Numbers 23:5

Numbers 23:5 in other versions

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

Context of Numbers 23:5

3“Stay here by your burnt offering while I am gone,” Balaam said to Balak. “Perhaps the LORD will meet with me. And whatever He reveals to me, I will tell you.” So Balaam went off to a barren height, 4and God met with him. “I have set up seven altars,” Balaam said, “and on each altar I have offered a bull and a ram.” Then the LORD put a message in Balaam’s mouth, saying, “Return to Balak and give him this message.” 6So he returned to Balak, who was standing there beside his burnt offering, with all the princes of Moab. 7And Balaam lifted up an oracle, saying: “Balak brought me from Aram, the king of Moab from the mountains of the east. ‘Come,’ he said, ‘put a curse on Jacob for me; come and denounce Israel!’

Numbers 23:5 word by word

וַיָּ֧שֶׂם יְהוָ֛ה דָּבָ֖ר בְּפִ֣י בִלְעָ֑ם וַיֹּ֛אמֶר שׁ֥וּב אֶל־בָּלָ֖ק וְכֹ֥ה תְדַבֵּֽר׃Read the interlinear

• Then the LORDיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• putשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: putH7760
• a messageדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
• in Balaam’sבִּלְעָםbil‛âm · BalaamH1109
• mouthפֶּהpeh · lipH6310
• sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Returnשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
• toאֶל'êl 'el · to(wards)H413
• Balakבָּלָקbâlâq · BalakH1111
• andכֹּהkôh · thusH3541
• give him this messageדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696

Cross-references for Numbers 23:5

• Numbers 23:16And the LORD met with Balaam and put a message in his mouth, saying, “Return to Balak and speak what I tell you.”
• Numbers 22:35But the angel of the LORD said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but you are to speak only what I tell you.” So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.
• Deuteronomy 18:18I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. I will put My words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him.
• Proverbs 16:1The plans of the heart belong to man, but the reply of the tongue is from the LORD.
• Isaiah 51:16I have put My words in your mouth, and covered you with the shadow of My hand, to establish the heavens, to found the earth, and to say to Zion, ‘You are My people.’”
• Isaiah 59:21“As for Me, this is My covenant with them,” says the LORD. “My Spirit will not depart from you, and My words that I have put in your mouth will not depart from your mouth or from the mouths of your children and grandchildren, from now on and forevermore,” says the LORD.
• Jeremiah 1:9Then the LORD reached out His hand, touched my mouth, and said to me: “Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.
• Luke 12:12For at that time the Holy Spirit will teach you what you should say.”
• John 11:51Caiaphas did not say this on his own. Instead, as high priest that year, he was prophesying that Jesus would die for the nation,

Commentaries on Numbers 23:5

• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-30As a diviner, Balaam carried out rituals to look for signs about the future of Israel (compare 23:23; 24:1). Balak had called him to curse Israel, but God repeatedly stopped him. These sacrifices might have related to extispicy. This was the practice of examining animal livers or other organs to predict the future. Ancient Near Eastern texts show that this fortune-telling method was common and well-developed. God had forbidden Israel from such practices…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 4-64-6. God met Balaam--not in compliance with his incantations, but to frustrate his wicked designs and compel him, contrary to his desires and interests, to pronounce the following benediction [Nu 23:8-10].Read the comment

Topics related to Numbers 23:5

• Prophets

In the dictionaries

• Count
• Abel-Shittim
• Balaam
• 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