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Numbers 23:29
And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams.

Ezekiel 33:31
And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before theeas my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love,but their heart goeth after their covetousness.

Jude 1:11
Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.

seven altars

Exodus 20:24
An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee.

Exodus 27:1
And thou shalt make an altarof shittim wood, five cubits long, and five cubits broad; the altar shall be foursquare: and the height thereofshall be three cubits.

1 Samuel 15:22
And Samuel said, Hath the LORDas great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obeyis better than sacrifice,and to hearken than the fat of rams.

seven oxen

Numbers 29:32
And on the seventh day seven bullocks, two rams,and fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish:

1 Chronicles 15:26
And it came to pass, when God helped the Levites that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, that they offered seven bullocks and seven rams.

2 Chronicles 29:21
And they brought seven bullocks, and seven rams, and seven lambs, and seven he goats, for a sin offering for the kingdom, and for the sanctuary, and for Judah. And he commanded the priests the sons of Aaron to offerthem on the altar of the LORD.

“Build for me seven altars here
The request for seven altars is significant. In ancient Near Eastern culture, the number seven often symbolizes completeness or perfection. Building multiple altars suggests an attempt to ensure the effectiveness of the ritual. This act reflects the pagan practices of the time, where multiple sacrifices were believed to gain favor from deities.

and prepare for me seven bulls and seven rams.”
Bulls and rams were common sacrificial animals in ancient rituals, symbolizing strength and leadership. The use of seven of each animal further emphasizes the attempt to secure divine favor through abundant offerings. This mirrors the sacrificial system in Leviticus, where specific animals are prescribed for offerings, yet contrasts with the singular altar and sacrifice system ordained by God for Israel. The act foreshadows the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who fulfills and surpasses all Old Testament sacrifices.

“Then Balaam said to Balak” (Numbers 23:1).

• Balaam, a prophet-for-hire from Mesopotamia, is now standing with King Balak on the heights of Moab (Numbers 22:36–41).

• Though Balaam’s motives are mixed (2 Peter 2:15;Jude 11), the Lord has already overruled him and compelled him to speak only what God permits (Numbers 22:35; 23:5).

• Balak, terrified of Israel’s march, hopes Balaam can curse God’s people (Numbers 22:6). Yet even as Balaam speaks, God’s sovereign hand is guiding every word (Proverbs 16:9).

“Build for me seven altars here…”

• Altars mark places of sacrifice and covenant (Genesis 8:20; 12:7;Exodus 20:24).

• The number seven often signals completeness or fullness (Genesis 2:2–3;Joshua 6:4). Balaam is stacking the odds—humanly speaking—by offering a symbolically “complete” approach to God.

• Job’s friends were told to present seven altars with seven bulls and rams as a means of atonement (Job 42:8). Balaam likely knows this pattern and hopes it will gain divine attention.

“…and prepare for me seven bulls and seven rams.”

• Bulls were the premier animals for burnt offerings, representing full consecration (Leviticus 1:3–5; 4:3).

• Rams often served in ordination and fellowship offerings, pointing to dedication and peace with God (Leviticus 8:18; 3:6–9).

• By demanding both, Balaam calls for an extravagant, costly sacrifice—an attempt to secure divine favor through sheer expense (1 Chronicles 15:26).

• Yet Scripture consistently shows that obedience outweighs ritual (1 Samuel 15:22;Micah 6:6-8). God cannot be manipulated by ceremony.

• Balaam intends to move from altar to altar, seeking a prophetic word at each site (Numbers 23:3, 15).

• He and Balak assume that persistence and lavish offerings might bend God’s will toward cursing Israel.

• Instead, every oracle will confirm God’s blessing on His covenant people (Genesis 12:3;Numbers 23:8-10; 24:9).

• The scene underscores the unchangeable nature of God’s promises (Malachi 3:6;Hebrews 6:17-18).

Numbers 23:1 describes a real historical moment where Balaam asks Balak to erect seven altars and present seven bulls and seven rams. The lavish setup reveals human attempts to influence God, yet the chapter will show that no ritual, however costly, can overturn God’s declared blessing on Israel. The verse invites us to trust the Lord’s unshakable word rather than rely on human schemes, reminding us that God’s purposes stand firm, and His promises never fail.

(1)Build me here seven altars.--The patriarchs of old, as their pious descendants after the giving of the Law, never erected more than one altar in one place. A plurality of altars was the badge of idolatry. Hengsten-berg adduces several instances in proof that the ancients were accustomed to have recourse to sacrifice and conjuration in order to avert calamity and produce prosperity. (History of Balaam and his Prophecies,p. 392.) The numbersevenwas regarded as significant among the Greeks and Romans, as well as among the Israelites.