A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel. Numbers 24:17
William Shakespeare was a master of the insult, a “quality” that actor Barry Kraft adeptly leverages with his Shakespeare Insult Generator. The clever book consists of obscure insults drawn from Shakespeare’s plays. For instance, you might disparage someone by saying, “Thou thrasonical, logger-headed rampallian”—which is so much more creative than saying, “You brag a lot and you’re not very smart, you scoundrel!”
Kraft’s light-hearted book is in good fun. But an ancient king of Moab tried to pay a mysterious prophet not merely to insult the Israelites but to outright curse them. “Come and put a curse on these people,” King Balak told Balaam (Numbers 22:6). Instead, Balaam enraged the king by blessing the Hebrew people—multiple times (24:10). One of his blessings included this prophecy: “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near” (24:17). Clearly the individual in view is not yet on the scene, but just who is Balaam talking about? The next line holds a clue. “A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel” (v. 17). The “star” would one day lead wise men to the promised Child (Matthew 2:1–2).
An ancient Mesopotamian prophet who knew nothing of Messiah pointed the world to a future sign declaring His arrival. From an unlikely source came not cursing, but blessing.
10 Then Balak’s anger burnedx against Balaam. He struck his hands togethery and said to him, “I summoned you to curse my enemies,z but you have blessed thema these three times.b 11 Now leave at once and go home!c I said I would reward you handsomely,d but the Lord has kept you from being rewarded.”
12 Balaam answered Balak, “Did I not tell the messengers you sent me,e 13 ‘Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not do anything of my own accord, good or bad, to go beyond the command of the Lordf—and I must say only what the Lord says’?g 14 Now I am going back to my people, but come, let me warn you of what this people will do to your people in days to come.”h
15 Then he spoke his message:
“The prophecy of Balaam son of Beor,
the prophecy of one whose eye sees clearly,
16 the prophecy of one who hears the wordsi of God,
who has knowledge from the Most High,j
who sees a vision from the Almighty,
who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened:
I behold him, but not near.k
A star will come out of Jacob;l
a scepter will rise out of Israel.m
He will crush the foreheads of Moab,n
the skullsb o ofc all the people of Sheth.d
18 Edomp will be conquered;
Seir,q his enemy, will be conquered,r
but Israels will grow strong.
19 A ruler will come out of Jacobt
and destroy the survivors of the city.”
INSIGHT
- How does Numbers 24 help you see the Christmas story differently?
- How might it change the way you act when you encounter people opposing the work of God?
The English Bible follows the Septuagint (Greek Old Testament) in calling this book “Numbers,” due to its emphasis on numbering the tribes and the soldiers of Israel. The Hebrew title of Old Testament books is usually based on the opening words of the book. Here, the Hebrew title is found in the fifth Hebrew word—which means “in the desert.” Moses is almost universally regarded as the author of this book and the rest of the opening five books of the Bible as well. The Bible Knowledge Commentary suggests that Numbers was written at the conclusion of the wilderness wanderings of Israel and prior to the repetition of the law of Sinai found in Deuteronomy based on the book’s final verse (Numbers 36:13): “These are the commands and regulations the Lord gave through Moses to the Israelites on the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho.”
PRAYER
God, please give me eyes to see Your hand at work in all things. In Jesus name, I pray. Amen!!
Read: Numbers 24:10-19 (NIV) | Bible in a Year: Micah 1-3; Revelation 11
