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.

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.

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!

Majority Standard Bible
Then Balaam lifted up an oracle, saying: ?Arise, O Balak, and listen; give ear to me, O 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:

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!

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 ...
Audio Bible



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
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.’

Romans 11:29
For God’s gifts and His call are irrevocable.

Titus 1:2
in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began.

2 Timothy 2:13
if we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.

Psalm 89:34
I will not violate My covenant or alter the utterance of My lips.

Isaiah 14:24
The LORD of Hosts has sworn: “Surely, as I have planned, so will it be; as I have purposed, so will it stand.

Ezekiel 24:14
I, the LORD, have spoken; the time is coming, and I will act. I will not refrain or show pity, nor will I relent. I will judge you according to your ways and deeds,’ declares the Lord GOD.”

Matthew 24:35
Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.

John 10:35
If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and the Scripture cannot be broken—


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
The phrase "Then Balaam lifted up an oracle" introduces us to the prophetic nature of Balaam's speech. The Hebrew word for "oracle" is "mashal," which can mean a proverb, parable, or a prophetic utterance. In the context of the ancient Near East, oracles were often seen as divine messages delivered through a chosen intermediary. Balaam, though a complex figure, is used by God to deliver a message to Balak, the king of Moab. This highlights the sovereignty of God, who can use even those outside of Israel to fulfill His purposes.

and declared
The word "declared" signifies the authoritative nature of Balaam's message. In Hebrew, the word used here is "amar," which means to say or speak. This is not a casual conversation but a formal proclamation. The declaration is meant to be heard and heeded, emphasizing the seriousness of the message that follows. It reminds us of the power of God's word, which does not return void but accomplishes what it is sent to do (Isaiah 55:11).

Rise, O Balak
The command "Rise, O Balak," is a call to attention. The Hebrew word "qum" means to arise or stand up, often used in contexts where respect or readiness is required. Balaam is calling Balak to prepare himself to receive a message from God. This is a moment of divine encounter, where the earthly king must stand in the presence of a higher authority. It serves as a reminder that earthly power is subject to divine will.

and listen
The instruction "and listen" underscores the importance of hearing and understanding the message. The Hebrew word "shama" means to hear intelligently, often with the implication of obedience. This is not merely about auditory reception but about comprehending and acting upon what is heard. In the biblical context, listening is often linked with obedience, as seen in the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4-5), where Israel is called to hear and love the Lord with all their heart.

give ear to me
The phrase "give ear to me" is a poetic way of saying "pay attention." The Hebrew "azan" means to broaden the ear, implying an active and attentive listening. Balaam is urging Balak to focus intently on the message. This phrase is often used in the Psalms when the psalmist is pleading for God's attention (e.g., Psalm 5:1). Here, it is a reversal, where a human is called to give ear to God's message, highlighting the importance of divine communication.

O son of Zippor
The designation "O son of Zippor" personalizes the message, addressing Balak by his lineage. In ancient cultures, identifying someone by their parentage was common, emphasizing identity and heritage. This reminds Balak of his human limitations and mortality, contrasting with the eternal nature of God's word. It serves as a humbling reminder that no matter one's status or lineage, all are subject to God's authority and judgment.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then Balaam lifted up
וַיִּשָּׂ֥א (way·yiś·śā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5375: To lift, carry, take

an oracle,
מְשָׁל֖וֹ (mə·šā·lōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 4912: A pithy maxim, a simile

saying:
וַיֹּאמַ֑ר (way·yō·mar)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“Arise,
ק֤וּם (qūm)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 6965: To arise, stand up, stand

O Balak,
בָּלָק֙ (bā·lāq)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1111: Balak -- 'devastator', a Moabite king

and listen;
וּֽשֲׁמָ֔ע (ū·šă·mā‘)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently

give
הַאֲזִ֥ינָה (ha·’ă·zî·nāh)
Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 238: To broaden out the ear, to listen

ear to me,
עָדַ֖י (‘ā·ḏay)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's 5704: As far as, even to, up to, until, while

O son
בְּנ֥וֹ (bə·nōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 1121: A son

of Zippor.
צִפֹּֽר׃ (ṣip·pōr)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 6834: Zippor -- 'bird', father of Balak


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OT Law: Numbers 23:18 He took up his parable and said (Nu Num.)
Numbers 23:17
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