Numbers 24:23

THE MESSAGE

Balaam spoke his final oracle-message: Doom! Who stands a chance when God starts in? Sea-Peoples, raiders from across the sea, will harass Asshur and Eber, But they'll also come to nothing, just like all the rest.

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
He took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God does this?

King James Version
And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God doeth this!

Lexham English Bible
Again he uttered his oracle and said, "Woe, who will live when God establishes this?

English Standard Version
And he took up his discourse and said, "Alas, who shall live when God does this?

New Century Version
Then Balaam gave this message: "No one can live when God does this.

New English Translation
Then he uttered this oracle: "O, who will survive when God does this!

Amplified Bible
Then he took up his [seventh] discourse (oracle) and said: "Alas, who can live unless God has ordained it?

New American Standard Bible
Then he took up his discourse and said, "Oh, who can live unless God has ordained it?

Geneva Bible (1587)
Againe he vttered his parable, and sayd, Alas, who shall liue when God doeth this?

Legacy Standard Bible
Then he took up his discourse and said,"Woe, who can live except when God has ordained it?

Contemporary English Version
"No one can survive if God plans destruction.

Complete Jewish Bible
Finally, he made this pronouncement: "Oh no! Who can live when God does this?

Darby Translation
And he took up his parable, and said, Alas! Who shall live when God doeth this?

Easy-to-Read Version
Then Balaam said this: "No one can live when God does this.

George Lamsa Translation
And he took up his parable and said, Alas, who shall live when God does this!

Good News Translation
Balaam uttered this prophecy: "Who are these people gathering in the north?

Christian Standard Bible®
Once more he proclaimed his poem:

Literal Translation
And he took up his parable and said, Alas! Who shall live when God puts out?

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And he toke vp his parable agayne, & sayde: Alas, who shal lyue, wha God doth this?

American Standard Version
And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God doeth this?

Bible in Basic English
Then he went on with his story and said, But who may keep his life when God does this?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And he toke vp his parable, and sayd: Alas, who shall lyue when God doth this?

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And he took up his parable, and said: Alas, who shall live after God hath appointed him?

King James Version (1611)
And he tooke vp his parable, and said, Alas! who shall liue when God doeth this?

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And he looked upon Og, and took up his parable and said, Oh, oh, who shall live, when God shall do these things?

English Revised Version
And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God doeth this?

Berean Standard Bible
Once more Balaam lifted up an oracle, saying: "Ah, who can live unless God has ordained it?

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And whanne a parable was takun, he spak eft, Alas! who schal lyue, whanne the Lord schal make thes thingis?

Young's Literal Translation
And he taketh up his simile, and saith: `Alas! who doth live when God doth this?

Update Bible Version
And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who will come in bands out of the north?

Webster's Bible Translation
And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God doeth this!

World English Bible
He took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God does this?

New King James Version
Then he took up his oracle and said: "Alas! Who shall live when God does this?

New Living Translation
Balaam concluded his messages by saying: "Alas, who can survive unless God has willed it?

New Life Bible
Then Balaam said, "Who can live when God does this?

New Revised Standard
Again he uttered his oracle, saying: "Alas, who shall live when God does this?

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And he took up his parable, and said, - Alas who shall survive its fulfillment by GOD;

Douay-Rheims Bible
And taking up his parable, again he said: Alas, who shall live when God shall do these things?

Revised Standard Version
And he took up his discourse, and said, "Alas, who shall live when God does this?

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then he took up his discourse and said, "Alas, who can live except God has ordained it?

Contextual Overview

¹⁶ By now Balaam realized that God wanted to bless Israel. So he didn't work in any sorcery as he had done earlier. He turned and looked out over the wilderness. As Balaam looked, he saw Israel camped tribe by tribe. The Spirit of God came on him, and he spoke his oracle-message: Decree of Balaam son of Beor, yes, decree of a man with 20/20 vision; Decree of a man who hears God speak, who sees what The Strong God shows him, Who falls on his face in worship, who sees what's really going on. What beautiful tents, Jacob, oh, your homes, Israel! Like valleys stretching out in the distance, like gardens planted by rivers, Like sweet herbs planted by the gardener God , like red cedars by pools and springs, Their buckets will brim with water, their seed will spread life everywhere. Their king will tower over Agag and his ilk, their kingdom surpassingly majestic. God brought them out of Egypt, rampaging like a wild ox, Gulping enemies like morsels of meat, crushing their bones, snapping their arrows. Israel crouches like a lion and naps, king-of-the-beasts—who dares disturb him? Whoever blesses you is blessed, whoever curses you is cursed. Balak lost his temper with Balaam. He shook his fist. He said to Balaam: "I got you in here to curse my enemies and what have you done? Blessed them! Blessed them three times! Get out of here! Go home! I told you I would pay you well, but you're getting nothing. You can blame God ." Balaam said to Balak, "Didn't I tell you up front when you sent your emissaries, ‘Even if Balak gave me his palace stuffed with silver and gold, I couldn't do anything on my own, whether good or bad, that went against God 's command'? I'm leaving for home and my people, but I warn you of what this people will do to your people in the days to come." Then he spoke his oracle-message: Decree of Balaam son of Beor, decree of the man with 20/20 vision, Decree of the man who hears godly speech, who knows what's going on with the High God, Who sees what The Strong God reveals, who bows in worship and sees what's real. I see him, but not right now, I perceive him, but not right here; A star rises from Jacob a scepter from Israel, Crushing the heads of Moab, the skulls of all the noisy windbags; I see Edom sold off at auction, enemy Seir marked down at the flea market, while Israel walks off with the trophies. A ruler is coming from Jacob who'll destroy what's left in the city. Then Balaam spotted Amalek and delivered an oracle-message. He said, Amalek, you're in first place among nations right now, but you're going to come in last, ruined. He saw the Kenites and delivered his oracle-message to them: Your home is in a nice secure place, like a nest high on the face of a cliff. Still, you Kenites will look stupid when Asshur takes you prisoner. Balaam spoke his final oracle-message: Doom! Who stands a chance when God starts in? Sea-Peoples, raiders from across the sea, will harass Asshur and Eber, But they'll also come to nothing, just like all the rest. Balaam got up and went home. Balak also went on his way. ¹⁷ By now Balaam realized that God wanted to bless Israel. So he didn't work in any sorcery as he had done earlier. He turned and looked out over the wilderness. As Balaam looked, he saw Israel camped tribe by tribe. The Spirit of God came on him, and he spoke his oracle-message: Decree of Balaam son of Beor, yes, decree of a man with 20/20 vision; Decree of a man who hears God speak, who sees what The Strong God shows him, Who falls on his face in worship, who sees what's really going on. What beautiful tents, Jacob, oh, your homes, Israel! Like valleys stretching out in the distance, like gardens planted by rivers, Like sweet herbs planted by the gardener God , like red cedars by pools and springs, Their buckets will brim with water, their seed will spread life everywhere. Their king will tower over Agag and his ilk, their kingdom surpassingly majestic. God brought them out of Egypt, rampaging like a wild ox, Gulping enemies like morsels of meat, crushing their bones, snapping their arrows. Israel crouches like a lion and naps, king-of-the-beasts—who dares disturb him? Whoever blesses you is blessed, whoever curses you is cursed. Balak lost his temper with Balaam. He shook his fist. He said to Balaam: "I got you in here to curse my enemies and what have you done? Blessed them! Blessed them three times! Get out of here! Go home! I told you I would pay you well, but you're getting nothing. You can blame God ." Balaam said to Balak, "Didn't I tell you up front when you sent your emissaries, ‘Even if Balak gave me his palace stuffed with silver and gold, I couldn't do anything on my own, whether good or bad, that went against God 's command'? I'm leaving for home and my people, but I warn you of what this people will do to your people in the days to come." Then he spoke his oracle-message: Decree of Balaam son of Beor, decree of the man with 20/20 vision, Decree of the man who hears godly speech, who knows what's going on with the High God, Who sees what The Strong God reveals, who bows in worship and sees what's real. I see him, but not right now, I perceive him, but not right here; A star rises from Jacob a scepter from Israel, Crushing the heads of Moab, the skulls of all the noisy windbags; I see Edom sold off at auction, enemy Seir marked down at the flea market, while Israel walks off with the trophies. A ruler is coming from Jacob who'll destroy what's left in the city. Then Balaam spotted Amalek and delivered an oracle-message. He said, Amalek, you're in first place among nations right now, but you're going to come in last, ruined. He saw the Kenites and delivered his oracle-message to them: Your home is in a nice secure place, like a nest high on the face of a cliff. Still, you Kenites will look stupid when Asshur takes you prisoner. Balaam spoke his final oracle-message: Doom! Who stands a chance when God starts in? Sea-Peoples, raiders from across the sea, will harass Asshur and Eber, But they'll also come to nothing, just like all the rest. Balaam got up and went home. Balak also went on his way. ¹⁸ By now Balaam realized that God wanted to bless Israel. So he didn't work in any sorcery as he had done earlier. He turned and looked out over the wilderness. As Balaam looked, he saw Israel camped tribe by tribe. The Spirit of God came on him, and he spoke his oracle-message: Decree of Balaam son of Beor, yes, decree of a man with 20/20 vision; Decree of a man who hears God speak, who sees what The Strong God shows him, Who falls on his face in worship, who sees what's really going on. What beautiful tents, Jacob, oh, your homes, Israel! Like valleys stretching out in the distance, like gardens planted by rivers, Like sweet herbs planted by the gardener God , like red cedars by pools and springs, Their buckets will brim with water, their seed will spread life everywhere. Their king will tower over Agag and his ilk, their kingdom surpassingly majestic. God brought them out of Egypt, rampaging like a wild ox, Gulping enemies like morsels of meat, crushing their bones, snapping their arrows. Israel crouches like a lion and naps, king-of-the-beasts—who dares disturb him? Whoever blesses you is blessed, whoever curses you is cursed. Balak lost his temper with Balaam. He shook his fist. He said to Balaam: "I got you in here to curse my enemies and what have you done? Blessed them! Blessed them three times! Get out of here! Go home! I told you I would pay you well, but you're getting nothing. You can blame God ." Balaam said to Balak, "Didn't I tell you up front when you sent your emissaries, ‘Even if Balak gave me his palace stuffed with silver and gold, I couldn't do anything on my own, whether good or bad, that went against God 's command'? I'm leaving for home and my people, but I warn you of what this people will do to your people in the days to come." Then he spoke his oracle-message: Decree of Balaam son of Beor, decree of the man with 20/20 vision, Decree of the man who hears godly speech, who knows what's going on with the High God, Who sees what The Strong God reveals, who bows in worship and sees what's real. I see him, but not right now, I perceive him, but not right here; A star rises from Jacob a scepter from Israel, Crushing the heads of Moab, the skulls of all the noisy windbags; I see Edom sold off at auction, enemy Seir marked down at the flea market, while Israel walks off with the trophies. A ruler is coming from Jacob who'll destroy what's left in the city. Then Balaam spotted Amalek and delivered an oracle-message. He said, Amalek, you're in first place among nations right now, but you're going to come in last, ruined. He saw the Kenites and delivered his oracle-message to them: Your home is in a nice secure place, like a nest high on the face of a cliff. Still, you Kenites will look stupid when Asshur takes you prisoner. Balaam spoke his final oracle-message: Doom! Who stands a chance when God starts in? Sea-Peoples, raiders from across the sea, will harass Asshur and Eber, But they'll also come to nothing, just like all the rest. Balaam got up and went home. Balak also went on his way. ¹⁹ By now Balaam realized that God wanted to bless Israel. So he didn't work in any sorcery as he had done earlier. He turned and looked out over the wilderness. As Balaam looked, he saw Israel camped tribe by tribe. The Spirit of God came on him, and he spoke his oracle-message: Decree of Balaam son of Beor, yes, decree of a man with 20/20 vision; Decree of a man who hears God speak, who sees what The Strong God shows him, Who falls on his face in worship, who sees what's really going on. What beautiful tents, Jacob, oh, your homes, Israel! Like valleys stretching out in the distance, like gardens planted by rivers, Like sweet herbs planted by the gardener God , like red cedars by pools and springs, Their buckets will brim with water, their seed will spread life everywhere. Their king will tower over Agag and his ilk, their kingdom surpassingly majestic. God brought them out of Egypt, rampaging like a wild ox, Gulping enemies like morsels of meat, crushing their bones, snapping their arrows. Israel crouches like a lion and naps, king-of-the-beasts—who dares disturb him? Whoever blesses you is blessed, whoever curses you is cursed. Balak lost his temper with Balaam. He shook his fist. He said to Balaam: "I got you in here to curse my enemies and what have you done? Blessed them! Blessed them three times! Get out of here! Go home! I told you I would pay you well, but you're getting nothing. You can blame God ." Balaam said to Balak, "Didn't I tell you up front when you sent your emissaries, ‘Even if Balak gave me his palace stuffed with silver and gold, I couldn't do anything on my own, whether good or bad, that went against God 's command'? I'm leaving for home and my people, but I warn you of what this people will do to your people in the days to come." Then he spoke his oracle-message: Decree of Balaam son of Beor, decree of the man with 20/20 vision, Decree of the man who hears godly speech, who knows what's going on with the High God, Who sees what The Strong God reveals, who bows in worship and sees what's real. I see him, but not right now, I perceive him, but not right here; A star rises from Jacob a scepter from Israel, Crushing the heads of Moab, the skulls of all the noisy windbags; I see Edom sold off at auction, enemy Seir marked down at the flea market, while Israel walks off with the trophies. A ruler is coming from Jacob who'll destroy what's left in the city. ²⁰ Then Balaam spotted Amalek and delivered an oracle-message. He said, Amalek, you're in first place among nations right now, but you're going to come in last, ruined. ²¹He saw the Kenites and delivered his oracle-message to them: Your home is in a nice secure place, like a nest high on the face of a cliff. Still, you Kenites will look stupid when Asshur takes you prisoner. ²³Balaam spoke his final oracle-message: Doom! Who stands a chance when God starts in? Sea-Peoples, raiders from across the sea, will harass Asshur and Eber, But they'll also come to nothing, just like all the rest. ²⁵ Balaam got up and went home. Balak also went on his way.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

when God: Numbers 23:23, 2 Kings 5:1, Malachi 3:2

Reciprocal: Numbers 23:7 - he took Joel 2:11 - who Acts 15:17 - who

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And he took up his parable, and said,.... Or delivered another prophecy, having made some little pause:

alas, who shall live when God doeth this? referring not to what goes before, but to what follows; though Jarchi and Aben Ezra think it refers to the Assyria conquering and carrying captive, not only the Kenites, but all the nations of the world, so that there was no living comfortably in it on his account; but this is said after Balaam had taken up his parable again, and so respects what follows, as the destruction of the Persian empire by Alexander, in which Ashur or the Assyrians were included; and the destruction of the Jews by the Romans more especially; which was such as had not been the like from the beginning of the world, Matthew 24:21, and perhaps may have a further respect to the affliction of the witnesses and church of Christ by antichrist; see Daniel 12:1.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

When God doeth this - The eventual carrying away of the allies of Israel by Assyria presented itself to Balaam as the ruin of all peace and safety upon earth. One prediction was howerer, yet wanting, and is next given, namely, that the conquerors of the Kenites should fare no better than the Kenites themselves.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Numbers 24:23. Who shall live when God doeth this! — There are two senses in which these words may be taken: -

1. That the event is so distant that none then alive could possibly live to see it.

2. That the times would be so distressing and desolating that scarcely any should be able to escape.

The words are very similar to those of our Lord, and probably are to be taken in the same sense: "Wo to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days."