Logos Bible Study

Numbers 22:15–21

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Balaam Accompanies the Moabite Princes

22:15Balak again sent princes,24 more numerous and more distinguished than the first.2522:16And they came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak son of Zippor: ‘Please do not let anything hinder you from coming26 to me. 22:17For I will honor you greatly,27 and whatever you tell me I will do. So come, put a curse on this nation for me.’ ”

22:18Balaam replied28 to the servants of Balak, “Even if Balak would give me his palace full of silver and gold, I could not transgress the commandment29 of the Lord my God30 to do less or more. 22:19Now therefore, please stay31 the night here also, that I may know what more the Lord might say to me.”3222:20God came to Balaam that night, and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, get up and go with them; but the word that I will say to you, that you must do.” 22:21So Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.

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Footnotes

  1. 24 The construction is a verbal hendiadys. It uses the Hiphil preterite of the verb “to add” followed by the Qal infinitive “to send.” The infinitive becomes the main verb, and the preterite an adverb: “he added to send” means “he sent again.”
  2. 25 Heb “than these.”
  3. 26 The infinitive construct is the object of the preposition.
  4. 27 The construction uses the Piel infinitive כַּבֵּד (kabbed) to intensify the verb, which is the Piel imperfect/cohortative אֲכַבֶּדְךָ (’akhabbedkha). The great honor could have been wealth, prestige, or position.
  5. 28 Heb “answered and said.”
  6. 29 Heb “mouth.”
  7. 30 In the light of subsequent events one should not take too seriously that Balaam referred to Yahweh as his God. He is referring properly to the deity for which he is acting as the agent.
  8. 31 In this case “lodge” is not used, but “remain, reside” (שְׁבוּ, shévu).
  9. 32 This clause is also a verbal hendiadys: “what the Lord might add to speak,” meaning, “what more the Lord might say.”

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

Once again Balak sent princes, more in number and more honorable than these. And they came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak the son of Zippor: ‘Let nothing hinder you from coming to me, for I will surely do you great honor, and whatever you say to me I will do. Come, curse this people for me.’ ” But Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, “Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the command of the Lord my God to do less or more. So you, too, please stay here tonight, that I may know what more the Lord will say to me.” And God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, rise, go with them; but only do what I tell you.” So Balaam rose in the morning and saddled his donkey and went with the princes of Moab.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

Then Balak sent other officials, more numerous and more distinguished than the first. They came to Balaam and said:

“This is what Balak son of Zippor says: Do not let anything keep you from coming to me, because I will reward you handsomely and do whatever you say. Come and put a curse on these people for me.”

But Balaam answered them, “Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not do anything great or small to go beyond the command of the Lord my God. Now spend the night here so that I can find out what else the Lord will tell me.”

That night God came to Balaam and said, “Since these men have come to summon you, go with them, but do only what I tell you.”

Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with the Moabite officials.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Balak sent officials again who were more numerous and higher in rank than the others. They came to Balaam and said to him, “This is what Balak son of Zippor says: ‘Let nothing keep you from coming to me, for I will greatly honor you and do whatever you ask me. So please come and put a curse on these people for me!’ ”

But Balaam responded to the servants of Balak, “If Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go against the command of the Lord my God to do anything small or great. Please stay here overnight as the others did, so that I may find out what else the Lord has to tell me.”

God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “Since these men have come to summon you, get up and go with them, but you must only do what I tell you.” When he got up in the morning, Balaam saddled his donkey and went with the officials of Moab.

NLTNew Living Translation

Then Balak tried again. This time he sent a larger number of even more distinguished officials than those he had sent the first time. They went to Balaam and delivered this message to him:

“This is what Balak son of Zippor says: Please don’t let anything stop you from coming to help me. I will pay you very well and do whatever you tell me. Just come and curse these people for me!”

But Balaam responded to Balak’s messengers, “Even if Balak were to give me his palace filled with silver and gold, I would be powerless to do anything against the will of the Lord my God. But stay here one more night, and I will see if the Lord has anything else to say to me.”

That night God came to Balaam and told him, “Since these men have come for you, get up and go with them. But do only what I tell you to do.”

So the next morning Balaam got up, saddled his donkey, and started off with the Moabite officials.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

Balak again sent many princes, who were more honored than the former. They came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak son of Zippor, ‘Please, let nothing keep you from coming to me because I will surely honor you greatly, and all that you say to me I will do. Please, come; curse this people for me.’ ” Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, “Even though Balak gives to me his house full of silver and gold, I am not able to go beyond the command of Yahweh my God to do a little or a lot. And now please, you also stay here the night, and let me find out again what Yahweh will say with me.” And God came to Balaam at night, and he said to him, “If the men have come to call you, get up and go with them; but only the word that I will speak to you, you will do.” So Balaam got up in the morning and saddled his donkey, and he went with the princes of Moab.

KJV 1900King James Version

And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honourable than they. And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me: For I will promote thee unto very great honour, and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people. And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to do less or more. Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the Lord will say unto me more. And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men come to call thee, rise up, and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do. And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.