Numbers 23:8 — Word Study

Depth

WLCמָ֣ה אֶקֹּ֔ב לֹ֥א קַבֹּ֖ה אֵ֑ל וּמָ֣ה אֶזְעֹ֔ם לֹ֥א זָעַ֖ם יְהוָֽה׃

BSAHowmâh can I curse [those whom]qâbab■ [utterly condemn, pierce] Godʼêl [Elohim, the supreme Being] has notlôʼ [absolutely not, under no circumstances] Howmâh can I denounce [those whom]zâʻam▸ [publicly denounce, defy] the LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah] has notlôʼ [completely, in no way] denouncedzâʻam■ [or defied, spoken against]

Word

Listen & take awayNumbers 23

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The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 8 is in this chapter.

Hebrew ↓ Download MP3

The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..

Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (Yah.weh) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.

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Numbers 23:8quick helps

In a sentenceBalaam questions how he can curse or denounce those whom God has not cursed or denounced.

Who is speakingBalaam, a prophet, responding to Balak's request.

Where we areIn the context of Balaam's oracles, where he is asked to curse Israel.

The hard wordקָבַב

Take awayThe power of speech is limited by God's will.

Greek	English	Parsing
מָ֣ה	what?	Pronoun
אֶקֹּ֔ב	will I curse	Verb, Qal, imperfect first person common singular
לֹ֥א	[one whom] not	Particle
קַבֹּ֖ה	he has cursed him	Verb qal perfect third person masculine singular, suffix
אֵ֑ל	God	Noun common, masculine singular absolute
וּמָ֣ה	and what?	Conjunction, pronoun
אֶזְעֹ֔ם	will I denounce	Verb, Qal, imperfect first person common singular
לֹ֥א	[one whom] not	Particle
זָעַ֖ם	he has denounced	Verb, Qal, perfect third person masculine singular
יְהוָֽה׃	Yahweh	Noun proper

Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.

7 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectאֵל verbקבב The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›

How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.

Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.

Deep Study — Numbers 23:8

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — Balaam's Oraclegenerated

7And 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!’

8How can I curse what God has not cursed? How can I denounce what the LORD has not denounced?

9For I see them from atop the rocky cliffs, and I watch them from the hills. Behold, a people dwelling apart, not reckoning themselves among the nations.

10Who can count the dust of Jacob or number even a fourth of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous; let my end be like theirs!”

Numbers 23:8 presents Balaam, who is confronted with the challenge of cursing Israel as requested by Balak. Balaam's response emphasizes the authority of God over his own ability to curse, highlighting the futility of opposing God's will. This passage underscores the theme of divine sovereignty and the impotence of human attempts to alter God's plans, reflected in Balaam's acknowledgment of God's decisions.

Cross References

	Reference	Text (BSB)
1	Numbers 23:20–23	I have indeed received a command to bless; He has blessed, and I cannot change it.
2	Isaiah 44:25	who foils the signs of false prophets and makes fools of diviners, who confounds the wise and turns their knowledge into nonsense,
3	Isaiah 47:12–13	So take your stand with your spells and with your many sorceries, with which you have wearied yourself from your youth. Perhaps you will succeed; perhaps you will inspire terror!

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 3 references, hung on the phrase they belong to

How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the LORD hath not defied?Numbers 23:20–23 Isaiah 44:25 Isaiah 47:12–13

Nave’s Topical Bible — the subjects this verse is filed under

GodHis Preserving Care ExemplifiedGodProvidence Of, Overruling Interpositions Of TheMoabitesCalls for Balaam to curse IsraelMinister, ChristianIncorruptibleMinister, ChristianFaithfulTemptationInstances OfPrayerMinor Subtopics (Continued)WorldlinessInstances OfHypocrisyInstances OfSorceryPracticed

The Key Word — קָבַב, qababgenerated

The verb קָבַב (qabab) means to curse or malign. It conveys the act of speaking ill of someone, often with harmful intent, similar to inflicting harm through words. The parsing indicates it is a first person singular imperfect verb, suggesting an ongoing or future action.

Balaam uses this term to express his inability to curse those whom God has not cursed, emphasizing the futility of his task when it contradicts divine authority.

How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.

Sentence Structuregenerated

The verse contains two main clauses, each beginning with a question: מָה (mah) introduces both inquiries. The first clause asks about cursing, while the second addresses denouncing. The structure reflects Balaam's rhetorical questioning, emphasizing his point about the impossibility of acting against God's will.

Each clause is balanced, with the first questioning the act of cursing and the second the act of denouncing, both linked by the conjunction וּמָה (u.Mah), reinforcing the parallelism in Balaam's thought process.

Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, the Hebrew קָבַב is rendered as ἀράσωμαι, which carries the same meaning of cursing but may imply a more formalized or ritualistic context. This choice indicates a broader understanding of the act of cursing in the Greek tradition.

Similarly, זָעַם is translated as καταράσωμαι, suggesting a strong emotional response, aligning with the Hebrew meaning of being indignant or enraged.

In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Numbers 23:8 shows Balaam questioning how he can curse or denounce Israel when God has not done so. This highlights the power of God over human intentions, as Balaam recognizes that he cannot act against God's will.

Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does Balaam mean by 'curse'?

Balaam refers to the act of speaking negatively or wishing harm upon someone, which he cannot do against those whom God has not cursed.

Why does Balaam emphasize God's authority?

Balaam acknowledges that his ability to curse is entirely dependent on God's will, illustrating the futility of opposing divine authority.

How does this verse reflect the theme of divine sovereignty?

Balaam's statement underscores the belief that God's decisions cannot be altered by human actions, reinforcing the idea that God is ultimately in control.

What can we learn from Balaam's response?

We can learn the importance of recognizing and submitting to God's authority in our lives, understanding that His plans cannot be thwarted by human desires.

Reflection Questionsgenerated

In what areas of my life do I need to recognize God's authority over my plans?
How can I ensure that my words align with God's will, rather than opposing it?
What does it mean for me to submit to God's decisions in my life?
How can I support others in understanding the importance of God's sovereignty?

Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Numbers 23:8 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

How shall I curse whom God hath not cursed?.... The sense is, that it was impossible for him to curse those that God did not curse himself, or would not have cursed by others; not but that he had a

Read John Gill on Numbers 23 →

Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the LORD hath not defied? How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed?

Read Robert Jamieson on Numbers 23 →

Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

God hath not cursed, but blessed Israel, and therefore it is a vain and ridiculous attempt for me to curse them in spite of God.

Read Matthew Poole on Numbers 23 →

John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Numbers 23:8 How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, [whom] the LORD hath not defied?Ver. 8. How shall I curse?] He had a good mind to it, but did not, because he durst not: God stood over him with a whip, as it were; the angel with a sword in his hand could not be forgotten by him. Virtus nolentium nulla est. How shall I defy?] How easy a thing is it to wag a wicked tongue? to find good words in mouth of hell?

Read John Trapp on Numbers 23 →

AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 8. How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed?] It was granted on all hands that no incantations nor imprecations could avail, unless God concurred and ratified them. From God's communication to Balaam he saw that God was determined to bless and defend Israel, and therefore all endeavours to injure them must be in vain.

Read AdamClarke on Numbers 23 →

CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

7–10. Balaam’s first prophetic message. This consists of seven short couplets. Balaam declares the uselessness of Balak’s action in fetching him for the purpose of cursing (Numbers 23:7 f.); the security of Israel, their separateness from other nations, and their great numbers (Numbers 23:9-10 a); and he prays that his end may be like theirs (Numbers 23:10 b).

Read Cambridge on Numbers 23 →

Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

8. Whom God hath not cursed — Balaam could not curse Israel, because God withheld him from so doing. Thus this master magician confesses that he is neither to help nor to hurt without leave from God.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Numbers 23 →

The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company

Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

How can I curse what God has not cursed? How can I denounce what the LORD has not denounced?

WEBWorld English Bible2000

How shall I curse whom God has not cursed? How shall I defy whom Yahweh has not defied?

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

How can I curse those whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce those whom the LORD has not denounced?

NETBNew English Translation2006

How can I curse one whom God has not cursed, or how can I denounce one whom the Lord has not denounced?

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the LORD hath not defied?

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? And how shall I defy, whom Jehovah hath not defied?

RVARevised Version, American1894

How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? And how shall I defy, whom the LORD hath not defied?

NWBWebster's Bible1833

How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the LORD hath not defied?

GNVGeneva Bible1599

How shall I curse, where God hath not cursed? or howe shall I detest, where the Lord hath not detested?

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

How shall I curse whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I denounce whom Jehovah doth not denounce?

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

What — do I pierce? — God hath not pierced! And what — am I indignant? — Jehovah hath not been indignant!

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

How do I pierce [when] God has not pierced? And how am I indignant [when] YHWH has not been indignant?

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

How shall I denounce, whom God hath not denounced? and how shall I defy, whom the Lord hath not defied?

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

How can I curse those whom God has not cursed? How can I oppose those whom Yahweh does not oppose?

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

How shall I curse him, whom God hath not cursed? By what means should I detest him, whom the Lord detesteth not?

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

But how can I curse what God has not cursed? How can I condemn what the Lord has not condemned?

BBEBible in Basic English1949

How may I put curses on him who is not cursed by God? how may I be angry with him with whom the Lord is not angry?

Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.

The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank

This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.

clauseadverbialמָ֣הwhat?verbאֶקֹּ֔בwill.I.curseclauseadverbialלֹ֥א[one.whom].notverbקַבֹּ֖heobjectהhas.cursed.himsubjectאֵ֑לGodוּandclauseadverbialמָ֣הwhat?verbאֶזְעֹ֔םwill.I.denounceclauseadverbialלֹ֥א[one.whom].notverbזָעַ֖םhe.has.denouncedsubjectיְהוָֽהYahweh

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.

The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

The Masoretic Text of Numbers 23:8 states, 'מָ֣ה אֶקֹּ֔ב לֹ֥א קַבֹּ֖ה אֵ֑ל וּמָ֣ה אֶזְעֹ֔ם Lֹ֥א זָעַ֖ם יְהוָֽה׃', which translates to 'How can I curse what God has not cursed? How can I denounce what the LORD has not denounced?' The Septuagint agrees with the Masoretic Text in meaning, although its word order and articles differ. The Samaritan Pentateuch differs by using the word 'קבו' (kavu) instead of 'קבֹּה' (kabboh) for 'curse.' The Dead Sea Scrolls (2Q29) have several words supplied by an editor, but the text aligns with the Masoretic Text in overall meaning, indicating a close relationship among these ancient witnesses despite the noted differences.

Masoretic TextLeningrad Codex, c. AD 1008 — the text this page is built on

מָ֣ה אֶקֹּ֔ב לֹ֥א קַבֹּ֖ה אֵ֑ל וּמָ֣ה אֶזְעֹ֔ם לֹ֥א זָעַ֖ם יְהוָֽה׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word

מָ֣הτίאֶקֹּ֔בἀράσωμαιלֹ֥אμὴקַבֹּ֖הκαταρᾶταιאֵ֑לκύριοςוּמָ֣הτίאֶזְעֹ֔םκαταράσωμαιלֹ֥אμὴזָעַ֖םκαταρᾶταιיְהוָֽה׃θεός

10 of the 10 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Samaritan Pentateuchthe Torah as the Samaritan community kept it

מה אקב לא קבו אל ומה אזעם לא זעם יהוה

1 word differs from the Masoretic Text: קבו (curse)

Dead Sea Scrolls — 2Q29a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[מה] [אקוב] [לוא] [קב׳ה] [אל] [ומה] [אזעום] [לוא] [זעם] [יהוה]

nothing on the leather here — 10 supplied entire by an editor.

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.

The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in Numbers 23:8

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

מָ֣ה what?אֶקֹּ֔ב will I curse לֹ֥א [one whom] not קַבֹּ֖ה he has cursed him אֵ֑ל God וּמָ֣ה and what?אֶזְעֹ֔ם will I denounce לֹ֥א [one whom] not זָעַ֖ם he has denounced יְהוָֽה׃ Yahweh

“what? will I curse [one whom] not he has cursed him God and what? will I denounce [one whom] not he has denounced Yahweh”

מָ֣הmah what? H4100 Pronoun ¶

753× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×

In plain English

Meaning

This Hebrew word means what or how, often used to ask questions or express surprise, like in Genesis when God asks Adam what he has done. It can also mean why or when, and is used in various ways throughout the Old Testament. It appears in many KJV translations, including how or what.

Tyndale gloss

what?

Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers

Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מָה (mah) is a Hebrew word primarily used as an interrogative particle meaning 'what?' or 'how?'. It can also function as an indefinite pronoun, encompassing meanings like 'anything' or 'whatever'. The word is versatile, appearing in various adverbial forms and often used with prefixes to express different nuances, such as reason or manner.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מָה, rarely מָה־, מַה־, מַה‍ּ, מֶה, מַ‍ּ, מָ—pron.interrog. and indef. what? how? aught

interrog. what?

Used adverbially

Indef. pron.

With preps.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4100 מָה, rarely מָה־, מַה־, מַה‍ּ, מֶה, מַ‍ּ, מָ—pron. interrog. and indef. what? how? aught . interrog. what?

. Used adverbially

. Indef. pron.

. With preps.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4100 mah maw

or mah {mah}; or ma {maw}; or ma {mah}; also meh {meh}; a

primitive particle; properly, interrogative what? (including

how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including

how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and even

relatively, that which); often used with prefixes in various

adverbial or conjunctive senses:--how (long, oft, (-

soever)), (no-)thing, what (end, good, purpose, thing),

whereby(-fore, -in, -to, -with), (for) why.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מָה (mah) — what?.

interr pron

1) what, how, of what kind

1a) (interrogative)

1a1) what?

1a2) of what kind

1a3) what? (rhetorical)

1a4) whatsoever, whatever, what

1b) (adverb)

1b1) how, how now

1b2) why

1b3) how! (exclamation)

1c) (with prep)

1c1) wherein?, whereby?, wherewith?, by what means?

1c2) because of what?

1c3) the like of what?

1c3a) how much?, how many?, how often?

1c3b) for how long?

1c4) for what reason?, why?, to what purpose?

1c5) until when?, how long?, upon what?, wherefore?

indef pron

2) anything, aught, what may

Morphologythe parsing behind the code

Berean parsing

Part — Pronoun
HPi

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance

מָהwhat?×נָגַדto tell×כָּ֫כָהthus×דּוֹדbeloved×פָּעַלto work×

“what? will I curse [one whom] not he has cursed him God and what? will I denounce [one whom] not he has denounced Yahweh”

אֶקֹּ֔ב'e.Ko will I curse H6895 Verb · Qal · imperfect first person common singular ¶

14× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×

In plain English

Meaning

To curse means to speak badly of someone, as seen in Job 1:5 and 2:5. It involves using words to harm or malign, similar to stabbing with words.

Amplified meaning

utterly condemn, pierce

Tyndale gloss

to curse

Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers

Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

קָבַב (qabab) is a primitive root meaning to curse or malign. The entries indicate that it primarily refers to the act of uttering a curse, often with a figurative sense of harming through words. There are no significant disagreements among the lexicons regarding its meaning.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[קָבַב] vb. utter a curse against, curse

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6895 קָבַב

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6895 qabab kaw-bab'

a primitive root; to scoop out, i.e. (figuratively) to malign

or execrate (i.e. stab with words):--X at all, curse.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קָבַב (qa.vav) — to curse.

1) to curse, utter a curse against

1a) (Qal) to curse

Morphologythe parsing behind the code

Berean parsing

V-Qal-Perf-3ms | Suff — Verb · Qal · imperfect first person common singular
HVqi1cs

Bible dictionarieson the English sense

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

kurs ('alah (Nu 5:21,23,17, etc.), me'erah (Pr 3:33; Mal 2:2, etc.), klalah (Ge 27:12,13); katara (Ga 3:10,13)): This word as noun and verb renders different Hebrew words, some of them being more or less synonymous, differing only in degree of strength. It is often used in contrast with "bless" or "blessing" (De 11:29). When a curse is pronounced against any person, we are not to understand this as a mere wish, however violent, that disaster should overtake the person in question, any more than we are to understand that a corresponding "blessing" conveys simply a wish…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Curse

Denounced by God against the serpent (Gen. 3:14), and against Cain (4:11). These divine maledictions carried their effect with them. Prophetical curses were sometimes pronounced by holy men (Gen. 9:25; 49:7; Deut. 27:15; Josh. 6:26). Such curses are not the consequence of passion or revenge, they are predictions.

No one on pain of death shall curse father or mother (Ex. 21:17), nor the prince of his people (22:28), nor the deaf (Lev. 19:14). Cursing God or blaspheming was punishable by death (Lev. 24:10-16).…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Denounced

Against the serpent Ge 3:14,15

Against Adam and Eve Ge 3:15-19

Against the ground Ge 3:17,18

Against Cain Ge 4:11-16

Against Canaan, Noah's son Ge 9:24-27

Against Meroz Jud 5:23

Against Gehazi 2Ki 5:27

→ Barak commands Balaam to curse Israel Nu 22:6; 23:11

→ See BENEDICTIONS

→ CURSES OF THE MOSAIC LAW De 27:1-26; Jos 8:30-34

See BLESSINGS

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance

לֹאnot×מָהwhat?×גַּםalso×קָבַבto curse×בִּלְעָםBalaam×לְאֹםpeople×זָעַםbe indignant×אָיַבenemy×

“what? will I curse [one whom] not he has cursed him God and what? will I denounce [one whom] not he has denounced Yahweh”

לֹ֥אlo' [one whom] not H3808 Particle ¶

5,170× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×

In plain English

Meaning

The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.

Amplified meaning

absolutely not, under no circumstances

Tyndale gloss

not

Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers

Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֹא or לוֹא adv. not

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3808 lo' lo

or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often

used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,

ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,

no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out

of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +

of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לֹא (lo) — not.

1) not, no

1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)

1b) not (with modifier-negation)

1c) nothing (subst)

1d) without (with particle)

1e) before (of time)

Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code

Berean parsing

Part — Particle
HTn

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance

עוֹדstill×יָכֹלbe able×

“what? will I curse [one whom] not he has cursed him God and what? will I denounce [one whom] not he has denounced Yahweh”

קַבֹּ֖הka.Boh he has cursed him H6895 Verb qal perfect third person masculine singular · suffix ¶

14× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×

In plain English

Meaning

To curse means to speak badly of someone, as seen in Job 1:5 and 2:5. It involves using words to harm or malign, similar to stabbing with words.

Tyndale gloss

to curse

Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers

Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[קָבַב] vb. utter a curse against, curse

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6895 קָבַב

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6895 qabab kaw-bab'

a primitive root; to scoop out, i.e. (figuratively) to malign

or execrate (i.e. stab with words):--X at all, curse.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קָבַב (qa.vav) — to curse.

1) to curse, utter a curse against

1a) (Qal) to curse

Morphologythe parsing behind the code

Berean parsing

HVqp3ms/Sp3ms — Verb qal perfect third person masculine singular · suffix
HVqp3ms/Sp3ms

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance

לֹאnot×מָהwhat?×גַּםalso×קָבַבto curse×בִּלְעָםBalaam×לְאֹםpeople×זָעַםbe indignant×אָיַבenemy×

“what? will I curse [one whom] not he has cursed him God and what? will I denounce [one whom] not he has denounced Yahweh”

אֵ֑ל'El God H410 Noun common · masculine singular absolute ¶

241× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×

In plain English

Meaning

In the Bible, 'el means strength or power, and is often used to refer to God or false gods. It describes something or someone as mighty or powerful, like the Almighty. This concept is central to understanding the Bible's view of God.

Amplified meaning

Elohim, the supreme Being

Tyndale gloss

god

Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers

Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֵל (*'el*) primarily means 'god' and conveys the idea of might or strength. It can refer to the one true God of Israel, as well as to other deities, angels, and mighty men. The entries highlight its use in various contexts, including nature and power, but do not present significant disagreement among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵל n.m. god, but with various subordinate applications to express the idea of might

applied to men of might and rank

angels

gods of the nations

Ēl

as characterizing mighty things in nature

God, the one only and true God of Israel

אֵל strength, power

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H410 אֵל god, but with various subordinate applications to express the idea of might . applied to men of might and rank

. angels

. gods of the nations

. Ēl

. as characterizing mighty things in nature

. God, the one only and true God of Israel

. אֵל strength, power

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

410 'el ale

shortened from 352; strength; as adjective, mighty;

especially the Almighty (but used also of any deity):--God

(god), X goodly, X great, idol, might(-y one), power, strong.

Compare names in "-el."

see HEBREW for 0352

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵל (el) — God.

This name means god, god-like one, mighty one, strength, power

Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)

אֵל (el) — El (Berith).

This name means god, god-like one, mighty one, strength, power

Combined with "Berith" (berith בְּרִית H1286)

אֵל (el) — El (Elohe).

Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)

This name means god, god-like one, mighty one, strength, power

Combined with "God" (elohim אֱלֹהִים H0430)

אֵל (el) — El (Most High).

Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)

This name means god, god-like one, mighty one, strength, power

Combined with "Most High" (el.yon עֶלְיוֹן H5945B)

אֵל (el) — god.

: god

1) god, god-like one, mighty one

1a) mighty men, men of rank, mighty heroes

1b) angels

1c) god, false god, (demons, imaginations)

1d) God, the one true God, Jehovah

2) mighty things in nature

3) strength, power

Read the full entry →

Morphologythe parsing behind the code

Berean parsing

N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa

Bible dictionarieson the English sense

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

god ('Elohim, 'El, [`Elyon], Shadday, Yahweh; Theos):

I. INTRODUCTION TO THE GENERAL IDEA

1. The Idea in Experience and in Thought

2. Definition of the Idea

3. The Knowledge of God

4. Ethnic Ideas of God

(1) Animism

(2) Fetishism

(3) Idolatry

(4) Polytheism

(5) Henotheism

(6) Pantheism

(7) Deism

(8) Semitic Monolatry

(9) Monotheism

II. THE IDEA OF GOD IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

1. The Course of Its Development

2. Forms of Its Manifestation

(1) The Face or Countenance of God

(2) The Voice and Word of God

(3) The Glory of God

(4) The Angel of God

(5) The Spirit of God

(6) The Name of God

(7) Occasional Forms

3. The Names of God

(1) Generic

(2) Attributive

(3) Yahweh

4. Pre-prophetic Conceptions of God

(1) Yahweh Alone Is the God of Israel

(a) His Early Worship

(b) Popular Religion

(i) Coordination

(ii) Assimilation

(iii) Disintegration

(d) No Hebrew Goddesses

(e) Human Sacrifices

Easton's Bible Dictionary

God

(A.S. and Dutch God; Dan. Gud; Ger. Gott), the name of the Divine Being. It is the rendering (1) of the Hebrew ’El, from a word meaning to be strong; (2) of ’Eloah_, plural _’Elohim. The singular form, Eloah, is used only in poetry. The plural form is more commonly used in all parts of the Bible, The Hebrew word Jehovah (q.v.), the only other word generally employed to denote the Supreme Being, is uniformly rendered in the Authorized Version by “LORD,” printed in small capitals. The existence of God is taken for granted in the Bible. There is nowhere any argument to prove it. He who disbelieves this truth is spoken of as one devoid of understanding (Ps. 14:1).

The arguments generally adduced by theologians in proof of the being of God are:

(1.) The a priori argument, which is the testimony afforded by reason.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(good). Throughout the Hebrew Scriptures two chief names are used for the one true divine Being--ELOHIM, commonly translated God in our version, and JEHOVAH, translated Lord . Elohim is the plural of Eloah (in Arabic Allah); it is often used in the short form EL (a word signifying strength , as in EL-SHADDAI, God Almighty, the name by which God was specially known to the patriarchs. (Genesis 17:1; 28:3; Exodus 6:3) The etymology is uncertain, but it is generally agreed that the primary idea is that of strength, power of effect , and that it properly describes God in that character in which he is exhibited to all men in his works, as the creator, sustainer and supreme governor of the world. The plural form of Elohim has given rise to much discussion. The fanciful idea that it…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

This name, the derivation of which is uncertain, we give to that eternal, infinite, perfect, and incomprehensible Being, the Creator of all things, who preserves and governs all by his almighty power and wisdom, and is the only proper object of worship. The proper Hebrew name for God is JEHOVAH, which signifies He is. But the Jews, from a feeling of reverence, avoid pronouncing this name, substituting for it, wherever it occurs in the sacred test, the word ADONAI, Lord; except in the expression, ADONAI JEHOVAH, Lord Jehovah, for which they put, ADONAI ELOHIM, Lord God. This usage, which is not without an element of superstition, is very ancient, dating its origin some centuries before Christ; but there is no good ground for assuming its existence in the days of the inspired Old Testament writers. The proper word for God is ELOHIM, which is plural in its form, being thus used to signify…

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance

שַׁדַּיAlmighty×אֵלgod×מִיwho?×שָׁמַיheaven×עֶלְיוֹןhigh×שָׁכַחto forget×גִּבּוֹרmighty man×קַנָּאjealous×

“what? will I curse [one whom] not he has cursed him God and what? will I denounce [one whom] not he has denounced Yahweh”

וּמָ֣הu.Mah and what? H4100 Conjunction · pronoun ¶

753× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×

In plain English

Meaning

Tyndale gloss

what?

Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers

Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מָה, rarely מָה־, מַה־, מַה‍ּ, מֶה, מַ‍ּ, מָ—pron.interrog. and indef. what? how? aught

interrog. what?

Used adverbially

Indef. pron.

With preps.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4100 מָה, rarely מָה־, מַה־, מַה‍ּ, מֶה, מַ‍ּ, מָ—pron. interrog. and indef. what? how? aught . interrog. what?

. Used adverbially

. Indef. pron.

. With preps.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4100 mah maw

or mah {mah}; or ma {maw}; or ma {mah}; also meh {meh}; a

primitive particle; properly, interrogative what? (including

how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including

how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and even

relatively, that which); often used with prefixes in various

adverbial or conjunctive senses:--how (long, oft, (-

soever)), (no-)thing, what (end, good, purpose, thing),

whereby(-fore, -in, -to, -with), (for) why.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מָה (mah) — what?.

interr pron

1) what, how, of what kind

1a) (interrogative)

1a1) what?

1a2) of what kind

1a3) what? (rhetorical)

1a4) whatsoever, whatever, what

1b) (adverb)

1b1) how, how now

1b2) why

1b3) how! (exclamation)

1c) (with prep)

1c1) wherein?, whereby?, wherewith?, by what means?

1c2) because of what?

1c3) the like of what?

1c3a) how much?, how many?, how often?

1c3b) for how long?

1c4) for what reason?, why?, to what purpose?

1c5) until when?, how long?, upon what?, wherefore?

indef pron

2) anything, aught, what may

Morphologythe parsing behind the code

Berean parsing

Conj | Part — Conjunction · pronoun
HC/Pi

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance

מָהwhat?×נָגַדto tell×כָּ֫כָהthus×דּוֹדbeloved×פָּעַלto work×

“what? will I curse [one whom] not he has cursed him God and what? will I denounce [one whom] not he has denounced Yahweh”

אֶזְעֹ֔ם'ez.'Om will I denounce H2194 Verb · Qal · imperfect first person common singular ¶

12× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×

In plain English

Meaning

This Hebrew word describes being very angry or upset, often to the point of foaming at the mouth. In Numbers 23:8, it is used to describe God's indignation towards those who disobey Him. It can also mean to denounce or curse someone.

Amplified meaning

publicly denounce, defy

Tyndale gloss

be indignant

Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers

Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

זָעַם (za`am) is a Hebrew verb meaning to be indignant or enraged, often implying a strong emotional response such as anger or abhorrence. It can denote expressing indignation verbally or showing anger, with nuances in its usage across different forms. The entries highlight its primitive root related to foaming at the mouth, emphasizing the intensity of the emotion.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

זָעַם vb. be indignant

[Qal]

be indignant, have indignation

express indignation in speech, denounce, curse

Niph. face stirred with indignation.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2194 זָעַם be indignant

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2194 za`am zaw-am'

a primitive root; properly, to foam at the mouth, i.e. to be

enraged:--abhor, abominable, (be) angry, defy, (have)

indignation.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

זָעַם (za.am) — be indignant.

1) to denounce, express indignation, be indignant

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to have indignation, be indignant, be angrily indignant, be defiant

1a2) to be abhorrent

1a3) to express indignation in speech, denounce, curse

1b) (Niphal) to show indignation, show anger

Morphologythe parsing behind the code

Berean parsing

V-Qal-Imperf-1cs — Verb · Qal · imperfect first person common singular
HVqi1cs

Bible dictionarieson the English sense

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

de-nouns': Occurs in De 30:18: "I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish." It is used here in the obsolete sense of "to declare," to make known in a solemn manner. It is not found in the Bible with the regular meaning of "to censure," "arraign," etc.

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance

קָבַבto curse×עַםAmaw×אֵלgod×מָהwhat?×זָעַםbe indignant×

“what? will I curse [one whom] not he has cursed him God and what? will I denounce [one whom] not he has denounced Yahweh”

לֹ֥אlo' [one whom] not H3808 Particle ¶

5,170× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×

In plain English

Meaning

The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.

Amplified meaning

completely, in no way

Tyndale gloss

not

Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers

Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֹא or לוֹא adv. not

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3808 lo' lo

or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often

used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,

ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,

no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out

of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +

of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לֹא (lo) — not.

1) not, no

1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)

1b) not (with modifier-negation)

1c) nothing (subst)

1d) without (with particle)

1e) before (of time)

Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code

Berean parsing

Part — Particle
HTn

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance

עוֹדstill×יָכֹלbe able×

“what? will I curse [one whom] not he has cursed him God and what? will I denounce [one whom] not he has denounced Yahweh”

זָעַ֖םza.'Am he has denounced H2194 Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singular ¶

12× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×

In plain English

Meaning

Amplified meaning

or defied, spoken against

Tyndale gloss

be indignant

Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers

Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

זָעַם vb. be indignant

[Qal]

be indignant, have indignation

express indignation in speech, denounce, curse

Niph. face stirred with indignation.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2194 זָעַם be indignant

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2194 za`am zaw-am'

a primitive root; properly, to foam at the mouth, i.e. to be

enraged:--abhor, abominable, (be) angry, defy, (have)

indignation.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

זָעַם (za.am) — be indignant.

1) to denounce, express indignation, be indignant

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to have indignation, be indignant, be angrily indignant, be defiant

1a2) to be abhorrent

1a3) to express indignation in speech, denounce, curse

1b) (Niphal) to show indignation, show anger

Morphologythe parsing behind the code

Berean parsing

V-Qal-Perf-3ms — Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singular
HVqp3ms

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance

קָבַבto curse×עַםAmaw×אֵלgod×מָהwhat?×זָעַםbe indignant×

“what? will I curse [one whom] not he has cursed him God and what? will I denounce [one whom] not he has denounced Yahweh”

יְהוָֽה׃Yah.weh Yahweh H3068 Noun proper ¶

6,528× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×

In plain English

Meaning

Yehovah is another name for God, often translated as 'the Lord'. It is a national name for God in the Jewish faith. This name is used throughout the Old Testament.

Amplified meaning

Yehovah

Tyndale gloss

The Lord

Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers

Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) is the proper name of the God of Israel, often rendered as Jehovah or the Lord. It signifies the self-existent or eternal nature of God. The name is closely associated with the revelation to Moses in Exodus 3:12-15 and is used in conjunction with other terms to denote sacred places. Some scholars suggest it derives from a root meaning 'to bring into being.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)

יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb

יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D

the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy

יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3068 יהוה i.e. יַהְוֶה n. pr. dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw'

from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish

national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.

see HEBREW for 01961

see HEBREW for 03050

see HEBREW for 03069

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — LORD.

Jehovah = "the existing One"

1) the proper name of the one true God

1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of a.do.na (אֲדֹנָי "Lord" H0136)

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — The Lord.

Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — (Jerusalem of) the Lord.

Combined with ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code

Berean parsing

N-proper — Noun proper
HNpt

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance

כֹּהthus×נְאֻםutterance×צָבָאarmy×

Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

Numbers 23:8 — Word Study

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Deep Study — Numbers 23:8

Context — Balaam's Oraclegenerated

Cross References

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 3 references, hung on the phrase they belong to

Nave’s Topical Bible — the subjects this verse is filed under

The Key Word — קָבַב, qababgenerated

How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

Sentence Structuregenerated

Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In plain words — the whole versegenerated

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Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse

The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company

Modern formal

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Strictly literal

From the Latin

Simplified

The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank

The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

Lexicons — every word in Numbers 23:8