I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come forth from Jacob, and a scepter will arise from Israel. He will crush the skulls of Moab and strike down all the sons of Sheth.
Significance
Balaam's oracle in Numbers 24:17 prophesies that a ruler from Israel will "crush the skulls of Moab." Jeremiah 48:28 contributes to the prophetic fulfillment of this oracle, calling Moab's inhabitants to "abandon the towns and settle among the rocks" like a dove nesting at the mouth of a cave. Jeremiah's extended oracle against Moab (ch. 48) draws extensively on Pentateuchal traditions about Moab, treating Balaam's prophecy as an unfulfilled divine word that Babylon's advance will finally bring to completion. The progression from Balaam's general prediction to Jeremiah's detailed scenario demonstrates how prophetic oracles gain specificity as their fulfillment approaches.
Found via
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Reference Type
Allusion
Connection Method(s)
Promise-Fulfillment — Balaam's oracle that a ruler from Jacob "will crush the skulls of Moab" (Num 24:17) stands behind Jeremiah's oracle as a still-operative divine word: Moab's flight to the rocks (48:28) belongs to the historical enactment of that ancient pledge through Babylon's advance, while the oracle's ultimate Star-and-scepter horizon remains with the messianic anchor beyond this provisional fulfillment.