The Meaning of Numbers 23:4 Explained

Numbers 23:4

KJV: And God met Balaam: and he said unto him, I have prepared seven altars, and I have offered upon every altar a bullock and a ram.

YLT: And God cometh unto Balaam, and he saith unto Him, 'The seven altars I have arranged, and I offer a bullock and a ram on the altar;'

Darby: And God met Balaam; and Balaam said to him, I have disposed seven altars, and have offered up a bullock and a ram upon each altar.

ASV: And God met Balaam: and he said unto him, I have prepared the seven altars, and I have offered up a bullock and a ram on every altar.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And God  met  Balaam:  and he said  unto him, I have prepared  seven  altars,  and I have offered  upon [every] altar  a bullock  and a ram. 

What does Numbers 23:4 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 23:4 mean?

And met God with Balaam and he said to Him - seven the altars I have prepared and I have offered a bull and a ram on [each] altar
וַיִּקָּ֥ר אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶל־ בִּלְעָ֑ם וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֗יו אֶת־ שִׁבְעַ֤ת הַֽמִּזְבְּחֹת֙ עָרַ֔כְתִּי וָאַ֛עַל פָּ֥ר וָאַ֖יִל בַּמִּזְבֵּֽחַ

וַיִּקָּ֥ר  And  met 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קָרָה 
Sense: to encounter, meet, befall, happen, come to meet.
אֱלֹהִ֖ים  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
בִּלְעָ֑ם  Balaam 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: בִּלְעָם 
Sense: the son of Beor, a man endowed with the gift of prophecy.
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר  and  he  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֵלָ֗יו  to  Him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
שִׁבְעַ֤ת  seven 
Parse: Number, masculine singular construct
Root: שֶׁבַע  
Sense: seven (cardinal number).
הַֽמִּזְבְּחֹת֙  the  altars 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: מִזְבֵּחַ  
Sense: altar.
עָרַ֔כְתִּי  I  have  prepared 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: עָרַךְ  
Sense: to arrange, set or put or lay in order, set in array, prepare, order, ordain, handle, furnish, esteem, equal, direct, compare.
וָאַ֛עַל  and  I  have  offered 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, first person common singular
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
פָּ֥ר  a  bull 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: פַּר  
Sense: .
וָאַ֖יִל  and  a  ram 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַיִל 
Sense: ram.
בַּמִּזְבֵּֽחַ  on  [each]  altar 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִזְבֵּחַ  
Sense: altar.