Numbers 24: A Star Out of Jacob
With the Spirit of God upon him, Balaam abandons enchantments and prophesies Israel's flourishing and a coming king, a star out of Jacob.
Numbers 24 (WEB)
1 When Balaam saw that it pleased Yahweh to bless Israel, he didn’t go, as at the other times, to meet with enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness.
2 Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel dwelling according to their tribes; and the Spirit of God came on him.
3 He took up his parable, and said, “Balaam the son of Beor says, the man whose eyes are open says;
4 he says, who hears the words of God, who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down, and having his eyes open:
5 How goodly are your tents, Jacob, and your tents, Israel!
6 As valleys they are spread out, as gardens by the riverside, as aloes which Yahweh has planted, as cedar trees beside the waters.
7 Water shall flow from his buckets. His seed shall be in many waters. His king shall be higher than Agag. His kingdom shall be exalted.
8 God brings him out of Egypt. He has as it were the strength of the wild ox. He shall eat up the nations his adversaries, shall break their bones in pieces, and pierce them with his arrows.
9 He couched, he lay down as a lion, as a lioness; who shall rouse him up? Everyone who blesses you is blessed. Everyone who curses you is cursed.”
10 Balak’s anger was kindled against Balaam, and he struck his hands together. Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, and, behold, you have altogether blessed them these three times.
11 Therefore now flee you to your place! I thought to promote you to great honor; but, behold, Yahweh has kept you back from honor.”
12 Balaam said to Balak, “Didn’t I also tell your messengers who you sent to me, saying,
13 ‘If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I can’t go beyond Yahweh’s word, to do either good or bad of my own mind. I will say what Yahweh says’?
14 Now, behold, I go to my people. Come, I will inform you what this people shall do to your people in the latter days.”
15 He took up his parable, and said, “Balaam the son of Beor says, the man whose eyes are open says;
16 he says, who hears the words of God, knows the knowledge of the Most High, and who sees the vision of the Almighty, Falling down, and having his eyes open:
17 I see him, but not now. I see him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob. A scepter will rise out of Israel, and shall strike through the corners of Moab, and break down all the sons of Sheth.
18 Edom shall be a possession. Seir, his enemies, also shall be a possession, while Israel does valiantly.
19 Out of Jacob shall one have dominion, and shall destroy the remnant from the city.”
20 He looked at Amalek, and took up his parable, and said, “Amalek was the first of the nations, But his latter end shall come to destruction.”
21 He looked at the Kenite, and took up his parable, and said, “Your dwelling place is strong. Your nest is set in the rock.
22 Nevertheless Kain shall be wasted, until Asshur carries you away captive.”
23 He took up his parable, and said, “Alas, who shall live when God does this?
24 But ships shall come from the coast of Kittim. They shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber. He also shall come to destruction.”
25 Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place; and Balak also went his way.
Numbers 24 (KJV)
1 And when Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he went not, as at other times, to seek for enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness.
2 And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel abiding in his tents according to their tribes; and the spirit of God came upon him.
3 And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:
4 He hath said, which heard the words of God, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:
5 How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel!
6 As the valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the river’s side, as the trees of lign aloes which the Lord hath planted, and as cedar trees beside the waters.
7 He shall pour the water out of his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters, and his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted.
8 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.
9 He couched, he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion: who shall stir him up? Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee.
10 And Balak’s anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together: and Balak said unto Balaam, I called thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast altogether blessed them these three times.
11 Therefore now flee thou to thy place: I thought to promote thee unto great honour; but, lo, the Lord hath kept thee back from honour.
12 And Balaam said unto Balak, Spake I not also to thy messengers which thou sentest unto me, saying,
13 If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the Lord, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; but what the Lord saith, that will I speak?
14 And now, behold, I go unto my people: come therefore, and I will advertise thee what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days.
15 And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:
16 He hath said, which heard the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the most High, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:
17 I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.
18 And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly.
19 Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city.
20 And when he looked on Amalek, he took up his parable, and said, Amalek was the first of the nations; but his latter end shall be that he perish for ever.
21 And he looked on the Kenites, and took up his parable, and said, Strong is thy dwellingplace, and thou puttest thy nest in a rock.
22 Nevertheless the Kenite shall be wasted, until Asshur shall carry thee away captive.
23 And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God doeth this!
24 And ships shall come from the coast of Chittim, and shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber, and he also shall perish for ever.
25 And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place: and Balak also went his way.
Numbers 24 (ASV)
1 And when Balaam saw that it pleased Jehovah to bless Israel, he went not, as at the other times, to meet with enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness.
2 And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel dwelling according to their tribes; and the Spirit of God came upon him.
3 And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor saith, And the man whose eye was closed saith;
4 He saith, who heareth the words of God, Who seeth the vision of the Almighty, Falling down, and having his eyes open:
5 How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, Thy tabernacles, O Israel!
6 As valleys are they spread forth, As gardens by the river-side, As lign-aloes which Jehovah hath planted, As cedar-trees beside the waters.
7 Water shall flow from his buckets, And his seed shall be in many waters, And his king shall be higher than Agag, And his kingdom shall be exalted.
8 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.
9 He couched, he lay down as a lion, And as a lioness; who shall rouse him up? Blessed be every one that blesseth thee, And cursed be every one that curseth thee.
10 And Balak’s anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together; and Balak said unto Balaam, I called thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast altogether blessed them these three times.
11 Therefore now flee thou to thy place: I thought to promote thee unto great honor; but, lo, Jehovah hath kept thee back from honor.
12 And Balaam said unto Balak, Spake I not also to thy messengers that thou sentest unto me, saying,
13 If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of Jehovah, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; what Jehovah speaketh, that will I speak?
14 And now, behold, I go unto my people: come, and I will advertise thee what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days.
15 And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor saith, And the man whose eye was closed saith;
16 He saith, who heareth the words of God, And knoweth the knowledge of the Most High, Who seeth the vision of the Almighty, Falling down, and having his eyes open:
17 I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not nigh: There shall come forth a star out of Jacob, And a sceptre shall rise out of Israel, And shall smite through the corners of Moab, And break down all the sons of tumult.
18 And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession, who were his enemies; While Israel doeth valiantly.
19 And out of Jacob shall one have dominion, And shall destroy the remnant from the city.
20 And he looked on Amalek, and took up his parable, and said, Amalek was the first of the nations; But his latter end shall come to destruction.
21 And he looked on the Kenite, and took up his parable, and said, Strong is thy dwelling-place, And thy nest is set in the rock.
22 Nevertheless Kain shall be wasted, Until Asshur shall carry thee away captive.
23 And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God doeth this?
24 But shipsshall comefrom the coast of Kittim, And they shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber; And he also shall come to destruction.
25 And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place; and Balak also went his way.
Summary
Seeing that it pleases Yahweh to bless Israel, Balaam no longer seeks omens but sets his face toward the wilderness, and the Spirit of God comes upon him. In his third oracle he describes himself as a man whose eyes are opened, and he praises the beauty of Israel's tents, spread out like valleys and gardens, like aloes and cedars planted by the Lord. He foresees a king exalted, a kingdom lifted high, and a people strong as a lion whom none dare rouse, repeating the ancient blessing that those who bless Israel are blessed and those who curse them are cursed. Balak, now furious, strikes his hands together and orders Balaam to flee, but the seer reminds him that he can only say what Yahweh speaks. Then comes the climactic fourth oracle, looking to the latter days: a star will come out of Jacob and a scepter rise out of Israel, a ruler who will crush his enemies and exercise dominion. Balaam adds further oracles concerning Amalek, the Kenites, and other nations, before rising and returning to his place. Even from the lips of a hired pagan seer, God declares the future glory of his people and the coming of a royal deliverer whom Christians have long seen fulfilled in Christ.
Voices
- Balaam — The seer who, with the Spirit of God upon him, abandons enchantments and speaks oracles of blessing, culminating in the prophecy of a star and scepter out of Jacob.
- Balak — The king of Moab whose anger boils over as Balaam blesses Israel a third time, and who finally dismisses the seer in fury.
- The Spirit of God — The Spirit who comes upon Balaam, opening his eyes and putting true prophecy of Israel's future in his mouth.
- The star out of Jacob — The promised ruler foreseen in the fourth oracle, a king rising from Israel to exercise dominion, long understood to point toward Christ.
Key Verse
Numbers 24:17 (WEB)
I see him, but not now. I see him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob. A scepter will rise out of Israel, and shall strike through the corners of Moab, and break down all the sons of Sheth.
Lessons Learned
- When God determines to bless, even reluctant instruments must declare it.
- The Spirit of God can open eyes to see truths beyond human reckoning.
- God's plans reach far into the future, to a coming King.
- The promise of a ruler from Jacob points ahead to Christ, the true King.
- God's blessing on his people cannot be diverted by human anger or scheming.
- God's blessing silences the search for omens. Seeing it pleased God to bless Israel, Balaam “didn’t go, as at the other times, to meet with enchantments” (Numbers 24:1, WEB); God's settled purpose ends the need to manipulate outcomes.
- The Spirit opens eyes to true prophecy. “The Spirit of God came on him” (Numbers 24:2, WEB), and the seer speaks as one whose eyes are open; genuine vision comes from God's Spirit, not from divination.
- God points his people to a coming King. “A star will come out of Jacob. A scepter will rise out of Israel” (Numbers 24:17, WEB); the oracle looks beyond Israel's present to a royal deliverer.
- The star out of Jacob points to Christ. The prophecy of a rising star and scepter (Numbers 24:17, WEB) has long been read as pointing to Jesus, the King whose coming was heralded by a star and whose reign has no end.
- What changes in Balaam's approach in this chapter, and why?
- How do the oracles describe Israel's beauty and strength?
- What does the prophecy of a 'star out of Jacob' (24:17) foretell?
- How have Christians understood this prophecy in light of Jesus?
- How does it encourage you that God can declare blessing and his coming King even through unlikely voices?
- Balaam stops seeking enchantments and turns his face toward the wilderness as the Spirit of God comes on him (24:1-2). Having seen that God is set on blessing Israel, he abandons manipulation and simply speaks what God gives him to say.
- The oracles picture Israel as flourishing and lovely, like well-watered gardens and planted cedars, and as strong and fearless as a lion (24:5-9). Their beauty and strength flow from the God who planted and protects them.
- The prophecy foretells a coming ruler, a star and scepter rising out of Israel, who will exercise dominion and crush his enemies (24:17-19). It reaches into the latter days, pointing to a royal deliverer beyond Israel's immediate history.
- Christians have long seen this star and scepter fulfilled in Jesus, the King from the line of Jacob whose birth was marked by a star and whose kingdom will never end. The pagan seer's oracle becomes an early signpost to the Messiah.
- This is a personal-application question. Invite members to marvel that God's purpose to bless and to send his King could not be stopped, even by a hired enemy. As leader, lift eyes to Christ, the star out of Jacob, in whom all God's promises find their yes.