God’s Word Translation
Numbers 22:20
20That night God came to Balaam and said, “If these men have come to summon you, go with them, but do only what I tell you.”
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
18But Balaam answered Balak’s servants, “Even if Balak gave me his palace filled with silver and gold, I couldn’t disobey the command of the Lord my God no matter whether the request was important or not. 19Now, why don’t you stay here tonight, as the others did, and I’ll find out what else the Lord may have to tell me.” That night God came to Balaam and said, “If these men have come to summon you, go with them, but do only what I tell you.” 21When Balaam got up in the morning, he saddled his donkey and left with the Moabite princes. 22God became angry that he was going. So the Messenger of the Lord stood in the road to stop him. Balaam was riding on his donkey, accompanied by his two servants.
Read all of Numbers 22Numbers 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 22:9God came to Balaam and asked, “Who are these men with you?”
- 1 Samuel 8:5They told him, “You’re old, and your sons aren’t following your example. Now appoint a king to judge us so that we will be like all the other nations.”
- 1 Samuel 12:12But when you saw King Nahash of Ammon coming to attack you, you told me, ‘No, a king should rule over us,’ though the Lord your God was your king.
- Psalms 81:12So I let them go their own stubborn ways and follow their own advice.
- Ezekiel 14:2Then the Lord spoke his word to me. He said,
- 2 Thessalonians 2:9The man of sin will come with the power of Satan. He will use every kind of power, including miraculous and wonderful signs. But they will be lies.
- Numbers 22:35The Messenger of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but say only what I tell you.” So Balaam went with Balak’s princes.
- Numbers 23:12Balaam answered, “I must say what the Lord tells me to say.”
- Numbers 24:13‘Even if Balak would give me his palace filled with silver and gold, I couldn’t disobey the Lord’s command no matter how good or bad the request might seem to me. I must say only what the Lord says.’
- Psalms 33:10The Lord blocks the plans of the nations. He frustrates the schemes of the people of the world.
- Psalms 78:30but they still wanted more. While the food was still in their mouths,
- Isaiah 37:29Since you rage against me and your boasting has reached my ears, I will put my hook in your nose and my bridle in your mouth. I will make you go back the way you came.
- Hosea 13:11I gave you a king when I was angry, and I took him away when I was furious.
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
In the dictionaries
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
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