Nevertheless the Kenite shall be wasted, until Asshur shall carry thee away captive.

NUMBERS 24:22KJV
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Numbers 24:22 (KJV)

What does Numbers 24:22 mean?

Numbers 24:22 predicts that the Kenite people will eventually be destroyed and taken into captivity by Asshur (Assyria), even though they may seem secure for a time. The verse is a warning that their safety is only temporary, and a powerful nation will one day conquer them.

In this verse, the prophet Balaam is speaking, delivering a prophecy to Balak, the king of Moab. Balaam is describing the future fate of the Kenites, a group living near Israel. The verse fits into a series of oracles where Balaam reveals what will happen to various nations surrounding Israel, showing that even those who seem strong or safe are not beyond the reach of larger empires.

The Hebrew behind Numbers 24:22

  • קֵינִי (Qeini, "Kenite"): This word refers to a specific group of people living in the region, known for their connection to Moses’ father-in-law. Mentioning them by name highlights that the prophecy is about a real, identifiable group.
  • בָּעַר (ba‘ar, "wasted"): This verb often means to consume or destroy, suggesting a thorough devastation rather than just a minor setback.
  • אַשּׁוּר (Ashshur, "Asshur/Assyria"): Naming Assyria points to a historical empire known for its conquests, making the prophecy specific and concrete.
  • שָׁבָה (shavah, "carry captive"): This word means to take away as captives, emphasizing not just defeat but forced exile.

Why Numbers 24:22 matters

  • Numbers 24:22 clarifies that even groups with strong alliances or apparent security, like the Kenites, are not immune to the rise and power of empires like Assyria.
  • The verse connects the fate of the Kenites to the larger theme of God’s control over the destinies of nations, a key point in Balaam’s prophecies.
  • Understanding this verse helps readers see how the Old Testament often foretells the downfall of nations, showing the unpredictability of political and military strength in the ancient world.

Where else these words appear

“Kenite” Hebrew H7014 · used in 15 verses

  • Genesis 4:1 And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD.
  • Genesis 4:6 And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?
  • Genesis 4:16 And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.

“shall” Hebrew H518 · used in 41 verses

  • Genesis 4:7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
  • Numbers 14:35 I the LORD have said, I will surely do it unto all this evil congregation, that are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die.
  • 2 Kings 9:35 And they went to bury her: but they found no more of her than the skull, and the feet, and the palms of her hands.

“captive” Hebrew H7617 · used in 42 verses

  • Genesis 14:14 And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan.
  • 1 Kings 8:48 And so return unto thee with all their heart, and with all their soul, in the land of their enemies, which led them away captive, and pray unto thee toward their land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, the city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy name:
  • 2 Chronicles 28:17 For again the Edomites had come and smitten Judah, and carried away captives.

“wasted” Hebrew H1197 · used in 90 verses

  • Exodus 3:2 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.
  • 2 Samuel 22:13 Through the brightness before him were coals of fire kindled.
  • Isaiah 30:33 For Tophet is ordained of old; yea, for the king it is prepared; he hath made it deep and large: the pile thereof is fire and much wood; the breath of the LORD, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it.