And he returned unto him, and, lo, he stood by his burnt sacrifice, he, and all the princes of Moab.
Parallel translations
- WEB He returned to him, and behold, he was standing by his burnt offering, he, and all the princes of Moab.
- BSB So he returned to Balak, who was standing there beside his burnt offering, with all the princes of Moab.
- NKJV So he returned to him, and there he was, standing by his burnt offering, he and all the princes of Moab.
- NASB So he returned to him, and behold, he was standing beside his burnt offering, he and all the leaders of Moab.
- NLT So Balaam returned and found the king standing beside his burnt offerings with all the officials of Moab.
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
Balaam returns to find Balak standing by his offering with the Moabite princes. The audience waits expectantly for the oracle.
Overview
Balak's posture by the sacrifices shows his anxious investment in the outcome. The gathered princes underscore the official, high-stakes nature of the moment. All the political and religious power of Moab now waits to hear what God will say.
Cross-references & the web
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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 23:6 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
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