Numbers 23:16

Numbers 23:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And the Lord met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Go again unto Balak, and say thus.
• New International Version (NIV)The Lord met with Balaam and put a word in his mouth and said, “Go back to Balak and give him this word.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)And the Lord met Balaam and put a word in his mouth and said, "Return to Balak, and thus shall you speak."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then the Lord met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, “Go back to Balak, and thus you shall speak.”

Context of Numbers 23:16

14So he took Balaam to the field of Zophim to the top of [Mount] Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar. 15Balaam said to Balak, “Stand here beside your burnt offering while I go to meet the Lord over there.” Then the Lord met Balaam and put a speech in his mouth, and said, “Go back to Balak and you shall speak thus.” 17When Balaam returned to Balak, he was standing beside his burnt offering, and the leaders of Moab were with him. And Balak said to him, “What has the Lord spoken?” 18Balaam took up his [second] discourse (oracle) and said: “Rise up, O Balak, and hear; Listen [closely] to me, son of Zippor.

Numbers 23:16 word by word

וַיִּקָּ֤ר יְהוָה֙ אֶל־בִּלְעָ֔ם וַיָּ֥שֶׂם דָּבָ֖ר בְּפִ֑יו וַיֹּ֛אמֶר שׁ֥וּב אֶל־בָּלָ֖ק וְכֹ֥ה תְדַבֵּֽר׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• metקָרָהqârâh · to meetH7136
• Balaamבִּלְעָםbil‛âm · BalaamH1109
• and putשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: putH7760
• a wordדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
• in his mouthפֶּהpeh · lipH6310
• and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Go againשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
• unto Balakבָּלָקbâlâq · BalakH1111
• and sayדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696

Cross-references for Numbers 23:16

• Numbers 23:5Then the Lord put a speech in Balaam’s mouth, and said, “Return to Balak, and you shall speak thus.”
• Numbers 22:35The Angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but you shall speak only what I tell you.” So Balaam went along with the leaders of Balak.
• Numbers 24:1When Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not go as he had done each time before [superstitiously] to seek omens and signs [in the natural world], but he set his face toward the wilderness (desert).

Commentaries on Numbers 23:16

• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-30Verses 11-30 Balak was angry with Balaam. Thus a confession of God's overruling power is extorted from a wicked prophet, to the confusion of a wicked prince. A second time the curse is turned into a blessing; and this blessing is both larger and stronger than the former. Men change their minds, and break their words; but God never changes his mind, and therefore never recalls his promise. And when in Scripture he is said to repent, it does not mean any…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 13-26Balak hoped for different results by changing the location. The exact location of the plateau of Zophim on Pisgah Peak is unknown. Yet, Pisgah is part of the ridge that is above the plains of Moab (Deuteronomy 34:1). It is near Bamoth-baal and Mount Peor (Numbers 22:41; 23:28).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-301. Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars--Balak, being a heathen, would naturally suppose these altars were erected in honor of Baal, the patron deity of his country. It is evident, from Nu 23:4 that they were prepared for the worship of the true God; although in choosing the high places of Baal as their site and rearing a number of altars (2Ki 18:22; Is 17:8; Jr 11:13; Ho 8:11; 10:1), instead of one only, as God had appointed, Balaam blended…Read the comment

Topics related to Numbers 23:16

• Pisgah

In the dictionaries

• Balaam
• Count
• Abel-Shittim
• Balak
• Charm
• Divination
• Genealogy
• Magic; Magician
• Numbers, Book of
• Poetry, Hebrew

Commentaries on Numbers 23

• 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