Numbers 23:26

Numbers 23:26 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But Balaam answered and said unto Balak, Told not I thee, saying, All that the Lord speaketh, that I must do?
• New International Version (NIV)Balaam answered, “Did I not tell you I must do whatever the Lord says?”
• English Standard Version (ESV)But Balaam answered Balak, "Did I not tell you, 'All that the Lord says, that I must do'?"
• New King James Version (NKJV)So Balaam answered and said to Balak, “Did I not tell you, saying, ‘All that the Lord speaks, that I must do’?”

Context of Numbers 23:26

24The Israelites are like a strong lion. It eats the animals that it has killed. It does not rest until it has eaten as much as it wants. It also drinks their blood.’ 25Balak said to Balaam, ‘You do not have to curse the Israelites, but please do not bless them!’ Balaam replied, ‘I already told you, “I must do everything that the Lord tells me.” ’ 27Balak said to Balaam, ‘Let me take you to a different place. Perhaps God will let you curse the Israelites from that place.’ 28Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor mountain. From there they could look over the desert.

Numbers 23:26 word by word

וַיַּ֣עַן בִּלְעָ֔ם וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אֶל־בָּלָ֑ק הֲלֹ֗א דִּבַּ֤רְתִּי אֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר כֹּ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־יְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֹת֥וֹ אֶֽעֱשֶֽׂה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• But Balaamבִּלְעָםbil‛âm · BalaamH1109
• answeredעָנָה‛ânâh · to answerH6030
• and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• unto Balakבָּלָקbâlâq · BalakH1111
• Toldדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
• All that the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• that I must doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213

Cross-references for Numbers 23:26

• Numbers 23:12Balaam answered, ‘I can only speak the message that the Lord has told me.’
• Numbers 22:18Balaam 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.
• Numbers 24:12Balaam said to Balak, ‘I already said this to the men that you sent to bring me.
• 1 Kings 22:14But Micaiah said, ‘I can only speak what the Lord tells me to say. As surely as the Lord lives, that is what I must do.’
• 2 Chronicles 18:13But Micaiah said, ‘I can only speak what my God tells me to say. As surely as the Lord lives, that is what I must do.’
• Acts 4:19Then Peter and John replied to the leaders, ‘What do you think God wants us to do? Should we obey you? Or should we obey God? You decide!
• Acts 5:29Peter and the other apostles answered, ‘We must obey God rather than obey people.

Commentaries on Numbers 23:26

• 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. 2626. All that the Lord speaketh, that I must do--a remarkable confession that he was divinely constrained to give utterances different from what it was his purpose and inclination to do.Read the comment

Topics related to Numbers 23:26

• Prophets

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