Numbers

Numbers 23:8–11

⁸How can I curse those whom God has not cursed?

How can I denounce those whom the LORD has not denounced?

⁹For I see them from atop the rocky cliffs,

and I watch them from the hills.

Behold, a people dwelling apart,

not reckoning themselves among the nations.

¹⁰Who can count the dust of Jacob

or number even a fourth of Israel?

Let me die the death of the righteous;

let my end be like theirs!”

¹¹Then Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you here to curse my enemies, and behold, you have only blessed them!”

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 23:8

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
How	מָ֣ה	māh	Interrogative	H4100 what? how? aught
can I curse	קַבֹּ֖ה	qab·bōh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular; third person masculine singular	H6895 utter a curse against, curse
God	אֵ֑ל	’êl	Noun - masculine singular	H410 god
has not	לֹ֥א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
cursed	אֶקֹּ֔ב	’eq·qōḇ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular	H6895 utter a curse against, curse
How	וּמָ֣ה	ū·māh	Conjunctive waw; Interrogative	H4100 what? how? aught
can I denounce	אֶזְעֹ֔ם	’ez·‘ōm	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular	H2194 be indignant
the LORD	יְהוָֽה׃	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
has not	לֹ֥א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
denounced	זָעַ֖ם	zā·‘am	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H2194 be indignant

Numbers 23:9

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
For	כִּֽי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
I see them	אֶרְאֶ֔נּוּ	’er·’en·nū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular; third person masculine singular	H7200 see
from atop	מֵרֹ֤אשׁ	mê·rōš	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular construct	H7218 head
the rocky cliffs	צֻרִים֙	ṣu·rîm	Noun - masculine plural	H6697 rock, cliff
and I watch them	אֲשׁוּרֶ֑נּוּ	’ă·šū·ren·nū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular; third person masculine singular	H7789 behold, regard
from the hills	וּמִגְּבָע֖וֹת	ū·mig·gə·ḇā·‘ō·wṯ	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m; Noun - feminine plural	H1389 hill
Behold	הֶן־	hen-	Interjection	H2005 lo! behold
a people	עָם֙	‘ām	Noun - masculine singular	H5971 people
dwelling	יִשְׁכֹּ֔ן	yiš·kōn	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7931 settle down, abide, dwell
apart	לְבָדָ֣ד	lə·ḇā·ḏāḏ	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular	H910 isolation, separation
not	לֹ֥א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
reckoning themselves	יִתְחַשָּֽׁב׃	yiṯ·ḥaš·šāḇ	Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H2803 think, account
among the nations	וּבַגּוֹיִ֖ם	ū·ḇag·gō·w·yim	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine plural	H1471 nation, people

Numbers 23:10

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Who	מִ֤י	mî	Interrogative	H4310 who?
can count	מָנָה֙	mā·nāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H4487 count, number, reckon, assign
the dust	עֲפַ֣ר	‘ă·p̄ar	Noun - masculine singular construct	H6083 dry earth, dust
of Jacob	יַעֲקֹ֔ב	ya·‘ă·qōḇ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3290 Jacob
or number	וּמִסְפָּ֖ר	ū·mis·pār	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H4557 number, tale
a fourth	רֹ֣בַע	rō·ḇa‘	Noun - masculine singular construct	H7255 fourth part
of Israel	יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל	yiś·rā·’êl	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3478 Israel
Let me	נַפְשִׁי֙	nap̄·šî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
die	תָּמֹ֤ת	tā·mōṯ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect Jussive - third person feminine singular	H4191 die
the death	מ֣וֹת	mō·wṯ	Noun - masculine singular construct	H4194 death
of the righteous	יְשָׁרִ֔ים	yə·šā·rîm	Adjective - masculine plural	H3477 straight, right
let my end	אַחֲרִיתִ֖י	’a·ḥă·rî·ṯî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H319 after-part, end
be	וּתְהִ֥י	ū·ṯə·hî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Jussive - third person feminine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
like theirs	כָּמֹֽהוּ׃	kā·mō·hū	Preposition; third person masculine singular	H3644 like, as, when

Numbers 23:11

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Then Balak	בָּלָק֙	bā·lāq	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1111 Balak
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
Balaam	בִּלְעָ֔ם	bil·‘ām	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1109 Balaam
What	מֶ֥ה	meh	Interrogative	H4100 what? how? aught
have you done	עָשִׂ֖יתָ	‘ā·śî·ṯā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H6213 do, make
to me	לִ֑י	lî	Preposition; first person common singular
I brought you	לְקַחְתִּ֔יךָ	lə·qaḥ·tî·ḵā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular; second person masculine singular	H3947 take
to curse	לָקֹ֤ב	lā·qōḇ	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H6895 utter a curse against, curse
my enemies	אֹיְבַי֙	’ō·yə·ḇay	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct; first person common singular	H341 be hostile to
and behold	וְהִנֵּ֖ה	wə·hin·nêh	Conjunctive waw; Interjection	H2009 lo! behold!
you have only blessed them	בֵּרַ֥כְתָּ	bê·raḵ·tā	Verb - Piel - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H1288 kneel, bless