Numbers 22:6

So please come now and put a curse on this people, because they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I may be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land; for I know that those you bless are blessed, and those you curse are cursed.”

Berean Standard Bible

Follow its threads on the canvas →

Study note

Setting — Balak speaks through summoned messengers to Balaam at Pethor, requesting prophetic intervention after observing the Israelites' mass settlement near Moab.

The words — The imperative לְכָ־ה (lekh-ha) means "come," paired with the verb אָרָה ('arah) meaning "curse," which together form the direct request to invoke judgment.

The thread — This appeal restates the covenant principle found in Genesis 12:3 and anticipates its narrative resolution in Numbers 24:9.

Why it lands — The verse requires the reader to acknowledge that political fear drives human strategy, while the text itself demonstrates that blessing and cursing remain under divine control.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְעַתָּה֩ve./'a.Tahand/ therefore לְכָה־le.kha/h-come/ !נָּ֨אna'please אָֽרָה־'a.ra/h-curse/ !לִּ֜יl/ifor <the>/ meאֶת־'et-<obj.>הָעָ֣םha./'Amthe/ people הַזֶּ֗הha./Zeh<the>/ this כִּֽי־ki-for עָצ֥וּם'a.Tzum[is too] mighty הוּא֙hu'it מִמֶּ֔נִּיmi.Me./nifor/ me אוּלַ֤י'u.Laiperhaps אוּכַל֙'u.KhalI will be able נַכֶּה־na.keh-to strikeבּ֔וֹb/o<in> <the>/ itוַאֲגָרְשֶׁ֖נּוּva./'a.ga.re.She./nuand/ I will drive out/ it מִן־min-from הָאָ֑רֶץha./'A.retzthe/ land כִּ֣יkifor יָדַ֗עְתִּיya.Da'.tiI know אֵ֤ת'et<obj.>אֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher-[the one] whom תְּבָרֵךְ֙te.va.reKhyou bless מְבֹרָ֔ךְme.vo.Rakh[is] blessed וַאֲשֶׁ֥רva./'a.Sherand/ [the one] whom תָּאֹ֖רta.'Oryou curse יוּאָֽר׃yu.'Arhe is cursed

King James Version

Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me: peradventure I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land: for I wot that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed.

Cross-references

Numbers 24:9 He crouches, he lies down like a lion, like a lioness—who dares to rouse him? Blessed are those who bless you and cursed are those who curse you.”
Numbers 23:7 And Balaam lifted up an oracle, saying: “Balak brought me from Aram, the king of Moab from the mountains of the east. ‘Come,’ he said, ‘put a curse on Jacob for me; come and denounce Israel!’
Genesis 12:3 I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you; and all the families of the earth will be blessed through you.”
Genesis 27:29 May peoples serve you and nations bow down to you. May you be the master of your brothers, and may the sons of your mother bow down to you. May those who curse you be cursed, and those who bless you be blessed.”
Numbers 22:12 But God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them. You are not to curse this people, for they are blessed.”
Numbers 22:17 for I will honor you richly and do whatever you say. So please come and put a curse on this people for me!’”
Deuteronomy 23:4 For they did not meet you with food and water on your way out of Egypt, and they hired Balaam son of Beor from Pethor in Aram-naharaim to curse you.
1 Samuel 17:43 “Am I a dog,” he said to David, “that you come at me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.
1 Kings 22:6 So the king of Israel assembled the prophets, about four hundred men, and asked them, “Should I go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should I refrain?” “Go up,” they replied, “and the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king.”
1 Kings 22:8 The king of Israel answered, “There is still one man through whom we can inquire of the LORD, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good for me, but only bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.” “The king should not say that!” Jehoshaphat replied.