TRV
Translation
King James Version
I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.
KJV (with Strong's)
I shall see H7200 him, but not now: I shall behold H7789 him, but not nigh H7138: there shall come H1869 a Star H3556 out of Jacob H3290, and a Sceptre H7626 shall rise H6965 out of Israel H3478, and shall smite H4272 the corners H6285 of Moab H4124, and destroy H6979 all the children H1121 of Sheth H8352 H8351.
Complete Jewish Bible
"I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not soon -a star will step forth from Ya'akov, a scepter will arise from Isra'el, to crush the corners of Mo'av and destroy all descendants of Shet.
Berean Standard Bible
I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come forth from Jacob, and a scepter will arise from Israel. He will crush the skulls of Moab and strike down all the sons of Sheth.
American Standard Version
I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not nigh: There shall come forth a star out of Jacob, And a sceptre shall rise out of Israel, And shall smite through the corners of Moab, And break down all the sons of tumult.
World English Bible Messianic
I see him, but not now. I see him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob. A scepter will rise out of Israel, and shall strike through the corners of Moab, and break down all the sons of Sheth.
Geneva Bible (1599)
I shall see him, but not nowe: I shall behold him, but not neere: there shall come a starre of Iaakob, and a scepter shall rise of Israel, and shall smite the coastes of Moab, and destroy all the sonnes of Sheth.
Young's Literal Translation
I see it, but not now; I behold it, but not near; A star hath proceeded from Jacob, And a sceptre hath risen from Israel, And hath smitten corners of Moab, And hath destroyed all sons of Sheth.
Study This Verse
Commentary on Numbers 24 verses 15–25
15 ¶ And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:
16 He hath said, which heard the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the most High, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:
17 I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.
18 And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly.
19 Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city.
20 And when he looked on Amalek, he took up his parable, and said, Amalek was the first of the nations; but his latter end shall be that he perish for ever.
21 And he looked on the Kenites, and took up his parable, and said, Strong is thy dwellingplace, and thou puttest thy nest in a rock.
22 Nevertheless the Kenite shall be wasted, until Asshur shall carry thee away captive.
23 And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God doeth this!
24 And ships shall come from the coast of Chittim, and shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber, and he also shall perish for ever.
25 And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place: and Balak also went his way.
I. II. Main points1. 2. Sub-points
The office of prophets was both to bless and to prophesy in the name of the Lord. Balaam, as a prophet, per force had blessed Israel; here he foretels future events.
I. His preface is much the same as that, Num 24:3, Num 24:4. He personates a true prophet admirably well, God permitting and directing him to do so, because, whatever he was, the prophecy itself was a true prophecy. He boasts, 1. That his eyes are open (Num 24:15), for prophets were in old time called seers (Sa1 9:9), because they must speak what they had seen, and therefore, before they opened their lips, it was necessary that they should have their eyes open. 2. That he has heard the words of God, which many do that do not heed them, nor hear God in them. 3. That he knew the knowledge of the Most High; this is added here. A man may be full of the knowledge of God and yet utterly destitute of the grace of God, may receive the truth in the light of it and yet be a stranger to the love of it. 4. That he saw the vision of the Almighty, but not so as to be changed into the same image. He calls God the Most High, and the Almighty; no man could speak more honourably of him, nor seem to put a greater value upon his acquaintance with him, and yet he had no true fear of him, love to him, or faith in him, so far may a man go towards heaven, and yet come short.
II. Here is his prophecy concerning him that should be the crown and glory of his people Israel, who is, 1. David in the type, who not now, not quickly, but in process of time, should smite the corners of Moab. (Num 24:17), and take possession of Mount Seir, and under whom the forces of Israel should do valiantly, Num 24:18. This was fulfilled when David smote Moab, and measured them with a line, so that the Moabites became David' servants, Sa2 8:2. And at the same time the Edomites likewise were brought into obedience to Israel, Num 24:14. But, 2. Our Lord Jesus, the promised Messiah, is chiefly pointed at in the antitype, and of him it is an illustrious prophecy; it was the will of God that notice should thus be given of his coming, a great while before, not only to the people of the Jews, but to other nations, because his gospel and kingdom were to extend themselves so far beyond the borders of the land of Israel. It is here foretold, (1.) That while: "I shall see him, but not now; I do see him in vision, but at a very great distance, through the interposing space of 1500 years at least." Or understand it thus: - Balaam, a wicked man, shall see Christ, but shall not see him nigh, nor see him as Job, who saw him as his Redeemer, and saw him for himself, Job 19:25, Job 19:27. When he comes in the clouds every eye shall see him, but many will see him (as the rich man in hell saw Abraham) afar off. (2.) That he shall come out of Jacob, and Israel, as a star and a sceptre, the former denoting his glory and lustre, and the bright and morning star, the latter his power and authority; it is he that shall have dominion. Perhaps this prophecy of Balaam (one of the children of the east) concerning a star that should arise out of Jacob, as the indication of a sceptre arising in Israel, being preserved by a tradition of that country, gave occasion to the wise men, who were of the east too, upon the sight of an unusual star over the land of Judea, to enquire for him that was born king of the Jews, Mat 2:2. (3.) That his kingdom shall be universal, and victorious over all opposition, which was typified by David's victories over Moab and Edom. But the Messiah shall destroy, or, as some read it, shall rule over, all the children of Seth. (Num 24:17), that is, all the children of men, who descend from Seth, the son of Adam, the descendants of the rest of Adam's sons being cut off by the deluge. Christ shall be king, not only of Jacob and Israel, but of all the world; so that all the children of Seth shall be either governed by his golden sceptre or dashed in pieces by his iron rod. He shall set up a universal rule, authority, and power, of his own, and shall put down all opposing rule, Co1 15:24. He shall unwall all the children of Seth; so some read it. He shall take down all their defences and carnal confidences, so that they shall either admit his government or lie open to his judgments. (4.) That his Israel shall do valiantly; the subjects of Christ, animated by his might, shall maintain a spiritual was with the powers of darkness, and be more than conquerors. The people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits, Dan 11:32.
III. Here is his prophecy concerning the Amalekites and Kenites, part of whose country, it is probable, he had now in view. 1. The Amalekites were now the chief of the nations (Num 24:20), therefore Agag was spoken of (Num 24:7) as an eminent prince, and they were the first that engaged Israel when they came out of Egypt; but the time will come when that nation, as great as it looks now, will be totally ruined and rooted out: His latter end shall be that he perish for ever. Here Balaam confirms that doom of Amalek which Moses had read (Exo 17:14, Exo 17:16), where God had sworn that he would have perpetual war with Amalek. Note, Those whom God is at war with will certainly perish for ever; for when God judges he will overcome. 2. The Kenites were now the securest of the nations; their situation was such as that nature was their engineer, and had strongly fortified them: "Thou puttest thy nest (like the eagle) in a rock, Num 24:21. Thou thinkest thyself safe, and yet the Kenites shall be wasted (Num 24:22) and gradually brought to decay, till they be carried away captive by the Assyrians," which was done at the captivity of the ten tribes. Note, Bodies politic, like natural bodies, though of the strongest constitutions, will gradually decay, and come to ruin at last; even a nest in a rock will be no perpetual security.
IV. Here is a prophecy that looks as far forward as the Greeks and Romans, for theirs is supposed to be meant by the coast of Chittim, v. 24.
1.The introduction to this parable; this article of his prophecy is very observable (v. 23): Alas! who shall live when God doeth this? Here he acknowledges all the revolutions of states and kingdoms to be the Lord's doing: God doeth this; whoever are the instruments, he is the supreme director. But he speaks mournfully concerning them, and has a very melancholy prospect of these events: Who shall live? Either, (1.) These events are so distant, and so far off to come, that it is hard to say who shall live till they come; but, whoever shall live to see them, there will be amazing turns. Or, (2.) They will be so dismal, and make such desolations, that scarcely any will escape or be left alive; who shall live when death rides in triumph? Rev 6:8. Those that live then will be as brands plucked out of the fire, and will have their lives given them as a prey. God fit us for the worst of times!
2.The prophecy itself is observable. Both Greece and Italy lie much upon the sea, and therefore their armies were sent forth mostly in ships. Now he seems here to foretell, (2.) That the forces of the Grecians should humble and bring down the Assyrians, who were united with the Persians, which was fulfilled when the eastern country was overcome, or overrun rather, by Alexander. (2.) That theirs and the Roman forces should afflict the Hebrews, or Jews, who were called the children of Eber; this was fulfilled in part when the Grecian empire was oppressive to the Jewish nation, but chiefly when the Roman empire ruined it and put a period to it. But, (3.) That Chittim, that is, the Roman empire, in which the Grecian was at length swallowed up, should itself perish for ever, when the stone cut out of the mountain without hands shall consume all these kingdoms, and particularly the feet of iron and clay, Dan 2:34. Thus (says Dr. Lightfoot) Balaam, instead of cursing the church, curses Amalek the first, and Rome the last, enemy of the church. And so let all thy enemies perish, O Lord!
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 15–25. Public domain.
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Lucius Caecilius Firmianus LactantiusAD 325
EPITOME OF THE DIVINE INSTITUTES 44
Moses himself [wrote] in the book of Numbers: “There shall come a star out of Jacob, and a man shall arise out of Israel.” For this cause, therefore, being God, he took upon him flesh, that, becoming a mediator between God and man, having overcome death, he might by his guidance lead man to God.
Eusebius of CaesareaAD 339
PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 9.1
We are told that Balaam’s successors moved by this (for the prediction was preserved most likely among them)4 when they noticed in the heavens a strange star besides the usual ones, fixed above the head, so to say, and vertically above Judea, hastened to arrive at Palestine, to inquire about the king announced by the star’s appearance.
John ChrysostomAD 407
HOMILIES ON GENESIS 21:16
Listen to the Evangelist’s words about Caiaphas, the high priest of the Jews: “He did not give this as a personal opinion, but in his capacity of high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus was destined to die, not for the person alone but to bring together into one also the nations that had been scattered.” You will find something like it occurring again in the story of Balaam also: When urged to curse the people, he not merely did not curse them but even prophesied great and wonderful things, not merely about the people but also about the coming of the Savior.
Leo the GreatAD 461
SERMON 34.2
Although it was a gift of divine favor that the birth of the Savior should become recognizable to the nations, nevertheless, to understand the wonder of the sign, the wise men were also able to be reminded through the ancient pronouncements of Balaam, for they knew that it had at one time been spread abroad in a famous and memorable prediction: “A star will appear out of Jacob, and a man will rise up from Israel. He will rule over the nations.” So the three men, stirred by God through the shining of this unusual star, follow the course of its gleaming light ahead of them, thinking that they would find the indicated child in the royal city of Jerusalem.When this conjecture had failed them, however, they learned from scribes and teachers of the Jews what the sacred Scriptures had told about the birth of Christ. Encouraged by the double evidence, they sought him out with an even more ardent faith, the one to whom both the brightness of the star and the authority of prophets pointed.
Caesarius of ArlesAD 542
SERMON 113.2
If God’s prophecies were inserted in the sacred books by Moses, how much more so were they copied by men who then lived in Mesopotamia, for they considered Balaam splendid and certainly were disciples of his art! After his time the profession and instruction of the seers is said to have flourished in parts of the Orient. Possessing copies of everything which Balaam prophesied, they even have it written: “A star shall advance from Jacob, and a man shall rise from Israel.” The magi kept these writings more among themselves, and so when Jesus was born they recognized the star and understood that the prophecy was fulfilled more than did the people of Israel who disdained to hear the words of the holy prophets. Therefore, only from the writings which Balaam had left, they learned that the time was approaching, came and immediately sought to adore him. Moreover, in order to show their great faith, they honored the little boy as a king.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Numbers 24:17 presents a profound prophetic utterance from Balaam, a non-Israelite prophet compelled by divine intervention to bless Israel. This pivotal verse, part of his fourth oracle, foretells the distant emergence of a powerful, royal figure from within Israel, majestically symbolized as a "Star" and a "Sceptre." This coming ruler is prophesied to achieve a decisive and comprehensive victory over Israel's adversaries, specifically mentioning Moab and "the children of Sheth," signifying an ultimate dominion that transcends immediate historical events and points to God's sovereign plan for His people and the world.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Numbers 24:17 is profoundly rich in Symbolism, primarily through the evocative use of "Star" and "Sceptre." The "Star" symbolizes a figure of immense prominence, divine origin, and guiding light, often associated with kingship, destiny, and divine revelation in ancient cultures. The "Sceptre" is a direct and unmistakable symbol of royal authority, power, and dominion, representing the right to rule. The verse also employs powerful Foreshadowing, looking far beyond Balaam's immediate historical context to anticipate a future, ultimate ruler whose reign would be universal and eternal. There is a strong element of Prophecy, as Balaam's words are not merely predictions but divinely inspired declarations of future events, revealing God's unfolding plan. The structure of the opening clauses ("I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh:") exhibits striking Poetic Parallelism, where two phrases express a similar idea in slightly different ways, adding emphasis, solemnity, and a rhythmic quality to the pronouncement, underscoring the distant and profound nature of the vision.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
This prophecy in Numbers 24:17 stands as a profound testament to God's sovereign and meticulously orchestrated plan of redemption. It reveals that even before Israel fully entered the Promised Land, God had a future King in view who would establish ultimate and universal dominion. It powerfully underscores the themes of divine election, the unwavering certainty of God's promises, and His unassailable faithfulness, demonstrating that His purposes cannot be thwarted by any human or demonic opposition. The majestic imagery of a "Star" and "Sceptre" points to a divinely appointed, majestic ruler who will not only secure Israel's physical safety and territorial integrity but also bring about a cosmic victory over all forces of chaos, rebellion, and evil. This vision serves as an early, foundational Messianic prophecy, laying crucial groundwork for later, more explicit declarations of a coming King who would reign forever in righteousness and peace.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Numbers 24:17 offers profound encouragement and a powerful, enduring reminder of God's unwavering faithfulness and ultimate triumph over all opposition. In a world frequently marked by chaos, conflict, and deep uncertainty, this ancient prophecy assures us that God has appointed a King, a "Star" and "Sceptre," who will ultimately bring perfect order, divine justice, and lasting peace. It profoundly invites us to look beyond immediate circumstances, fleeting victories, and present struggles, and instead to place our trust firmly in the long-term, sovereign plan of God. For believers, this means finding our ultimate security, hope, and identity not in earthly powers, political systems, or transient successes, but in the eternal and unshakeable reign of the promised King. We are called to live with an abiding hope, knowing with certainty that all opposition to God's kingdom will ultimately be subdued, and His righteous, glorious dominion will prevail. This should inspire us to align our lives wholeheartedly with His purposes, to actively participate in the advance of His kingdom through witness and service, and to eagerly anticipate the full and glorious manifestation of His righteous reign.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Who are "the children of Sheth" mentioned in this prophecy?
Answer: The precise identity of "the children of Sheth" (Hebrew, shêth) in Numbers 24:17 is a subject of ongoing scholarly discussion. One interpretation suggests it refers to a specific, though otherwise unidentifiable, tribe or people group located in the vicinity of Moab. However, a more widely accepted view, supported by linguistic analysis of the Hebrew term (H8351), suggests that "Sheth" here is not a proper noun referring to a specific lineage (like Seth, Adam's son, H8352) but rather a common noun meaning "tumult," "uproar," or "noise." In this sense, "the children of Sheth" would refer to all tumultuous, noisy, or rebellious peoples—essentially, all those who oppose God's chosen people and His divine order. This broader interpretation emphasizes the comprehensive and universal nature of the coming King's victory over all forms of opposition and chaos, not just a single historical group. Regardless of the precise identification, the phrase powerfully underscores the total and absolute subjugation of all enemies under the dominion of the "Star" and "Sceptre" who will rise out of Israel.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Numbers 24:17 finds its ultimate, most profound, and complete fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ, who is truly the "Star out of Jacob" and the "Sceptre out of Israel." While King David achieved a partial, historical fulfillment by conquering Moab and establishing a significant kingdom (2 Samuel 8:2), the prophetic language of Balaam stretches far beyond any earthly monarch to describe a divine, eternal King. Jesus is explicitly identified as the "bright and morning star" in Revelation 22:16, and His very birth was heralded by a miraculous star that guided the Magi to the newborn "King of the Jews" (Matthew 2:2). As the "Sceptre," Christ embodies the ultimate royal authority, divine power, and eternal dominion. The New Testament consistently presents Him as the promised King whose "throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom" (Hebrews 1:8). His victory is not merely over earthly nations but over the spiritual forces of darkness, the dominion of sin, and the power of death, for He "disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him" (Colossians 2:15). The smiting of Moab and the destruction of the "children of Sheth" vividly foreshadow His comprehensive and absolute triumph over all His enemies, for He "must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet" (1 Corinthians 15:25). Thus, Numbers 24:17 stands as a powerful and enduring testament to God's eternal plan to send His Son, Jesus, to establish an everlasting kingdom of righteousness, peace, and universal dominion.