New English Translation
Numbers 22:20
20God came to Balaam that night, and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, get up and go with them; but the word that I will say to you, that you must do.”
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, “Even if Balak would give me his palace full of silver and gold, I could not transgress the commandment of the Lord my God to do less or more. 19Now therefore, please stay the night here also, that I may know what more the Lord might say to me.” God came to Balaam that night, and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, get up and go with them; but the word that I will say to you, that you must do.” 21So Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab. 22Then God’s anger was kindled because he went, and the angel of the Lord stood in the road to oppose him. Now he was riding on his donkey and his two servants were with him.
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 22:9And God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?”
- 1 Samuel 8:5They said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons don’t follow your ways. So now appoint over us a king to lead us, just like all the other nations have.”
- 1 Samuel 12:12“When you saw that King Nahash of the Ammonites was advancing against you, you said to me, ‘No! A king will rule over us’ – even though the Lord your God is your king!
- Psalms 81:12I gave them over to their stubborn desires; they did what seemed right to them.
- Ezekiel 14:2The word of the Lord came to me:
- 2 Thessalonians 2:9The arrival of the lawless one will be by Satan’s working with all kinds of miracles and signs and false wonders,
- Numbers 22:35But the angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but you may only speak the word that I will speak to you.” So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.
- Numbers 23:12Balaam replied, “Must I not be careful to speak what the Lord has put in my mouth?”
- Numbers 24:13‘If Balak would give me his palace full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the Lord to do either good or evil of my own will, but whatever the Lord tells me I must speak’?
- Psalms 33:10The Lord frustrates the decisions of the nations; he nullifies the plans of the peoples.
- Psalms 78:30They were not yet filled up, their food was still in their mouths,
- Isaiah 37:29Because you rage against me and the uproar you create has reached my ears, I will put my hook in your nose, and my bridle between your lips, and I will lead you back the way you came.”
- Hosea 13:11I granted you a king in my anger, and I will take 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
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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