Numbers 23:19

Numbers 23:19 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?
• New International Version (NIV)God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?
• New King James Version (NKJV)“God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?
• New Living Translation (NLT)God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?

Context of Numbers 23:19

17And he came to him, and behold, he was standing beside his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said to him, "What has the Lord spoken?" 18And Balaam took up his discourse and said, "Rise, Balak, and hear; give ear to me, O son of Zippor: God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it? 20Behold, I received a command to bless: he has blessed, and I cannot revoke it. 21He has not beheld misfortune in Jacob, nor has he seen trouble in Israel. The Lord their God is with them, and the shout of a king is among them.

Numbers 23:19 word by word

לֹ֣א אִ֥ישׁ אֵל֙ וִֽיכַזֵּ֔ב וּבֶן־אָדָ֖ם וְיִתְנֶחָ֑ם הַה֤וּא אָמַר֙ וְלֹ֣א יַעֲשֶׂ֔ה וְדִבֶּ֖ר וְלֹ֥א יְקִימֶֽנָּה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Godאֵל'êl · GodH410
• not a manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• that he should lieכָּזַבkâzab · to lieH3576
• neither the sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• of manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
• that he should repentנָחַםnâcham · to be sorry: relentH5162
• hath he saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• and shall he not doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• or hath he spokenדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
• and shall he not make it goodקוּםqûm · to arise: establishH6965

Cross-references for Numbers 23:19

• 1 Samuel 15:29And also the Glory of Israel will not lie or have regret, for he is not a man, that he should have regret."
• Psalms 89:35Once for all I have sworn by my holiness; I will not lie to David.
• Habakkuk 2:3For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.
• Malachi 3:6"For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.
• Luke 21:33Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
• Romans 11:29For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
• Hebrews 6:18so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.
• James 1:17Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
• 1 Chronicles 17:17And this was a small thing in your eyes, O God. You have also spoken of your servant's house for a great while to come, and have shown me future generations, O Lord God!
• Micah 7:20You will show faithfulness to Jacob and steadfast love to Abraham, as you have sworn to our fathers from the days of old.

Commentaries on Numbers 23:19

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 19God is not a man, that he should lie - This seems to be spoken to correct the foregoing supposition of Balak that God could change his mind. Even the heathen would not allow that their supreme god could be caught in a falsity. Hence Aeschylus, in Prometh. vinct. 1068: - , . "The mouth of Jove knows not to frame a lie; But every word finds full accomplishment."Read the comment
• 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. 19Because God is faithful and always keeps his word, Balaam had no choice but to bless Israel. He could not speak against them because God had decided to bless them.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 18-1918-19. Rise up--As Balak was already standing (Nu 23:17), this expression is equivalent to "now attend to me." The counsels and promises of God respecting Israel are unchangeable; and no attempt to prevail on Him to reverse them will succeed, as they may with a man.Read the comment

Topics related to Numbers 23:19

• God Continued...
• Pisgah
• Truth

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Son of man
• Count
• Abel-Shittim
• Anthropology
• Balaam
• Balak
• Charm
• Divination

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