Numbers 23:1
in Numbers 23Then Balaam said to Balak, “Build for me seven altars here, and prepare for me seven bulls and seven rams.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams.
KJV
And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams.
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This verse in Numbers 23
Commentary
7 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Balaam, after the general custom of the pagan, prefaced his divinations by sacrifice. In the number of the altars regard was probably had to the number of the then known planets. Yet Balaam evidently intended his sacrifice as an offering to the true God.
This site's exposition
Build me here seven altars
on Numbers 23:1-3
Balaam opens with sevens, seven altars and seven oxen and seven rams, raised on a high place of Baal where Balak had taken him at 22:41. John Gill observes that Israel had one altar and that the patriarchs raised one at a time, so the multiplied altars belong to Balaam's own trade rather than to the worship of the God he is about to meet. Albert Barnes reads his going aside to a bare height as watching for an omen he could interpret by the rules of his art, and 24:1 later says he stopped seeking enchantments.
The record, by era
The Reformation1 voice
It is plain that Balaam was infected by this fanciful notion, when he endeavours to draw down God by seven altars, and twice seven sacrifices. Let us, however, learn from Balak's prompt compliance, that the superstitious neither spare expense, nor refuse anything which is demanded by the masters of their errors.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And though Balak was averse from God and his worship, yet he would be easily overruled by Balaam, who doubtless told him that it was in vain to make an address to any other than the God of Israel, who alone was able either to bless or curse them as he pleased. Seven - This being the solemn and usual number in sacrifices.
And Balaam said unto Balak,.... When upon one of the high places of Baal, and after having taken a view of the people of Israel as they lay encamped: build me here seven altars; this was purely Heathenish; for not only the Israelites after the law of Moses had but one altar, but the patriarchs before that never built but one altar at a time.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
It is evident, from Nu 23:4 that they were prepared for the worship of the true God; although in choosing the high places of Baal as their site and rearing a number of altars (2Ki 18:22; 10:1), instead of one only, as God had appointed, Balaam blended his own superstitions with the divine worship.
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.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra alluded here to a profound secret. 106 “There are profound secrets which are understood by few in number. There is a unit of seven, in days [making a week] etc.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 6 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
16 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּ֤אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| בִּלְעָם֙ | bilam | Balaam | H1109 → | 61 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| בָּלָ֔ק | balak | Balak | H1111 → | 43 times |
| בְּנֵה־ | beneh- | build | H1129 → | 376 times |
| לִ֥י | li | for <the> me | ||
| בָזֶ֖ה | vazeh | in this [place] | H2088 → | 1180 times |
| שִׁבְעָ֣ה | shivah | seven | H7651 → | 394 times |
| מִזְבְּחֹ֑ת | mizbechot | altars | H4196 → | 401 times |
| וְהָכֵ֥ן | vehakhen | and prepare | H3559 → | 217 times |
| לִי֙ | li | for <the> me | ||
| בָּזֶ֔ה | bazeh | in this [place] | H2088 → | 1180 times |
| שִׁבְעָ֥ה | shivah | seven | H7651 → | 394 times |
| פָרִ֖ים | farim | young bulls | H6499 → | 132 times |
| וְשִׁבְעָ֥ה | veshivah | and seven | H7651 → | 394 times |
| אֵילִֽים׃ | ʾeilim | rams | H352 → | 187 times |
וַיֹּ֤אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
בִּלְעָם֙Balaam
bilamH1109 →61 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
בָּלָ֔קBalak
balakH1111 →43 times
בְּנֵה־build
beneh-H1129 →376 times
לִ֥יfor <the> me
li
בָזֶ֖הin this [place]
vazehH2088 →1180 times
שִׁבְעָ֣הseven
shivahH7651 →394 times
מִזְבְּחֹ֑תaltars
mizbechotH4196 →401 times
וְהָכֵ֥ןand prepare
vehakhenH3559 →217 times
לִי֙for <the> me
li
בָּזֶ֔הin this [place]
bazehH2088 →1180 times
שִׁבְעָ֥הseven
shivahH7651 →394 times
פָרִ֖יםyoung bulls
farimH6499 →132 times
וְשִׁבְעָ֥הand seven
veshivahH7651 →394 times
אֵילִֽים׃rams
ʾeilimH352 →187 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Exodus 20:24You are to make for Me an altar of earth, and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and peace offerings, your sheep and goats and cattle. In every place where I cause My name…
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 12:5
Instead, you must seek the place the LORD your God will choose from among all your tribes to establish as a dwelling for His Name, and there you must go.
- Psalms 132:13–14
For the LORD has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His home:
- 2 Chronicles 6:6
But now I have chosen Jerusalem for My Name to be there, and I have chosen David to be over My people Israel.’
- 1 Kings 9:3
And the LORD said to him: “I have heard your prayer and petition before Me. I have consecrated this temple you have built by putting My Name there forever; My eyes and My heart…
- Deuteronomy 12:11
then the LORD your God will choose a dwelling for His Name. And there you are to bring everything I command you: your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and special gifts, and all…
- Deuteronomy 12:5
Through
Jude 1:11Woe to them! They have traveled the path of Cain; they have rushed headlong into the error of Balaam; they have perished in Korah’s rebellion.
it leads to
- 2 Peter 2:15
They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness.
- Revelation 2:14
But I have a few things against you, because some of you hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to place a stumbling block before the Israelites so they would eat food…
- 1 John 3:12
Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did Cain slay him? Because his own deeds were evil, while those of his brother were righteous.
- 2 Peter 2:15
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Numbers
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Calvin, Commentaries; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament.