Numbers 23:1

1 Then Balaam said to Balak, ^a“Build seven altars for me here, and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams.”

2 And Balak did just as Balaam had spoken, and Balak and Balaam ^aoffered a bull and a ram on each altar.

3 Then Balaam said to Balak, ^a“Stand by your burnt offering, and I will go; perhaps the Lord will come ^bto meet me, and whatever He shows me I will tell you.” So he went to a desolate height.

4 ^aAnd God met Balaam, and he said to Him, “I have prepared the seven altars, and I have offered on each altar a bull and a ram.”

5 Then the Lord ^aput a word in Balaam’s mouth, and said, “Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak.”

6 So he returned to him, and there he was, standing by his burnt offering, he and all the princes of Moab.

Commentaries:

Adam Clarke

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Numbers 23:2 >>

Numbers 23:1

Build me here seven altars, etc. - The oxen and the rams were such as the Mosaic law had ordered to be offered to God in sacrifice; the building of seven altars was not commanded. Some think that these seven altars were built to the seven planets: this is most gratuitously said; of it there is no proof whatever; it is mere trifling, even with conjecture. As seven was a number of perfection, Balaam chose it on this occasion, because he intended to offer a grand sacrifice, and to offer a bullock and a ram upon each of the altars; the whole to be made a burnt-offering at the same time. And as he intended to offer seven bullocks and seven rams at the same time, it could not be conveniently done on one altar, therefore he ordered seven to be built. We need go no farther to find out his reasons.

Other Adam Clarke entries containing Numbers 23:1:

2 Peter 2:15

<< Numbers 22:41

Numbers 23:2 >>

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