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Myles Coverdale Bible

Numbers 23:7

Then toke he vp his parable, & sayde: Balac the kynge of the Moabites hath caused to fet me out of Syria from the moutaynes towarde the East, (& sayde:) Come, curse me Iacob: come, defye me Israel.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Aram;   Prayer;   Syria;   Scofield Reference Index - Balaam;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Desert, Journey of Israel through the;   Moabites;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Camp, Encampments;   East;   Padan-Aram;   Poetry of the Hebrews;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Balaam;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Parable;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Aram;   Balaam;   Bela;   Jesus Christ;   Magi;   Mesopotamia;   Proverbs, the Book of;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Poetry;   Proverbs, Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Balaam;   Balak;   Kibroth-Hattaavah;   Moab, Moabites;   Parable;   Prophecy, Prophets;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Jacob ;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Aram ;   Parable;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Aram;   Mesopotamia;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Ara'bia;   Parable;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - East;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - On to Canaan;   Moses, the Man of God;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Balaam;   Defy;   Proverb;   Take;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Allegory in the Old Testament;   Parallelism in Hebrew Poetry;   Poetry;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
He took up his parable, and said, From Aram has Balak brought me, The king of Mo'av from the mountains of the East: Come, curse me Ya`akov, Come, defy Yisra'el.
King James Version
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, Come, curse me Jacob, and come, defy Israel.
Lexham English Bible
And he lifted up his oracle and said, "From Aram Balak lead me, from the mountains of the east the king of Moab, ‘Go for me, curse Jacob, and go, denounce Israel.'
English Standard Version
And Balaam took up his discourse and said, "From Aram Balak has brought me, the king of Moab from the eastern mountains: ‘Come, curse Jacob for me, and come, denounce Israel!'
New Century Version
when Balaam gave them this message: "Balak brought me here from Aram; the king of Moab brought me from the eastern mountains. Balak said, ‘Come, put a curse on the people of Jacob for me. Come, call down evil on the people of Israel.'
New English Translation
Then Balaam uttered his oracle, saying, "Balak, the king of Moab, brought me from Aram, out of the mountains of the east, saying, ‘Come, pronounce a curse on Jacob for me; come, denounce Israel.'
Amplified Bible
Balaam took up his [first] discourse (oracle) and said: "Balak, the king of Moab, has brought me from Aram (Syria), from the mountains of the east, [saying,] 'Come, curse [the descendants of] Jacob for me; And come, [violently] denounce Israel.'
New American Standard Bible
And he took up his discourse and said, "From Aram Balak has brought me, Moab's king from the mountains of the East, saying, 'Come, declare Jacob cursed for me, And come, curse Israel!'
Geneva Bible (1587)
Then he vttered his parable, and sayde, Balak the king of Moab hath brought mee from Aram out of the mountaines of the East, saying, Come, curse Iaakob for my sake: come, and detest Israel.
Legacy Standard Bible
Then he took up his discourse and said,"From Aram Balak has brought me,Moab's king from the mountains of the East,‘Come curse Jacob for me,And come, denounce Israel!'
Contemporary English Version
Balaam said: "King Balak of Moab brought me from the hills of Syria to curse Israel and announce its doom.
Complete Jewish Bible
he made his pronouncement: "Balak, the king of Mo'av, brings me from Aram, from the eastern hills, saying, ‘Come, curse Ya‘akov for me; come and denounce Isra'el.'
Darby Translation
And he took up his parable, and said, Balak the king of Moab hath brought me from Aram, from the mountains of the east: Come, curse me Jacob, and come, denounce Israel!
Easy-to-Read Version
Then Balaam spoke, and this was his message: "Balak, the king of Moab, brought me here from the eastern mountains of Aram. Balak said to me, ‘Come, curse Jacob for me. Come, speak against the Israelites.'
George Lamsa Translation
And he took up his parable and said, Balak the king of the Moabites has brought me from Aram, from the mountains of the east, saying, Come, curse Jacob for me, and come, destroy Israel for me.
Good News Translation
Balaam uttered this prophecy: "Balak king of Moab has brought me From Syria, from the eastern mountains. ‘Come speak for me,' he said. ‘Put a curse on the people of Israel.'
Christian Standard Bible®
Balaam proclaimed his poem:
Literal Translation
And he took up his parable and said, He has led me from Aram, Balak king of Moab; from the mountains of the east, saying , Come, curse Jacob for me; and, come, rage at Israel.
American Standard Version
And he took up his parable, and said, From Aram hath Balak brought me, The king of Moab from the mountains of the East: Come, curse me Jacob, And come, defy Israel.
Bible in Basic English
And in the words which the Lord had given him he said, From Aram Balak has sent for me, the king of Moab from the mountains of the East: come, put curses on Jacob for me and be angry with Israel.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And he toke vp his parable, and sayd: Balac the king of Moab hath brought me fro Mesopotamia, out of the mountaynes of the east, [saying] Come, curse Iacob for my sake, come and defie Israel.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And he took up his parable, and said: From Aram Balak bringeth me, the king of Moab from the mountains of the East: 'Come, curse me Jacob, and come, execrate Israel.'
King James Version (1611)
And he tooke vp his parable, and said, Balak the King of Moab hath brought mee from Aram, out of the mountaines of the East, saying, Come, curse me Iacob, and come, defie Israel.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And he took up his parable, and said, Balac king of Moab sent for me out of Mesopotamia, out of the mountains of the east, saying, Come, curse me Jacob, and Come, call for a curse for me upon Israel.
English Revised Version
And he took up his parable, and said, From Aram hath Balak brought me, The king of Moab from the mountains of the East: Come, curse me Jacob, And come, defy Israel.
Berean Standard Bible
And Balaam lifted up an oracle, saying: "Balak brought me from Aram, the king of Moab from the mountains of the east. 'Come,' he said, 'put a curse on Jacob for me; come and denounce Israel!'
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And whanne his parable `was takun, he seide, Balaach, the kyng of Moabitis, brouyte me fro Aran, fro the `hillis of the eest; and he seide, Come thou and curse Jacob; haaste thou, and greetli curse thou Israel.
Young's Literal Translation
And he taketh up his simile, and saith: `From Aram he doth lead me -- Balak king of Moab; From mountains of the east: Come -- curse for me Jacob, And come -- be indignant [with] Israel.
Update Bible Version
And he took up his parable, and said, From Aram has Balak brought me, The king of Moab from the mountains of the East: Come, curse Jacob for me, And come, defy Israel.
Webster's Bible Translation
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], Come, curse Jacob for me, and come, defy Israel.
World English Bible
He took up his parable, and said, From Aram has Balak brought me, The king of Moab from the mountains of the East: Come, curse me Jacob, Come, defy Israel.
New King James Version
And he took up his oracle and said: "Balak the king of Moab has brought me from Aram, From the mountains of the east. "Come, curse Jacob for me, And come, denounce Israel!'
New Living Translation
This was the message Balaam delivered: "Balak summoned me to come from Aram; the king of Moab brought me from the eastern hills. ‘Come,' he said, ‘curse Jacob for me! Come and announce Israel's doom.'
New Life Bible
Balaam began speaking and said, "Balak the king of Moab has brought me from Aram, from the mountains of the east. ‘Come, curse Jacob for me,' he said. ‘Come, say that Israel should be punished!'
New Revised Standard
Then Balaam uttered his oracle, saying: "Balak has brought me from Aram, the king of Moab from the eastern mountains: ‘Come, curse Jacob for me; Come, denounce Israel!'
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
So he took up his parable and said, - From Aram, doth Balak conduct me, The king of Moab, from the mountains of the East, Come thou! curse me Jacob, Yea, come thou! rage on Israel.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And taking up his parable, he said: Balac king of the Moabites hath brought me from Aram, from the mountains of the east: Come, said he, and curse Jacob: make haste and detest Israel.
Revised Standard Version
And Balaam took up his discourse, and said, "From Aram Balak has brought me, the king of Moab from the eastern mountains: 'Come, curse Jacob for me, and come, denounce Israel!'
New American Standard Bible (1995)
He took up his discourse and said, "From Aram Balak has brought me, Moab's king from the mountains of the East, 'Come curse Jacob for me, And come, denounce Israel!'

Contextual Overview

1 . And Balaam sayde vnto Balac: Buylde me here seuen altares, and prouyde me here seuen bullockes, and seue rammes. 2 Balac dyd as Balaam sayde. And both Balac and Balaam offred, on euery altare a bullocke & a ramme. 3 And Balaam sayde vnto Balac: Stonde thou by yi burntofferynge, I wil go, yf happly the LORDE wil mete me, & call me, yt I maye tell the, what so euer he sheweth me. And he wente his waye, as he sayde. 4 And ye LORDE mett Balaam. And Balaam saide vnto him: Seuen altares haue I prepared, and offred on euery altare a bullocke and a ramme. 5 The LORDE put ye worde in Balaams mouth, and sayde: Go agayne vnto Balac, and saye on this wise. 6 And whan he came agayne vnto him, beholde, he stode by his burntofferynge, with all ye prynces of the Moabites. 7 Then toke he vp his parable, & sayde: Balac the kynge of the Moabites hath caused to fet me out of Syria from the moutaynes towarde the East, (& sayde:) Come, curse me Iacob: come, defye me Israel. 8 How shall I curse, whom God curseth not? How shal I defye, whom ye LORDE defyeth not? 9 For fro ye toppe of ye stonye rockes I se him, & from the hilles I beholde him. Beholde, ye people shal dwell by theselues, & shal not be rekened amoge the Heithe. 10 Who can tell the dust of Iacob, & the nombre of the fourth parte of Israel? My soule die ye death of ye righteous, and my ende be as the ende of these.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

he took: Numbers 23:18, Numbers 24:3, Numbers 24:15, Numbers 24:23, Job 27:1, Job 29:1, Psalms 78:2, Ezekiel 17:2, Ezekiel 20:49, Micah 2:4, Habakkuk 2:6, Matthew 13:33, Matthew 13:35, Mark 12:12

parable: The word mashal, which as a verb is to rule, have authority, and also to compare, as a noun signifies whatever is expressed in parabolic or figurative language. All these oracular speeches of Balaam are in hemistich metre in the original. They are highly dignified and sublime; and may be considered as immediate poetic productions of the Spirit of God - Numbers 24:2.

Aram: Numbers 22:5, Genesis 10:22, Genesis 28:2, Genesis 28:7, Deuteronomy 23:4

Come: Numbers 22:6, Numbers 22:11, Numbers 22:17, Proverbs 26:2

defy Israel: 1 Samuel 17:10, 1 Samuel 17:25, 1 Samuel 17:26, 1 Samuel 17:36, 1 Samuel 17:45, 2 Samuel 21:21, 2 Samuel 23:9

Reciprocal: Genesis 10:30 - mount of the east Genesis 22:21 - Aram Genesis 29:1 - came Numbers 23:11 - General 1 Chronicles 1:17 - Aram Job 1:3 - of the east Psalms 49:4 - parable Isaiah 2:6 - from the east Ezekiel 16:57 - Syria Ezekiel 25:4 - of the east

Cross-References

Genesis 18:2
And as he lift vp his eyes, and loked, beholde, there stode thre men ouer agaynst him. And whan he sawe them, he ranne to mete them from his tent dore, and bowed him self downe vpon the grounde,
Genesis 19:1
In the euenynge came the two angels vnto Sodome. And Lot sat vnder the gate of the cite. And whe he sawe them, he rose vp for to mete them, and bowed him self downe to the grounde vpon his face,
Genesis 23:17
Thus Ephrons felde (where in the dubble caue is) which lyeth ouer before Mamre, euen the felde and the caue, was made sure
Genesis 23:18
for Abrahams owne good, with all the trees of the felde also rounde aboute, in the sight of the Hethites, and of all that go out and in at the gates of his cite.
Proverbs 18:24
A frende that delyteth in loue, doth a man more fredshipe, and sticketh faster vnto him then a brother.
Hebrews 12:14
Folowe after peace with all men, and holynes, without the which no man shal se the LORDE,
1 Peter 3:8
But in conclusion be ye all of one mynde, one suffre with another, loue as brethren, be pitefull, be curteous.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And he took up his parable, and said,.... Pronounced the word, the prophetic word, which God had put into his mouth; so the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem call it, the parable of his prophecy; so called, because, in prophecies, often figurative and enigmatical expressions are used, and also sententious and weighty ones, either of which are sometimes called parables; see Psalms 78:2,

Balak the king of Moab hath brought me from Aram; or Syria, that is, from Mesopotamia, as the Septuagint translate it; and so the Targum of Jonathan, from Aram or Syria, which is by Euphrates:

out of the mountains of the east: it being the mountainous part of Mesopotamia or Chaldea, where Balaam dwelt, which lay to the east of the land of Moab:

saying, come, curse me Jacob, and come, defy Israel; he owns that this was Balak's view in sending for him; nor does he deny that be himself came with such an intention, could he be able to execute it; even curse the people of Israel, with the utmost abhorrence and detestation of them, and in the most furious and wrathful manner, as the last word used signifies.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Aram - Or, “highland.” This term denotes the whole elevated region, from the northeastern frontier of Palestine to the Euphrates and the Tigris. The country between these streams was especially designated “Aram-naharaim,” or “Aram of the two rivers:” the Greeks called it Mesopotamia; and here, according to Deuteronomy 23:4, was Balaam’s home. Compare Numbers 22:5 note.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Numbers 23:7. And he took up his parable — משלו meshalo, see on Numbers 21:27. All these oracular speeches of Balaam are in hemistich metre in the original. They are highly dignified, and may be considered as immediate poetic productions of the Spirit of God; for it is expressly said, Numbers 23:5, that God put the word in Balaam's mouth, and that the Spirit of God came upon him, Numbers 24:2.


 
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