Numbers 23:6
in Numbers 23So he returned to Balak, who was standing there beside his burnt offering, with all the princes of Moab.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And he returned unto him, and, lo, he was standing by his burnt-offering, he, and all the princes of Moab.
KJV
And he returned unto him, and, lo, he stood by his burnt sacrifice, he, and all the princes of Moab.
⋯
This verse in Numbers 23
Commentary
4 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
I have set up seven altars
on Numbers 23:4-6
God met with him, and Balaam's first words are an inventory: on each altar I have offered a bull and a ram. Matthew Henry reads it as a man presenting a bill.
This site's exposition
standing there beside his burnt offering
Matthew Henry pictures Balak standing close by the altar and expecting success. John Gill thinks all the princes of the kingdom had gathered there, because the nation believed itself in danger. Henry traces that fear to 22:3, where Moab dreaded Israel because the people were many.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
), closely attending it, and earnestly expecting the success. Those that wold have an answer of peace from God must abide by the sacrifice, and attend on the Lord without distraction, not weary in well doing.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
And he returned unto him,.... Immediately, as soon as he was told what to say: and, lo, he stood by his burnt sacrifice; continued in his devotions, hoping for success, and waiting for Balaam's return: he and all the princes of Moab; not only those that were sent to Balaam, but perhaps all the princes of the kingdom who were got together on this occasion, and by reason of the imminent danger they apprehended the nation was in on account of Israel.
The words behind it
10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיָּ֣שָׁב | vaiyashov | and he returned | H7725 → | 1056 times |
| אֵלָ֔יו | ʾelav | to him | H413 → | 5510 times |
| וְהִנֵּ֥ה | vehineh | and there! | H2009 → | 843 times |
| נִצָּ֖ב | nitzav | [he was] standing | H5324 → | 75 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | with | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| עֹלָת֑וֹ | olato | burnt offering his | H5930 → | 287 times |
| ה֖וּא | hu' | he | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| וְכָל־ | vekhol | and all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| שָׂרֵ֥י | sarei | [the] leaders of | H8269 → | 421 times |
| מוֹאָֽב׃ | moav | Moab | H4124 → | 181 times |
וַיָּ֣שָׁבand he returned
vaiyashovH7725 →1056 times
אֵלָ֔יוto him
ʾelavH413 →5510 times
וְהִנֵּ֥הand there!
vehinehH2009 →843 times
נִצָּ֖ב[he was] standing
nitzavH5324 →75 times
עַל־with
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
עֹלָת֑וֹburnt offering his
olatoH5930 →287 times
ה֖וּאhe
hu'H1931 →1879 times
וְכָל־and all
vekholH3605 →5413 times
שָׂרֵ֥י[the] leaders of
sareiH8269 →421 times
מוֹאָֽב׃Moab
moavH4124 →181 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
Where this verse is studied
About Numbers
Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PersonWildernessBalakKing of Moab who hired Balaam against the camp on his border and got four blessings and a prophecy of his own destroyer for his fe…
- PlaceTransjordanMoabThe high country east of the Dead Sea, home of Lot's descendants, where Balak hired Balaam, where Ruth was born, and where Moses l…
This page draws on John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary.