Numbers 22:20

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

18Balaam replied to the servants of Balak, “Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything, either small or great, contrary to the command of the Lord my God. 19Now please, you also stay here tonight, and I will find out what else the Lord will speak to me.” God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, rise up and go with them; but only the word which I speak to you shall you do.” 21So Balaam arose in the morning, and saddled his donkey and went with the leaders of Moab. 22But God was angry because he was going, and the angel of the Lord took his stand in the way as an adversary against him. Now he was riding on his donkey and his two servants were with him.

Numbers 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

• Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• to Balaamבִּלְעָםbil‛âm · BalaamH1109
• at nightלַ֫יְלָהlayil lêyl layelâh · nightH3915
• and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• to him, “Ifאִם'im · ifH518
• the menאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• to callקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call toH7121
• you, riseקוּםqûm · to arise: riseH6965
• goהָלַךְhâlak · to go: wentH1980
• onlyאַךְ'ak · surelyH389
• the wordדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
• whichאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
• I speakדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
• to you shall you doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213

Cross-references for Numbers 22:20

• Numbers 22:9Then God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?”
• 1 Samuel 8:5and they said to him, “Behold, you have grown old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint a king for us to judge us like all the nations.”
• 1 Samuel 12:12When you saw that Nahash the king of the sons of Ammon came against you, you said to me, ‘No, but a king shall reign over us,’ although the Lord your God was your king.
• Psalms 81:12So I gave them over to the stubbornness of their heart, To walk in their own devices.
• Ezekiel 14:2And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
• 2 Thessalonians 2:9that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders,
• Numbers 22:35But the angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but you shall speak only the word which I tell you.” So Balaam went along with the leaders of Balak.
• Numbers 23:12He replied, “Must I not be careful to speak what the Lord puts in my mouth?”
• Numbers 24:13‘Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything contrary to the command of the Lord, either good or bad, of my own accord. What the Lord speaks, that I will speak’?
• Psalms 33:10The Lord nullifies the counsel of the nations; He frustrates the plans of the peoples.
• Psalms 78:30Before they had satisfied their desire, While their food was in their mouths,
• Isaiah 37:29Because of your raging against Me And because your arrogance has come up to My ears, Therefore I will put My hook in your nose And My bridle in your lips, And I will turn you back by the way which you came.
• Hosea 13:11I gave you a king in My anger And took him away in My wrath.

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

• Temptation

In the dictionaries

• Balaam
• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Crush
• Curse
• Lick
• Promote
• Abel-Shittim
• Angel
• Ass

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