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Commentary Critical and Explanatory

Numbers 23:3

And Balaam said unto Balak, Stand by thy burnt offering, and I will go: peradventure the LORD will come to meet me: and whatsoever he sheweth me I will tell thee. And he went to an high place.

Stand by thy burnt offering - as one in expectation of an important favour.

Showeth me - i:e., makes known to me by word or sign.

Went to an high place - a part by himself, where he might practice rites and ceremomies, with a view to obtain a response of the oracle.

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See also Numbers 23:3 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Numbers 23:3. _STAND BY THY BURNT-OFFERING_] We have already seen that blessing and cursing in this way were considered as religious rites, and therefore must be always preceded by sacrifice. S...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    Balaam apparently expected to mark some phenomenon in the sky or in nature, which he would be able, according to the rules of his art, to interpret as a portent. It was for such “auguries” (not as the...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    THE PARABLES OF BALAAM Chapter S 23-24 _ 1. The first parable (Numbers 23:1)_ 2. Balak's surprise and Balaam's answer (Numbers 23:11) 3. At Zophim (Numbers 23:13) 4. The second parable

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    NUMBERS 22:41 TO NUMBERS 23:6. BALAK'S SACRIFICES PRELIMINARY TO BALAAM'S FIRST ORACLE. This section proceeds from E. Balak brought Balaam to Bamoth-baal (Numbers 22:41 _mg._), the site of a sanctuary...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    THE LORD. Hebrew. _Jehovah._ See App-4. MEET: in. neutral sense. Hebrew. _kar'a._ HE WENT. Hebrew he went solitary. Compare Numbers 24:1....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Balaam went some distance away, in the hope that Jehovah would meet him. It is not necessary to suppose that he went to practise enchantments like a soothsayer, e.g. to watch the clouds or the flight...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Balaam demanded a seven-fold sacrifice, in order to propitiate God, that He might be willing to give His prophet a message. Balak complied with the request, hoping that the message might be a curse....

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    STAND BY THY BURNT-OFFERING— By which he means not any particular offering, but the whole sacrifice offered on the seven altars. _And I will go,_ says Balaam, i.e. I will _retire into solitude_ and _s...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    D. THE FIRST BLESSING OF BALAAM (NUMBERS 23:1-12) TEXT Numbers 23:1. And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams. 2. And Balak did as Balaam...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    23:3 hill. (b-35) Or 'elevated place,' 'a high conspicuous place.'...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    BALAAM (CONTINUED) 1-10. First Utterance of Balaam....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    I WILL GO] to inspect the omens, to see what indications are visible of God's will: cp. Numbers 24:1; Leviticus 19:31. TO AN HIGH PLACE] RV 'to a bare height': see on Numbers 22:41....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    THE OLD TESTAMENT BOOK OF NUMBERS IN THE DESERT NUMBERS _MARION ADAMS_ CHAPTER 23 BALAAM’S FIRST *PROPHECY – NUMBERS 23:1-12 V1 Balaam said to Balak, ‘Build 7 *altars here. Then bring to

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    TO AN HIGH PLACE. — Rather, _to a bare or barren height_ The heathen augurs were accustomed to choose elevated places for their auspices with an extensive prospect, especially the barren summits of mo...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וַ יֹּ֨אמֶר בִּלְעָ֜ם לְ בָלָ֗ק הִתְיַצֵּב֮ ע

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    A BLESSING INSTEAD OF A CURSE Numbers 22:41; Numbers 23:1 Notice the position of these Chapter s, preceding the awful story of Baal-peor. Presently the Israelites will be perpetrating such terrible s...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    The first of Balaam's prophecies was uttered in the midst of strange surroundings. Sacrifices were offered to heathen gods, while Balaam turned aside to inquire of Jehovah. The result was that we hav...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    I would beg the Reader to consult the first verse of the next chapter, and this will throw a light upon the whole subject. For it is very plain, from what is there said, that Balaam's leaving Balak, u...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    The successes given to the children of Israel alarmed some of their neighbours, more particularly Moab; and this gives occasion for a striking episode in the history which brought to issue as solemn a...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    3._And Balaam said unto Balak. _In this respect, also, he imitates the true servants of God: for he seeks retirement, because God has almost always appeared unto His servants when they have been separ...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 22, 23, 24, AND 25. Moab also opposes in vain. Now they are in the plains of Moab, having only Jordan between them and the land of their rest. But had they a...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AND BALAAM SAID UNTO BALAK, stand by thy burnt offering,.... By which it appears that the sacrifices offered were of this sort, and there might be one, which was more peculiarly the burnt offering of...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    And Balaam said unto Balak, Stand by thy burnt offering, and I will go: peradventure the LORD will come to meet me: and whatsoever he sheweth me I will tell thee. And he went to an high place. Ver. 3...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Stand by thy burnt-offering_ As in God's presence; as one that offers himself, as well as his sacrifices, to obtain God's favour. _I will go_ To some solitary and convenient place, where I may prevai...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1.13.28 Balaks sacrifice. 7.18 Balaams parable. 1 AND Balaam saide vnto Balak, Build me here seuen Altars, and prepare mee here seuen oxen, and seuen rammes. 2 And Balak did as Balaam had spoken, an...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    And Balaam said unto Balak, Stand by thy burnt offering, and I will go, the king was to remain at the altar, while Balaam went forth to seek good auguries, or omens, in some signs or portents of natur...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    The First Sacrifice and Prophetic Utterance....

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    BALAAM'S FIRST PROPHECY (vs.1-12) THE SANCTIFICATION OF ISRAEL Chapter 22:41 tells us that Balak brought Balaam to the high places of Baal in order to prophecy against Israel. Here he observed onl...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    HE WENT TO: Or, he went solitary...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-10 With the camps of Israel full in view, Balaam ordered seven altars to be built, and a bullock and a ram to be offered on each. Oh the sottishness of superstition, to imagine that God will be at...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    BY THY BURNT-OFFERING; as in God's presence, as one that offers thyself its well as thy sacrifices to obtain his favour. _I will go_ to some solitary and convenient place, where I may by my enchantmen...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Numbers 23:3 Balaam H1109 said H559 (H8799) Balak H1111 Stand H3320 (H8690) offering H5930 go H3212 ...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Balaam blesses instead of curses Israel. CHARACTERS: God, Balaam, Balak. CONCLUSION: Those who have the good will of heaven may expect the ill will of hell but God will not suffer real inj...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Numbers 23:1. _Seven altars._ The Lord commanded Job's friends to take seven bullocks and seven rams, offered no doubt on seven altars: Job 42:8. This was the highest sacrifice a nation could present....

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Balak and Balaam offered on every altar._ THE SACRIFICE OF BALAK AND BALAAM I. Objectively this sacrifice was as perfect as the offerers could make it. Clearly they aimed at presenting a perfect of...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES Numbers 23:1. _Build me here seven altars_. “As _seven_ was a number of perfection, Balaam chose it on this occasion, because he intended to offer a grand sacrifice, and...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    NUMBERS 23:1 BUILD ME HERE SEVEN ALTARS. According to the common opinion of the heathen, it was necessary to propitiate with sacrifices the God with whom they had to do, and if possible to secure his...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Numbers 23:1-30 And God met Balaam: and Balaam said to him, I have prepared seven altars, and I have offered upon every altar a bullock and a ram. And the LORD put a word in Balaam's mouth, and said,...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Exodus 18:12; Genesis 22:13; Genesis 22:2; Genesis 22:7; Genesis 22:8;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Stand by thy burnt — offering — As in God's presence, as one that offers thyself as well as thy sacrifices to obtain his favour. I will go — To some solitary and convenient place, where I may prevail...

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