Numbers 23:25-30 · Bible study
Numbers 23:25-30 Commentary: The Futility of Opposing God's Blessing
Hebrew · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Balak's final attempt to curse Israel shows the futility of resisting God's sovereign blessing. A study of divine constraint and human stubbornness.
Research Summary
- Meaning: This passage shows the futility of human schemes that oppose God's settled blessing on His people.
- Key words: curse (H6895 qabab, used only in Balaam narratives) and bless (H1288 barakh); the double gam (H1571) emphasises the negation.
- Main debate: Whether Balak's command in v25 prohibits both actions or simply vents frustration; the Hebrew allows either reading.
- Theological theme: God's sovereignty over human plans, no ritual, location, or diviner can reverse what God has ordained.
- Best use: Teaching on the security of God's blessing and the foolishness of resisting His purposes.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
25Now Balak said to Balaam, “Then neither curse them at all nor bless them at all!”
26But Balaam replied, “Did I not tell you that whatever the LORD says, I must do?”
27“Please come,” said Balak, “I will take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God that you curse them for me from there.”
28And Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, which overlooks the wasteland.
29Then Balaam said, “Build for me seven altars here, and prepare for me seven bulls and seven rams.”
30So Balak did as Balaam had instructed, and he offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
WEB World English Bible 2000
25Balak said to Balaam, “Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all.”
26But Balaam answered Balak, “Didn’t I tell you, saying, ‘All that Yahweh speaks, that I must do’?”
27Balak said to Balaam, “Come now, I will take you to another place; perhaps it will please God that you may curse them for me from there.”
28Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, that looks down on the desert.
29Balaam said to Balak, “Build seven altars for me here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me here.”
30Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered up a bull and a ram on every altar.
KJV King James Version 1769
25And Balak said unto Balaam, Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all.
26But Balaam answered and said unto Balak, Told not I thee, saying, All that the Lord speaketh, that I must do?
27And Balak said unto Balaam, Come, I pray thee, I will bring thee unto another place; peradventure it will please God that thou mayest curse me them from thence.
28And Balak brought Balaam unto the top of Peor, that looketh toward Jeshimon.
29And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams.
30And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
25And Balak said unto Balaam, Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all.
26But Balaam answered and said unto Balak, Told not I thee, saying, All that Jehovah speaketh, that I must do?
27And Balak said unto Balaam, Come now, I will take thee unto another place; peradventure it will please God that thou mayest curse me them from thence.
28And Balak took Balaam unto the top of Peor, that looketh down upon the desert.
29And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams.
30And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered up a bullock and a ram on every altar.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
25And Balak saith unto Balaam, `Neither pierce it at all, nor bless it at all;'
26and Balaam answereth and saith unto Balak, `Have I not spoken unto thee, saying, All that Jehovah speaketh--it I do?'
27And Balak saith unto Balaam, `Come, I pray thee, I take thee unto another place; it may be it is right in the eyes of God--to pierce it for me from thence.'
28And Balak taketh Balaam to the top of Peor, which is looking on the front of the wilderness,
29and Balaam saith unto Balak, `Build for me in this place seven altars, and make ready for me in this place seven bullocks and seven rams;'
30and Balak doth as Balaam said, and he offereth a bullock and a ram on an altar.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
25And Balak said to Balaam, Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all.
26And Balaam answered and said to Balak, Did I not tell thee, saying, All that Jehovah shall speak, that will I do?
27And Balak said to Balaam, Come, I pray thee, I will bring thee to another place; perhaps it will be right in the sight of God that thou curse me them from thence.
28And Balak brought Balaam to the top of Peor, which looks over the surface of the waste.
29And Balaam said to Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams.
30And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered up a bullock and a ram on each altar.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
25And Balac said to Balaam: Neither curse, nor bless him.
26And he said: Did I not tell thee, that whatsoever God should command me, that I would do?
27And Balac said to him: Come and I will bring thee to another place; if peradventure it please God that thou mayest curse them from thence.
28And when he had brought him upon the top of mount Phogor, which looketh towards the wilderness,
29Balaam said to him: Build me here seven altars, and prepare as many calves, and the same number of rams.
30Balac did as Balaam had said: and he laid on every altar, a calf and a ram.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Numbers 23:25
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators treat Numbers 23:25-30 as the immediate aftermath of Balaam's second blessing of Israel. Balak's command in v25, "neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all", expresses raw frustration. Keil and Delitzsch note that the double gam with lo ("neither - nor") is a simple negation, not a conditional. Calvin sees Balak as a mirror of unbelievers, "driven to and fro, so as to alternate between vain hopes and fears." Balaam's reply (v26) repeats his refrain from Numbers 22:18 and 23:12: he can only speak what Yahweh puts in his mouth. The commentators agree that this confession, though coming from a hired diviner, underscores a central theme, God's word cannot be overridden. The move to Peor (vv27-30) represents a third attempt with the same ritual pattern: seven altars, seven bulls, seven rams. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown note that Peor was "the eminence on which a temple of Baal stood." Despite the new sacred location, the outcome will not change. The passage shows the futility of human scheming against God's settled purpose.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: Human efforts cannot reverse God's settled blessing on His people.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Balak's command in v25 | All traditions agree this is a reaction of frustration after Balaam's second blessing. | Some translations read 'neither curse at all nor bless at all' as a flat prohibition; others see it as an angry exclamation. Keil and Delitzsch argue for a simple negation and reject a conditional reading. |
| Balaam's constraint | Balaam is divinely constrained and cannot speak contrary to God's word. | The degree of Balaam's willingness, some see him as a reluctant prophet, others as a greedy diviner who would have cursed if allowed. Calvin emphasises the 'mercenary prophet' who tries to excuse himself. |
| The location Peor | It was a mountain in Moab associated with Baal worship, overlooking the desert wasteland (Jeshimon). | Little debated; sources agree on the basic geography and cultic association. |
| The ritual of seven altars | It reflects pagan worship practice, contrasting with Israel's single altar. | Not debated; commentators uniformly see it as pagan superstition. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The Balaam narrative (Numbers 22-24) takes place on the plains of Moab, east of the Jordan, as Israel prepares to enter Canaan. Moab's king Balak had witnessed Israel defeat the Amorite kings Sihon and Og (Numbers 21:21-35), and he feared total destruction. Hiring a renowned Mesopotamian diviner like Balaam was a standard ancient Near Eastern practice: a curse from a powerful figure was thought to weaken an enemy supernaturally.
Each of Balak's attempt sites had religious significance. The top of Peor (v28) was a mountain peak in the Abarim range, near Pisgah. Adam Clarke identifies Peor as the place where Baal-peor, a Moabite deity associated with fertility and debased rites, had his chief temple. Gill notes the name derives from a "gap or opening" in the mountain. Beth-peor (Deuteronomy 3:29; 34:6) was the nearby town, literally "house of Peor." Jeshimon, which Peor overlooks, refers to the desert wasteland on both sides of the Dead Sea (Barnes). This vantage point gave a full view of Israel's encampment, so Balaam could see the people he was to curse.
Balaam's ritual of building seven altars and sacrificing seven bulls and seven rams reflects pagan custom. In Israelite worship, only one altar was permitted for sacrifice (Exodus 20:24-26). Poole notes that the multiplication of altars was a practice of heathens and idolators. The number seven signified completeness, but here it becomes a mechanical repetition, Balaam trusts in the ritual rather than in the one true God. Yet the very site that hosted Baal worship would witness God's power over false gods. Balak spares no expense, offering costly sacrifices, hoping to change the divine verdict. But the location is irrelevant to the God who spoke from Sinai.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for this passage. The main translational question involves the double gam with lo in v25: whether to render it as a simple negation ("neither...nor") or as a conditional exclamation ("if you do not curse, do not bless"). Keil and Delitzsch firmly support the former reading, followed by WEB and most modern translations.
Reception History
This specific passage has received less direct attention than the more famous oracles of Balaam (24:3-9, 15-24). However, the broader figure of Balaam is cited in the New Testament as a negative example: 2 Peter 2:15 condemns those who follow "the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness," and Revelation 2:14 refers to "the teaching of Balaam" who "taught Balak to throw a stumbling block before the children of Israel." In church tradition, the episode of Balak's frustration has been read as a warning against resisting God's will and as an assurance that God's purposes for His people stand firm. The passage reminds readers that human opposition cannot derail divine blessing, a theme echoed in later hymns of God's sovereignty.
Preaching This Verse
Three-Point Outline
- Balak's frustration (v25): the world's rage against God's chosen people boils over into an impotent command.
- Balaam's confession (v26): God's sovereignty over human words cannot be broken even by a mercenary prophet.
- The useless journey (vv27-30): changing the location, the ritual, or the seer does not change God's settled blessing.
Five-Point Outline
- Balak forbids both curse and blessing (v25), his anger exposes his helplessness.
- Balaam reiterates divine constraint (v26), God's word is not for sale.
- Balak hopes a new location will change God (v27), persistent folly.
- The top of Peor (v28), a sacred pagan site becomes a stage for God's blessing.
- Balaam repeats the ritual (vv29-30), theological repetition without repentance.
Illustration Hooks
- A child repeatedly asking a parent for a different answer, hoping that a new phrasing or a different time of day will change the response. The parent's 'no' remains steady.
- An employee trying to circumvent a company policy by going to a different supervisor, only to receive the same decision. The policy is fixed regardless of location.
Questions Your Congregation Is Asking
- If God has already blessed His people, why does He allow opposition to continue?
- How do I respond when my plans are blocked by what seems like God's contrary direction?
Leading a Discussion
This passage shows what happens when human will collides with divine purpose. Balak tries everything, a new location, new sacrifices, the same diviner, hoping for a different outcome. God's blessing on Israel remains unshaken. These questions help a group explore how we recognise and respond when our plans run up against God's will.
Discussion Questions
- What does Balak's command in v25 reveal about his emotional state? Why does he forbid both cursing and blessing?
- Balaam's answer in v26 repeats what he said earlier (Numbers 22:18; 23:12). What does this repetition tell us about his situation?
- In v27, Balak thinks a different place might produce a different result from God. What does this assumption reveal about his view of God?
- The ritual in vv29-30 is identical to the first two attempts (Numbers 23:1-2, 14-15). Why do you think Balaam keeps using the same method?
- Where in your own life have you tried to 'change the location', to alter circumstances, in hopes of changing what God requires or promises?
- Balaam says, "All that Yahweh speaks, that I must do." In what areas of life is it hardest to submit to God's word in that way?
- The location changed, but the message stayed the same. What does this teach about the nature of God's promises to His people?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Psalms 2:1 | Why do the nations rage, and the peoples plot a vain thing? |
| Psalms 2:3 | “Let’s break their bonds apart, and cast their cords from us.” |
| Numbers 22:18 | Balaam answered the servants of Balak, “If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I can’t go beyond the word of Yahweh my God, to do less or more. |
| Numbers 22:38 | Balaam said to Balak, “Behold, I have come to you. Have I now any power at all to speak anything? I will speak the word that God puts in my mouth.” |
| Numbers 23:12 | He answered and said, “Must I not take heed to speak that which Yahweh puts in my mouth?” |
| Numbers 23:13 | Balak 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.” |
| Numbers 24:12 | Balaam said to Balak, “Didn’t I also tell your messengers whom you sent to me, saying, |
| Numbers 24:13 | ‘If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I can’t go beyond Yahweh’s word, to do either good or bad from my own mind. I will say what Yahweh says’? |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
11 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke identifies Peor as the location of Baal-peor's main temple, comparing this deity to the Roman Priapus. He emphasizes that the worship there involved the same obscene and abominable practices associated with that pagan fertility god.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes identifies the location of Peor north of Pisgah along the Abarim range using the known site of Beth-peor. He notes that Jeshimon refers to the barren waste in the valley below, where Beth-jeshimoth, meaning "house of the wastes," was situated.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin points out the restless stupidity of unbelievers, who are tossed between hope and fear yet stubbornly return to the same errors. Balak knows the curse is futile but drags Balaam to another place anyway, while Balaam servilely excuses himself by claiming divine constraint and blaming the king for summoning him.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
This commentary treats the passage as a compiler's bridge between two source accounts, explaining that what looks like a sequel is actually a parallel version. It also notes that "the Peor" was a local sanctuary site near Pisgah.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes highlight the futility Balak displays in thinking a change of location might change God's message. Balaam repeatedly insists he can only speak what God gives him, yet Balak stubbornly tries new sacrifices and places, hoping to twist divine will toward cursing Israel.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill reads Balak's command "neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all" as a reluctant fallback: if Balaam cannot curse Israel, he must not bless them either. Balak would rather have nothing than a blessing, and for the first time he acknowledges that God is the one restraining Balaam.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB notes that Balaam's confession reveals he was forced by God to speak against his own will and desire. The commentary also identifies Mount Peor as the site of a Baal temple, while Jeshimon refers to the desert wasteland on both sides of the Dead Sea.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch clarifies that Balak's angry outburst is a flat prohibition, not a conditional threat. The Hebrew double particle means "neither curse nor bless." Balak's subsequent decision to try yet another location reflects a pagan belief that repeated sacrifices may eventually produce a desired outcome.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange highlights a crucial shift: Balaam no longer seeks omens but receives the Spirit directly, speaking in ecstatic trance with inward eyes opened. Yet these freely given prophetic words, he notes, still do not spring from a genuine heart. The blessing's rich imagery thus outstrips Balaam's own desire.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry focuses on the contrast between God's unchanging nature and human fickleness. God is not a man who lies or changes his mind, so his blessing on Israel stands firm. No enemy curse or divination can touch a people whom God has chosen and delivered, and that security is absolute.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley identifies Peor as a high place called Beth-peor, meaning house or temple of Peor, because that was where the people worshipped Baal-peor. His focus is on the location's direct link to this specific form of idolatry.