Numbers 23:10 (YLT)

Passage

Who hath counted the dust of Jacob, And the number of the fourth of Israel? Let me die the death of upright ones, And let my last end be like his!'

Nearby Context

Numbers 23:8 What--do I pierce? --God hath not pierced! And what--am I indignant? --Jehovah hath not been indignant!

Numbers 23:9 For from the top of rocks I see it, And from heights I behold it; Lo a people! alone it doth tabernacle, And among nations doth not reckon itself.

Numbers 23:10 Who hath counted the dust of Jacob, And the number of the fourth of Israel? Let me die the death of upright ones, And let my last end be like his!'

Numbers 23:11 And Balak saith unto Balaam, `What hast thou done to me? to pierce mine enemies I have taken thee--and lo, thou hast certainly blessed;'

Numbers 23:12 and he answereth and saith, `That which Jehovah doth put in my mouth--it do I not take heed to speak?'

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "hath", "counted", "dust", "jacob", "number", "fourth", "israel", and "death". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "hath" and "counted", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 9's "For from the top of rocks I..." into verse 11's "And Balak saith unto Balaam What hast...", so "hath" and "counted" belong inside that flow. In Numbers context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "hath" and "counted" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.