Numbers 22:20

Numbers 22:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men come to call thee, rise up, and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do.
• New International Version (NIV)That night God came to Balaam and said, “Since these men have come to summon you, go with them, but do only what I tell you.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)And God came to Balaam at night and said to him, "If the men have come to call you, rise, go with them; but only do what I tell you."
• New King James Version (NKJV)And God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “If the men come to call you, rise and go with them; but only the word which I speak to you—that you shall do.”

Context of Numbers 22:20

18Balaam said to them, ‘No, I will only do what the Lord tells me. I can do no more than that, and no less. Even if Balak gives me his house, all his gold and all his silver, I will only do what the Lord says. 19Stay here tonight, as the other men did. I will talk to the Lord and see if he has anything more to tell me.’ That night, God said to Balaam, ‘These men have asked you to go with them, so go with them. But only do what I tell you.’ 21In the morning, Balaam prepared his donkey to travel. He went with the officers to Moab. 22God was angry because Balaam went with the men. The angel of the Lord stood on the road to stop Balaam. Balaam was riding on his donkey and his two servants were with him.

Numbers 22:20 word by word

וַיָּבֹ֨א אֱלֹהִ֥ים׀ אֶל־בִּלְעָם֮ לַיְלָה֒ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֗וֹ אִם־לִקְרֹ֤א לְךָ֙ בָּ֣אוּ הָאֲנָשִׁ֔ים ק֖וּם לֵ֣ךְ אִתָּ֑ם וְאַ֗ךְ אֶת־הַדָּבָ֛ר אֲשֶׁר־אֲדַבֵּ֥ר אֵלֶ֖יךָ אֹת֥וֹ תַעֲשֶֽׂה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• unto Balaamבִּלְעָםbil‛âm · BalaamH1109
• at nightלַ֫יְלָהlayil lêyl layelâh · nightH3915
• and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• unto him, If the menאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
• to callקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call toH7121
• thee, rise upקוּםqûm · to arise: riseH6965
• goיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
• with them; but yetאַךְ'ak · surelyH389
• the wordדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
• which I shall sayדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
• unto thee, that shalt thou doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213

Cross-references for Numbers 22:20

• Numbers 22:9Then God came to Balaam and he asked, ‘Who are these men who are staying with you?’
• 1 Samuel 8:5They said to him, ‘You are old. Your sons do not live in the way that you have done. All the other nations have kings to lead them. So choose a king to rule over us, like they have.’
• 1 Samuel 12:12But then you saw that Nahash, the king of the Ammonites, was coming to attack you. So you said to me, “Now we want a king to rule over us.” You forgot that the Lord your God is your king.
• Psalms 81:12So I let them follow their own proud ideas. They could do whatever they wanted to do.
• Ezekiel 14:2Then the Lord gave this message to me:
• 2 Thessalonians 2:9When the enemy of God appears, he will be doing Satan's work. Satan will give him the power to do great things and miracles that are false.
• Numbers 22:35But the angel of the Lord said to Balaam, ‘Go with the men. But you must say only the words that I will tell you.’ So Balaam went with Balak's officers.
• Numbers 23:12Balaam answered, ‘I can only speak the message that the Lord has told me.’
• Numbers 24:13I told them, “I can only speak the message that the Lord tells me. I cannot do good things or bad things just because I want to do them. Even if Balak gives his palace full of silver and gold to me, I cannot do anything different. I have to obey the Lord's command.”
• Psalms 33:10Nations decide what they want to do, but the Lord causes their plans to be useless.
• Psalms 78:30But God became very angry with them, even before they had finished eating. While the food was still in their mouths, he killed the strongest men among them. Many of the best young Israelite men died.
• Isaiah 37:29Yes, you do shout at me! And I have heard all your proud noise. So I will put my hook in your nose. I will tie a rope to your mouth. Then I will pull you back home by the same way that you came.”
• Hosea 13:11I was angry, but I agreed to give you a king. Now I am even more angry and I will take your king away!

Commentaries on Numbers 22:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20If the men come - go with them - This is a confirmation of what was observed on the twelfth verse; though we find his going was marked with the Divine displeasure, because he wished, for the sake of the honors and rewards, to fulfill as far as possible the will of the king of Moab. Mr. Shuckford observes that the pronoun הוא hu is sometimes used to denote a person's doing a thing out of his own head, without regard to the directions of another. Thus in…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-21Verses 15-21 A second embassy was sent to Balaam. It were well for us, if we were as earnest and constant in prosecuting a good work, notwithstanding disappointments. Balak laid a bait, not only for Balaam's covetousness, but for his pride and ambition. How earnestly should we beg of God daily to mortify such desires in us! Thus sinners stick at no pains, spare no cost, and care not how low they stoop, to gratify their luxury, or their malice. Shall we…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 19-20Balaam agreed to ask about the Lord's wishes once more. God allowed him to go with Balak’s representatives but warned him to follow God's commands exactly (see 22:35).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 19-2019-20. tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the Lord will say unto me more--The divine will, as formerly declared, not being according to his desires, he hoped by a second request to bend it, as he had already bent his own conscience, to his ruling passions of pride and covetousness. The permission granted to Balaam is in accordance with the ordinary procedure of Providence. God often gives up men to follow the impulse of their own lusts…Read the comment

Topics related to Numbers 22:20

• Temptation

In the dictionaries

• Balaam
• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Crush
• Curse
• Lick
• Promote
• Abel-Shittim
• Angel
• Ass

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