Numbers 24:8
in Numbers 24God brought him out of Egypt with strength like a wild ox, to devour hostile nations and crush their bones, to pierce them with arrows.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
God bringeth him forth out of Egypt; He hath as it were the strength of the wild-ox: He shall eat up the nations his adversaries, And shall break their bones in pieces, And smite them through with his arrows.
KJV
God brought him forth out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn: he shall eat up the nations his enemies, and shall break their bones, and pierce them through with his arrows.
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This verse in Numbers 24
Commentary
5 notes on this verseThe oracle in the previously quoted prophecy, in saying that the Lord would come into Egypt, foretold the journey of our Lord Jesus Christ when he went into Egypt with his parents. Here we have the prophecy of his return from Egypt in its natural order, when he came back with his parents into the land of Israel, in the words "God led him out of Egypt."
This site's exposition
he hath as it were the strength
on Numbers 24:8-9
Verse 8 repeats the opening of the third oracle at 23:22 with one change, that God brought them out becomes God brought him forth, so the nation is spoken of as a single man. The unicorn of the King James is the reem, a wild ox, and Job 39:9-10 uses it of an animal no man puts in a furrow. Couched as a lion is the word Jacob spoke over Judah at Genesis 49:9, and it arrives here from a seer fetched out of Aram, as 23:7 says. Verse 9 then closes with the promise given to Abram at Genesis 12:3 and to Jacob at Genesis 27:29, which turns the errand inside out, since Balak paid for a curse and the man he paid pronounces a curse on whoever curses.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
God brought him forth out of Egypt, he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn,....
"No, Israel is too powerful to be checked or held in by my curses or thy armies." (3.) He looks forward to their future conquests: He shall eat up the nations his enemies; that is, "he shall not only destroy and devour them as easily and irresistibly as a lion does his prey, but he shall himself be strengthened, and fattened, and enriched, by their spoils." 5.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
God brought him forth out of Egypt - They were neither expelled thence, nor came voluntarily away. God alone, with a high hand and uplifted arm, brought them forth. Concerning the unicorn, see Num 23:22 (note).
The words behind it
13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אֵ֚ל | ʾel | God | H410 → | 241 times |
| מוֹצִיא֣וֹ | motzio | [is] bringing out it | H3318 → | 1067 times |
| מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם | mimitzrayim | from Egypt | H4714 → | 641 times |
| כְּתוֹעֲפֹ֥ת | ketoafot | like [the] horns of | H8443 → | |
| רְאֵ֖ם | reem | a wild ox | H7214 → | |
| ל֑וֹ | lo | [belong] to <the> him | ||
| יֹאכַ֞ל | yokhal | it will consume | H398 → | 810 times |
| גּוֹיִ֣ם | goyim | nations | H1471 → | 561 times |
| צָרָ֗יו | tzarav | opponents its | H6862 → | 109 times |
| וְעַצְמֹתֵיהֶ֛ם | veatzmoteihem | and bones their | H6106 → | 126 times |
| יְגָרֵ֖ם | yegarem | it will break | H1633 → | |
| וְחִצָּ֥יו | vechitzav | and arrows its | H2671 → | |
| יִמְחָֽץ׃ | yimchatz | it will wound [them] | H4272 → |
אֵ֚לGod
ʾelH410 →241 times
מוֹצִיא֣וֹ[is] bringing out it
motzioH3318 →1067 times
מִמִּצְרַ֔יִםfrom Egypt
mimitzrayimH4714 →641 times
כְּתוֹעֲפֹ֥תlike [the] horns of
ketoafotH8443 →
רְאֵ֖םa wild ox
reemH7214 →
ל֑וֹ[belong] to <the> him
lo
יֹאכַ֞לit will consume
yokhalH398 →810 times
גּוֹיִ֣םnations
goyimH1471 →561 times
צָרָ֗יוopponents its
tzaravH6862 →109 times
וְעַצְמֹתֵיהֶ֛םand bones their
veatzmoteihemH6106 →126 times
יְגָרֵ֖םit will break
yegaremH1633 →
וְחִצָּ֥יוand arrows its
vechitzavH2671 →
יִמְחָֽץ׃it will wound [them]
yimchatzH4272 →
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
Numbers 14:9Only do not rebel against the LORD, and do not be afraid of the people of the land, for they will be like bread for us. Their protection has been removed, and the LORD…
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 7:18
But do not be afraid of them. Be sure to remember what the LORD your God did to Pharaoh and all Egypt:
- Deuteronomy 31:6
Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or terrified of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.”
- Romans 8:31
What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
- Psalms 74:14
You crushed the heads of Leviathan; You fed him to the creatures of the desert.
- Deuteronomy 31:8
The LORD Himself goes before you; He will be with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid or discouraged.”
- Deuteronomy 7:18
Through
Numbers 23:22God brought them out of Egypt with strength like a wild ox.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 33:17
His majesty is like a firstborn bull, and his horns are like those of a wild ox. With them he will gore the nations, even to the ends of the earth. Such are the…
- Deuteronomy 33:17
Through
Psalms 45:5Your arrows pierce the hearts of the king’s foes; the nations fall beneath your feet.
it leads to
- Psalms 21:12
For You will put them to flight when Your bow is trained upon them.
- Psalms 21:12
Through
Numbers 23:24Behold, the people rise like a lioness; they rouse themselves like a lion, not resting until they devour their prey and drink the blood of the slain.”
it leads to
- Genesis 49:27
Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; in the morning he devours the prey, in the evening he divides the plunder.”
- Genesis 49:27
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; Eusebius of Caesarea, PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 8.3; 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.