Numbers 22:11
in Numbers 22‘Behold, a people has come out of Egypt, and they cover the face of the land. Now come and put a curse on them for me. Perhaps I may be able to fight against them and drive them away.’”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Behold, the people that is come out of Egypt, it covereth the face of the earth: now, come curse me them; peradventure I shall be able to fight against them, and shall drive them out.
KJV
Behold, there is a people come out of Egypt, which covereth the face of the earth: come now, curse me them; peradventure I shall be able to overcome them, and drive them out.
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This verse in Numbers 22
Commentary
4 notes on this verseA commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
His real character has long been a subject of discussion. Some, judging from his language, have thought him a saint; others, looking to his conduct, have described him as an irreligious charlatan; and a third class consider him a novice in the faith, who had a fear of God, but who had not acquired power over his passions [HENGSTENBERG].
This site's exposition
And Balaam said to God
on Numbers 22:10-12
He repeats Balak's message and drops the end of it, keeping the request to curse and leaving out the king's confession that whom Balaam blesses is blessed. God answers in three parts inside one verse, do not go, do not curse, and the ground of both, for they are blessed. The ground is the point, since the blessing on that people was Abraham's and no fee alters it.
This site's exposition
they cover the face of the land
John Gill says Balaam relates Balak's words faithfully to God, knowing he could not deceive God though he could deceive men. The wording shifts slightly from verse 6. There Balak hoped to defeat Israel, and here the hope is to fight against them. Either way the request to curse stands at the centre.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Behold, there is a people come out of Egypt,.... In this, and the following part of the verse, he faithfully and punctually relates the words of Balak to him by his messengers, as well knowing he could not deceive the omniscient God, or hide anything from him, though he could deceive men; and conceal the truth from them, to serve a purpose; See Gill on Num 22:5, Num 22:6.
The words behind it
18 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| הִנֵּ֤ה | hineh | here! | H2009 → | 843 times |
| הָעָם֙ | haam | the people | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| הַיֹּצֵ֣א | haiyotze' | which has come out | H3318 → | 1067 times |
| מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם | mimitzrayim | from Egypt | H4714 → | 641 times |
| וַיְכַ֖ס | vaykhas | and it has covered | H3680 → | 152 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| עֵ֣ין | ʾein | [the] eye of | H5869 → | 887 times |
| הָאָ֑רֶץ | haaretz | the land | H776 → | 2504 times |
| עַתָּ֗ה | ʾatah | now | H6258 → | 433 times |
| לְכָ֤ה | lekhah | come ! | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| קָֽבָה־ | kavah- | curse ! | H6895 → | 14 times |
| לִּי֙ | li | for <the> me | ||
| אֹת֔וֹ | ʾoto | <obj.> it | H853 → | 10935 times |
| אוּלַ֥י | ʾulai | perhaps | H194 → | 45 times |
| אוּכַ֛ל | ʾukhal | I will be able | H3201 → | 194 times |
| לְהִלָּ֥חֶם | lehilachem | to engage in battle | H3898 → | 177 times |
| בּ֖וֹ | bo | against <the> it | ||
| וְגֵרַשְׁתִּֽיו׃ | vegerashtiv | and I will drive out it | H1644 → | 46 times |
הִנֵּ֤הhere!
hinehH2009 →843 times
הָעָם֙the people
haamH5971 →1873 times
הַיֹּצֵ֣אwhich has come out
haiyotze'H3318 →1067 times
מִמִּצְרַ֔יִםfrom Egypt
mimitzrayimH4714 →641 times
וַיְכַ֖סand it has covered
vaykhasH3680 →152 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
עֵ֣ין[the] eye of
ʾeinH5869 →887 times
הָאָ֑רֶץthe land
haaretzH776 →2504 times
עַתָּ֗הnow
ʾatahH6258 →433 times
לְכָ֤הcome !
lekhahH1980 →1546 times
קָֽבָה־curse !
kavah-H6895 →14 times
לִּי֙for <the> me
li
אֹת֔וֹ<obj.> it
ʾotoH853 →10935 times
אוּלַ֥יperhaps
ʾulaiH194 →45 times
אוּכַ֛לI will be able
ʾukhalH3201 →194 times
לְהִלָּ֥חֶםto engage in battle
lehilachemH3898 →177 times
בּ֖וֹagainst <the> it
bo
וְגֵרַשְׁתִּֽיו׃and I will drive out it
vegerashtivH1644 →46 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies2
On this verse
On this chapter
About Numbers
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.