A STAR FROM JACOB

Passage: Numbers 24:10-25

Key verse: 17

NIV

10 Then Balak’s anger burned(A) against Balaam. He struck his hands together(B) and said to him, “I summoned you to curse my enemies,(C) but you have blessed them(D) these three times.(E) 11 Now leave at once and go home!(F) I said I would reward you handsomely,(G) but the Lord has kept you from being rewarded.”

12 Balaam answered Balak, “Did I not tell the messengers you sent me,(H) 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(I)—and I must say only what the Lord says’?(J) 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.”(K)

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(L) of God,
    who has knowledge from the Most High,(M)
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.(N)
A star will come out of Jacob;(O)
    a scepter will rise out of Israel.(P)
He will crush the foreheads of Moab,(Q)
    the skulls[a](R) of[b] all the people of Sheth.[c]
18 Edom(S) will be conquered;
    Seir,(T) his enemy, will be conquered,(U)
    but Israel(V) will grow strong.
19 A ruler will come out of Jacob(W)
    and destroy the survivors of the city.”

Balaam’s Fifth Message

20 Then Balaam saw Amalek(X) and spoke his message:

“Amalek was first among the nations,
    but their end will be utter destruction.”(Y)

Balaam’s Sixth Message

21 Then he saw the Kenites(Z) and spoke his message:

“Your dwelling place is secure,(AA)
    your nest is set in a rock;
22 yet you Kenites will be destroyed
    when Ashur(AB) takes you captive.”

Balaam’s Seventh Message

23 Then he spoke his message:

“Alas! Who can live when God does this?[d]
24     Ships will come from the shores of Cyprus;(AC)
they will subdue Ashur(AD) and Eber,(AE)
    but they too will come to ruin.(AF)”

25 Then Balaam(AG) got up and returned home, and Balak went his own way.

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Footnotes
  1. Numbers 24:17 Samaritan Pentateuch (see also Jer. 48:45); the meaning of the word in the Masoretic Text is uncertain.
  2. Numbers 24:17 Or possibly Moab, / batter
  3. Numbers 24:17 Or all the noisy boasters
  4. Numbers 24:23 Masoretic Text; with a different word division of the Hebrew The people from the islands will gather from the north.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

10 And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he (A)struck his hands together. And Balak said to Balaam, (B)“I called you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have blessed them these three times. 11 Therefore now flee to your own place. I said, (C)‘I will certainly honor you,’ but the Lord has held you back from honor.” 12 And Balaam said to Balak, “Did I not tell your messengers whom you sent to me, 13 (D)‘If Balak should give me his house full of silver and gold, I would not be able to go beyond the word of the Lord, to do either good or bad (E)of my own will. What the Lord speaks, that will I speak’? 14 And now, behold, I am going to my people. Come, (F)I will let you know what this people will do to your people (G)in the latter days.”

Balaam's Final Oracle

15 (H)And he took up his discourse and said,

“The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor,
    the oracle of the man whose eye is opened,
16 the oracle of him who hears the words of God,
    and knows the knowledge of (I)the Most High,
who sees the vision of the Almighty,
    (J)falling down with his eyes uncovered:
17 (K)I see him, but not now;
    I behold him, but not near:
(L)a star shall come out of Jacob,
    and (M)a scepter shall rise out of Israel;
it shall (N)crush the forehead[a] of Moab
    and break down all the sons of Sheth.
18 (O)Edom shall be dispossessed;
    (P)Seir also, his enemies, shall be dispossessed.
    Israel is doing valiantly.
19 And one from Jacob shall exercise dominion
    and destroy the survivors of cities!”

20 Then he looked on Amalek and (Q)took up his discourse and said,

“Amalek was the first among the nations,
    (R)but its end is utter destruction.”

21 And he looked on the Kenite, and took up his discourse and said,

“Enduring is your dwelling place,
    and your nest is set in the rock.
22 Nevertheless, Kain shall be burned
    when Asshur takes you away captive.”

23 And he took up his discourse and said,

“Alas, who shall live when God does this?
24     But ships shall come from (S)Kittim
and shall afflict Asshur and (T)Eber;
    and he too (U)shall come to utter destruction.”

25 Then Balaam rose and (V)went back to his place. And Balak also went his way.

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Footnotes
  1. Numbers 24:17 Hebrew corners [of the head]
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. I could not go beyond God's command (1

-14)

Balaam had come to curse God's people, but he found that he could only bless them. He lost a lot.

2. The fourth oracle (15-19)

His fourth oracle points to King David, who crushed Moab and Edom (2Sa 8:2,14). And it looks beyond David to the Christ, the true star of Jacob, who would come to destroy his enemy the devil. God changed the curse into a blessing and planted hope in his people. The star that came from Jacob is still the star of hope that rises in the hearts of people who have faith in God (2Pe 1:19).

3. Who can live when God does this? (2

-25)

Balaam saw that nations rise and fall according to God's sovereign hand. Balaam did not satisfy Balak, who wanted to use him to break down Israel's wall of spiritual protection. He only proclaimed God's sovereignty and blessed God's people and left.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for Jesus, the Morning Star. Protect us from the attacks of Satan.

One Word: The star of hope