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George Haydock's Catholic Commentary

Numbers 23:4

Speed. Hebrew shephi, may signify also "on the straight road," (Septuagint) "into the plain," (Louis de Dieu) "all alone," (Onkelos) or most probably "upon an eminence." (Kimchi) (Calmet) --- God, in the visible form of an angel. (Menochius) --- To him. Balaam might suppose that he was addressing his idol. But Moses informs us, that the true God or his angel was present, and forced Balaam to deliver an unwelcome message to the king. (Haydock)

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See also Numbers 23:4 in other biblical comments:

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    GOD MET BALAAM - God served His own purposes through the arts of Balaam, and manifested His will through the agencies employed to seek it, dealing thus with Balaam in an exceptional manner. To God’s o...

  • 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

    GOD. Hebrew. _'Elohim._ See App-4. MET: in. hostile sense. Hebrew. _karah._...

  • 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....

  • 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...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _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._ God met Balaam - not in compliance with his incantations, but to fru...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

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

  • 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

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וַ יִּקָּ֥ר אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶל ־בִּלְעָ֑ם וַ יֹּ֣א

  • 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...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    And God (b) met Balaam: and he said unto him, I have prepared seven altars, and I have offered upon [every] altar a bullock and a ram. (b) Appeared to him....

  • 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

    4._And God met Balaam. _It is wonderful that God should have determined to have anything in common with the pollutions of Balaam; since there is no communion between light and darkness, and He detests...

  • 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 GOD MET BALAAM,.... Not in a kind and gracious manner; not out of any respect to him and his offerings; not to indulge him with any spiritual communion with him; nor to communicate his mind and wi...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    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. Ver. 4. _I have prepared seven altars._] He boasts of his devotions,...

  • 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 God met Balaam, in some form or manifestation which is not described in detail; AND HE (Balaam) SAID UNTO HIM, I HAVE PREPARED SEVEN ALTARS, AND I HAVE OFFERED UPON EVERY ALTAR A BULLOCK AND A RAM...

  • 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...

  • 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

    GOD MET BALAAM, not to comply with Balaam's charms, nor to gratify, but to oppose, his wicked desires, and to fierce him against his own inclination and interest to utter the following words. A BULLOC...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Numbers 23:4 God H430 met H7136 (H8735) Balaam H1109 said H559 (H8799) prepared H6186 (H8804) seven...

  • 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

    Ephesians 2:9; Isaiah 58:3; Isaiah 58:4; John 16:2; Luke 18:12;...

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