Christian Standard Bible
Numbers 22:34
34Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned, for I did not know that you were standing in the path to confront me. And now, if it is evil in your sight, I will go back.”
Numbers 22:34 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Balaam said unto the angel of the Lord, I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease thee, I will get me back again.
- New International Version (NIV)Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned. I did not realize you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now if you are displeased, I will go back.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, "I have sinned, for I did not know that you stood in the road against me. Now therefore, if it is evil in your sight, I will turn back."
- New King James Version (NKJV)And Balaam said to the Angel of the Lord, “I have sinned, for I did not know You stood in the way against me. Now therefore, if it displeases You, I will turn back.”
Context of Numbers 22:34
32The angel of the Lord asked him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? Look, I came out to oppose you, because I consider what you are doing to be evil. 33The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she had not turned away from me, I would have killed you by now and let her live.” Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned, for I did not know that you were standing in the path to confront me. And now, if it is evil in your sight, I will go back.” 35Then the angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but you are to say only what I tell you.” So Balaam went with Balak’s officials. 36When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the Moabite city on the Arnon border at the edge of his territory.
Read all of Numbers 22Numbers 22:34 word by word
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר בִּלְעָ֜ם אֶל־מַלְאַ֤ךְ יְהוָה֙ חָטָ֔אתִי כִּ֚י לֹ֣א יָדַ֔עְתִּי כִּ֥י אַתָּ֛ה נִצָּ֥ב לִקְרָאתִ֖י בַּדָּ֑רֶךְ וְעַתָּ֛ה אִם־רַ֥ע בְּעֵינֶ֖יךָ אָשׁ֥וּבָה לִּֽי׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Balaamבִּלְעָםbil‛âm · BalaamH1109
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto the angelמַלְאָךְmal'âk · messenger: angelH4397
- of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- I have sinnedחָטָאchâţâ' · to sinH2398
- for I knewיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
- not that thou stoodestנָצַבnâtsab · to standH5324
- in the wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: roadH1870
- againstקִרְאָהqir'âh · befallH7125
- me: now therefore, if it displease theeעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eye: seeingH5869
- me: now therefore, if it displease theeרָעַעrâ‛a‛ · be evilH7489
- I will get me back againשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
Cross-references for Numbers 22:34
- Exodus 9:27Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron. “I have sinned this time,” he said to them. “The Lord is the righteous one, and I and my people are the guilty ones.
- Exodus 10:16Pharaoh urgently sent for Moses and Aaron and said, “I have sinned against the Lord your God and against you.
- 1 Samuel 15:24Saul answered Samuel, “I have sinned. I have transgressed the Lord’s command and your words. Because I was afraid of the people, I obeyed them.
- 1 Samuel 24:17and said to David, “You are more righteous than I, for you have done what is good to me though I have done what is evil to you.
- 1 Samuel 26:21Saul responded, “I have sinned. Come back, my son David, I will never harm you again because today you considered my life precious. I have been a fool! I’ve committed a grave error.”
- 2 Samuel 12:13David responded to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” Then Nathan replied to David, “And the Lord has taken away your sin; you will not die.
- Job 34:31Suppose someone says to God, “I have endured my punishment; I will no longer act wickedly.
- Psalms 78:34When he killed some of them, the rest began to seek him; they repented and searched for God.
- Matthew 27:4“I have sinned by betraying innocent blood,” he said. “What’s that to us?” they said. “See to it yourself!”
- Numbers 22:12Then God said to Balaam, “You are not to go with them. You are not to curse this people, for they are blessed.”
- Numbers 11:1Now the people began complaining openly before the Lord about hardship. When the Lord heard, his anger burned, and fire from the Lord blazed among them and consumed the outskirts of the camp.
- 1 Chronicles 21:7This command was also evil in God’s sight, so he afflicted Israel.
- Proverbs 24:18or the Lord will see, be displeased, and turn his wrath away from him.
Commentaries on Numbers 22:34
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 34If it displease thee, I will get me back again - Here is a proof, that though he loved the wages of unrighteousness, yet he still feared God; and he is now willing to drop the enterprise if God be displeased with his proceeding. The piety of many called Christians does not extend thus far; they see that the thing displeases God, and yet they proceed. Reader, is this thy case?Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 22-35Verses 22-35 We must not think, that because God does not always by his providence restrain men from sin, therefore he approves of it, or that it is not hateful to him. The holy angels oppose sin, and perhaps are employed in preventing it more than we are aware. This angel was an adversary to Balaam, because Balaam counted him his adversary; those are really our best friends, and we ought so to reckon them, who stop our progress in sinful ways. Balaam has…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 34I have sinned: Balaam admitted he was wrong. He realized that he had not seen the angel of the Lord standing in his way. He also had not understood the angel’s purpose. Balaam offered to turn back and not continue on the journey.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 34-3534-35. I have sinned ... if it displease thee, I will get me back again--Notwithstanding this confession, he evinced no spirit of penitence, as he speaks of desisting only from the outward act. The words "go with the men" was a mere withdrawal of further restraint, but the terms in which leave was given are more absolute and peremptory than those in Nu 22:20.Read the comment
Topics related to Numbers 22:34
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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