Numbers 24:11

Numbers 24:11 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Therefore now flee thou to thy place: I thought to promote thee unto great honour; but, lo, the Lord hath kept thee back from honour.
• New International Version (NIV)Now leave at once and go home! I said I would reward you handsomely, but the Lord has kept you from being rewarded.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Therefore now flee to your own place. I said, 'I will certainly honor you,' but the Lord has held you back from honor."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now therefore, flee to your place. I said I would greatly honor you, but in fact, the Lord has kept you back from honor.”

Context of Numbers 24:11

9The Israelites are like a lion. When it is asleep, nobody is brave enough to wake it. God blesses those who bless you, Israel. And those who curse you are truly cursed.’ 10When Balaam said that, Balak became very angry with him. He hit his hands together and he said to Balaam, ‘I asked you to come here and to curse my enemies, the Israelites. But you have blessed them three times! So go home now. I said that I would pay you very well. But the Lord has stopped me from giving you anything.’ 12Balaam said to Balak, ‘I already said this to the men that you sent to bring me. 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.”

Numbers 24:11 word by word

וְעַתָּ֖ה בְּרַח־לְךָ֣ אֶל־מְקוֹמֶ֑ךָ אָמַ֙רְתִּי֙ כַּבֵּ֣ד אֲכַבֶּדְךָ֔ וְהִנֵּ֛ה מְנָעֲךָ֥ יְהוָ֖ה מִכָּבֽוֹד׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Therefore now fleeבָּרַחbârach · to fleeH1272
• thou to thy placeמָקוֹםmâqôm mâqôm meqômâh meqômâh · placeH4725
• I thoughtאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• to promoteכָּבֵדkâbad kâbêd · to honor: honourH3513
• but, lo, the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• hath kept thee backמָנַעmâna‛ · to withholdH4513
• from honourכָּבוֹדkâbôd kâbôd · gloryH3519

Cross-references for Numbers 24:11

• 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.

Commentaries on Numbers 24:11

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 11Lo, the Lord hath kept thee back from honor - A bitter and impious sarcasm. "Hadst thou cursed this people, I would have promoted thee to great honor; but thou hast chosen to follow the directions of Jehovah rather than mine, and what will he do for thee?"Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 10-14Verses 10-14 This vain attempt to curse Israel is ended. Balak broke out into a rage against Balaam, and expressed great vexation. Balaam has a very full excuse; God restrained him from saying what he would have said, and constrained him to say what he would not have uttered.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-14Unhappy with Balaam's blessing, Balak hoped a new location would change the outcome. Although the exact location of Mount Peor is unknown, it was probably near a worship site for Baal of Peor and the Beth-peor (compare 25:3, 5). See Deuteronomy 3:29; 34:6 for where they buried Moses.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 10-1410-14. Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together--The "smiting of the hands together" is, among Oriental people, an indication of the most violent rage (see Eze 21:17; 22:13) and ignominious dismissal.Read the comment

Topics related to Numbers 24:11

• Anger
• Sarcasm

In the dictionaries

• Advertise
• Coast
• Rise
• Tabernacle
• Abel-Shittim
• Balaam
• Balak
• Charm
• Divination
• Genealogy

Commentaries on Numbers 24

• 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