Numbers 23:4
2 And Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bullock and a ram.
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.
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.
5 And the LORD put a word in Balaam’s mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus thou shalt speak.
6 And he returned unto him, and, lo, he stood by his burnt sacrifice, he, and all the princes of Moab.
Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- and God met with him. “I have set up seven altars,” Balaam said, “and on each altar I have offered a bull and a ram.”
- 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.
- WEB
- God met Balaam, and he said to him, “I have prepared the seven altars, and I have offered up a bull and a ram on every altar.”
- ASV
- And God met Balaam: and he said unto him, I have prepared the seven altars, and I have offered up a bullock and a ram on every altar.
- DARBY
- And God met Balaam; and [Balaam] said to him, I have disposed seven altars, and have offered up a bullock and a ram upon [each] altar.
- BLB
- And God met with Balaam, and he said to Him, “Seven altars I have prepared, and I have offered a bull and a ram on each altar.”
- ÅB
- Der kom Gud Bileam i møte, og Bileam sa til ham: Nå har jeg stelt til syv alter og ofret en okse og en vær på hvert alter.
- OTB
- Gud møtte Bileam, og Bileam sa: «Jeg har reist sju altere og ofret en okse og en vær på hvert.»
- B1930
- Der kom Gud Bileam i møte, og Bileam sa til ham: Nu har jeg stelt til syv alter og ofret en okse og en vær på hvert alter.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Numbers 23:16
And the LORD met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Go again unto Balak, and say thus.
Read in contextLuke 18:12
I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
Read in contextEphesians 2:9
Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Read in contextNumbers 22:20
And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men come to call thee, rise up, and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do.
Read in contextRomans 3:27
Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.
Read in contextNumbers 23:1
And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams.
Read in contextNumbers 22:9
And God came unto Balaam, and said, What men are these with thee?
Read in contextIsaiah 58:3–4
Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours.
Read in context