Numbers 24:17

NET Bible® (New English Translation)

‘I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not close at hand. A star will march forth out of Jacob, and a scepter will rise out of Israel. He will crush the skulls of Moab, and the heads of all the sons of Sheth.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

אֶרְאֶ֙נּוּ֙ וְלֹ֣א עַתָּ֔ה אֲשׁוּרֶ֖נּוּ וְלֹ֣א קָר֑וֹב דָּרַ֨ךְ כּוֹכָ֜ב מִֽיַּעֲקֹ֗ב וְקָ֥ם שֵׁ֙בֶט֙ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וּמָחַץ֙ פַּאֲתֵ֣י מוֹאָ֔ב וְקַרְקַ֖ר כָּל־בְּנֵי־שֵֽׁת׃

Transliteration

I ʾerʾennû and not now, I ʾăšûrennû and not qārôḇ; dāraḵ kôḵāḇ from Yaʿăqōḇ, and qām šēḇeṭ from Yiśrāʾēl, and māḥaṣ paʾăṯê Môʾāḇ, and qarqar all-sons of-šēṯ.

Grammar Details

• *ʾerʾennû*: qal imperfect 1cs with 3ms suffix - 'I will see him'
• *ʾăšûrennû*: qal imperfect 1cs with 3ms suffix - 'I will behold him'
• *qārôḇ*: adjective ms - 'near'
• *dāraḵ*: qal perfect 3ms - 'he proceeded/stepped forth'
• *kôḵāḇ*: noun ms - 'star'
• *Yaʿăqōḇ*: proper noun - 'Jacob'
• *qām*: qal perfect 3ms - 'he arose'
• *šēḇeṭ*: noun ms - 'scepter/tribe/rod'
• *Yiśrāʾēl*: proper noun - 'Israel'
• *māḥaṣ*: qal perfect 3ms - 'he smote/crushed'
• *paʾăṯê*: noun dual construct - 'sides/corners of'
• *Môʾāḇ*: proper noun - 'Moab'
• *qarqar*: pilpel perfect 3ms - 'he tore down/demolished'
• *šēṯ*: proper noun - 'Seth/Sheth'

Word Meanings

• *ʾăšûrennû*: I will behold him/look at him/regard him
• *dāraḵ*: proceeded/stepped forth/tread
• *šēḇeṭ*: scepter/tribe/rod/staff
• *māḥaṣ*: smote/crushed/strike through
• *paʾăṯê*: sides/corners/temples
• *qarqar*: tear down/demolish/destroy
• *šēṯ*: Seth/Sheth/tumult

Referenced Verses

• Gen 49:10 : 10 The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs; the nations will obey him.
• Rev 22:16 : 16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star!”
• Rev 1:7 : 7 (Look! He is returning with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all the tribes on the earth will mourn because of him. This will certainly come to pass! Amen.)
• Zech 10:4 : 4 From him will come the cornerstone, the wall peg, the battle bow, and every ruler.
• Isa 9:7 : 7 His dominion will be vast and he will bring immeasurable prosperity. He will rule on David’s throne and over David’s kingdom, establishing it and strengthening it by promoting justice and fairness, from this time forward and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies will accomplish this.
• Ps 45:6 : 6 Your throne, O God, is permanent. The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of justice.
• Rev 11:15 : 15 The Seventh Trumpet Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven saying:“The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever.”
• 2 Pet 1:19 : 19 Moreover, we possess the prophetic word as an altogether reliable thing. You do well if you pay attention to this as you would to a light shining in a murky place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.
• Luke 1:32-33 : 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David. 33 He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will never end.”
• Job 19:25-27 : 25 As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and that as the last he will stand upon the earth. 26 And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God, 27 whom I will see for myself, and whom my own eyes will behold, and not another. My heart grows faint within me.
• Heb 1:8 : 8 but of the Son he says,“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, and a righteous scepter is the scepter of your kingdom.
• Luke 1:78 : 78 Because of our God’s tender mercy the dawn will break upon us from on high
• Zech 12:10 : 10 “I will pour out on the kingship of David and the population of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication so that they will look to me, the one they have pierced. They will lament for him as one laments for an only son, and there will be a bitter cry for him like the bitter cry for a firstborn.
• 2 Sam 8:2 : 2 He defeated the Moabites. He made them lie on the ground and then used a rope to measure them off. He put two-thirds of them to death and spared the other third. The Moabites became David’s subjects and brought tribute.
• 2 Kgs 3:5 : 5 When Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.
• 2 Kgs 3:26-27 : 26 When the king of Moab realized he was losing the battle, he and 700 swordsmen tried to break through and attack the king of Edom, but they failed. 27 So he took his firstborn son, who was to succeed him as king, and offered him up as a burnt sacrifice on the wall. There was an outburst of divine anger against Israel, so they broke off the attack and returned to their homeland.
• 1 Chr 18:2 : 2 He defeated the Moabites; the Moabites became David’s subjects and brought tribute.
• Num 21:29 : 29 Woe to you, Moab. You are ruined, O people of Chemosh! He has made his sons fugitives, and his daughters the prisoners of King Sihon of the Amorites.
• 1 Sam 14:38 : 38 Then Saul said,“All you leaders of the army come here. Find out how this sin occurred today.
• Gen 4:25-26 : 25 And Adam was intimate with his wife again, and she gave birth to a son. She named him Seth, saying,“God has given me another child in place of Abel because Cain killed him.” 26 And a son was also born to Seth, whom he named Enosh. At that time people began to worship the LORD.
• Gen 5:3-9 : 3 When Adam had lived 130 years he fathered a son in his own likeness, according to his image, and he named him Seth. 4 The length of time Adam lived after he became the father of Seth was 800 years; during this time he had other sons and daughters. 5 The entire lifetime of Adam was 930 years, and then he died. 6 When Seth had lived 105 years, he became the father of Enosh. 7 Seth lived 807 years after he became the father of Enosh, and he had other sons and daughters. 8 The entire lifetime of Seth was 912 years, and then he died. 9 When Enosh had lived 90 years, he became the father of Kenan. 10 Enosh lived 815 years after he became the father of Kenan, and he had other sons and daughters. 11 The entire lifetime of Enosh was 905 years, and then he died. 12 When Kenan had lived 70 years, he became the father of Mahalalel. 13 Kenan lived 840 years after he became the father of Mahalalel, and he had other sons and daughters. 14 The entire lifetime of Kenan was 910 years, and then he died. 15 When Mahalalel had lived 65 years, he became the father of Jared. 16 Mahalalel lived 830 years after he became the father of Jared, and he had other sons and daughters. 17 The entire lifetime of Mahalalel was 895 years, and then he died. 18 When Jared had lived 162 years, he became the father of Enoch. 19 Jared lived 800 years after he became the father of Enoch, and he had other sons and daughters. 20 The entire lifetime of Jared was 962 years, and then he died. 21 When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. 22 After he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God for 300 years, and he had other sons and daughters. 23 The entire lifetime of Enoch was 365 years. 24 Enoch walked with God, and then he disappeared because God took him away. 25 When Methuselah had lived 187 years, he became the father of Lamech. 26 Methuselah lived 782 years after he became the father of Lamech, and he had other sons and daughters. 27 The entire lifetime of Methuselah was 969 years, and then he died. 28 When Lamech had lived 182 years, he had a son. 29 He named him Noah, saying,“This one will bring us comfort from our labor and from the painful toil of our hands because of the ground that the LORD has cursed.”
• Matt 2:2-9 : 2 saying,“Where is the one who is born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” 3 When King Herod heard this he was alarmed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 After assembling all the chief priests and experts in the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. 5 “In Bethlehem of Judea,” they said,“for it is written this way by the prophet: 6 ‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are in no way least among the rulers of Judah, for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’” 7 Then Herod privately summoned the wise men and determined from them when the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said,“Go and look carefully for the child. When you find him, inform me so that I can go and worship him as well.” 9 After listening to the king they left, and once again the star they saw when it rose led them until it stopped above the place where the child was.
• Isa 15:1-16:14 : 1 The Lord Will Judge Moab This is an oracle about Moab: Indeed, in a night it is devastated, Ar of Moab is destroyed! Indeed, in a night it is devastated, Kir of Moab is destroyed! 2 They went up to the temple, the people of Dibon went up to the high places to lament. Because of what happened to Nebo and Medeba, Moab wails. Every head is shaved bare, every beard is trimmed off. 3 In their streets they wear sackcloth; on their roofs and in their town squares all of them wail, they fall down weeping. 4 The people of Heshbon and Elealeh cry out, their voices are heard as far away as Jahaz. For this reason Moab’s soldiers shout in distress; their courage wavers. 5 My heart cries out because of Moab’s plight, and for the fugitives stretched out as far as Zoar and Eglath Shelishiyah. For they weep as they make their way up the ascent of Luhith; they loudly lament their demise on the road to Horonaim. 6 For the waters of Nimrim are gone; the grass is dried up, the vegetation has disappeared, and there are no plants. 7 For this reason what they have made and stored up, they carry over the Stream of the Poplars. 8 Indeed, the cries of distress echo throughout Moabite territory; their wailing can be heard in Eglaim and Beer Elim. 9 Indeed, the waters of Dimon are full of blood! Indeed, I will heap even more trouble on Dimon. A lion will attack the Moabite fugitives and the people left in the land. 1 Send rams as tribute to the ruler of the land, from Sela in the wilderness to the hill of Daughter Zion. 2 At the fords of the Arnon the Moabite women are like a bird that flies about when forced from its nest. 3 “Bring a plan, make a decision! Provide some shade in the middle of the day! Hide the fugitives! Do not betray the one who tries to escape! 4 Please let the Moabite fugitives live among you. Hide them from the destroyer!” Certainly the one who applies pressure will cease, the destroyer will come to an end, those who trample will disappear from the earth. 5 Then a trustworthy king will be established; he will rule in a reliable manner, this one from David’s family. He will be sure to make just decisions and will be experienced in executing justice. 6 We have heard about Moab’s pride, their great arrogance, their boasting, pride, and excess. But their boastful claims are empty! 7 So Moab wails over its demise– they all wail! Completely devastated, they moan about what has happened to the raisin cakes of Kir Hareseth. 8 For the fields of Heshbon are dried up, as well as the vines of Sibmah. The rulers of the nations trample all over its vines, which reach Jazer and spread to the wilderness; their shoots spread out and cross the sea. 9 So I weep along with Jazer over the vines of Sibmah. I will saturate you with my tears, Heshbon and Elealeh, for the conquering invaders shout triumphantly over your fruit and crops. 10 Joy and happiness disappear from the orchards, and in the vineyards no one rejoices or shouts; no one treads out juice in the wine vats– I have brought the joyful shouts to an end. 11 So my heart constantly sighs for Moab, like the strumming of a harp, my inner being sighs for Kir Hareseth. 12 When the Moabites plead with all their might at their high places, and enter their temples to pray, their prayers will be ineffective! 13 This is the message the LORD previously announced about Moab. 14 Now the LORD makes this announcement:“Within exactly three years Moab’s splendor will disappear, along with all her many people; there will be just a few, insignificant survivors left.”
• Jer 48:45 : 45 In the shadows of the walls of Heshbon those trying to escape will stand helpless. For a fire will burst forth from Heshbon. Flames will shoot out from the former territory of Sihon. They will burn the foreheads of the people of Moab, the skulls of those war-loving people.
• Ps 72:8-9 : 8 May he rule from sea to sea, and from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth! 9 Before him the coastlands will bow down, and his enemies will lick the dust. 10 The kings of Tarshish and the coastlands will offer gifts; the kings of Sheba and Seba will bring tribute. 11 All kings will bow down to him; all nations will serve him.
• Ps 78:70-72 : 70 He chose David, his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds. 71 He took him away from following the mother sheep, and made him the shepherd of Jacob, his people, and of Israel, his chosen nation. 72 David cared for them with pure motives; he led them with skill.
• Ps 110:2 : 2 The LORD extends your dominion from Zion. Rule in the midst of your enemies!
• Jude 1:11 : 11 Woe to them! For they have traveled down Cain’s path, and because of greed have abandoned themselves to Balaam’s error; hence, they will certainly perish in Korah’s rebellion.
• Jude 1:14-15 : 14 Now Enoch, the seventh in descent beginning with Adam, even prophesied of them, saying,“Look! The Lord is coming with thousands and thousands of his holy ones, 15 to execute judgment on all, and to convict every person of all their thoroughly ungodly deeds that they have committed, and of all the harsh words that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”