EGW → Biblical Foundation
Select an Ellen White book from the sidebar to see each passage mapped to the Bible verses it amplifies, cites, or echoes.
Scripture Index
Ellen White & Bible Cross-Reference
Numbers 23:1
"And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams."
"By Balaam's direction seven altars were erected, and he offered a sacrifice upon each. He then withdrew to a “high place,” to meet with God, promising to make known to Balak whatever the Lord should reveal. PP 444.2"
EGW directly references and describes the event in Numbers 23:1.
Numbers 23:7
"And he took up his parable, and said, Balak the king of Moab hath brought me from Aram, out of the mountains of the east, saying, Come, curse me Jacob, and come, defy Israel."
"“From Aram hath Balak brought me, The king of Moab from the mountains of the East: Come, curse me Jacob, And come, defy Israel. How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? And how shall I defy, whom the Lord hath not defied? For from the top of the rocks I see him? And from the hills I behold him: Lo, it is a people that dwell alone, And shall not be reckoned among the nations.... Ed 160.6"
EGW quotes Numbers 23:7 directly.
"With the nobles and princes of Moab the king stood beside the sacrifice, while around them gathered the eager multitude, watching for the return of the prophet. He came at last, and the people waited for the words that should paralyze forever that strange power exerted in behalf of the hated Israelites. Balaam said: PP 444.3"
Both passages describe the setting of Balaam's prophecies, with Balak and the Moabites present and expecting a curse on Israel. EGW provides a more descriptive narrative, but it aligns with the events described in Numbers 23:7.
Numbers 23:7-23
"And he took up his parable, and said, Balak the king of Moab hath brought me from Aram, out of the mountains of the east, saying, Come, curse me Jacob, and come, defy Israel. How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the Lord hath not defied? For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him: lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations. Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his! And Balak said unto Balaam, What hast thou done unto me? I took thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast blessed them altogether. And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the Lord hath put in my mouth? And Balak said unto him, Come, I pray thee, with me unto another place, from whence thou mayest see them: thou shalt see but the utmost part of them, and shalt not see them all: and curse me them from thence. And he brought him into the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar. And he said unto Balak, Stand here by thy burnt offering, while I meet the Lord yonder. And the Lord met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Go again unto Balak, and say thus. And when he came to him, behold, he stood by his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said unto him, What hath the Lord spoken? And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor: God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it. He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the Lord his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them. God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn. Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel: according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought!"
"“He hath said, which heard the words of God, And knew the knowledge of the Most High: ... I shall see Him, but not now: I shall behold Him, but not nigh: There shall come a Star out of Jacob, And a Scepter shall rise out of Israel.... Out of Jacob shall come He that shall have dominion.” Numbers 23:7-23 , R.V.; 24:4-6, R.V.; 24:16-19. Ed 161.3 The melody of praise is the atmosphere of heaven; and when heaven comes in touch with the earth, there is music and song—“thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.” Isaiah 51:3 . Ed 161.4"
Ellen White directly references Numbers 23:7-23 in this passage.
Numbers 23:8
"How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the Lord hath not defied?"
"“The king of Moab hath brought me from Aram, Out of the mountains of the east, Saying, Come, curse me Jacob, And come, defy Israel. How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? Or how shall I defy, whom the Lord hath not defied? For from the top of the rocks I see him , And from the hills I behold him : Lo, the people shall dwell alone, And shall not be reckoned among the nations. Who can count the dust of Jacob, And the number of the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, And let my last end be like his!” PP 444.4"
EGW quotes Numbers 23:8 directly.
"Balaam confessed that he came with the purpose of cursing Israel, but the words he uttered were directly contrary to the sentiments of his heart. He was constrained to pronounce blessings, while his soul was filled with curses. PP 447.1"
The EGW passage describes Balaam's internal conflict and the external blessings he was forced to pronounce, which directly relates to the question posed in Numbers 23:8 about the impossibility of cursing whom God has not cursed. While not a direct quote, it amplifies the situation.
Numbers 23:9
"For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him: lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations."
"“From Aram hath Balak brought me, The king of Moab from the mountains of the East: Come, curse me Jacob, And come, defy Israel. How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? And how shall I defy, whom the Lord hath not defied? For from the top of the rocks I see him? And from the hills I behold him: Lo, it is a people that dwell alone, And shall not be reckoned among the nations.... Ed 160.6"
EGW quotes Numbers 23:9 directly.
"nations.” Numbers 23:9 . To us as well as to ancient Israel these words apply. God's people are to stand alone. The observance of the seventh-day Sabbath is to be a sign between them and God, showing that they are to be a peculiar people, separate from the world in habit and practice. Through them God will work to gather from all nationalities a people for Himself. 7T 109.3"
Ellen White directly references Numbers 23:9 in this passage.
"saw the vast extent and perfect arrangement of their camp, everything bearing the marks of thorough discipline and order. He was shown the favor with which God regarded Israel, and their distinctive character as His chosen people. They were not to stand upon a level with other nations, but to be exalted above them all. “The people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations.” At the time when these words were spoken the Israelites had no permanent settlement, and their peculiar character, their manners and customs, were not familiar to Balaam. But how strikingly was this prophecy fulfilled in the after-history of Israel! Through all the years of their captivity, through all the ages since they were dispersed among the nations, they have remained a distinct people. So the people of God—the true Israel—though scattered throughout all nations, are on earth but sojourners, whose citizenship is in heaven. PP 447.2"
EGW directly quotes Numbers 23:9 and elaborates on its meaning in the context of Israel's distinctiveness and God's chosen people. The connection is undeniable.
Numbers 23:12
"And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the Lord hath put in my mouth?"
"When he beheld the messenger of God, Balaam exclaimed in terror, “I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease thee, I will get me back again.” The Lord suffered him to proceed on his journey, but gave him to understand that his words should be controlled by divine power. God would give evidence to Moab that the Hebrews were under the guardianship of Heaven, and this He did effectually when He showed them how powerless Balaam was even to utter a curse against them without divine permission. PP 443.2"
Both passages deal with the idea that Balaam's words are controlled by God. While EGW doesn't directly quote Numbers 23:12, the concept of God controlling Balaam's speech is central to both.
Numbers 23:17
"And when he came to him, behold, he stood by his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said unto him, What hath the Lord spoken?"
"When he appeared to the anxious, expectant company the question was put to him, “What hath the Lord spoken?” The answer, as before, struck terror to the heart of king and princes: PP 448.4"
The EGW passage directly alludes to the question asked by Balak in Numbers 23:17, "What hath the Lord spoken?" The context and the question itself are nearly identical.
Numbers 23:21
"He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the Lord his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them."
"Neither hath He seen perverseness in Israel: The Lord his God is with him, And the shout of a king is among them.” PP 448.5"
EGW directly quotes Numbers 23:21.
Numbers 23:23
"Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel: according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought!"
"Now shall it be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought!” Ed 161.1"
EGW directly quotes the verse, making it an explicit allusion rather than just a thematic parallel. The confidence is increased due to the direct quotation.
Awed by these revelations, Balaam exclaimed, “Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel.” The great magician had tried his power of enchantment, in accordance with the desire of the Moabites; but concerning this very occasion it should be said of Israel, “What hath God wrought!” While they were under the divine protection, no people or nation, though aided by all the power of Satan, should be able to prevail against them. All the world should wonder at the marvelous work of God in behalf of His people—that a man determined to pursue a sinful course should be so controlled by divine power as to utter, instead of imprecations, the richest and most precious promises, in the language of sublime and impassioned poetry. And the favor of God at this time manifested toward Israel was to be an assurance of His protecting care for His obedient, faithful children in all ages. When Satan should inspire evil men to misrepresent, harass, and destroy…
EGW quotes Numbers 23:23 directly.
Numbers 23:27
"And Balak said unto Balaam, Come, I pray thee, I will bring thee unto another place; peradventure it will please God that thou mayest curse me them from thence."
"The king of Moab, disheartened and distressed, exclaimed, “Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all.” Yet a faint hope still lingered in his heart, and he determined to make another trial. He now conducted Balaam to Mount Peor, where was a temple devoted to the licentious worship of Baal, their god. Here the same number of altars were erected as before, and the same number of sacrifices were offered; but Balaam went not alone, as at other times, to learn God's will. He made no pretense of sorcery, but standing beside the altars, he looked abroad upon the tents of Israel. Again the Spirit of God rested upon him, and the divine message came from his lips: PP 449.2"
The EGW passage describes Balak's continued attempts to get Balaam to curse Israel, which is directly related to Balak's statement in Numbers 23:27 about finding a place where God might allow Balaam to curse them. The EGW passage provides more detail and context to the event.