Numbers 24:20 kjv
And when he looked on Amalek, he took up his parable, and said, Amalek was the first of the nations; but his latter end shall be that he perish for ever.
Numbers 24:20 nkjv
Then he looked on Amalek, and he took up his oracle and said: "Amalek was first among the nations, But shall be last until he perishes."
Numbers 24:20 niv
Then Balaam saw Amalek and spoke his message: "Amalek was first among the nations, but their end will be utter destruction."
Numbers 24:20 esv
Then he looked on Amalek and took up his discourse and said, "Amalek was the first among the nations, but its end is utter destruction."
Numbers 24:20 nlt
Then Balaam looked over toward the people of Amalek and delivered this message: "Amalek was the greatest of nations,
but its destiny is destruction!"
Numbers 24 20 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 36:12 | And Timna was concubine to Eliphaz...she bore to Eliphaz, Amalek. | Origin of Amalek through Esau's lineage. |
| Ex 17:8-16 | Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim...The Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation. | Amalek's unprovoked attack on Israel in the wilderness, incurring perpetual divine wrath. |
| Deut 25:17-19 | Remember what Amalek did to you...you shall blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; you shall not forget. | Command for Israel to utterly destroy Amalek for their treachery. |
| Judg 3:12-13 | The Lord strengthened Eglon...He gathered to himself the Ammonites and the Amalekites. | Amalek joining forces against Israel in the period of the judges. |
| Judg 6:3-5 | For whenever the Israelites had sown, the Midianites and the Amalekites...would come up against them. | Amalekites consistently raiding and oppressing Israel during Gideon's time. |
| Judg 7:12 | The Midianites and the Amalekites and all the people of the East were lying along the valley like locusts. | Continued oppression and large encampments of Amalek. |
| 1 Sam 15:2-3 | Thus says the Lord of hosts, 'I have noted what Amalek did to Israel...Now go and strike Amalek and devote to destruction all that they have...' | God's specific command through Samuel for Saul to destroy Amalek utterly. |
| 1 Sam 15:7-9 | Saul defeated the Amalekites from Havilah to Shur...But he and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep... | Saul's disobedience in not completely destroying Amalek, leading to rejection. |
| 1 Sam 15:32-33 | Then Samuel said, "Bring here to me Agag the king of the Amalekites." ...And Samuel chopped Agag to pieces. | Samuel executing Agag, completing the commanded destruction (partially). |
| 1 Sam 27:8 | Now David and his men went up and made raids on the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites. | David's actions against Amalek before becoming king. |
| 1 Sam 30:1 | Now when David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, the Amalekites had made a raid into the Negeb and Ziklag... | Amalekite raid on Ziklag, leading to David's pursuit and recovery. |
| 1 Chr 4:42-43 | Some of them, 500 men...struck down the remnant of the Amalekites who had escaped. | Descendants of Simeon completing the destruction of Amalekite remnant. |
| Esth 3:1 | After these things King Ahasuerus promoted Haman the Agagite...and advanced him above all the princes. | Haman, an Agagite (likely Amalekite descendant), plots to destroy Jews. |
| Ps 9:5 | You have rebuked the nations; you have made the wicked perish; you have blotted out their name forever and ever. | General principle of God blotting out the wicked, resonating with Amalek's fate. |
| Ps 37:20 | But the wicked will perish; the enemies of the Lord are like the glory of the fields; they vanish—like smoke they vanish away. | God's ultimate judgment on enemies of the Lord. |
| Isa 14:22 | "I will rise up against them," declares the Lord of hosts, "and will cut off from Babylon name and remnant, offspring and posterity." | Prophetic pattern of complete eradication of hostile nations by God. |
| Mal 4:1 | "For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble." | Eschatological destruction of the wicked, encompassing all persistent enemies of God. |
| Zech 1:15 | I am very angry with the nations that are at ease; for while I was only a little angry, they contributed to the calamity. | God's anger against nations that overstep in harming His people. |
| Rom 12:19 | Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord." | Divine vengeance and judgment belongs to God, fulfilled upon Amalek. |
| Rev 20:15 | And if anyone's name was not found written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. | Ultimate spiritual "destruction" for those opposing God's plan. |
Numbers 24 verses
Numbers 24 20 Meaning
Numbers 24:20 conveys a prophetic declaration by Balaam concerning the destiny of Amalek. Despite Amalek's historical preeminence as an aggressive nation, particularly against God's people, their ultimate end is prophesied to be complete and utter destruction, reflecting divine judgment against their consistent enmity towards Israel. This oracle underscores God's sovereignty over nations and His unyielding commitment to protect His covenant people and fulfill His word against their adversaries.
Numbers 24 20 Context
Numbers 24:20 is part of Balaam's fourth and final set of oracles recorded in Numbers chapter 24. Balaam, a foreign prophet from Pethor in Mesopotamia, was hired by Balak, king of Moab, to curse the Israelites. However, each time Balaam opened his mouth, the Spirit of God overruled him, causing him to utter blessings upon Israel and curses upon their enemies instead. The immediate preceding verses (Numbers 24:15-19) describe Balaam's final prophecy regarding Israel's future ascendancy, particularly the coming "star" (Messiah) who would crush the head of Moab and Edom. Following this, Balaam "looks on" or turns his attention to various other nations surrounding Israel – Amalek (v.20), the Kenites (v.21-22), and finally "Kittim" (a reference to future distant invaders, possibly Cyprus or Greek powers, v.24). Each receives a pronouncement of their destiny in relation to God's chosen people. Historically, Amalek was the first nation to attack Israel after their exodus from Egypt (Exodus 17), without provocation, striking the weary stragglers at the rear. This malicious act incurred God's specific and lasting curse, vowing to "blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven" (Ex 17:14; Deut 25:19). Balaam's oracle here reiterates and confirms this divine decree.
Numbers 24 20 Word analysis
Then he looked on Amalek: Balaam's prophetic gaze is divinely directed towards nations, signifying the scope of God's dominion over all peoples. "Looked on" (Hebrew: vayareh, וַיַּרְא) denotes more than casual seeing; it implies prophetic discernment or a specific divine revelation of the future of this nation.
and took up his parable: The term "parable" (Hebrew: mashal, מָשָׁל) here signifies a prophetic oracle or a weighty pronouncement, often with poetic and symbolic elements. It is not merely a common proverb but a divinely inspired utterance of future events. This emphasizes that the words spoken are not Balaam's own but God's.
Amalek: The direct descendants of Esau through Eliphaz and his concubine Timna (Gen 36:12). They were a nomadic, fierce people inhabiting the Negeb and Sinai. Their consistent and malevolent antagonism towards Israel led to them being marked for ultimate destruction by God. Their enmity was uniquely unprovoked and targeted the vulnerable, incurring a special curse.
was the first of the nations: This phrase (Hebrew: re’shit goyim, רֵאשִׁית גּוֹיִם) does not imply Amalek was chronologically the oldest nation in existence. Instead, it signifies their priority or prominence in another significant respect. It most certainly refers to their distinction as the first nation to aggressively and maliciously attack Israel after their Exodus from Egypt (Ex 17:8-16), and thus the first to explicitly declare enmity against God's newly formed covenant nation. This "firstness" of aggression set the precedent for God's severe judgment upon those who oppose His chosen people.
but his end shall be destruction: The word "end" (Hebrew: acharit, אַחֲרִית) refers to their future or latter end, the final outcome of their destiny. "Destruction" (Hebrew: 'avada, אָבַדָה, related to avad - to perish, be lost) conveys total and utter annihilation. It is a complete blotting out of their existence as a distinct entity, confirming the divine decree from Exodus 17 and Deuteronomy 25. This absolute term indicates that no remnant would survive to continue their identity as a nation.
Words-group Analysis:
- "first of the nations, but his end shall be destruction": This contrast highlights a principle of divine justice. Initial prominence or aggression against God's people ultimately leads to ultimate downfall. Amalek, distinguished by their initial enmity, is equally distinguished by their ultimate annihilation. This speaks to God's ultimate triumph over His adversaries and the certain fulfillment of His judgment.
- "Then he looked on Amalek and took up his parable": This phrase shows divine sovereignty controlling even a non-Israelite prophet to deliver God's specific messages regarding His enemies. Balaam, intending to curse Israel, is compelled to pronounce doom upon their foes, revealing the unalterable nature of God's plans.
Numbers 24 20 Bonus section
The concept of Amalek's "firstness" against Israel highlights that some actions, especially malicious attacks on God's people, carry a uniquely severe and long-lasting consequence in divine judgment. Their unprovoked assault on the most vulnerable among the Israelites (Deut 25:18) was seen as an affront to God Himself. Throughout Israelite history, the conflict with Amalek was recurring, symbolizing the constant spiritual battle against persistent evil and sin (often viewed allegorically in Christian tradition as the fight against the flesh or unholy resistance to God's will). The divine command and subsequent prophetic declaration for their complete "blotting out" underscore the uncompromising nature of God's justice against forces that fundamentally oppose His redemptive purposes. Balaam, a man known for divination, being forced by God to prophesy judgment upon those who would fight Israel further magnifies God's omnipotence and truthfulness, making His word irrefutable even through the mouths of those outside His direct covenant.
Numbers 24 20 Commentary
Balaam's oracle regarding Amalek serves as a powerful declaration of God's sovereign control over history and the destiny of nations, especially in relation to His covenant people, Israel. The Amalekites were unique in their early, unprovoked attack on Israel as they journeyed through the wilderness, earning a perpetual divine enmity. Balaam's "first of the nations" confirms their unfortunate distinction as initial and particularly vicious aggressors against God's nascent nation. The pronouncement of their ultimate "destruction" is a definitive confirmation of the vow God made in Exodus 17 and later commanded to be executed in Deuteronomy 25. This prophecy, delivered through an unwilling foreign prophet, underscores that divine judgment on Israel's adversaries is inevitable and rooted in God's immutable character and justice. It teaches that defiance against God's plan for His people incurs irreversible consequences, showcasing God's protective love for His own and His readiness to execute judgment against all who rise up against Him.