Numbers 24:9

The Holy Bible, Berean Study Bible

Contextual Overview

¹And when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not resort to sorcery as on previous occasions, but he turned his face toward the wilderness. ²When Balaam looked up and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of God came upon him, ³and he lifted up an oracle, saying: "This is the prophecy of Balaam son of Beor, the prophecy of a man whose eyes are open, ⁴the prophecy of one who hears the words of God, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who bows down with eyes wide open: ⁵How beautiful are your tents, O Jacob, your dwellings, O Israel! 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. ⁹He crouches, he lies down like a lion; like a lioness, who dares to rouse him? Blessed are those who bless you and cursed are those who curse you."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

couched: Genesis 49:9, Job 38:39, Job 38:40

who shall: Numbers 23:24, Job 41:10, Psalms 2:12

Blessed: Genesis 12:3, Genesis 27:29, Psalms 122:6, Matthew 25:40, Matthew 25:45, Acts 9:5

Reciprocal: Genesis 12:2 - General Exodus 23:22 - an enemy Numbers 22:6 - curse me Deuteronomy 23:5 - Nevertheless 1 Samuel 26:25 - Blessed 2 Samuel 17:10 - heart 1 Kings 10:20 - lions 2 Chronicles 9:18 - two lions Job 4:11 - old lion Isaiah 5:29 - roaring Isaiah 31:4 - Like as Ezekiel 32:2 - Thou art like Revelation 4:7 - the first beast Revelation 5:5 - the Lion

Cross-References

Genesis 24:2
So Abraham instructed the chief servant of his household, who managed all he owned, "Place your hand under my thigh,

Gill's Notes on the Bible

He couched,.... Which may respect the posture of the armies of Israel in the plains of Moab:

he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion; as he would do, and did in the land of Canaan, when conquered by Israel; they took up their residence on it quietly, and dwelt in it securely, and in no more fear of their enemies than a lion, which lays itself down and sleeps without concern anywhere:

who shall stir him up? who dare do it? as it would be a very rash, bold, daring, and dangerous thing to rouse up a lion lying down; so it is suggested it would be alike to provoke Israel to war at some certain times, in the days of David more especially:

blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee; which are the very words in which Isaac blessed Jacob, the ancestor of these people, Genesis 27:29 and which blessing is confirmed by Balaam against his will, and whereby he cursed himself instead of Israel; for though he could not curse him with words, he had cursed him in his heart, and would have done it verbally if he could a.

a "Qui, quia non licuit, non facit, ille facit". Ovid.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Numbers 24:9. He couched, he lay down as a lion, c. — See the original terms explained Numbers 23:24.

These oracles, delivered by Balaam, are evident prophecies of the victories which the Israelites should gain over their enemies, and of their firm possession of the promised land. They may also refer to the great victories to be obtained by the Lord Jesus Christ, that Lion of the tribe of Judah, over sin, death, and Satan, the grand enemies of the human race and to that most numerous posterity of spiritual children which should be begotten by the preaching of the Gospel.