Numbers 24 14

Numbers 24:14 kjv

And now, behold, I go unto my people: come therefore, and I will advertise thee what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days.

Numbers 24:14 nkjv

And now, indeed, I am going to my people. Come, I will advise you what this people will do to your people in the latter days."

Numbers 24:14 niv

Now I am going back to my people, but come, let me warn you of what this people will do to your people in days to come."

Numbers 24:14 esv

And now, behold, I am going to my people. Come, I will let you know what this people will do to your people in the latter days."

Numbers 24:14 nlt

Now I am returning to my own people. But first let me tell you what the Israelites will do to your people in the future."

Numbers 24 verses

Numbers 24 14 Meaning

Numbers 24:14 captures Balaam's statement to Balak, indicating his intention to depart yet also to reveal God's plan for Israel to triumph over Moab in the distant future. This seemingly ordinary offer of "advice" functions as a final, divinely inspired prophecy. It underscores God's absolute sovereignty, compelling even a hired pagan prophet to speak His predetermined will. Balaam, though motivated by gain, cannot escape being God's reluctant messenger.

Numbers 24 14 Context

Numbers chapters 22-24 narrate the account of Balak, king of Moab, attempting to have the prophet Balaam curse the Israelites. Despite Balak's repeated insistence and increasingly attractive offers, God directly intervenes to prevent Balaam from uttering any curses. Instead, Balaam is repeatedly compelled by the Spirit of God to pronounce blessings upon Israel, to Balak's frustration. Verse 24:14 serves as an introduction to Balaam's final and arguably most profound oracle, often seen as a Messianic prophecy. Balaam is informing Balak that while he intends to return home, he feels compelled to deliver one last revelation regarding Israel's future dominance, specifically concerning Balak's own people, the Moabites, in the "latter days." This setting emphasizes the divine control over all human intentions and the invincibility of God's purpose for His chosen people. Historically, Moab was an Israelite neighbor and often an adversary, making this prophecy a direct warning to Balak concerning his people's future fate at the hands of Israel.

Numbers 24 14 Word analysis

• וְעַתָּה֙ (ve'attah): "And now"
  • Significance: This phrase marks a transition. It signals an end to the previous interactions (the blessings Balaam was forced to give) and introduces a new, critical phase of communication. It often points to immediate consequence or important information.
• הִנְנִי֙ (hinneni): "behold I" or "here I am"
  • Significance: A strong, emphatic self-declaration. It indicates readiness or the direct engagement of the speaker. It sets a formal tone for the significant statement that follows, signaling the importance of Balaam's imminent departure or his intention to speak further.
• הוֹלֵ֤ךְ (holech): "going"
  • Significance: Simple participle meaning "walking" or "going." Here, it signifies departure. Balaam is indicating he is fulfilling his obligation or decision to leave Balak and return to his home.
• לְעַמִּי֙ (le'ammi): "to my people"
  • Significance: Refers to Balaam's own kin or tribe, implying his ancestral home near the Euphrates. This underscores his identity as a foreign, non-Israelite prophet, making his divinely-compelled pro-Israelite prophecies even more striking.
• לְכָה־אִיעָצְךָ֞ (leka-iy'atzekha): "come, I will advise you" / "I will counsel you"
  • Word: יָעַץ (ya'ats): advise, counsel.
  • Significance: This verb 'ya'ats' can mean human counsel or divine instruction. Balaam presents this as human 'advice,' perhaps to save face with Balak, suggesting he's offering a practical, though foreboding, piece of insight. However, this 'advice' immediately transitions into a divinely inspired oracle, revealing the true source of his foresight. This highlights Balaam's complex character – someone capable of divine communication but also prone to human motives.
• הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּה֙ (ha'am hazzeh): "this people"
  • Significance: Refers explicitly to Israel, identifying them as distinct from Balak's people. The demonstrative "this" emphasizes their immediate presence and formidable nature in the Moabite land.
• לְעַמְּךָ֖ (le'ammekha): "to your people"
  • Significance: Refers to the Moabites. The direct contrast with "my people" and "this people" highlights the adversarial relationship that exists and will persist between Israel and Moab.
• בְּאַחֲרִ֣ית הַיָּמִ֑ים (be'acharit hayyamim): "in the latter days" / "at the end of days"
  • Significance: This is a crucial prophetic idiom. It points to a distant, unspecified future period beyond immediate historical events. While it can sometimes refer to immediate post-Exodus events, in grand prophecies like Balaam's, it generally denotes a long-term historical fulfillment, potentially even Messianic. Here, it signifies events leading to Israel's dominance that would extend for centuries, particularly under the Davidic monarchy (as revealed in the subsequent verses). This term draws the prophecy out of a specific immediate battle and into a larger divine timeline.

Words-group analysis

• "And now, behold, I am going to my people; but come"
  • This phrase acts as a double-pivot. First, it marks Balaam's declared departure, suggesting a resolution to the confrontation with Balak. Second, the abrupt "but come" ("lechah" - literally, "go you!" but meaning "come now" or "depart and listen") immediately undercuts the finality of his departure, creating suspense for what he is about to reveal. It positions Balaam as a reluctant messenger compelled by an irresistible force, even as he attempts to frame his message as human counsel.
• "I will advise you what this people will do to your people in the latter days."
  • This declarative statement shifts from Balaam's personal actions to a significant prophetic utterance. The term "advise" is loaded: on one hand, it sounds like pragmatic counsel; on the other, given the context of forced blessings, it implies a divinely mandated disclosure. The direct confrontation of "this people" (Israel) against "your people" (Moab) sets the stage for a prophecy of conflict and conquest. The specific phrase "in the latter days" elevates this warning from an immediate skirmish to a long-term, unfolding divine plan, which would involve the rise of a powerful Israelite monarchy (as Balaam's subsequent words reveal) that would subdue its neighbors, including Moab. This foretelling underlines God's ultimate control over national destinies.

Numbers 24 14 Bonus section

The concept of a non-Israelite prophet speaking divine truth is a testament to God's universal reach and sovereignty beyond the chosen nation. Balaam, though associated with pagan divination, is momentarily sanctified to become a mouthpiece for Yahweh, underscoring that all creation and all knowledge are ultimately subservient to the one true God. His final "advice," framed in Numbers 24:14, later tragically contrasts with the true "advice" he gives to Balak (Num 31:16, Rev 2:14), which led Israel into idolatry and immorality through intermarriage and cultic prostitution. This earlier advice, delivered in verse 14, represents God's unchangeable plan of blessing for Israel, showing His power even over the prophet's personal avarice, whereas the later counsel from Balaam, not found explicitly here but referenced elsewhere, stemmed from his unredeemed heart. This tension illustrates the divine use of a vessel despite its flaws, while simultaneously revealing the vessel's persistent corrupt nature when left to its own devices. The prophecy's historical fulfillment against Moab is explicitly seen during King David's reign (2 Sam 8:2).

Numbers 24 14 Commentary

Numbers 24:14 captures Balaam's paradoxical position: a non-Israelite prophet hired to curse, yet constrained to bless, and now compelled to reveal a future of Israel's triumph. Despite his underlying desire to please Balak for personal gain, the divine will is irresistible. His offering of "advice" serves as a bridge, a subtle veneer over the profound oracle he is about to deliver, signaling God's unbreakable commitment to His covenant with Israel. This verse not only confirms Israel's preordained destiny of superiority but also demonstrates the impotence of human and pagan forces against the divine plan. The phrase "latter days" signifies a deep, lasting impact, emphasizing that Israel's future ascendancy over nations like Moab is not merely immediate but an unfolding part of a long-term prophetic timeline, ultimately finding its greatest expression in the Davidic monarchy and ultimately in the reign of the Messiah. It highlights God's sovereignty over history, even through the reluctant utterances of those outside His direct covenant.