Numbers 23:8 Go deeper

How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the LORD hath not defied? (KJV)

Hebrew words tap a word

מָ֣הmahwhat?

Lemma: מָה (mah) · Strong's: H4100

Parsing: Pronoun · Interrogative (HPi)

Meaning: what?

Used 748 times. Also: Genesis 2:19, Genesis 3:13, Genesis 4:6, Genesis 4:10, Genesis 12:18, Genesis 12:19 · All occurrences →

Source: TBESH H4100; TAHOT Numbers 23:8 word 1

אֶקֹּ֔ב'e.Kowill I curse

Lemma: קָבַב (qa.vav) · Strong's: H6895

Parsing: Verb · Qal (hence Action · Active) · Imperfect (hence Tense · Indicative/cohortative) · First · Either gender · Singular (HVqi1cs)

Meaning: to curse

Used 14 times. Also: Numbers 22:11, Numbers 22:17, Numbers 23:11, Numbers 23:13, Numbers 23:25, Numbers 23:27 · All occurrences →

Source: TBESH H6895; TAHOT Numbers 23:8 word 2

לֹ֥אlo'[one whom] not

Lemma: לֹא (lo) · Strong's: H3808

Parsing: Particle · Negative (HTn)

Meaning: not

Used 5165 times. Also: Genesis 2:5, Genesis 2:17, Genesis 2:18, Genesis 2:20, Genesis 2:25, Genesis 3:1 · All occurrences →

Source: TBESH H3808; TAHOT Numbers 23:8 word 3

קַבֹּ֖הka.Bohhe has cursed him

Lemma: קָבַב (qa.vav) · Strong's: H6895

Parsing: Verb · Qal (hence Action · Active) · Perfect (hence Tense · Indicative) · Third · Masculine · Singular (HVqp3ms)

Meaning: to curse

Used 14 times. Also: Numbers 22:11, Numbers 22:17, Numbers 23:11, Numbers 23:13, Numbers 23:25, Numbers 23:27 · All occurrences →

Source: TBESH H6895; TAHOT Numbers 23:8 word 4

אֵ֑ל'ElGod

Lemma: אֵל (el) · Strong's: H0410G

Parsing: Noun · Common · Masculine · Singular · Absolute (HNcmsa)

Meaning: God

Used 205 times. Also: Genesis 16:13, Genesis 17:1, Genesis 21:33, Genesis 28:3, Genesis 31:13, Genesis 35:1 · All occurrences →

Source: TBESH H0410G; TAHOT Numbers 23:8 word 5

וּמָ֣הu.Mahand what?

Lemma: מָה (mah) · Strong's: H4100

Parsing: Pronoun · Interrogative (HPi)

Meaning: what?

Used 748 times. Also: Genesis 2:19, Genesis 3:13, Genesis 4:6, Genesis 4:10, Genesis 12:18, Genesis 12:19 · All occurrences →

Source: TBESH H4100; TAHOT Numbers 23:8 word 6

אֶזְעֹ֔ם'ez.'Omwill I denounce

Lemma: זָעַם (za.am) · Strong's: H2194

Parsing: Verb · Qal (hence Action · Active) · Imperfect (hence Tense · Indicative/cohortative) · First · Either gender · Singular (HVqi1cs)

Meaning: be indignant

Used 12 times. Also: Numbers 23:7, Psalms 7:11, Proverbs 22:14, Proverbs 24:24, Proverbs 25:23, Isaiah 66:14 · All occurrences →

Source: TBESH H2194; TAHOT Numbers 23:8 word 7

לֹ֥אlo'[one whom] not

Lemma: לֹא (lo) · Strong's: H3808

Parsing: Particle · Negative (HTn)

Meaning: not

Used 5165 times. Also: Genesis 2:5, Genesis 2:17, Genesis 2:18, Genesis 2:20, Genesis 2:25, Genesis 3:1 · All occurrences →

Source: TBESH H3808; TAHOT Numbers 23:8 word 8

זָעַ֖םza.'Amhe has denounced

Lemma: זָעַם (za.am) · Strong's: H2194

Parsing: Verb · Qal (hence Action · Active) · Perfect (hence Tense · Indicative) · Third · Masculine · Singular (HVqp3ms)

Meaning: be indignant

Used 12 times. Also: Numbers 23:7, Psalms 7:11, Proverbs 22:14, Proverbs 24:24, Proverbs 25:23, Isaiah 66:14 · All occurrences →

Source: TBESH H2194; TAHOT Numbers 23:8 word 9

יְהוָֽה\׃Yah.wehYahweh

Lemma: יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) · Strong's: H3068G

Parsing: Noun · Proper · Title (HNpt)

Meaning: LORD

Used 6519 times. Also: Genesis 2:4, Genesis 2:5, Genesis 2:7, Genesis 2:8, Genesis 2:9, Genesis 2:15 · All occurrences →

Source: TBESH H3068G; TAHOT Numbers 23:8 word 10

How the BSB renders it

Each English phrase in the Berean Standard Bible and the original word behind it.

How	→	מָה H4100 what?
can I curse [those whom]	→	קָבַב H6895 to curse
God	→	אֵל H0410G God
has not	→	לֹא H3808 not
cursed	→	קָבַב H6895 to curse
How	→	מָה H4100 what?
can I denounce [those whom]	→	זָעַם H2194 be indignant
the LORD	→	יְהֹוָה H3068G LORD
has not	→	לֹא H3808 not
denounced	→	זָעַם H2194 be indignant

King James Version (KJV), public domain in the United States. Source

All attributions

Original-language words, glosses, parsing and lexicon entries: STEPBible data by Tyndale House, Cambridge (TAHOT, TAGNT, TBESH, TBESG, TFLSJ, TEHMC, TEGMC), CC BY 4.0, with changes. Hebrew text from the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible. English alignment: Berean Standard Bible tables (public domain).

All attributions and changes