Numbers 23:29

KJV

And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams.

KJV (with Strong's)

And Balaam {H1109} said {H559} unto Balak {H1111}, Build {H1129} me here seven {H7651} altars {H4196}, and prepare {H3559} me here seven {H7651} bullocks {H6499} and seven {H7651} rams {H352}.

Complete Jewish Bible

Bil'am said to Balak, "Build me seven altars here, and prepare me seven bulls and seven rams."

Berean Standard Bible

Then Balaam said, “Build for me seven altars here, and prepare for me seven bulls and seven rams.”

American Standard Version

And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Numbers 23:29 captures Balak's desperate, third attempt to induce Balaam to curse Israel, despite two prior failures where Balaam's oracles unexpectedly turned into blessings. This verse details Balaam's instruction to Balak to construct seven altars and prepare seven bullocks and seven rams, mirroring the exact ritualistic preparations of the previous failed attempts, underscoring the Moabite king's persistent but futile opposition to God's unchangeable purpose for His chosen people.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Numbers 23:29 is situated within the extended narrative of Balaam and Balak, spanning [Numbers 22](/numbers/22 "Numbers 22 - Balaam and Balak") through [Numbers 24](/numbers/24 "Numbers 24 - Balaam's Final Oracles"). This specific verse marks the initiation of the third and final set of divinatory attempts by Balaam to curse Israel at Balak's behest. The preceding verses, [Numbers 23:13-26](/numbers/23-13 "Numbers 23:13-26 - Balaam's Second Oracle"), describe the second failed attempt, where Balak moved Balaam to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, hoping a change of scenery would yield a different outcome. Yet, Balaam's second oracle, delivered in [Numbers 23:18-24](/numbers/23-18 "Numbers 23:18-24 - Balaam's Second Prophecy"), again resulted in a powerful blessing for Israel, emphasizing God's faithfulness and the futility of human opposition. Balak's frustration is palpable in [Numbers 23:25](/numbers/23-25 "Numbers 23:25 - Balak's Frustration"), yet his stubborn persistence leads directly to the instructions given in verse 29, setting the stage for Balaam's third and most profound oracle in [Numbers 24:1-9](/numbers/24-1 "Numbers 24:1-9 - Balaam's Third Prophecy").

* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The narrative unfolds as Israel is encamped in the plains of Moab, on the east side of the Jordan River, poised to enter Canaan (cf. [Numbers 22:1](/numbers/22-1 "Numbers 22:1 - Israel in the Plains of Moab")). Balak, the king of Moab, along with the Midianites, perceived the vast Israelite population as a significant threat, fearing their military might and divine protection. In the ancient Near East, it was common practice for kings to employ diviners or prophets to curse their enemies or seek divine favor before battle. Balaam, though not an Israelite, was renowned for his prophetic abilities, particularly his power to bless or curse, as acknowledged by Balak in [Numbers 22:6](/numbers/22-6 "Numbers 22:6 - Balak's Request to Balaam"). The ritual described—building seven altars and offering seven bullocks and seven rams—was a standard, elaborate pagan practice intended to appease deities and manipulate supernatural forces. The number seven often held symbolic significance in many ancient cultures, including Israelite and pagan contexts, frequently representing completeness or perfection, here employed to maximize the ritual's efficacy.

* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes within the book of Numbers and the broader Pentateuch. Firstly, it highlights **God's unwavering sovereignty and faithfulness** to His covenant promises. Despite Balak's persistent efforts and elaborate pagan rituals, God's divine will for Israel's blessing cannot be thwarted, as Balaam himself declares in [Numbers 23:19-20](/numbers/23-19 "Numbers 23:19-20 - God's Unchanging Word"). Secondly, it underscores the **futility of human opposition against God's purposes**. Balak's repeated attempts, each mirroring the last in ritualistic detail, only serve to demonstrate the impotence of human schemes when they stand against divine decree. Thirdly, the narrative contrasts **pagan divination and ritualism with the singular, authoritative word of Yahweh**. Balaam, a non-Israelite diviner, is compelled by God to speak only what God puts in his mouth, turning intended curses into blessings, thereby asserting Yahweh's supreme authority over all other gods and spiritual powers (cf. [Numbers 22:38](/numbers/22-38 "Numbers 22:38 - Balaam's Obedience to God")). This episode also subtly introduces the theme of **Israel's secure position under God's protection**, a foundational concept for their journey through the wilderness and into the Promised Land.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Altars (Hebrew, _mizbeach_):** A place of sacrifice, typically a raised structure of earth or stone, where offerings were made to a deity. In pagan contexts, altars were central to rituals intended to invoke or appease gods, often with the expectation of a desired outcome (like a curse). Here, the instruction to build "seven altars" signifies a maximal effort to ensure divine favor or power, reflecting the pagan belief in the efficacy of elaborate and repetitive ritual.
* **Seven (Hebrew, _sheba_):** This number holds significant symbolic weight across many ancient cultures, including the biblical tradition, often denoting completeness, perfection, or divine fullness (e.g., seven days of creation, seven-branched menorah). In this context, its repetition for altars, bullocks, and rams underscores the pagan attempt to achieve a perfect, potent ritual, hoping to compel divine forces to act according to their will. It represents a human attempt to harness spiritual power through a culturally significant number.
* **Prepare (Hebrew, _kun_):** This verb means to establish, make ready, or set up. In the context of sacrifice, it implies the meticulous arrangement and readiness of the sacrificial animals. The act of "preparing" emphasizes the deliberate and calculated nature of Balak's and Balaam's efforts, highlighting their commitment to the ritual in their desperate attempt to secure a curse against Israel.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And Balaam said unto Balak,"**: This introductory clause clearly identifies the speaker and the recipient of the command, establishing the direct communication between the diviner and the king. It sets the stage for the instruction that follows, highlighting Balaam's continued role despite his previous failures to curse Israel.
* **"Build me here seven altars,"**: This is Balaam's specific instruction to Balak, mirroring the exact command given in the previous two attempts ([Numbers 23:1](/numbers/23-1 "Numbers 23:1 - First Altar Instruction") and [Numbers 23:14](/numbers/23-14 "Numbers 23:14 - Second Altar Instruction")). The repetition of "seven altars" underscores the ritualistic nature of the act and Balak's persistent belief in the power of such pagan rites to influence divine will, despite empirical evidence to the contrary. The phrase "here" implies a new, perhaps more advantageous, location for the ritual, reflecting Balak's superstition that a change of vantage point might alter the outcome.
* **"and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams."**: This clause specifies the sacrificial animals required for the ritual. Bullocks (young bulls) and rams were common sacrificial animals in the ancient Near East, often associated with strength, purity, and value. The number "seven" applied to both types of animals again emphasizes the desire for a complete and maximally effective offering, a common feature of pagan attempts to invoke powerful divine intervention. This meticulous preparation highlights the gravity and desperation of Balak's situation.

#### Literary Devices
The primary literary device at play in Numbers 23:29, and indeed throughout the Balaam narrative, is **Repetition**. The exact phrasing of Balaam's instruction—"Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams"—is a verbatim echo of his commands in [Numbers 23:1](/numbers/23-1 "Numbers 23:1 - Balaam's First Request") and [Numbers 23:14](/numbers/23-14 "Numbers 23:14 - Balaam's Second Request"). This **anaphora** emphasizes Balak's stubborn persistence and his superstitious belief that repeating the ritual from a different location might yield a different outcome. However, the repetition also serves a theological purpose: it highlights the **Futility** of human attempts to thwart God's sovereign will. Each repeated ritual, despite its elaborate nature, only results in a blessing for Israel, thereby magnifying God's unchangeable word and omnipotence. Furthermore, there is an element of **Irony** as Balaam, a pagan diviner, is repeatedly forced to bless God's people, inadvertently becoming an instrument of God's plan rather than Balak's. The meticulous detail of the "seven altars" and "seven animals" also functions as **Symbolism**, representing the pagan world's most earnest efforts to manipulate the divine, which ultimately proves powerless against the true God of Israel.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Numbers 23:29 vividly illustrates the profound theological truth that God's sovereign plan cannot be thwarted by human machinations or pagan rituals. Balak's repeated attempts to curse Israel, despite clear divine intervention turning previous curses into blessings, underscore the futility of opposing the Almighty. This persistence highlights humanity's inherent resistance to divine will when it conflicts with self-interest, yet simultaneously magnifies God's unwavering faithfulness to His covenant promises. The meticulous, repeated pagan ritual, with its specific numbers and animals, stands in stark contrast to the singular, unchangeable word of God, demonstrating that true power resides not in human efforts to manipulate the divine, but in God's inherent authority and His declared purposes. This passage reinforces the Old Testament's consistent message that Yahweh alone is God, and His word is supreme and effectual.

* [Numbers 23:19](/numbers/23-19 "Numbers 23:19 - God is not a man, that he should lie")
* [Isaiah 46:10](/isaiah/46-10 "Isaiah 46:10 - God Declares the End from the Beginning")
* [Romans 8:31](/romans/8-31 "Romans 8:31 - If God is for us, who can be against us?")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Numbers 23:29 offers a powerful and enduring lesson for believers today: God's purposes are immutable, and His protection over His people is absolute. In a world often filled with opposition, uncertainty, and the temptation to rely on human strategies or superstitious practices, this verse calls us to profound trust in God's unwavering faithfulness. Just as Balak's elaborate rituals were powerless against God's decree, so too are the challenges and adversaries we face incapable of thwarting God's ultimate plan for our lives and for His kingdom. This passage encourages us to cease striving in our own strength or seeking manipulative "shortcuts" to spiritual outcomes, and instead to rest in the sovereignty of a God who turns curses into blessings. It reminds us that our security and hope are found not in rituals or human efforts, but in the steadfast character and promises of our God, who is not a man that He should lie or change His mind. We are called to live with confidence, knowing that if God is for us, no one can successfully stand against His ultimate will.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **Where in my life do I tend to rely on human strategies or "rituals" rather than trusting in God's sovereign plan?**
* **How does Balak's persistent, yet futile, opposition encourage me to trust more deeply in God's unchangeable nature?**
* **In what ways can I better discern and align my desires with God's revealed will, rather than attempting to manipulate circumstances to my own ends?**

### FAQ
**Why did Balaam continue to follow Balak's instructions, even after God had already prevented him from cursing Israel twice?**

Answer: Balaam's motivations are complex and debated among scholars. While he was compelled by God to speak only what God put in his mouth, as seen in [Numbers 22:38](/numbers/22-38 "Numbers 22:38 - Balaam's Obedience to God"), he also appears to have been driven by a desire for the rewards offered by Balak ([Numbers 22:7](/numbers/22-7 "Numbers 22:7 - Balak's Messengers to Balaam")). His continued participation in the rituals, even knowing he could not curse Israel, might reflect a lingering hope that he could still find a way to please Balak and receive payment, or perhaps a belief that a change in location or a more intense ritual might somehow alter God's will. Ultimately, Balaam serves as a tragic figure, a prophet who knew God's will but was compromised by greed, leading to his eventual demise ([Numbers 31:8](/numbers/31-8 "Numbers 31:8 - Death of Balaam")).

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The futility of Balak's repeated pagan sacrifices and Balaam's inability to curse God's people in Numbers 23:29 powerfully foreshadows the ultimate and singular sacrifice of Jesus Christ, which definitively secures the blessing of God's people. The elaborate rituals involving "seven altars, seven bullocks and seven rams" represent humanity's desperate attempts to appease or manipulate divine power through repeated, imperfect offerings. This stands in stark contrast to the New Covenant, where Christ, as the [Lamb of God](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God"), offered Himself "once for all" ([Hebrews 7:27](/hebrews/7-27 "Hebrews 7:27 - Christ's Superior Priesthood")) as the perfect and sufficient sacrifice for sin. The inability of Balak's curses to touch Israel points to the secure and blessed position of believers in Christ, who are now part of a spiritual Israel, eternally protected by God's grace. Just as God turned Balaam's intended curses into blessings for His people, so too has Christ, through His death and resurrection, transformed the curse of sin and death into the ultimate blessing of eternal life and reconciliation with God ([Galatians 3:13](/galatians/3-13 "Galatians 3:13 - Christ Redeemed Us from the Curse")). The unchangeable word of God that compelled Balaam to bless Israel finds its ultimate fulfillment in the unchangeable promises of salvation and eternal life offered through faith in Jesus Christ ([Hebrews 13:8](/hebrews/13-8 "Hebrews 13:8 - Jesus Christ is the Same")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Numbers 23:1

¶ And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams.

Numbers 23:2

And Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on [every] altar a bullock and a ram.