's mouth and further demonstrating that no ritual or human intent can alter God's predetermined plan to bless Israel. The encounter emphasizes that YHWH works according to His own purpose, using even a diviner for hire to accomplish His unalterable will.