Christian Standard Bible
Numbers 22:7
7The elders of Moab and Midian departed with fees for divination in hand. They came to Balaam and reported Balak’s words to him.
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
5he sent messengers to Balaam son of Beor at Pethor, which is by the Euphrates in the land of his people. Balak said to him, “Look, a people has come out of Egypt; they cover the surface of the land and are living right across from me. 6Please come and put a curse on these people for me because they are more powerful than I am. I may be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land, for I know that those you bless are blessed and those you curse are cursed.” The elders of Moab and Midian departed with fees for divination in hand. They came to Balaam and reported Balak’s words to him. 8He said to them, “Spend the night here, and I will give you the answer the Lord tells me.” So the officials of Moab stayed with Balaam. 9Then God came to Balaam and asked, “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 9:7“Suppose we do go,” Saul said to his servant, “what do we take the man? The food from our packs is gone, and there’s no gift to take to the man of God. What do we have?”
- Isaiah 56:11These dogs have fierce appetites; they never have enough. And they are shepherds who have no discernment; all of them turn to their own way, every last one for his own profit.
- Ezekiel 13:19You profane me among my people for handfuls of barley and scraps of bread; you put those to death who should not die and spare those who should not live, when you lie to my people, who listen to lies.
- Micah 3:11Her leaders issue rulings for a bribe, her priests teach for payment, and her prophets practice divination for silver. Yet they lean on the Lord, saying, “Isn’t the Lord among us? No disaster will overtake us.”
- Romans 16:18because such people do not serve our Lord Christ but their own appetites. They deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting with smooth talk and flattering words.
- 1 Timothy 6:9But those who want to be rich fall into temptation, a trap, and many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge people into ruin and destruction.
- 2 Peter 2:15They have gone astray by abandoning the straight path and have followed the path of Balaam, the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of wickedness
- Jude 1:11Woe to them! For they have gone the way of Cain, have plunged into Balaam’s error for profit, and have perished in Korah’s rebellion.
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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