Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version Water will flow from their buckets; their seed will have abundant water. “Their king will be greater than Agag; their kingdom will be exalted. New Living Translation Water will flow from their buckets; their offspring have all they need. Their king will be greater than Agag; their kingdom will be exalted. English Standard Version Water shall flow from his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters; his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted. Berean Standard Bible Water will flow from his buckets, and his seed will have abundant water. His king will be greater than Agag, and his kingdom will be exalted. King James Bible 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. New King James Version He shall pour water from his buckets, And his seed shall be in many waters. “His king shall be higher than Agag, And his kingdom shall be exalted. New American Standard Bible “Water will flow from his buckets, And his seed will be by many waters, And his king shall be higher than Agag, And his kingdom shall be exalted. NASB 1995 “Water will flow from his buckets, And his seed will be by many waters, And his king shall be higher than Agag, And his kingdom shall be exalted. NASB 1977 “Water shall flow from his buckets, And his seed shall be by many waters, And his king shall be higher than Agag, And his kingdom shall be exalted. Legacy Standard Bible Water will flow from his buckets, And his seed will be by many waters, And his king shall be lifted up higher than Agag, And his kingdom shall be exalted. Amplified Bible “Water [that is, great blessings] will flow from his buckets, And his offspring will live by many waters, And his king will be higher than Agag, And his kingdom shall be exalted. Christian Standard Bible Water will flow from his buckets, and his seed will be by abundant water. His king will be greater than Agag, and his kingdom will be exalted. Holman Christian Standard Bible Water will flow from his buckets, and his seed will be by abundant water. His king will be greater than Agag, and his kingdom will be exalted. American Standard Version 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. Contemporary English Version You and your descendants will prosper like an orchard beside a stream. Your king will rule with power and be a greater king than Agag the Amalekite. English Revised Version 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. GOD'S WORD® Translation Water will flow from their buckets, and their crops will have plenty of water. Their king will be greater than Agag, and their kingdom will be considered the best. Good News Translation They will have abundant rainfall And plant their seed in well-watered fields. Their king shall be greater than Agag, And his rule shall be extended far and wide. International Standard Version He will pour water from his buckets, and his descendants will stream forth like abundant water. His king will be more exalted than Agag when he exalts his own kingdom. NET Bible He will pour the water out of his buckets, and their descendants will be like abundant water; their king will be greater than Agag, and their kingdom will be exalted. New Heart English Bible 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. Webster's Bible Translation 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. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleWater will flow from his buckets, and his seed will have abundant water. His king will be greater than Agag, and his kingdom will be exalted. World English Bible 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. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionHe makes water flow from his buckets, "" And his seed [is] in many waters; And his King [is] higher than Gog [[or Agag]], "" And his kingdom is exalted. Young's Literal Translation He maketh water flow from his buckets, And his seed is in many waters; And higher than Agag is his king, And exalted is his kingdom. Smith's Literal Translation He will shake out the water from his bucket, and his seed in many waters, and his king shall be lifted up above Agag, and his kingdom shall be raised up. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleWater shall flow out of his bucket, and his seed shall be in many waters. For Agag his king shall be removed, and his kingdom shall be taken awry. Catholic Public Domain Version Water shall flow from his jar, and his offspring shall be amid many waters, because Agag, his king, shall be taken, and his kingdom shall be removed. New American Bible Water will drip from their buckets, their seed will have plentiful water; Their king will rise higher than Agag and their dominion will be exalted. New Revised Standard Version Water shall flow from his buckets, and his seed shall have abundant water, his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleA man shall rise up from among his sons, and his offspring shall dwell by many waters; he shall be greater than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated A man will come forth from his sons and his seed, by many waters, and he will be exalted more than Agag the King, and his Kingdom will be exalted. OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917Water shall flow from his branches, And his seed shall be in many waters; And his king shall be higher than Agag, And his kingdom shall be exalted. Brenton Septuagint Translation There shall come a man out of his seed, and he shall rule over many nations; and the kingdom of Gog shall be exalted, and his kingdom shall be increased. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Balaam's Third Oracle…6They spread out like palm groves, like gardens beside a stream, like aloes the LORD has planted, like cedars beside the waters. 7Water will flow from his buckets, and his seed will have abundant water. His king will be greater than Agag, and his kingdom will be exalted. 8God brought him out of Egypt with strength like a wild ox, to devour hostile nations and crush their bones, to pierce them with arrows.… Cross References Genesis 49:10 The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes and the allegiance of the nations is his. Psalm 72:8 May he rule from sea to sea, and from the Euphrates to the ends of the earth. Isaiah 11:1 Then a shoot will spring up from the stump of Jesse, and a Branch from his roots will bear fruit. Revelation 22:16 “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the bright Morning Star.” Jeremiah 23:5 Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and He will reign wisely as King and will administer justice and righteousness in the land. Ezekiel 17:22-24 This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘I will take a shoot from the lofty top of the cedar, and I will set it out. I will pluck a tender sprig from its topmost shoots, and I will plant it on a high and lofty mountain. / I will plant it on the mountain heights of Israel so that it will bear branches; it will yield fruit and become a majestic cedar. Birds of every kind will nest under it, taking shelter in the shade of its branches. / Then all the trees of the field will know that I am the LORD. I bring the tall tree down and make the low tree tall. I dry up the green tree and make the withered tree flourish. I, the LORD, have spoken, and I have done it.’” Zechariah 9:10 And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem, and the bow of war will be broken. Then He will proclaim peace to the nations. His dominion will extend from sea to sea, and from the Euphrates to the ends of the earth. 2 Samuel 7:16 Your house and kingdom will endure forever before Me, and your throne will be established forever.” Isaiah 9:7 Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from that time and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of Hosts will accomplish this. Revelation 5:5 Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed to open the scroll and its seven seals.” Micah 5:2 But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come forth for Me One to be ruler over Israel—One whose origins are of old, from the days of eternity. Matthew 2:2 asking, “Where is the One who has been born King of the Jews? We saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.” Luke 1:32-33 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, / and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever. His kingdom will never end!” John 7:42 Doesn’t the Scripture say that the Christ will come from the line of David and from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?” Acts 13:23 From the descendants of this man, God has brought to Israel the Savior Jesus, as He promised. Treasury of Scripture 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. God Numbers 21:5 And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. Numbers 23:22 God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn. shall eat Numbers 14:9 Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not. Numbers 23:24 Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion, and lift up himself as a young lion: he shall not lie down until he eat of the prey, and drink the blood of the slain. Deuteronomy 7:1 When the LORD thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and hath cast out many nations before thee, the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than thou; break Psalm 2:9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. Isaiah 38:13 I reckoned till morning, that, as a lion, so will he break all my bones: from day even to night wilt thou make an end of me. Jeremiah 50:17 Israel is a scattered sheep; the lions have driven him away: first the king of Assyria hath devoured him; and last this Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon hath broken his bones. pierce Deuteronomy 32:23,42 I will heap mischiefs upon them; I will spend mine arrows upon them… Psalm 21:12 Therefore shalt thou make them turn their back, when thou shalt make ready thine arrows upon thy strings against the face of them. Psalm 45:5 Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the king's enemies; whereby the people fall under thee. Jump to Previous Abundant Agag Arm Branches Buckets Exalted Higher Honour Kingdom Maketh Nations Peoples Pour Seed Strength WatersJump to Next Abundant Agag Arm Branches Buckets Exalted Higher Honour Kingdom Maketh Nations Peoples Pour Seed Strength WatersNumbers 24 1. Balaam, leaving divinations, prophesies the happiness of Israel10. Balak, in anger, dismisses him 15. He prophesies of the Star of Jacob, and the destruction of some nations Water will flow from his buckets This phrase symbolizes abundance and prosperity. In the arid regions of the Near East, water is a precious resource, often associated with life and blessing. The imagery of water flowing from buckets suggests a plentiful supply, indicating that Israel will experience prosperity and fertility. This can be connected to God's promise to bless Israel and make them a great nation (Genesis 12:2). The metaphor of water is also used throughout Scripture to signify spiritual blessings and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 44:3, John 7:38-39). and his seed will have abundant water His king will be greater than Agag and his kingdom will be exalted Persons / Places / Events 1. BalaamA non-Israelite prophet who was hired by Balak, the king of Moab, to curse Israel. Instead, he delivers blessings from God. 2. Israel The nation chosen by God, represented metaphorically in Balaam's prophecy as having abundant blessings and a future exalted kingdom. 3. Agag A king of the Amalekites, representing a powerful enemy. Balaam's prophecy indicates that Israel's king will surpass Agag in greatness. 4. Moab The region ruled by Balak, who feared the Israelites and sought to curse them through Balaam. 5. The Promised Land The land promised by God to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, symbolizing God's faithfulness and provision. Teaching Points God's Sovereignty in BlessingDespite human intentions to curse, God's will to bless His people prevails. Trust in God's sovereign plans for your life. Abundance in Christ The imagery of water flowing abundantly points to the spiritual abundance available to believers through Jesus Christ. Seek to live in the fullness of His provision. The Exalted Kingdom Balaam's prophecy foreshadows the ultimate reign of Christ, whose kingdom surpasses all earthly powers. Live with the hope and assurance of Christ's eternal kingdom. Faithfulness to God's Promises Just as God fulfilled His promises to Israel, He remains faithful to His promises to us. Stand firm in faith, knowing that God is true to His word. Overcoming Adversaries The prophecy of Israel's king being greater than Agag encourages believers that, in Christ, we have victory over spiritual adversaries. Walk confidently in this victory. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Numbers 24:7?2. How does Numbers 24:7 demonstrate God's blessing on Israel's future prosperity? 3. What does "his king will be greater" reveal about Israel's leadership? 4. How does Numbers 24:7 connect to God's covenant with Abraham in Genesis 12:2? 5. In what ways can we trust God's promises for our future today? 6. How can we apply the concept of divine favor in our daily lives? 7. What does Numbers 24:7 reveal about God's promise to Israel's prosperity and dominance? 8. How does Numbers 24:7 relate to the prophecy of a future king? 9. In what ways does Numbers 24:7 foreshadow the coming of the Messiah? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Numbers 24? 11. Who was Agag in the Bible's narrative? 12. What is the nature of manna? 13. Who was Agag in the Bible's narrative? 14. Why do the tribe counts in Numbers 2 appear to conflict with certain census numbers elsewhere in the Old Testament? What Does Numbers 24:7 Mean Water will flow from his bucketsNumbers 24:7 opens with a picture of overflowing buckets. Balaam sees Israel as a people so richly supplied that water is literally pouring out of the containers meant only to carry it. • In Scripture, water often signals life, refreshment, and the sustaining grace of God. Deuteronomy 8:7 celebrates a land “of brooks of water, of fountains and springs that flow,” and Psalm 65:9 adds that God “visits the earth and waters it abundantly.” • The image is not hypothetical; it promises a tangible, literal abundance once Israel settles in the land. Think of wells that never run dry, crops that never fail, households always quenched. • Spiritually, the same overflowing grace is in view. Isaiah 44:3 links physical water with the outpouring of the Spirit: “I will pour water on the thirsty land … I will pour out My Spirit on your offspring.” The nation’s life with God is meant to spill over to the world around it. His seed will have abundant water Balaam continues: Israel’s descendants will never lack what they need. • “Seed” points to literal offspring (Genesis 22:17) and the future generations who will inherit covenant blessings. • Deuteronomy 33:28 pictures that security: “Israel dwells securely; the fountain of Jacob lives untroubled in a land of grain and wine, where the heavens drip with dew.” • God is committing Himself to ongoing provision. Each new generation can expect the same faithfulness, which is why Isaiah 44:3–4 promises that children “will sprout up like grass in a meadow.” • The line “abundant water” again grounds the prophecy in real, physical prosperity—fields irrigated, families healthy, livestock thriving—because God’s covenant care is dependable. His king will be greater than Agag The prophecy shifts from general blessing to royal authority. • “Agag” was the title carried by Amalekite kings (1 Samuel 15:8). Amalek stood for opposition to God’s people (Exodus 17:16). Predicting a king “greater than Agag” means Israel’s future ruler will decisively outclass every hostile monarch. • At first this was fulfilled in Saul, who defeated Amalek (1 Samuel 14–15), yet Saul’s disobedience showed he wasn’t the final answer. The promise stretches forward to David (2 Samuel 7:12–13) and ultimately to the Messiah, “King of kings and Lord of lords” (Revelation 19:16). • God had already hinted at monarchy in Deuteronomy 17:14–15, so Balaam’s words confirm that a divinely appointed king is coming, one whose greatness dwarfs Israel’s enemies. His kingdom will be exalted The closing line draws the lens even wider. • Balaam foretells a kingdom raised high. Numbers 23:24 had said Israel “will rise like a lion,” and now the picture is a realm lifted above the nations. • Psalm 89:27 echoes this: “I will appoint him to be My firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth.” Isaiah 2:2 adds that in the last days the LORD’s mountain will be “chief among the mountains.” • Daniel 2:44 promises a kingdom “that will never be destroyed,” and Luke 1:32–33 says Jesus “will reign over the house of Jacob forever.” The exaltation begins in David’s throne but culminates eternally in Christ. • Philippians 2:9–11 shows the ultimate fulfillment: every knee bowing to the exalted King. Balaam’s vision, then, is both immediate and eschatological—grounded in Israel’s history yet reaching all the way to the consummation. summary Numbers 24:7 layers four promises: overflowing provision, generational abundance, a superior king, and a kingdom lifted high. The prophecy starts with the tangible—buckets spilling water—and ends with the universal—an exalted reign that outshines every rival. In Israel’s early history we see previews of each line, but the fullest expression comes in the Messiah, whose life-giving Spirit, unrivaled kingship, and everlasting kingdom satisfy the verse in its richest, most literal sense. (7) He shall pour the water out of his buckets.--Better, Water shall flow from his buckets; or, he shall flow with water from his buckets. The nation is personified as a man carrying two buckets full of water, which was the type and leading source of blessing and prosperity in the East. This is a beautiful image, as Bishop Wordsworth has observed, of the true Israel "pouring out the living waters of salvation, the pure streams of the Spirit, and making the wilderness of the world to rejoice and be glad."His seed shall be in many waters.--This may mean that Israel should inhabit Canaan--"a land of brooks of water" (Deuteronomy 8:7; Deuteronomy 11:11); or it may mean that, like seed sown and trees planted by the waters (Isaiah 32:20; Isaiah 44:4, Isa_65:22-23), they should inherit the richest blessings. His king shall be higher than Agag . . .-Agag appears to have been the title (nomen dignitatis) of the Amalekite kings, as Pharaoh of the Egyptian and Abimelech of the Philistine kings. The reference does not seem to be to any particular king, but to the kingdom which should hereafter be established in Israel--to the kings, generally, which should come out of the loins of Abraham (Genesis 17:6; Genesis 35:11). . . . Verse 7. - He shall pour the water, or, "the water shall overflow." Out of his buckets. דָּלְיָו is the dual, "his two buckets." The image, familiar enough to one who lived in an irrigated land, is of one carrying two buckets on the ends of a pole which are so full as to run over as he goes. And his seed... in many waters. It is uncertain in what sense the word "seed" issued. It may be an image as simple as the last, of seed sown either by or actually upon many waters (cf. Ecclesiastes 11:1), and so securing a plentiful and safe return; or it may stand for the seed, i.e., the posterity, of Israel, which should grow up amidst many blessings (Isaiah 44:4). The former seems most in keeping here. His king shall be higher than Agag. Rather, "let his king be higher than Agag." The name Agag (אַגַג, the fiery one) does not occur again except as the name of the king of Amalek whom Saul conquered and Samuel slew (1 Samuel 15.); yet it may safely be assumed that it was the official title of all the kings of Amalek, resembling in this "Abimelech" and "Pharaoh." Here it seems to stand for the dynasty and the nation of the Amalekites, and there is no reason to suppose that any reference was intended to any particular individual or event in the distant future. The "king" of Israel here spoken of is certainly not Saul or any other of the kings, but God himself in his character as temporal Ruler of Israel; and the "kingdom" is the kingdom of heaven as set forth by way of anticipation in the polity and order of the chosen race. As a fact, Israel had afterwards a visible king who overthrew Agag, but their having such a king was alien to the mind of God, and due to a distinct falling away from national faith, and therefore could find no place in this prophecy.Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Waterמַ֙יִם֙ (ma·yim) Noun - masculine plural Strong's 4325: Water, juice, urine, semen will flow יִֽזַּל־ (yiz·zal-) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 5140: To flow, trickle, drop, distill from his buckets, מִדָּ֣לְיָ֔ו (mid·dā·lə·yāw) Preposition-m | Noun - mdc | third person masculine singular Strong's 1805: A pail, jar and his seed וְזַרְע֖וֹ (wə·zar·‘ōw) Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular Strong's 2233: Seed, fruit, plant, sowing-time, posterity will have abundant רַבִּ֑ים (rab·bîm) Adjective - masculine plural Strong's 7227: Much, many, great water. בְּמַ֣יִם (bə·ma·yim) Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural Strong's 4325: Water, juice, urine, semen His king מַלְכּ֔וֹ (mal·kōw) Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular Strong's 4428: A king will be greater וְיָרֹ֤ם (wə·yā·rōm) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singular Strong's 7311: To be high actively, to rise, raise than Agag, מֵֽאֲגַג֙ (mê·’ă·ḡaḡ) Preposition-m | Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 90: Agag -- king of Amalek and his kingdom מַלְכֻתֽוֹ׃ (mal·ḵu·ṯōw) Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular Strong's 4438: Royalty, royal power, reign, kingdom will be exalted. וְתִנַּשֵּׂ֖א (wə·ṯin·naś·śê) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Conjunctive imperfect - third person feminine singular Strong's 5375: To lift, carry, take Links Numbers 24:7 NIVNumbers 24:7 NLT Numbers 24:7 ESV Numbers 24:7 NASB Numbers 24:7 KJV Numbers 24:7 BibleApps.com Numbers 24:7 Biblia Paralela Numbers 24:7 Chinese Bible Numbers 24:7 French Bible Numbers 24:7 Catholic Bible OT Law: Numbers 24:7 Water shall flow from his buckets (Nu Num.) |