Self-interpreting Bible

1 AND when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he went not, as at ^aother times, ¹to seek for enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness.

• a: Nu. 23:3 , Nu. 23:15
• 1: Heb. to the meeting of enchantments, Is. 8.19; 44.25; 47.12. , Is. 8:19 , Is. 44:25 , Is. 47:12

2 And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel ^babiding in his tents according to their tribes; and the ^cspirit of God came upon him.

• b: Numbers 2 , Ca. 6:4 , Ca. 6:10
• c: Nu. 11:26 - 29 , 1Sa. 19:19 - 24 , Nu. 24:4 , Nu. 24:16 , Ju. 3:10

3 And ^dhe took up his parable, and said, ^eBalaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man ²whose eyes are open hath said:

• d: Nu. 23:7 , Nu. 23:18
• e: 2Sa. 23:1
• 2: Heb. who had his eyes shut, but now opened.

4 He hath said, which heard the words of God, which ^fsaw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:

• f: Ge. 15:12 , Da. 8:17 , Da. 8:18 , Da. 8:27 , Ac. 10:10 , Re. 1:17 , Eze. 1:28 , 1Sa. 19:24

5 How ^ggoodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy ^*tabernacles, O Israel!

• g: Numbers 2 , Ca. 6:4 , Ca. 6:10 , Ca. 6:11 , Col. 2:5
• *: tabernacles-tents, dwellings.

6 As the ^hvalleys are they spread forth, as ⁱgardens by the river's side, as the ^jtrees of ^*lign aloes which the LORD hath planted, and as cedar trees beside the waters.

• h: Numbers 2 , Re. 11:15 , Is. 11:9 , Is. 11:10
• i: Ca. 4:12 , Is. 58:11 , Ps. 1:3 , Ps. 46:4 , 3:18 , Je. 31:12 , Je. 17:8
• j: Eze. 47:12 , Eze. 31:3 , Eze. 31:4 , Ps. 92:12 , Ps. 92:13 , Ps. 104:16
• *: lign aloes-aromatic wood.

7 He shall ^kpour the water out of his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters, and his ^lking shall be higher than ^mAgag, and his kingdom shall be exalted.

• k: Ge. 22:17 , Pr. 5:16 - 18 , Is. 48:1
• l: Ps. 18:43 , Ezr. 4:20 , 1Ch. 14:9 , 1Ki. 4:21 , Is. 2:2 , Da. 2:44 , Re. 11:15 , Mat. 28:18
• m: Nu. 24:20 , 1Sa. 15:8

8 God ⁿbrought him forth out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an ^*unicorn: he shall eat up the nations his enemies, and shall ^obreak their bones, and ^ppierce them through with his arrows.

• n: Nu. 23:22 , Nu. 23:24 , Nu. 14:9 , De. 7:1 , Joshua 6 - 22 , 2 Samuel 8 , 2 Samuel 10 , 2 Chronicles 14 , 2 Chronicles 20 , Ps. 2:9 , Ps. 45:5 , Ps. 110:1 , Ps. 110:5 , Ps. 110:6 , Ps. 21:8 - 12 , Is. 60:12
• *: unicorn-wild bull.
• o: Je. 50:17
• p: Je. 50:9

9 He ^qcouched, he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion: who shall stir him up? ^rBlessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee.

• q: Ge. 49:9 , 1Ki. 4:25 , Nu. 23:24
• r: Ge. 12:3 , Ge. 27:29

10 ¶And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together: and Balak said unto Balaam, ^sI called thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast altogether blessed them these three times.

• s: Nu. 23:11

11 Therefore now flee thou to thy place: ^tI thought to promote thee unto great honour; but, lo, the LORD hath ^ukept thee back from honour.

• t: Nu. 22:17 , Nu. 22:37
• u: Pr. 11:18 , Pr. 16:9

12 And Balaam said unto Balak, ^vSpake I not also to thy messengers which thou sentest unto me, saying,

• v: Nu. 22:18

13 If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the LORD, to do either good or bad ^wof mine own mind; but what the LORD saith, that will I speak?

• w: Nu. 16:28

14 And now, behold, I go unto my people: come therefore, and I ^xwill ^*advertise thee what this people shall do to thy people in the ^ylatter days.

• x: Nu. 31:16 , Re. 2:14 , Mi. 6:5
• *: advertise-tell, inform.
• y: Ge. 49:1 , Da. 10:14 , Is. 24:22

15 ¶And he ^ztook up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:

• z: Nu. 23:7 , Nu. 23:18 , Nu. 24:3 , Nu. 24:20 , Nu. 24:23 , Job 27:1

16 He hath said, which ^aheard the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the most High, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:

• a: Ge. 15:12 , Da. 8:17 , Da. 8:18 , Da. 10:16 , Re. 1:17 , 1Sa. 19:24 , Ac. 10:10 , Nu. 24:3 , Nu. 24:4

17 I shall see ^bhim, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come ^ca Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall ³smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.

• b: Ge. 49:10 , Ps. 78:70 - 72 , Ps. 60:8 , 2 Samuel 8 , 2 Kings 3 , Is. 11:14 , Zec. 10:11 , Jn. 1:9 , Re. 22:16 , Nu. 23:9
• c: Mat. 2:2
• 3: Or, smite through the princes of Moab.

18 And ^dEdom shall be a possession, ^eSeir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly.

• d: Nu. 11:16 , Ge. 27:29 , Ge. 27:40 , Ps. 60:8 - 12 , Am. 9:12 , Is. 63:1 , Is. 63:2 , Isaiah 34 , Obadiah , Jeremiah 49 , Eze. 25:12 - 14 , Ezekiel 35 , 2Sa. 8:14
• e: Ge. 32:3

19 Out of Jacob shall come ^fhe that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city.

• f: Ps. 108:7 - 13 , Ps. 110:1 , Ps. 110:5 , Ps. 110:6 , 2 Samuel 8 , 2 Samuel 10 , 2 Samuel 12 , Da. 2:44

20 ¶And when he looked on Amalek, he took up his parable, and said, Amalek was the first of ⁴the nations; but his ^glatter end ⁵shall be that he perish for ever.

• 4: Or, the nations that warred against Israel, Ex. 17.8. , Ex. 17:8
• g: Ju. 6:3 , Judges 7 , Judges 8 , 1Sa. 14:48 , 1Sa. 15:3 , 1Sa. 15:7 , 1Sa. 27:8 , 1Sa. 30:1 , 1Sa. 30:17 , 1Ch. 4:43 , Esther 8 , Esther 9 , Ex. 17:16
• 5: Or, shall be even to destruction. Ex. 17.14. , Ex. 17:14

21 And he looked on ^hthe Kenites, and took up his parable, and said, ⁱStrong is thy dwellingplace, and thou puttest thy nest in a rock.

• h: Ge. 15:19
• i: Job 29:18 , Hab. 2:19 , Ju. 1:16 , Je. 49:16 , Am. 9:2 , Am. 9:3

22 Nevertheless the ⁶Kenite shall be wasted, ⁷until Asshur shall carry thee away captive.

• 6: Heb. Kain.
• 7: Or, how long shall it be ere Asshur carry thee away captive?

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

24 And ^jships shall come from the coast of Chittim, and shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict ^kEber, and he also shall perish for ever.

• j: Is. 23:1 , Da. 7:6 , Da. 7:7 , Da. 7:19 , Da. 8:5 - 8 , Da. 10:20 , Da. 11:3 , Da. 11:30 , Ge. 10:4
• k: Ge. 10:21 , Ge. 10:25

25 And Balaam rose up, and went and ^lreturned to his place: and Balak also went his way.

• l: Nu. 31:8 , Jos. 13:22