The Meaning of Numbers 24:24 Explained

Numbers 24:24

KJV: And ships shall come from the coast of Chittim, and shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber, and he also shall perish for ever.

YLT: And -- ships are from the side of Chittim, And they have humbled Asshur, And they have humbled Eber, And it also for ever is perishing.'

Darby: And ships shall come from the coast of Chittim, and afflict Asshur, and afflict Eber, and he also shall be for destruction.

ASV: But ships'shall come from the coast of Kittim, And they shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber; And he also shall come to destruction.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And ships  [shall come] from the coast  of Chittim,  and shall afflict  Asshur,  and shall afflict  Eber,  and he also shall perish  for ever. 

What does Numbers 24:24 Mean?

Study Notes

Chittim
Pronounced Kittim. Genesis 10:4 ; Daniel 11:30 .

Context Summary

Numbers 24:15-25 - The "star Out Of Jacob"
When your heart is dismayed because of the hatred and opposition of Satan; the great accuser, turn to this chapter. If he stands up to resist, the Son of God stands in your defense. The Eternal God is on your side, not because you are perfect, but because you have linked your little life with Jesus Christ in His glory and beauty. In Deuteronomy 23:5 we learn the blessed secret that explained Balaam's failure.
Balaam describes in glowing anticipation Israel's future, and his forecast is marvelously accurate. It is clear that a man may speak the truth of which his soul is destitute, as a marble fountain may dispense water which it does not taste.
Balaam started for his home, but never reached it. You may long to die the death of the righteous, but it is a vain dream unless you live their life. Compare Numbers 23:10 with 31:8. [source]

Chapter Summary: Numbers 24

1  Balaam, leaving divinations, prophesies the happiness of Israel
10  Balak, in anger, dismisses him
15  He prophesies of the Star of Jacob, and the destruction of some nations

What do the individual words in Numbers 24:24 mean?

But ships [shall come] from the coasts of Cyprus and they shall afflict Assyria and afflict Eber and so shall [Amalek] he until destruction
וְצִים֙ מִיַּ֣ד כִּתִּ֔ים וְעִנּ֥וּ אַשּׁ֖וּר וְעִנּוּ־ עֵ֑בֶר וְגַם־ ה֖וּא עֲדֵ֥י אֹבֵֽד

וְצִים֙  But  ships  [shall  come] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural
Root: צִי  
Sense: ship.
מִיַּ֣ד  from  the  coasts 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
כִּתִּ֔ים  of  Cyprus 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: כִּתִּיִּים  
Sense: a general term for all islanders of the Mediterranean Sea.
וְעִנּ֥וּ  and  they  shall  afflict 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: עָנָה 
Sense: (Qal) to be occupied, be busied with.
אַשּׁ֖וּר  Assyria 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: אַשּׁוּר  
Sense: the second son of Shem, eponymous ancestor of the Assyrians.
וְעִנּוּ־  and  afflict 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: עָנָה 
Sense: (Qal) to be occupied, be busied with.
עֵ֑בֶר  Eber 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֵבֶר  
Sense: son of Salah, great grandson of Shem, father of Peleg and Joktan.
וְגַם־  and  so  shall  [Amalek] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
עֲדֵ֥י  until 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: perpetuity, for ever, continuing future.
אֹבֵֽד  destruction 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֹבֵד  
Sense: destruction.