God’s Word Translation
Numbers 22:37
37Balak said to Balaam, “Why didn’t you come when I summoned you? You knew I’d be able to reward you.”
Numbers 22:37 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Balak said unto Balaam, Did I not earnestly send unto thee to call thee? wherefore camest thou not unto me? am I not able indeed to promote thee to honour?
- New International Version (NIV)Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not send you an urgent summons? Why didn’t you come to me? Am I really not able to reward you?”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And Balak said to Balaam, "Did I not send to you to call you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not able to honor you?"
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not earnestly send to you, calling for you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not able to honor you?”
Context of Numbers 22:37
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. 36When Balak heard that Balaam had come, he went out to meet him at Ir Moab, in the region of the Arnon Valley, right on the border of Moab. Balak said to Balaam, “Why didn’t you come when I summoned you? You knew I’d be able to reward you.” 38Balaam replied, “Well, I’ve come to you now. But I can’t say whatever I want to. I can only say what God tells me to say.” 39Balaam went with Balak to Kiriath Huzoth.
Read all of Numbers 22Numbers 22:37 word by word
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר בָּלָ֜ק אֶל־בִּלְעָ֗ם הֲלֹא֩ שָׁלֹ֨חַ שָׁלַ֤חְתִּי אֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ לִקְרֹא־לָ֔ךְ לָ֥מָּה לֹא־הָלַ֖כְתָּ אֵלָ֑י הַֽאֻמְנָ֔ם לֹ֥א אוּכַ֖ל כַּבְּדֶֽךָ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Balakבָּלָקbâlâq · BalakH1111
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto Balaamבִּלְעָםbil‛âm · BalaamH1109
- Did I not earnestlyשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
- unto thee to callקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call toH7121
- thee? wherefore camestהָלַךְhâlak · to go: comeH1980
- thou not unto me? am I not ableיָכֹלyâkôl yâkôl · be ableH3201
- indeedאֻמְנָם'ûmnâm · trulyH552
- to promote thee to honourכָּבֵדkâbad kâbêd · to honor: honourH3513
Cross-references for Numbers 22:37
- Numbers 22:16When they came to Balaam, they said to him, “This is what Balak, son of Zippor, says: Don’t let anything keep you from coming to me.
- Numbers 24:11Get out of here! Go home! I said I’d reward you richly, but the Lord has made you lose your reward.”
- Psalms 75:6The ⌞authority⌟ to reward someone does not ⌞come⌟ from the east, from the west, or ⌞even⌟ from the wilderness.
- Matthew 4:8Once more the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms in the world and their glory.
- Luke 4:6The devil said to him, “I will give you all the power and glory of these kingdoms. All of it has been given to me, and I give it to anyone I please.
- John 5:44How can you believe when you accept each other’s praise and don’t look for the praise that comes from the only God?
Commentaries on Numbers 22:37
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 36-41Verses 36-41 Balak has now nothing to complain of, but that Balaam did not come sooner. Balaam bids Balak not depend too much upon him. He seems to speak with vexation; but is really as desirous to please Balak, as ever he had pretended to be to please God. See what need we have to pray every day, Our Father which art in heaven, lead us not into temptation. Let us be jealous over our own hearts, seeing how far men may go in the knowledge of God, and yet…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 37Balak thought Balaam did not understand how urgent the situation was nor how great the offered payment.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 36-3736-37. when Balak heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him--Politeness requires that the higher the rank of the expected guest, greater distance is to be gone to welcome his arrival.Read the comment
Topics related to Numbers 22:37
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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