This verse demonstrates that no scheme can overturn God’s plan.
Balaam has just been instructed by God regarding the words he will speak, and in this passage we see him turn to Balak once more. We read: “Balaam said to Balak, ‘Stand here beside your burnt offering while I myself meet the LORD over there.’” (Numbers 23:15). Balaam was a non-Israelite prophet who lived around 1406 BC, and he was summoned by Balak, King of Moab, to curse the Israelites. Balak ruled in the land of Moab, east of the Dead Sea in present-day Jordan. At this point, Balak had already made multiple attempts to influence Balaam’s message, hoping that Balaam’s words would bring about a curse on the encroaching Israelites. However, God continued to guide Balaam’s speech to deliver blessings rather than curses.
When Balaam tells Balak, “Stand here beside your burnt offering...” (Numbers 23:15), it illustrates that the king had presented a sacrifice, most likely seeking a spiritual or divine outcome aligned with his desires. In the ancient Near East, burnt offerings were made to appeal to a deity or gods. For Balak, this offering was meant to persuade Balaam’s God to curse Israel. Nevertheless, Balaam’s separate meeting with the LORD, as reflected in “while I myself meet the LORD over there.” (Numbers 23:15), underscores that Balaam truly sought direction from the God of the Israelites rather than yielding to Balak’s demands. The emphasis is placed on Balaam’s obedience to a Higher Authority, showing that his gifts of prophecy were directed by God’s will (2 Peter 2:15Revelation 2:14).
This section continues the unfolding narrative where God protects His people from those who seek to harm them. As Balaam withdraws to meet the LORD, it foreshadows yet another blessing upon Israel rather than the curse Balak desired. In the grand story of Scripture, it reminds us that God’s power and promises stand firm, even when powerful earthly rulers try to impose their own plans. This theme reappears in the New Testament, where Jesus is portrayed as the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promises (Luke 1:68-75).
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Numbers 23:15 meaning
Balaam has just been instructed by God regarding the words he will speak, and in this passage we see him turn to Balak once more. We read: “Balaam said to Balak, ‘Stand here beside your burnt offering while I myself meet the LORD over there.’” (Numbers 23:15). Balaam was a non-Israelite prophet who lived around 1406 BC, and he was summoned by Balak, King of Moab, to curse the Israelites. Balak ruled in the land of Moab, east of the Dead Sea in present-day Jordan. At this point, Balak had already made multiple attempts to influence Balaam’s message, hoping that Balaam’s words would bring about a curse on the encroaching Israelites. However, God continued to guide Balaam’s speech to deliver blessings rather than curses.
When Balaam tells Balak, “Stand here beside your burnt offering...” (Numbers 23:15), it illustrates that the king had presented a sacrifice, most likely seeking a spiritual or divine outcome aligned with his desires. In the ancient Near East, burnt offerings were made to appeal to a deity or gods. For Balak, this offering was meant to persuade Balaam’s God to curse Israel. Nevertheless, Balaam’s separate meeting with the LORD, as reflected in “while I myself meet the LORD over there.” (Numbers 23:15), underscores that Balaam truly sought direction from the God of the Israelites rather than yielding to Balak’s demands. The emphasis is placed on Balaam’s obedience to a Higher Authority, showing that his gifts of prophecy were directed by God’s will (2 Peter 2:15 Revelation 2:14).
This section continues the unfolding narrative where God protects His people from those who seek to harm them. As Balaam withdraws to meet the LORD, it foreshadows yet another blessing upon Israel rather than the curse Balak desired. In the grand story of Scripture, it reminds us that God’s power and promises stand firm, even when powerful earthly rulers try to impose their own plans. This theme reappears in the New Testament, where Jesus is portrayed as the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promises (Luke 1:68-75).