Numbers · 25 verses

Numbers 24

Every verse links to the people and places named in it, and to the passages readers connect it with.

The chapter

What happens here

Atlas's own reading, written from this chapter and nothing else, and published only once a person has approved it. Each scene names the verses it covers; the names inside it link to the people and places they name.

After kingdoms are crushed in speech and futures laid out, Balaam and Balak simply get up and go home—one with his oracles, the other without his promised reward.

Eyes open, face to the wildernessvv. 1–9

Balaam sees that blessing Israel pleases the LORD, abandons his search for omens, and turns towards the wilderness. There Israel lies encamped tribe by tribe, and the Spirit of God comes upon him. His introduction is wonderfully physical: he is a man with open eyes, bowing down with eyes wide open. Then the tents become gardens, palms, aloes, and cedars; water pours from buckets; a king rises greater than Agag; and Israel settles into the posture of a lion that nobody ought to disturb.

The wages of prophecyvv. 10–14

Balak's anger burns, and his response to a third blessing is strikingly practical: he strikes his hands together and complains that the promised reward has been denied. Balaam answers that even a house full of silver and gold would not make him go beyond the LORD's command. He is going home, but before he goes he offers Balak one more warning about what the people will do in days to come.

Stars, skulls, ships, and homevv. 15–25

The final oracles widen the view until it contains a star from Jacob, a scepter from Israel, Moab and Edom, Seir and Amalek, the Kenites in their cliffside nest, Asshur taking them captive, and ships from Cyprus subduing Asshur and Eber. The language grows grander and stranger, but the ending is gloriously plain: Balaam rises and returns to his homeland, and Balak goes on his way.

The text

Read it

Berean Standard Bible, public domain. Names the Hebrew and Greek put in the verse link to the person, place or people they name; the address beside each verse is a link to that verse, which is what a reader copies and shares.

Num 24:1And when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not seek omens as on previous occasions, but he turned his face toward the wilderness.
Num 24:2When Balaam looked up and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of God came upon him,
Num 24:3and he lifted up an oracle, saying: “This is the prophecy of Balaam son of Beor, the prophecy of a man whose eyes are open,
Num 24:4the prophecy of one who hears the words of God, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who bows down with eyes wide open:
Num 24:5How lovely are your tents, O Jacob, your dwellings, O Israel!
Num 24:6They spread out like palm groves, like gardens beside a stream, like aloes the LORD has planted, like cedars beside the waters.
Num 24:7Water will flow from his buckets, and his seed will have abundant water. His king will be greater than Agag, and his kingdom will be exalted.
Num 24:8 God brought him out of Egypt with strength like a wild ox, to devour hostile nations and crush their bones, to pierce them with arrows.
Num 24:9He crouches, he lies down like a lion, like a lioness—who dares to rouse him? Blessed are those who bless you and cursed are those who curse you.”
Num 24:10Then Balak’s anger burned against Balaam, and he struck his hands together and said to Balaam, “I summoned you to curse my enemies, but behold, you have persisted in blessing them these three times.
Num 24:11Therefore, flee at once to your home! I said I would reward you richly, but instead the LORD has denied your reward.”
Num 24:12 Balaam answered Balak, “Did I not already tell the messengers you sent me
Num 24:13that even if Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything of my own accord, good or bad, to go beyond the command of the LORD? I must speak whatever the LORD says.
Num 24:14Now I am going back to my people, but come, let me warn you what this people will do to your people in the days to come.”
Num 24:15Then Balaam lifted up an oracle, saying, “This is the prophecy of Balaam son of Beor, the prophecy of a man whose eyes are open,
Num 24:16the prophecy of one who hears the words of God, who has knowledge from the Most High, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who bows down with eyes wide open:
Num 24:17I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come forth from Jacob, and a scepter will arise from Israel. He will crush the skulls of Moab and strike down all the sons of Sheth.
Num 24:18 Edom will become a possession, as will Seir, his enemy; but Israel will perform with valor.
Num 24:19A ruler will come from Jacob and destroy the survivors of the city.”
Num 24:20Then Balaam saw Amalek and lifted up an oracle, saying: “Amalek was first among the nations, but his end is destruction.”
Num 24:21Next he saw the Kenites and lifted up an oracle, saying: “Your dwelling place is secure, and your nest is set in a cliff.
Num 24:22Yet Kain will be destroyed when Asshur takes you captive.”
Num 24:23Once more Balaam lifted up an oracle, saying: “Ah, who can live unless God has ordained it?
Num 24:24Ships will come from the coasts of Cyprus; they will subdue Asshur and Eber, but they too will perish forever.”
Num 24:25Then Balaam arose and returned to his homeland, and Balak also went on his way.

01 — Also here

Who else the chapter reaches

Names written in the English are linked in the text above. These are the ones that are not: an entity the Hebrew or Greek names under a spelling the translation does not use, or one reached only by an assertion about a verse of this chapter.

Reached by an assertion Atlas extracted from a verse of this chapter rather than by a name written in it — a pronoun, a title, or a participant the sentence carries without naming. This layer is model-read and measured at 88.6–90.3% precision, and it is kept separate from the names above for that reason.

02 — Read alongside

Where this is echoed

Readers' own connections, from OpenBible's crowd-voted cross-references — agreement about relevance, and not scholarly confidence. 256 passages were voted onto 24 verses of this chapter; the 16 shown lead on votes, and each is listed at the verse it was voted onto most strongly.

17 Revelation 22:16“I, Jesus, have sent My angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the bright Morning Star.”
9 Genesis 12:3I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you; and all the families of the earth will be blessed through you.”
17 Luke 1:32–33He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David,
17 Genesis 49:10The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes and the allegiance of the nations is his.
9 Genesis 27:29May peoples serve you and nations bow down to you. May you be the master of your brothers, and may the sons of your mother bow down to you. May those who curse you be cursed, and those who bless you be blessed.”
17 Zechariah 10:4The cornerstone will come from Judah, the tent peg from him, as well as the battle bow and every ruler together.
17 Matthew 2:2–9asking, “Where is the One who has been born King of the Jews? We saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”
17 Psalms 45:6Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever, and justice is the scepter of Your kingdom.
17 2 Peter 1:19We also have the word of the prophets as confirmed beyond doubt. And you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.
8 Psalms 45:5Your arrows pierce the hearts of the king’s foes; the nations fall beneath your feet.
9 Genesis 49:9Judah is a young lion—my son, you return from the prey. Like a lion he crouches and lies down; like a lioness, who dares to rouse him?
4 Revelation 1:17When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. But He placed His right hand on me and said, “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last,
7 2 Samuel 5:12And David realized that the LORD had established him as king over Israel and had exalted his kingdom for the sake of His people Israel.
17 1 Chronicles 18:2David also defeated the Moabites, and they became subject to David and brought him tribute.
17 2 Samuel 8:2David also defeated the Moabites, made them lie down on the ground, and measured them off with a cord. He measured off with two lengths those to be put to death, and with one length those to be spared. So the Moabites became subject to David and brought him tribute.
17 Hebrews 1:8But about the Son He says: “Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever, and justice is the scepter of Your kingdom.

Onward

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