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

14Balak took Balaam to the field of Zophim. It was at the top of Pisgah mountain. Balak built seven altars there. He offered a bull and a male sheep on each altar as sacrifices. 15Balaam said to Balak, ‘Stay here beside your burnt offering. I will go to meet with the Lord.’ The Lord met Balaam and told him the message that he should speak to Balak. He told Balaam to go and tell it to Balak. 17So Balaam went back to Balak. Balak and the Moabite officers were standing beside the burnt offerings. Balak asked Balaam, ‘What did the Lord say?’ 18Balaam spoke his message from God. He said, ‘Balak, son of Zippor, be ready! Listen carefully to me.

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 23:5God told Balaam the message that he should speak to Balak.
• 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 24:1Balaam realized that the Lord wanted to bless the Israelites. So he did not use magic again to find out what the Lord wanted him to do. Instead, he looked towards the 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