The Meaning of Numbers 23:11 Explained

Numbers 23:11

KJV: And Balak said unto Balaam, What hast thou done unto me? I took thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast blessed them altogether.

YLT: And Balak saith unto Balaam, 'What hast thou done to me? to pierce mine enemies I have taken thee -- and lo, thou hast certainly blessed;'

Darby: And Balak said to Balaam, What hast thou done to me? I took thee to curse mine enemies, and behold, thou hast blessed them altogether.

ASV: And Balak said unto Balaam, What hast thou done unto me? I took thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast blessed them altogether.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Balak  said  unto Balaam,  What hast thou done  unto me? I took  thee to curse  mine enemies,  and, behold, thou hast blessed  [them] altogether. 

What does Numbers 23:11 Mean?

Context Summary

Numbers 23:1-12 - A Blessing Instead Of A Curse
Notice the position of these chapters, preceding the awful story of Baal-peor. Presently the Israelites will be perpetrating such terrible sins that it might seem impossible for God to continue to acknowledge them; yet here God stands for them and restrains the spirit of evil. He will take their chastisement, when needed, into his own hands.
With all his might Balaam strove to earn the royal gifts. Ah, thought he, that I could really feel that I was the organ of the divine malediction! But he could not feel in his heart that God's spirit was urging him in the direction that Balak wished. The stream of destiny was not running that way. On the contrary, he could forge no weapon against Israel that could prosper, and when he tried to raise his tongue in judgment against the people of God he was condemned. It was as if God said, "Touch not mine anointed." Psalms 105:15; Isaiah 54:17; Romans 8:31. [source]

Chapter Summary: Numbers 23

1  Balak's sacrifices

What do the individual words in Numbers 23:11 mean?

and said Balak to Balaam what have you done to me to curse my enemies I took you and look you have blessed [them] bountifully
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר בָּלָק֙ אֶל־ בִּלְעָ֔ם מֶ֥ה עָשִׂ֖יתָ לִ֑י לָקֹ֤ב אֹיְבַי֙ לְקַחְתִּ֔יךָ וְהִנֵּ֖ה בֵּרַ֥כְתָּ בָרֵֽךְ

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
בָּלָק֙  Balak 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: בָּלָק  
Sense: a king of Moab who hired Balaam to curse Israel.
בִּלְעָ֔ם  Balaam 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: בִּלְעָם 
Sense: the son of Beor, a man endowed with the gift of prophecy.
עָשִׂ֖יתָ  have  you  done 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
לִ֑י  to  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
לָקֹ֤ב  to  curse 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: קָבַב  
Sense: to curse, utter a curse against.
אֹיְבַי֙  my  enemies 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: אֹיֵב  
Sense: (Qal) enemy.
לְקַחְתִּ֔יךָ  I  took  you 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular, second person masculine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
וְהִנֵּ֖ה  and  look 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
בֵּרַ֥כְתָּ  you  have  blessed  [them] 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: בָּרַךְ 
Sense: to bless, kneel.
בָרֵֽךְ  bountifully 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Infinitive absolute
Root: בָּרַךְ 
Sense: to bless, kneel.