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Hawker's Poor man's commentary

Numbers 23:8

Observe what he saith: that he could not; not that he would not, for that he wished. But how precious an instruction doth this hold forth to the believer in JESUS: neither magicians, nor devils, can curse those whom GOD hath pronounced blessed. And if the poor man did but call this to resemblance, never would he be led to fear, much less to put confidence in, the juggling arts of conjurers and fortune-tellers, who go about to impose on the unwary.

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See also Numbers 23:8 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Numbers 23:8. _HOW SHALL I CURSE, WHOM GOD HATH NOT CURSED?_] It was granted on all hands that no _incantations_ nor imprecations could avail, unless God concurred and ratified them. From God's...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    THE PARABLES OF BALAAM Chapter S 23-24 _ 1. The first parable (Numbers 23:1)_ 2. Balak's surprise and Balaam's answer (Numbers 23:11) 3. At Zophim (Numbers 23:13) 4. The second parable

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    BALAAM'S FIRST ORACLE. Its purport is that the secure independence, the imposing numbers, and the undisturbed prosperity of Israel are proof that the people have not been cursed by God and therefore c...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    HOW... ? Figure of speech _Erotesis._ App-6. CURSE. revile. Hebrew. _nakab._ GOD. Hebrew. _'El_. the mighty God. See App-4. CURSED. Hebrew. _kabab_. to pierce with words. DEFY... DEFIED. Hebrew. _...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _Balaam's first prophetic message_. This consists of seven short couplets. Balaam declares the uselessness of Balak's action in fetching him for the purpose of cursing (Numbers 23:7 f.); the security...

  • Charles Simeon's Horae Homileticae

    DISCOURSE: 172 BALAAM’S FIRST ATTEMPT TO CURSE ISRAEL Numbers 23:7. And he took up his parable, and said, Balak, the king of Moab, hath brought me from Aram, out of the mountains of the East, saying,...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    D. THE FIRST BLESSING OF BALAAM (NUMBERS 23:1-12) TEXT Numbers 23:1. And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams. 2. And Balak did as Balaam...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _HOW SHALL I CURSE, WHOM GOD HATH NOT CURSED? OR HOW SHALL I DEFY, WHOM THE LORD HATH NOT DEFIED?_ How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? A divine blessing has been pronounced over the posterit...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    BALAAM (CONTINUED) 1-10. First Utterance of Balaam....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    THE OLD TESTAMENT BOOK OF NUMBERS IN THE DESERT NUMBERS _MARION ADAMS_ CHAPTER 23 BALAAM’S FIRST *PROPHECY – NUMBERS 23:1-12 V1 Balaam said to Balak, ‘Build 7 *altars here. Then bring to

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    מָ֣ה אֶקֹּ֔ב לֹ֥א קַבֹּ֖ה אֵ֑ל וּ מָ֣ה

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    A BLESSING INSTEAD OF A CURSE Numbers 22:41; Numbers 23:1 Notice the position of these Chapter s, preceding the awful story of Baal-peor. Presently the Israelites will be perpetrating such terrible s...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    The first of Balaam's prophecies was uttered in the midst of strange surroundings. Sacrifices were offered to heathen gods, while Balaam turned aside to inquire of Jehovah. The result was that we hav...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    The successes given to the children of Israel alarmed some of their neighbours, more particularly Moab; and this gives occasion for a striking episode in the history which brought to issue as solemn a...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 22, 23, 24, AND 25. Moab also opposes in vain. Now they are in the plains of Moab, having only Jordan between them and the land of their rest. But had they a...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    HOW SHALL I CURSE WHOM GOD HATH NOT CURSED?.... The sense is, that it was impossible for him to curse those that God did not curse himself, or would not have cursed by others; not but that he had a go...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, [whom] the LORD hath not defied? Ver. 8. _How shall I curse?_] He had a good mind to it, but did not, because he durst not: God stood...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1.13.28 Balaks sacrifice. 7.18 Balaams parable. 1 AND Balaam saide vnto Balak, Build me here seuen Altars, and prepare mee here seuen oxen, and seuen rammes. 2 And Balak did as Balaam had spoken, an...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    How shall I curse whom God hath not cursed? Or how shall I defy whom the Lord hath not defied? How could Balaam be expected to pronounce the doom of wrath upon those that were the blessed of the Lord,...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    The First Sacrifice and Prophetic Utterance....

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    BALAAM'S FIRST PROPHECY (vs.1-12) THE SANCTIFICATION OF ISRAEL Chapter 22:41 tells us that Balak brought Balaam to the high places of Baal in order to prophecy against Israel. Here he observed onl...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-10 With the camps of Israel full in view, Balaam ordered seven altars to be built, and a bullock and a ram to be offered on each. Oh the sottishness of superstition, to imagine that God will be at...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    God hath not cursed, but blessed Israel, and therefore it is a vain and ridiculous attempt for me to curse them in spite of God....

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Numbers 23:8 How H4100 curse H5344 (H8799) God H410 cursed H6895 (H8804) denounce H2194 (H8799) LORD...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Balaam blesses instead of curses Israel. CHARACTERS: God, Balaam, Balak. CONCLUSION: Those who have the good will of heaven may expect the ill will of hell but God will not suffer real inj...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Numbers 23:1. _Seven altars._ The Lord commanded Job's friends to take seven bullocks and seven rams, offered no doubt on seven altars: Job 42:8. This was the highest sacrifice a nation could present....

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed?_ BALAAM’S FIRST PARABLE; OR, THE BLESSEDNESS OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD Balaam’s declaration of the happiness of Israel sets forth the blessedness of the peop...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES Numbers 23:1. _Build me here seven altars_. “As _seven_ was a number of perfection, Balaam chose it on this occasion, because he intended to offer a grand sacrifice, and...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    NUMBERS 23:1 BUILD ME HERE SEVEN ALTARS. According to the common opinion of the heathen, it was necessary to propitiate with sacrifices the God with whom they had to do, and if possible to secure his...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Numbers 23:1-30 And God met Balaam: and Balaam said to him, I have prepared seven altars, and I have offered upon every altar a bullock and a ram. And the LORD put a word in Balaam's mouth, and said,...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Isaiah 44:25; Isaiah 47:12; Isaiah 47:13; Numbers 23:20; Numbers 23:2

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