Numbers 22:4

So the king of Moab went to the leaders of the Midian people-group and said to them, “This huge group of Israelis will ◄wipe out/destroy► everything around them, like an ox devours grass!” Balak was the king of Moab.

Translation for Translators

In The King James Version

And Moab said unto the elders of Midian, Now shall this company lick up all that are round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time.

In Context

3When he saw that the Israelis were very numerous, he and his people became terrified.

5He sent messengers to a prophet named Balaam, who was living in his own area, in Pethor town, near the Euphrates River. He sent this message to request that Balaam would come to help him: “A huge group of people has arrived here from Egypt. It looks like they are covering the entire land! And they have begun to live close to us.

Read all of Numbers 22

Cross References

Numbers 22:7Balak’s messengers, who were leaders of both the Moab and Midian people-groups, took money with them to pay Balaam in order that he would come and curse the Israelis. They went to Balaam and told him what Balak had said.

Numbers 25:15The woman’s name was Cozbi. She was the daughter of Zur, who was the leader of one of the clans of the Midian people-group.

Joshua 13:21That land included all the towns on the plain and all the area that King Sihon had previously ruled. But the army of Moses had defeated him and the rulers of the Midian people-group: Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba. The armies of all those rulers fought battles along with the army of Sihon, and they lived in that country.

1 Kings 11:18They went to the Midian region, and then they went to the desert area at Paran. Some other men joined them there. Then they all traveled to Egypt and went to see the king of Egypt. The king gave Hadad some land and ordered his servants to give him some food regularly.

Matthew Henry on Numbers 22:2-15

Balak Sends for Balaam. ( b. c. 1452.) 1 And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan by Jericho. 2 And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. 3 And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel. 4 And Moab said unto the elders of Midian, Now shall this company lick up all that are round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Numbers 22:4