Read & Study the Bible Online - Bible Portal
Charles Simeon

Charles Simeon's Horae Homileticae - Numbers 23:18-23

DISCOURSE: 173BALAAM’S SECOND ATTEMPT TO CURSE ISRAELNumbers 23:18-23. And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor: God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? Behold, I have received commandment to bless; and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it. He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen... read more

Charles Simeon

Charles Simeon's Horae Homileticae - Numbers 23:19

DISCOURSE: 174GOD WILL FULFIL HIS WORDNumbers 23:19. God is not a man, that he should lie.THERE is scarcely any thing that more strongly manifests the depravity of our nature, than that propensity to lying which we perceive in children, as soon as they begin to speak [Note: Psalms 58:3.]. Even when men are grown to the full exercise of their reason, they too often deviate from truth, sometimes through forgetfulness, sometimes from a change of sentiment or inclination, and sometimes from an... read more

Chuck Smith

Chuck Smith Bible Commentary - Numbers 23:1-30

Num 23:1-30 And God met Balaam: and Balaam said to him, I have prepared seven altars, and I have offered upon every altar a bullock and a ram. And the LORD put a word in Balaam's mouth, and said, Return to Balak, and tell him this. And so he returned to him, and he was standing by the burnt sacrifice with all of the princes of Moab. And so Balaam took up this parable, and he said, Balak the king of Moab hath brought me from Aram, out of the mountains of the east, saying, Come, curse me Jacob,... read more

Joseph Sutcliffe

Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments - Numbers 23:1-30

Numbers 23:1 . Seven altars. The Lord commanded Job’s friends to take seven bullocks and seven rams, offered no doubt on seven altars: Job 42:8. This was the highest sacrifice a nation could present. 1 Chronicles 15:26. 2 Chronicles 29:26. Numbers 23:21 . He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, nor seen perverseness in Israel. The Vulgate reads, ‘There is no idol in Jacob, nor similitude in Israel.’ Our Poole also cites one class of interpreters who read, ‘He does not behold injury to... read more

Joseph Exell

The Biblical Illustrator - Numbers 23:19

Numbers 23:19God is not a man, that He should lie. The unchangeable GodI. God is unchangeable. God cannot change; to suppose that He could change would be to suppose Him not Divine. A finite being may refuse to change, adhering rigidly to some purpose; but all the while that being is capable of change, there is n thing in his nature which makes it absolutely impossible that he should change. But it is so with God. We here speak of unchangeableness in regard of God’s dealings with His creatures,... read more

John Trapp

John Trapp Complete Commentary - Numbers 23:19

Num 23:19 God [is] not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do [it]? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? Ver. 19. That he should repent. ] When at any time God is said to repent, it is Mutatio rei, non Dei; effectus non affectus; facti non consilii: it is not a change of his will, but of his work. read more

Samuel Bagster

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge - Numbers 23:19

God: 1 Samuel 15:29, Psalms 89:35, Habakkuk 2:3, Malachi 3:6, Luke 21:33, Romans 11:29, Titus 1:2, Hebrews 6:18, James 1:17 or hath he: 1 Chronicles 17:17, Micah 7:20 Reciprocal: Genesis 6:6 - repented Genesis 28:15 - until Genesis 32:12 - thou Genesis 41:32 - it is because Exodus 6:8 - I am Leviticus 1:3 - a burnt Numbers 10:29 - for the Lord Numbers 11:23 - thou shalt Numbers 14:35 - I will surely Numbers 22:12 - thou shalt not curse Numbers 23:27 - peradventure Joshua 21:45 - General... read more

John Wesley

Wesley's Explanatory Notes - Numbers 23:19

God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?That he should lie — Break his promises made to his people for their preservation and benediction.Repent — Change his counsels or purposes; unless he see iniquity in Jacob. read more

Daniel Whedon

Whedon's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 23:19

19. God is not a man, that he should lie The aim of Balak’s second sacrifice was to produce such a change in Jehovah as may be effected in the purposes of men. The king is informed that God is unchangeable, and so wholly unlike fickle men. The principles governing his acts toward man are unalterably fixed independent of what man will freely perform. Having announced that he will reward the righteous and punish the wicked, to reverse this decree would be to overturn his own throne of moral... read more

Group of Brands