Amplified Bible
Numbers 22:7
7So the elders of Moab and of Midian departed with fees for divination (foretelling) in hand; and they came to Balaam and told him the words of Balak.
Numbers 22:7 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came unto Balaam, and spake unto him the words of Balak.
- New International Version (NIV)The elders of Moab and Midian left, taking with them the fee for divination. When they came to Balaam, they told him what Balak had said.
- English Standard Version (ESV)So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the fees for divination in their hand. And they came to Balaam and gave him Balak's message.
- New King James Version (NKJV)So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the diviner’s fee in their hand, and they came to Balaam and spoke to him the words of Balak.
Context of Numbers 22:7
5So he sent messengers to Balaam [a famous prophet-diviner] the son of Beor at Pethor, which is by the [Euphrates] River, in the land of the descendants of his people, to call for him, saying, “There is a people who have come out of Egypt; behold, they cover the surface of the land, and they are living opposite me. 6Now please come, curse these people for me, for they are too powerful for me; perhaps I will be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land. For I know [your reputation] that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.” So the elders of Moab and of Midian departed with fees for divination (foretelling) in hand; and they came to Balaam and told him the words of Balak. 8Balaam said to them, “Spend the night here and I will bring word back to you as the Lord may speak to me.” So the leaders of Moab stayed with Balaam [that night]. 9God came to Balaam, and said, “Who are these men with you?”
Read all of Numbers 22Numbers 22:7 word by word
וַיֵּ֨לְכ֜וּ זִקְנֵ֤י מוֹאָב֙ וְזִקְנֵ֣י מִדְיָ֔ן וּקְסָמִ֖ים בְּיָדָ֑ם וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ אֶל־בִּלְעָ֔ם וַיְדַבְּר֥וּ אֵלָ֖יו דִּבְרֵ֥י בָלָֽק׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And the eldersזָקֵןzâqên · old: elderH2205
- of Moabמוֹאָבmô'âb · MoabH4124
- of Midianמִדְיָןmidyân · MidianH4080
- departedיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
- with the rewards of divinationקֶ֫סֶםqesem · divinationH7081
- in their handיָדyâd · hand: powerH3027
- and they cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- unto Balaamבִּלְעָםbil‛âm · BalaamH1109
- and spakeדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
- unto him the wordsדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
- of Balakבָּלָקbâlâq · BalakH1111
Cross-references for Numbers 22:7
- 1 Samuel 9:7Then Saul said to his servant, “But look, if we go [to see him], what shall we bring to the man? For the bread from our sacks is gone and there is no gift to bring to the man of God. What do we have [to offer]?”
- Isaiah 56:11And the dogs are greedy; they never have enough. They are shepherds who have no understanding; They have all turned to their own way, Each one to his unlawful gain, without exception.
- Ezekiel 13:19You have profaned Me among My people [in payment] for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, killing people who should not die and giving [a guarantee of] life to those who should not live, because of your lies to My people who pay attention to lies.” ’ ”
- Micah 3:11Her leaders pronounce judgment for a bribe, Her priests teach for a fee, And her prophets foretell for money; Yet they lean on the Lord, saying, “Is not the Lord among us? No tragedy or distress will come on us.”
- Romans 16:18For such people do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites and base desires. By smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting [the innocent and the naive].
- 1 Timothy 6:9But those who [are not financially ethical and] crave to get rich [with a compulsive, greedy longing for wealth] fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction [leading to personal misery].
- 2 Peter 2:15Abandoning the straight road [that is, the right way to live], they have gone astray; they have followed the way of [the false teacher] Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the reward of wickedness;
- Jude 1:11Woe to them! For they have gone the [defiant] way of Cain, and for profit they have run headlong into the error of Balaam, and perished in the rebellion of [mutinous] Korah.
Commentaries on Numbers 22:7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7The rewards of divination - Whoever went to consult a prophet took with him a present, as it was on such gratuitous offerings the prophets lived; but here more than a mere present is intended, perhaps every thing necessary to provide materials for the incantation. The drugs, etc., used on such occasions were often very expensive. It appears that Balaam was very covetous, and that he loved the wages of unrighteousness, and probably lived by it; see 2 Peter…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7Rewards of divination - Rightly interpreted in 2 Peter 2:15 as “the wages of unrighteousness.”Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7departed with the fees for divination in hand: Balaam was a professional diviner and could demand a high payment for his services (22:7, 17–18; compare 1 Samuel 9:7–8; 2 Kings 8:7–9).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 77. the elders of Moab and ... of Midian departed with the rewards of divination--like the fee of a fortune teller, and being a royal present, it would be something handsome.Read the comment
Topics related to Numbers 22:7
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Numbers 22
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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