KJV ORIGINAL
And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor:
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
Then Balaam spoke his prophecy, saying, 'Stand up, Balak, and listen carefully to what I have to say, son of Zippor.'
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
Balaam is commanding King Balak to pay close attention because he's about to deliver an important message from God.
📚 Historical Context
This occurs when King Balak of Moab hired the prophet Balaam to curse the Israelites who were camped nearby. However, God kept turning Balaam's intended curses into blessings for Israel instead. This is the second of four prophetic speeches Balaam would give, all against Balak's wishes.
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