Numbers 23:18
New International Version
Then he spoke his message: “Arise, Balak, and listen; hear me, son of Zippor.

New Living Translation
This was the message Balaam delivered: “Rise up, Balak, and listen! Hear me, son of Zippor.

English Standard Version
And Balaam took up his discourse and said, “Rise, Balak, and hear; give ear to me, O son of Zippor:

Berean Standard Bible
Then Balaam lifted up an oracle, saying: “Arise, O Balak, and listen; give ear to me, O son of Zippor.

Berean Literal Bible
And he lifted up his oracle and said, “Rise up, O Balak, and hear; give ear to me, O son of Zippor!

King James Bible
And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor:

New King James Version
Then he took up his oracle and said: “Rise up, Balak, and hear! Listen to me, son of Zippor!

New American Standard Bible
Then he took up his discourse and said, “Arise, Balak, and hear; Listen to me, son of Zippor!

NASB 1995
Then he took up his discourse and said, “Arise, O Balak, and hear; Give ear to me, O son of Zippor!

NASB 1977
Then he took up his discourse and said, “Arise, O Balak, and hear; Give ear to me, O son of Zippor!

Legacy Standard Bible
Then he took up his discourse and said, “Arise, O Balak, and hear; Give ear to me, O son of Zippor!

Amplified Bible
Balaam took up his [second] discourse (oracle) and said: “Rise up, O Balak, and hear; Listen [closely] to me, son of Zippor.

Berean Annotated Bible
Then Balaam lifted up an oracle, saying: “Arise, O Balak (devastator), and listen; give ear to me, O son of Zippor (sparrow).

Christian Standard Bible
Balaam proclaimed his poem: Balak, get up and listen; son of Zippor, pay attention to what I say!

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Balaam proclaimed his poem: Balak, get up and listen; son of Zippor, pay attention to what I say!

American Standard Version
And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; Hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor:

Contemporary English Version
Balaam answered: "Pay close attention to my words--

English Revised Version
And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; Hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then Balaam delivered this message: "Stand up, Balak, and listen! Hear me, son of Zippor!

Good News Translation
and Balaam uttered this prophecy: "Come, Balak son of Zippor, And listen to what I have to say.

International Standard Version
In response, Balaam uttered this prophetic statement: "Stand up, Balak, and pay attention! Listen to me, you son of Zippor!

NET Bible
Balaam uttered his oracle, and said, "Rise up, Balak, and hear; Listen to me, son of Zippor:

New Heart English Bible
He took up his parable, and said, "Rise up, Balak, and hear. Listen to me, you son of Zippor.

Webster's Bible Translation
And he took up his parable, and said, Rise, Balak, and hear; hearken to me, thou son of Zippor:
Majority Text Translations
Majority Standard Bible
Then Balaam lifted up an oracle, saying: “Arise, O Balak, and listen; give ear to me, O son of Zippor.

World English Bible
He took up his parable, and said, “Rise up, Balak, and hear! Listen to me, you son of Zippor.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And he takes up his allegory and says: “Rise, Balak, and hear; Give ear to me, son of Zippor!

Berean Literal Bible
And he lifted up his oracle and said, “Rise up, O Balak, and hear; give ear to me, O son of Zippor!

Young's Literal Translation
And he taketh up his simile, and saith: 'Rise, Balak, and hear; Give ear unto me, son of Zippor!

Smith's Literal Translation
And he will take up his parable, and say, Rise up, Balak, and hear; and give ear to me, son of Zippor:
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
But he taking up his parable, said: Stand, O Balac, and give ear: hear, thou son of Sephor:

Catholic Public Domain Version
But, taking up his parable, he said: “Stand, Balak, and pay attention. Listen, you son of Zippor.

New American Bible
Balaam recited his poem: Rise, Balak, and listen; give ear to my testimony, son of Zippor!

New Revised Standard Version
Then Balaam uttered his oracle, saying: “Rise, Balak, and hear; listen to me, O son of Zippor:
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And he took up his parable and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; and give ear to my testimony, O son of Zippor;

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And he lifted up his proverb and said, “Arise, Balaq and hear, and give ear to my testimony, son of Tsephor.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And he took up his parable, and said: Arise, Balak, and hear; Give ear unto me, thou son of Zippor:

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And he took up his parable, and said, rise up, Balac, and hear; hearken as a witness, thou son of Sepphor.

Additional Translations ...



Context
Balaam's Second Oracle
17So he returned to Balak, who was standing there by his burnt offering with the princes of Moab. “What did the LORD say?” Balak asked. 18Then Balaam lifted up an oracle, saying: “Arise, O Balak, and listen; give ear to me, O son of Zippor. 19God is not a man, that He should lie, or a son of man, that He should change His mind. Does He speak and not act? Does He promise and not fulfill?…

Cross References
Then Balaam lifted up an oracle, saying:

Joshua 24:9-10
Then Balak son of Zippor, the king of Moab, set out to fight against Israel. He sent for Balaam son of Beor to curse you, / but I would not listen to Balaam. So he blessed you again and again, and I delivered you from his hand.

Micah 6:5
My people, remember what Balak king of Moab counseled and what Balaam son of Beor answered. Remember your journey from Shittim to Gilgal, so that you may acknowledge the righteousness of the LORD.’”

Nehemiah 13:2
because they had not met the Israelites with food and water, but had hired Balaam to call down a curse against them (although our God had turned the curse into a blessing).
“Arise, O Balak, and listen;

Micah 6:1
Hear now what the LORD says: “Arise, plead your case before the mountains, and let the hills hear your voice.

Isaiah 28:23
Listen and hear my voice. Pay attention and hear what I say.

Deuteronomy 32:1
Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak; hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.
give ear to me, O son of Zippor.

Isaiah 51:4
Pay attention to Me, My people, and listen to Me, My nation; for a law will go out from Me, and My justice will become a light to the nations; I will bring it about quickly.

Job 33:1
“But now, O Job, hear my speech, and listen to all my words.

Proverbs 1:8
Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction, and do not forsake the teaching of your mother.
Isaiah 40:8
The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever.”

Psalm 33:11
The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the purposes of His heart to all generations.

Hebrews 6:17-18
So when God wanted to make the unchanging nature of His purpose very clear to the heirs of the promise, He guaranteed it with an oath. / Thus by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be strongly encouraged.

1 Samuel 15:29
Moreover, the Glory of Israel does not lie or change His mind, for He is not a man, that He should change His mind.”

Malachi 3:6
“Because I, the LORD, do not change, you descendants of Jacob have not been destroyed.

James 1:17
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, with whom there is no change or shifting shadow.

Isaiah 46:10
I declare the end from the beginning, and from ancient times what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and all My good pleasure I will accomplish.’


Treasury of Scripture

And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; listen to me, you son of Zippor:

rise up

Judges 3:20
And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting in a summer parlour, which he had for himself alone. And Ehud said, I have a message from God unto thee. And he arose out of his seat.

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Numbers 23
1. Balak's sacrifices












Then Balaam lifted up an oracle, saying:
Balaam, a non-Israelite prophet, is known for his unique role in the narrative of Numbers. His oracles are significant as they are divinely inspired messages delivered to Balak, the king of Moab. The term "oracle" indicates a solemn pronouncement, often associated with divine revelation. Balaam's oracles are unique as they come from a prophet outside of Israel, yet they affirm God's sovereignty and His plans for Israel. This moment underscores the theme that God can use anyone to fulfill His purposes, even those outside the covenant community.

Arise, O Balak, and listen;
Balak, the king of Moab, is instructed to "arise" and "listen," emphasizing the importance and urgency of the message. The command to "arise" suggests a need for attention and respect towards the divine message. In the cultural context, kings were often seen as powerful and authoritative, yet here, Balak is reminded of his position under the authority of God's word. This reflects the biblical principle that all earthly rulers are subject to God's ultimate authority.

give ear to me, O son of Zippor.
The phrase "give ear" is a call for attentive listening, indicating that what follows is of great importance. By addressing Balak as the "son of Zippor," the text personalizes the message, reminding Balak of his identity and lineage. This can be seen as a humbling reminder that despite his royal status, he is still a man under God's dominion. The use of lineage also connects to the broader biblical theme of generational legacy and the impact of one's actions on future generations.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Balaam
A non-Israelite prophet or diviner who is called upon by Balak to curse the Israelites. Despite his intentions, God uses him to bless Israel instead.

2. Balak
The king of Moab who is fearful of the Israelites due to their numbers and past victories. He seeks Balaam's help to curse them.

3. Moab
A region east of the Dead Sea, inhabited by the Moabites, who are descendants of Lot. Moab is the setting for this account.

4. Israelites
The people of God, who are journeying to the Promised Land. They are the subject of Balak's fear and Balaam's oracles.

5. Oracle
A divine message or prophecy. In this context, it refers to the words spoken by Balaam under God's influence.
Teaching Points
God's Sovereignty Over Human Intentions
Despite human plans, God's purposes prevail. Balaam's attempt to curse Israel is transformed into a blessing, demonstrating God's control over all situations.

The Power of God's Word
Balaam's oracle underscores the authority and power of God's word. When God speaks, His word accomplishes His will, regardless of human opposition.

Listening to God's Voice
Balak is instructed to "rise up and hear," emphasizing the importance of being attentive to God's messages. We should prioritize listening to God's voice in our lives.

God's Protection Over His People
The account illustrates God's protective nature over Israel. Believers can find assurance in God's promise to protect and bless His people.

The Danger of Opposing God's Will
Balak's attempt to curse Israel is futile against God's will. This serves as a warning against opposing God's plans and purposes.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1. What is the meaning of Numbers 23:18?

2. How does Numbers 23:18 demonstrate God's unchanging nature in our daily lives?

3. What can we learn from Balaam's message about God's faithfulness to His promises?

4. How does Numbers 23:18 connect with God's truthfulness in Titus 1:2?

5. How should Balaam's proclamation influence our trust in God's word today?

6. In what ways can we apply Balaam's declaration to strengthen our faith journey?

7. What is the significance of Balaam's message in Numbers 23:18 for believers today?

8.