Numbers 23:13

¶ And Balak said unto him, Come, I pray thee, with me unto another place, from whence thou mayest see them: thou shalt see but the utmost part of them, and shalt not see them all: and curse me them from thence.

And Balak {H1111} said {H559} unto him, Come {H3212}, I pray thee, with me unto another {H312} place {H4725}, from whence thou mayest see {H7200} them: thou shalt see {H7200} but {H657} the utmost {H7097} part of them, and shalt not see {H7200} them all: and curse {H6895} me them from thence.

Balak said to him, "All right, come with me to another place where you can see them. You will see only some of them, not all; but you can curse them for me from there."

Then Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place where you can see them. You will only see the outskirts of their camp—not all of them. And from there, curse them for me.”

And Balak said unto him, Come, I pray thee, with me unto another place, from whence thou mayest see them; thou shalt see but the utmost part of them, and shalt not see them all: and curse me them from thence.

Commentary

Numbers 23:13 captures a pivotal moment in the narrative of Balak, King of Moab, and Balaam, the diviner. After Balaam's initial attempt to curse Israel resulted in a blessing instead (Numbers 23:11-12), Balak, undeterred, proposes a new strategy.

Context

This verse follows Balaam's first oracle, where, contrary to Balak's wishes, he was compelled by God to bless Israel. Balak's fear of the numerous Israelites, who had just journeyed through the wilderness and encamped near Moab, drove him to seek supernatural intervention. Believing that the full sight of the vast Israelite camp might be hindering Balaam's ability to curse them, Balak suggests moving to a different location. From this new vantage point, Balaam would only see "the utmost part of them"—a partial view—hoping this limited perspective would make it easier to utter a curse against the people of God.

Key Themes

  • Persistence of Opposition: Balak's refusal to accept the first outcome highlights human persistence in trying to thwart divine plans. He continues to seek a way to curse Israel, demonstrating the enemy's relentless efforts against God's people.
  • Futility of Human Manipulation Against God: Balak's superstitious belief that changing the physical vantage point would change God's decree underscores the futility of human attempts to manipulate or control divine will. God's purposes are sovereign and cannot be altered by human schemes or partial views.
  • God's Unchangeable Blessing: This verse sets the stage for Balaam's subsequent oracles, which further emphasize God's faithfulness and the security of His blessings upon Israel. No curse can prevail against a people whom God has chosen to bless, a truth powerfully reiterated in Numbers 23:19: "God is not a man, that he should lie."

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "utmost part of them" in Hebrew (קְצֵהוּ - qetsehū) literally means "its edge" or "its extremity." This emphasizes Balak's belief that seeing only a small portion of the vast Israelite host would somehow make them less formidable, or perhaps less divinely protected, in Balaam's eyes. It reflects a superstitious rather than a spiritual understanding of power and blessing.

Practical Application

Numbers 23:13 reminds us that opposition to God's will often persists, but it is ultimately fruitless. We can take comfort in the unchangeable nature of God's promises and blessings. Just as Balak could not manipulate God's plan for Israel, no external force or "partial view" of our circumstances can truly undermine God's covenant with His people. This verse encourages us to trust in God's complete sovereignty and His unfailing love, knowing that His blessings are secure, even when opposition seems overwhelming or persistent, much like the assurance that if God is for us, who can be against us.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Psalms 109:17

    As he loved cursing, so let it come unto him: as he delighted not in blessing, so let it be far from him.

  • James 3:9

    Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.

  • James 3:10

    Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.

  • Joshua 24:9

    Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and warred against Israel, and sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you:

  • 1 Kings 20:23

    And the servants of the king of Syria said unto him, Their gods [are] gods of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we; but let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.

  • 1 Kings 20:28

    And there came a man of God, and spake unto the king of Israel, and said, Thus saith the LORD, Because the Syrians have said, The LORD [is] God of the hills, but he [is] not God of the valleys, therefore will I deliver all this great multitude into thine hand, and ye shall know that I [am] the LORD.

  • Numbers 22:41

    And it came to pass on the morrow, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal, that thence he might see the utmost [part] of the people.
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