Numbers - A Journey Through the Wilderness , Sarah Barry
THE LORD FILLS OUR HEARTS WITH HOPE
Passage: Numbers 24:1~25  
Key verse: 17a
24 Now when Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel,(A) he did not resort to divination(B) as at other times, but turned his face toward the wilderness.(C) 2 When Balaam looked out and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of God came on him(D) 3 and he spoke his message:
“The prophecy of Balaam son of Beor,
the prophecy of one whose eye sees clearly,(E)
4 the prophecy of one who hears the words of God,(F)
who sees a vision from the Almighty,[a](G)
who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened:
5 “How beautiful are your tents,(H) Jacob,
your dwelling places, Israel!
6 “Like valleys they spread out,
like gardens beside a river,(I)
like aloes(J) planted by the Lord,
like cedars beside the waters.(K)
7 Water will flow from their buckets;
their seed will have abundant water.
8 “God brought them out of Egypt;
they have the strength of a wild ox.
They devour hostile nations
and break their bones in pieces;(N)
with their arrows they pierce them.(O)
9 Like a lion they crouch and lie down,
like a lioness(P)—who dares to rouse them?
10 Then Balak’s anger burned(S) against Balaam. He struck his hands together(T) and said to him, “I summoned you to curse my enemies,(U) but you have blessed them(V) these three times.(W) 11 Now leave at once and go home!(X) I said I would reward you handsomely,(Y) but the Lord has kept you from being rewarded.”
12 Balaam answered Balak, “Did I not tell the messengers you sent me,(Z) 13 ‘Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not do anything of my own accord, good or bad, to go beyond the command of the Lord(AA)—and I must say only what the Lord says’?(AB) 14 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.”(AC)
Balaam’s Fourth Message
15 Then he spoke his message:
“The prophecy of Balaam son of Beor,
the prophecy of one whose eye sees clearly,
16 the prophecy of one who hears the words(AD) of God,
who has knowledge from the Most High,(AE)
who sees a vision from the Almighty,
who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened:
17 “I see him, but not now;
I behold him, but not near.(AF)
A star will come out of Jacob;(AG)
a scepter will rise out of Israel.(AH)
He will crush the foreheads of Moab,(AI)
the skulls[b](AJ) of[c] all the people of Sheth.[d]
18 Edom(AK) will be conquered;
Seir,(AL) his enemy, will be conquered,(AM)
but Israel(AN) will grow strong.
19 A ruler will come out of Jacob(AO)
and destroy the survivors of the city.”
Balaam’s Fifth Message
20 Then Balaam saw Amalek(AP) and spoke his message:
“Amalek was first among the nations,
but their end will be utter destruction.”(AQ)
Balaam’s Sixth Message
21 Then he saw the Kenites(AR) and spoke his message:
“Your dwelling place is secure,(AS)
your nest is set in a rock;
22 yet you Kenites will be destroyed
when Ashur(AT) takes you captive.”
Balaam’s Seventh Message
23 Then he spoke his message:
“Alas! Who can live when God does this?[e]
24 Ships will come from the shores of Cyprus;(AU)
they will subdue Ashur(AV) and Eber,(AW)
but they too will come to ruin.(AX)”
25 Then Balaam(AY) got up and returned home, and Balak went his own way.
Footnotes
- Numbers 24:4 Hebrew Shaddai; also in verse 16
- Numbers 24:17 Samaritan Pentateuch (see also Jer. 48:45); the meaning of the word in the Masoretic Text is uncertain.
- Numbers 24:17 Or possibly Moab, / batter
- Numbers 24:17 Or all the noisy boasters
- Numbers 24:23 Masoretic Text; with a different word division of the Hebrew The people from the islands will gather from the north.
Cross references
- Numbers 24:1 : S Nu 23:20
- Numbers 24:1 : S Nu 23:23
- Numbers 24:1 : Nu 23:28
- Numbers 24:2 : S Nu 11:25, 26
- Numbers 24:3 : ver 15
- Numbers 24:4 : S Nu 22:9
- Numbers 24:4 : S Ge 15:1
- Numbers 24:5 : Jer 4:20; 30:18; Mal 2:12
- Numbers 24:6 : S Ge 2:10
- Numbers 24:6 : Ps 45:8; SS 4:14
- Numbers 24:6 : Job 29:19; Ps 1:3; 104:16; Eze 31:5
- Numbers 24:7 : S Ex 17:8-16
- Numbers 24:7 : Dt 28:1; 2Sa 5:12; 1Ch 14:2; Ps 89:27; 145:11-13
- Numbers 24:8 : S Ex 15:6; Jer 50: 17
- Numbers 24:8 : 2Sa 18:14; Ps 45:5
- Numbers 24:9 : S Nu 23:24
- Numbers 24:9 : S Ge 12:2
- Numbers 24:9 : S Ge 12:3
- Numbers 24:10 : S Ex 4:14
- Numbers 24:10 : Job 27:23; 34:37; La 2:15; Eze 21:14; 22:13; 25:6
- Numbers 24:10 : S Nu 22:6
- Numbers 24:10 : S Nu 23:11; S Dt 23:5
- Numbers 24:10 : ver 3-9; Nu 23:7-10, 18-24
- Numbers 24:11 : ver 14, 25
- Numbers 24:11 : S Nu 22:17
- Numbers 24:12 : Nu 22:18
- Numbers 24:13 : S Nu 22:18
- Numbers 24:13 : S Nu 22:20
- Numbers 24:14 : S Ge 49:1; Nu 31:8, 16; Mic 6:5
- Numbers 24:16 : S Nu 22:9
- Numbers 24:16 : Ge 14:18; Isa 14:14
- Numbers 24:17 : Rev 1:7
- Numbers 24:17 : Mt 2:2
- Numbers 24:17 : S Ge 49:10
- Numbers 24:17 : S Ge 19:37; S Nu 21:29; S Dt 23:6; Isa 15:1-16:14
- Numbers 24:17 : Jer 48:45
- Numbers 24:18 : 2Sa 8:12; 1Ch 18:11; Ps 60:8; Isa 11:14; Am 9:12
- Numbers 24:18 : S Ge 14:6; Dt 1:44; Jos 12:7; 15:10; Jdg 5:4
- Numbers 24:18 : Ob 1:2
- Numbers 24:18 : S Ge 9:25
- Numbers 24:19 : S Ge 49:10; Mic 5:2
- Numbers 24:20 : S Ge 14:7; S Ex 17:14
- Numbers 24:20 : Dt 25:19; 1Sa 15:20; 30:17-20; 2Sa 8:12; 1Ch 18:11
- Numbers 24:21 : S Ge 15:19
- Numbers 24:21 : Ps 37:27; Pr 1:33; Isa 32:18; Eze 34:27
- Numbers 24:22 : S Ge 10:22
- Numbers 24:24 : S Ge 10:4
- Numbers 24:24 : ver 22
- Numbers 24:24 : S Ge 10:21
- Numbers 24:24 : ver 20
- Numbers 24:25 : S Nu 22:5
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source:  BibleGateway
1. God blesses his people (1-11)
Balaam turned his face towards Israel. God prophesied again through Balaam. God's people are like a fruitful valley, like gardens by the river overflowing with blessing. God will make them into a powerful nation. They were made strong by the grace of God. Again Balaam and Balak refused to repent despite seeing God's love for his people.
2. God leads his people to victory (12-25)
Balaam told Balak what God would do through his people in the years to come. King David would rule four centuries later. He would extend Israel's borders to the promised limits. Under his reign many enemies would be defeated. The prophecy also looks forward to the coming Messiah. God filled his people with hope. Nothing could change this hope because God is the sovereign Lord who does this (23b). There is assurance in God's hope.
Prayer: Lord, I know that you are the sovereign Lord, who blesses your people and leads them all the way to your kingdom. I trust in your leading in dark times.
One Word: God's hope for his people is certain