Numbers 23 4

Numbers 23:4 kjv

And God met Balaam: and he said unto him, I have prepared seven altars, and I have offered upon every altar a bullock and a ram.

Numbers 23:4 nkjv

And God met Balaam, and he said to Him, "I have prepared the seven altars, and I have offered on each altar a bull and a ram."

Numbers 23:4 niv

God met with him, and Balaam said, "I have prepared seven altars, and on each altar I have offered a bull and a ram."

Numbers 23:4 esv

and God met Balaam. And Balaam said to him, "I have arranged the seven altars and I have offered on each altar a bull and a ram."

Numbers 23:4 nlt

and God met him there. Balaam said to him, "I have prepared seven altars and have sacrificed a young bull and a ram on each altar."

Numbers 23 verses

Numbers 23 4 Meaning

Numbers 23:4 describes the immediate aftermath of Balaam's preparations to seek an oracle concerning Israel. Having meticulously set up seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each as requested by King Balak, God met Balaam. This encounter was initiated by God, not earned or compelled by Balaam’s rituals, and signifies that the ensuing divine revelation would be entirely according to God's will, transcending Balaam's own intentions or the customary practices of divination.

Numbers 23 4 Context

Numbers chapter 23 begins the series of oracles delivered by Balaam. King Balak of Moab, terrified by the Israelite advance, hired Balaam, a renowned diviner, to curse Israel, believing that Balaam's curses held power. Numbers 23:4 specifically occurs after Balaam instructs Balak to build seven altars and provide animals for sacrifice, indicating Balaam's engagement in ancient Near Eastern ritual practices intended to invoke or coerce divine presence for revelation or intervention. This verse shows that despite Balaam's divinatory methodology, it is the true God (Yahweh, though referred to as Elohim here) who sovereignly chooses to meet him and initiate communication, ensuring that His divine will, not Balaam’s or Balak’s, will be pronounced. This encounter sets the stage for God to turn the intended curse into a blessing, demonstrating His protective covenant with Israel and His supremacy over all other gods and human magical attempts.

Numbers 23 4 Word analysis

• And God met (וַיִּקָּר אֱלֹהִים - vayyiqqār elohim): This phrase is highly significant. The Hebrew verb "vayyiqqār" (from קָרָה, qarah) means "to meet," "to encounter," or "to happen upon." While it can suggest a chance meeting, in the context of divine interaction, it points to an encounter orchestrated by God. The definite article "ha'Elohim" (the God) specifies that it was the God of Israel who met Balaam, not just any deity he might have invoked through his pagan rituals. This highlights God's sovereignty and initiative; He chose to reveal Himself to Balaam, interrupting Balaam's typical divining methods to deliver His own message. It's not Balaam summoning God, but God manifesting to Balaam.
• Balaam (בִּלְעָם - Bil'am): A non-Israelite diviner from Mesopotamia, known for his ability to bless or curse. His character is complex, demonstrating both obedience to God's direct commands here and later moral failure by leading Israel into sin (as seen in Revelation 2:14). Here, he acts as an oracle medium, but under divine constraint.
• And he said to him: This indicates direct communication between God and Balaam, the precise nature of which Balaam then conveys to Balak.
• "I have arranged (עָרַכְתִּי - ārakhtī) the burnt offering (עוֹלוֹת - ʻōlōṯ)": Balaam states his preparedness for the encounter. "Ārakhtī" means "I have set in order," or "prepared." "ʻŌlōṯ" (plural of ʻōlāh) refers to whole burnt offerings, consumed entirely on the altar, symbolizing complete dedication and perhaps an effort to secure maximum divine favor. The use of multiple offerings (plural) corresponds to the multiple altars prepared (seven, from v. 1).
• "and I have offered (וָאַעֲלֶה - wā'aʿaleh) on each altar (בְּכָל מִזְבֵּחַ - bəḵol mizbēaḥ) a bull (פַּר - par) and a ram (וָאָיִל - wā'ayil)": This reiterates Balaam's meticulous adherence to ancient Near Eastern ritual practices for seeking divine oracles. The seven altars, mentioned in Num 23:1, along with the specific animals (bulls and rams), were typical sacrificial animals for such purposes, demonstrating the scale and presumed potency of Balaam's preparations. These are common sacrificial animals also prescribed in the Israelite law for offerings.
• Words-group Analysis:
  • "And God met Balaam": This phrase underlines divine initiative and control. Despite Balaam's pagan background and mercenary intentions, it is God who determines the encounter and dictates the message. This signifies God's supremacy over all powers, including those supposedly wielded by diviners, and His direct intervention in human affairs for His own purposes concerning Israel.
  • "I have arranged the burnt offering; and I have offered on each altar a bull and a ram": This entire statement reflects Balaam's understanding and execution of conventional divinatory practices. He has performed all the necessary ritual actions with precision, indicating his earnest attempt to connect with the divine according to his trade. This stands in contrast to how God actually communicates with him, demonstrating that God is not manipulated by human rituals but uses such settings to reveal His own sovereign will.

Numbers 23 4 Bonus section

• The description of "God met Balaam" emphasizes God's self-revelation. It underscores that Balaam, a diviner not committed to Yahweh, receives a true revelation directly from the Lord. This distinguishes divine prophecy from human sorcery or divination; the former originates solely from God's will.
• The "seven altars" (Num 23:1) are not mentioned directly in Numbers 23:4 but are implied by "on each altar." This number often signifies completion or perfection in biblical and ancient Near Eastern contexts, and Balaam's choice of it was likely to enhance the efficacy of his ritual. Yet, God's message transcends these numerical or ceremonial considerations, further illustrating His dominion over human attempts to control spiritual outcomes.
• Balaam's willingness to go through these elaborate rituals demonstrates his perceived effectiveness of these pagan practices and his professional approach to divination. The text subverts this, showing that despite Balaam's expectations for a curse, God's nature and covenant promise determine the outcome.

Numbers 23 4 Commentary

Numbers 23:4 is pivotal, revealing God's absolute sovereignty over human actions and intentions. Balaam, a recognized diviner, engages in extensive and costly rituals (seven altars, bulls, and rams) aimed at producing an oracle, likely believing such meticulous preparations could influence or constrain the divine. However, the text explicitly states, "God met Balaam." This encounter is not a consequence of Balaam's manipulative rites but an uncoerced divine initiative. God steps into Balaam's pagan setting not to endorse the methodology, but to ensure His infallible will is proclaimed. This demonstrates that God is not beholden to human ceremonies, nor can His plan be thwarted or redirected by foreign practices or human desires. He simply used the stage Balaam set for Himself to declare His blessing on Israel, transforming Balak's intended curse into a divine declaration of favor, thus highlighting His unwavering covenant loyalty.