Numbers 24:17

Hebrew Bible

15 Then he uttered this oracle: “The oracle of Balaam son of Beor, the oracle of the man whose eyes are open, 16 the oracle of the one who hears the words of God, and who knows the knowledge of the Most High, who sees a vision from the Almighty, although falling flat on the ground with eyes open: 17 ‘I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not close at hand. A star will march forth out of Jacob, and a scepter will rise out of Israel. He will crush the skulls of Moab, and the heads of all the sons of Sheth. 18 Edom will be a possession, Seir, his enemy, will also be a possession; but Israel will act valiantly. 19 A ruler will be established from Jacob; he will destroy the remains of the city.’”

Isaiah 25:10

Hebrew Bible

8 he will swallow up death permanently. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from every face, and remove his people’s disgrace from all the earth. Indeed, the Lord has announced it! 9 At that time they will say, “Look, here is our God! We waited for him, and he delivered us. Here is the Lord! We waited for him. Let’s rejoice and celebrate his deliverance!” 10 For the Lord’s power will make this mountain secure. Moab will be trampled down where it stands, as a heap of straw is trampled down in a manure pile. 11 Moab will spread out its hands in the middle of it, just as a swimmer spreads his hands to swim; the Lord will bring down Moab’s pride as it spreads its hands. 12 The fortified city (along with the very tops of your walls) he will knock down,he will bring it down, he will throw it down to the dusty ground.

 Notes and References

"... “Assyria,” is already familiar from the announcement in 7:17 and the following speeches (compare 7:18, 20; 8:4, 7). Even the idea that God is sending the king of Assyria has been stated there. “my anger,” and “my wrath,” are also familiar. The Vision began by explaining YHWH’s displeasure in chapter 1 and by citing the day of retribution in chapter 2. The great funeral scene in chapter 5 has the repeated refrain “his anger did not turn” (5:25), which is picked up again in 9:16c, 20c, and 10:4. This passage is, in a sense, an explanation of that repeated phrase. “rod,” can refer to a ruler’s scepter, as it does in Genesis 49:10; Numbers 24:17; Judges 5:14; Isaiah 9:3; 11:4; 14:5; and Amos 1:5, 8. Or it may refer to the disciplinarian’s rod of punishment as in Job 9:34 and 21:9, referring to God’s discipline (compare also Proverbs 13:24, etc.; 2 Samuel 7:14; 23:21; Isaiah 14:29). “staff,” may also refer to a scepter, as it does in Jeremiah 48:17; Ezekiel 19:11-14; Psalm 110:2 (“the staff of power”), but not to an educator’s tool. It is more likely a magician’s wand (compare Exodus 7:12). Aaron and Moses use such (Exodus 4:2-4; 7:9-20; 17:5), and it is once called “the staff of God” (Exodus 17:9). Together, the words indicate that God’s royal authority and awesome power have been delegated to the Assyrian—expressions of God’s anger and his wrath ..."

Watts, John D. W. Word Biblical Commentary: Isaiah 1-33 (p. 187) Zondervan Academic, 2004

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