Numbers

Numbers 23:1–4

¹Then Balaam said to Balak, “Build for me seven altars here, and prepare for me seven bulls and seven rams.”

²So Balak did as Balaam had instructed, and Balak and Balaam offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

³“Stay here by your burnt offering while I am gone,” Balaam said to Balak. “Perhaps the LORD will meet with me. And whatever He reveals to me, I will tell you.”

So Balaam went off to a barren height, ⁴and God met with him. “I have set up seven altars,” Balaam said, “and on each altar I have offered a bull and a ram.”

Read all of Numbers 23

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Numbers 23:1

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Then Balaam	בִּלְעָם֙	bil·‘ām	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1109 Balaam
said	וַיֹּ֤אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
Balak	בָּלָ֔ק	bā·lāq	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1111 Balak
Build	בְּנֵה־	bə·nêh-	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular	H1129 build
for me	לִ֥י	lî	Preposition; first person common singular
seven	שִׁבְעָ֣ה	šiḇ·‘āh	Number - masculine singular	H7651 seven
altars	מִזְבְּחֹ֑ת	miz·bə·ḥōṯ	Noun - masculine plural	H4196 altar
here	בָזֶ֖ה	ḇā·zeh	Preposition-b; Pronoun - masculine singular	H2088 this, that
and prepare	וְהָכֵ֥ן	wə·hā·ḵên	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular	H3559 be firm
for me	לִי֙	lî	Preposition; first person common singular
seven	שִׁבְעָ֥ה	šiḇ·‘āh	Number - masculine singular	H7651 seven
bulls	פָרִ֖ים	p̄ā·rîm	Noun - masculine plural	H6499 young bull, steer
and seven	וְשִׁבְעָ֥ה	wə·šiḇ·‘āh	Conjunctive waw; Number - masculine singular	H7651 seven
rams	אֵילִֽים׃	’ê·lîm	Noun - masculine plural	H352 ram

Numbers 23:2

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
So Balak	בָּלָ֔ק	bā·lāq	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1111 Balak
did	וַיַּ֣עַשׂ	way·ya·‘aś	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H6213 do, make
as	כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר	ka·’ă·šer	Preposition-k; Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
Balaam	בִּלְעָ֑ם	bil·‘ām	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1109 Balaam
had instructed	דִּבֶּ֣ר	dib·ber	Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H1696 speak
and Balak	בָּלָ֧ק	bā·lāq	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1111 Balak
and Balaam	וּבִלְעָ֛ם	ū·ḇil·‘ām	Conjunctive waw; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1109 Balaam
offered	וַיַּ֨עַל	way·ya·‘al	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5927 go up, ascend, climb
a bull	פָּ֥ר	pār	Noun - masculine singular	H6499 young bull, steer
and a ram	וָאַ֖יִל	wā·’a·yil	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H352 ram
on each altar	בַּמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃	bam·miz·bê·aḥ	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H4196 altar

Numbers 23:3

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Stay	הִתְיַצֵּב֮	hiṯ·yaṣ·ṣêḇ	Verb - Hitpael - Imperative - masculine singular	H3320 set or station oneself, take one's stand
here by	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
your burnt offering	עֹלָתֶךָ֒	‘ō·lā·ṯe·ḵā	Noun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H5930 whole burnt-offering
while I am gone	וְאֵֽלְכָ֗ה	wə·’ê·lə·ḵāh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular	H1980 go, come, walk
Balaam	בִּלְעָ֜ם	bil·‘ām	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1109 Balaam
said	וַיֹּ֨אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
to Balak	לְבָלָ֗ק	lə·ḇā·lāq	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1111 Balak
Perhaps	אוּלַ֞י	’ū·lay	Adverb	H194 peradventure, perhaps
the LORD	יְהוָה֙	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
will meet with me	לִקְרָאתִ֔י	liq·rā·ṯî	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; first person common singular	H7122 encounter, befall
And whatever	מַה־	mah-	Interrogative	H4100 what? how? aught
He reveals to me	יַּרְאֵ֖נִי	yar·’ê·nî	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular; first person common singular	H7200 see
I will tell	וְהִגַּ֣דְתִּי	wə·hig·gaḏ·tî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular	H5046 be conspicuous
you	לָ֑ךְ	lāḵ	Preposition; second person feminine singular
So	וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ	way·yê·leḵ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H1980 go, come, walk
to a barren height	שֶֽׁפִי׃	še·p̄î	Noun - masculine singular	H8205 bareness, smooth or bare (treeless) height

Numbers 23:4

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
and God	אֱלֹהִ֖ים	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
met	וַיִּקָּ֥ר	way·yiq·qār	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7136 encounter, meet, befall
with	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
him	בִּלְעָ֑ם	bil·‘ām	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1109 Balaam
I have set up	עָרַ֔כְתִּי	‘ā·raḵ·tî	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular	H6186 arrange or set in order
seven	שִׁבְעַ֤ת	šiḇ·‘aṯ	Number - masculine singular construct	H7651 seven
altars	הַֽמִּזְבְּחֹת֙	ham·miz·bə·ḥōṯ	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H4196 altar
Balaam said	וַיֹּ֣אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
and on each altar	בַּמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃	bam·miz·bê·aḥ	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H4196 altar
I have offered	וָאַ֛עַל	wā·’a·‘al	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular	H5927 go up, ascend, climb
a bull	פָּ֥ר	pār	Noun - masculine singular	H6499 young bull, steer
and a ram	וָאַ֖יִל	wā·’a·yil	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H352 ram