In the morning, Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal; and he saw from there part of the people.
Parallel translations
- KJV And it came to pass on the morrow, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal, that thence he might see the utmost part of the people.
- BSB The next morning, Balak took Balaam and brought him up to Bamoth-baal. From there he could see the outskirts of the camp of the people.
- NKJV So it was, the next day, that Balak took Balaam and brought him up to the high places of Baal, that from there he might observe the extent of the people.
- NASB Then it came about in the morning that Balak took Balaam and brought him up to the high places of Baal, and he saw from there a portion of the people.
- NLT The next morning Balak took Balaam up to Bamoth-baal. From there he could see some of the people of Israel spread out below him.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Balak takes Balaam up to the high places of Baal to view part of Israel. The setting prepares for the first oracle.
Overview
The 'high places of Baal' mark this as pagan worship territory, fitting Balak's hope of harnessing spiritual power. Seeing the people was thought to aid in pronouncing an effective curse. Instead, this vantage point becomes the place where God turns intended cursing into blessing.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- Num 23:13Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place, where you may see them. You shall see just part of them, and shall not see them all. Curse them from there for me.”
- Num 25:2–3for they called the people to the sacrifices of their gods. The people ate and bowed down to their gods.
- Num 21:28for a fire has gone out of Heshbon, a flame from the city of Sihon. It has devoured Ar of Moab, The lords of the high places of the Arnon.
- 2 Chr 11:15He himself appointed priests for the high places, for the male goats, and for the calves which he had made.
- Jer 48:35Moreover I will cause to cease in Moab,” says Yahweh, “him who offers in the high place, and him who burns incense to his gods.
- Deut 12:2You shall surely destroy all the places in which the nations that you shall dispossess served their gods, on the high mountains, and on the hills, and under every green tree.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
In the wilderness Christ is the water from the rock, the bronze serpent lifted up that the dying might look and live (John 3:14), and the star and scepter that Balaam saw rising out of Jacob.
How Numbers 22:41 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.