Numbers 24:25
in Numbers 24Then Balaam arose and returned to his homeland, and Balak also went on his way.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place; and Balak also went his way.
KJV
And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place: and Balak also went his way.
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This verse in Numbers 24
Commentary
5 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Returned to his own place - i. e., among the Midianites to plot by new means against the people of God, and to perish in his sin Num 31:8, Num 31:16; Rev 2:14.
This site's exposition
Alas, who shall live when God doeth this
on Numbers 24:23-25
The last parable is four lines long and names nobody for the ships, only the coast they come from. Chittim is Kittim, listed among the sons of Javan at Genesis 10:4 and taken for Cyprus with the western coasts beyond it, and Daniel 11:30 uses the same phrase of a fleet that turned a king back. Who Eber stands for is disputed, since the name is the ancestor of the Hebrews at Genesis 10:21 and can also carry the sense of the country beyond the river, and Albert Barnes and Keil and Delitzsch take it differently. Then Balaam goes to his place and Balak goes his way, and the next word the book has of him is 31:8, where he is killed among the kings of Midian, so what he did between these two verses the narrative leaves unsaid.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
To his place - To Mesopotamia; tho' afterwards he returned to the Midianites, and gave them that devilish counsel which was put in practice, chap. xxv, 16-18.
And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
And Balaam - returned to his place - Intended to have gone to Mesopotamia, his native country, (see Deu 23:4), but seems to have settled among the Midianites, where he was slain by the Israelites; see Num 31:8. Though the notes in the preceding chapters have been extended to a considerable length, yet a few additional remarks may be necessary: the reader’s attention is earnestly requested to the following propositions: - 1. It appears sufficiently evident from the preceding account that Balaam knew and worshipped the true God. 2. That he had been a true prophet, and appears to have been in the habit of receiving oracles from God. 3. That he practiced some illicit branches of knowledge, or was reputed by the Moabites as a sorcerer, probably because of the high reputation he had for wisdom; and we know that even in our own country, in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, persons who excelled their contemporaries in wisdom were reputed as magicians. 4. That though he was a believer in the true God, yet he was covetous; he loved the wages of unrighteousness. 5. That it does not appear that in the case before us he wished to curse Israel when he found they were the servants of the true God. 6. That it is possible he did not know this at first. Balak told him that there was a numerous people come out of Egypt; and as marauders, wandering hordes, freebooters, etc., were frequent in those days, he might take them at first for such spoilers, and the more readily go at Balak’s request to consult God concerning them. 7. That so conscientiously did he act in the whole business, that as soon as he found it displeased God he cheerfully offered to return; and did not advance till he had not only the permission, but the authority of God to proceed. 8. […]
The words behind it
9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיָּ֣קָם | vaiyakom | and he arose | H6965 → | 628 times |
| בִּלְעָ֔ם | bilam | Balaam | H1109 → | 61 times |
| וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ | vaiyelekh | and he went | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| וַיָּ֣שָׁב | vaiyashov | and he returned | H7725 → | 1056 times |
| לִמְקֹמ֑וֹ | limkomo | to place his | H4725 → | 401 times |
| וְגַם־ | vegam- | and also | H1571 → | 769 times |
| בָּלָ֖ק | balak | Balak | H1111 → | 43 times |
| הָלַ֥ךְ | halakh | he went | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| לְדַרְכּֽוֹ׃ פ | ledarko | to way his | H1870 → | 707 times |
וַיָּ֣קָםand he arose
vaiyakomH6965 →628 times
בִּלְעָ֔םBalaam
bilamH1109 →61 times
וַיֵּ֖לֶךְand he went
vaiyelekhH1980 →1546 times
וַיָּ֣שָׁבand he returned
vaiyashovH7725 →1056 times
לִמְקֹמ֑וֹto place his
limkomoH4725 →401 times
וְגַם־and also
vegam-H1571 →769 times
בָּלָ֖קBalak
balakH1111 →43 times
הָלַ֥ךְhe went
halakhH1980 →1546 times
לְדַרְכּֽוֹ׃ פto way his
ledarkoH1870 →707 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
Joshua 13:22The Israelites also killed the diviner Balaam son of Beor along with the others they put to the sword.
it leads to
- Jude 1:11
Woe 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.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 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…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Numbers 31:8
Among the slain were Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba—the five kings of Midian. They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword.
- 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.
- Numbers 22:5–7
he sent messengers to Balaam son of Beor at Pethor, which is by the Euphrates in the land of his people. “Behold, a people has come out of Egypt,” said Balak. “They cover the…
- Jude 1:11
Through
Numbers 31:8Among the slain were Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba—the five kings of Midian. They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword.
it leads to
- Joshua 13:21–22
all the cities of the plateau and all the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon until Moses killed him and the chiefs of Midian (Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and…
- Numbers 25:15
And the name of the slain Midianite woman was Cozbi, the daughter of Zur, a tribal chief of a Midianite family.
- Joshua 13:21–22
Through
Numbers 24:11Therefore, flee at once to your home! I said I would richly reward you, but instead the LORD has denied your reward.”
it leads to
- Numbers 22:17
for I will honor you richly and do whatever you say. So please come and put a curse on this people for me!’”
- Numbers 22:17
Where this verse is studied
On this page
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; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch.