He then went with Balak to Kirjath-Chuzoth, where the king had oxen and sheep slaughtered in sacrifice, and sent flesh to Balaam as well as to the princes that were with him for a sacrificial meal, to do honour to the soothsayer thereby. The sacrifices were not so much thank-offerings for Balaam's happy arrival, as supplicatory offerings for the success of the undertaking before them. "This is evident," as Hengstenberg correctly observes, "from the place and time of their presentation; for the place was not that where Balak first met with Balaam, and they were only presented on the eve of the great event." Moreover, they were offered unquestionably not to the Moabitish idols, from which Balak expected no help, but to Jehovah, whom Balak wished to draw away, in connection with Balaam, from His own people (Israel), that he might secure His favour to the Moabites. The situation of Kirjath-Chuzoth, which is only mentioned here, cannot be determined with absolute certainty. As Balak went with Balaam to Bamoth-baal on the morning following the sacrificial meal, which was celebrated there, Kirjath-Chuzoth cannot have been very far distant. Knobel conjectures, with some probability, that it may have been the same as Kerioth (Jeremiah 48:24), i.e., Kereijat or Krriat, at the foot of Jebel Attarus, at the top of which Bamoth-baal was situated (see at Numbers 21:19).

Numbers 23:4 Parallel Commentaries

God

Numbers 23:16 And the LORD met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Go again to Balak, and say thus.

Numbers 22:9,20 And God came to Balaam, and said, What men are these with you...

I have prepared

Numbers 23:1 And Balaam said to Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams.

Isaiah 58:3,4 Why have we fasted, say they, and you see not? why have we afflicted our soul, and you take no knowledge? Behold...

Matthew 20:12 Saying, These last have worked but one hour, and you have made them equal to us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.

Luke 18:12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

John 16:2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yes, the time comes, that whoever kills you will think that he does God service.

Romans 3:27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? No: but by the law of faith.

Ephesians 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.