New English Translation
Numbers 22:34
34Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned, for I did not know that you stood against me in the road. So now, if it is evil in your sight, I will go back home.”
Numbers 22:34 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Balaam said unto the angel of the Lord, I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease thee, I will get me back again.
- New International Version (NIV)Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned. I did not realize you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now if you are displeased, I will go back.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, "I have sinned, for I did not know that you stood in the road against me. Now therefore, if it is evil in your sight, I will turn back."
- New King James Version (NKJV)And Balaam said to the Angel of the Lord, “I have sinned, for I did not know You stood in the way against me. Now therefore, if it displeases You, I will turn back.”
Context of Numbers 22:34
32The angel of the Lord said to him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? Look, I came out to oppose you because what you are doing is perverse before me. 33The donkey saw me and turned from me these three times. If she had not turned from me, I would have killed you but saved her alive.” Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned, for I did not know that you stood against me in the road. So now, if it is evil in your sight, I will go back home.” 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. 36When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at a city of Moab which was on the border of the Arnon at the boundary of his territory.
Read all of Numbers 22Numbers 22:34 word by word
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר בִּלְעָ֜ם אֶל־מַלְאַ֤ךְ יְהוָה֙ חָטָ֔אתִי כִּ֚י לֹ֣א יָדַ֔עְתִּי כִּ֥י אַתָּ֛ה נִצָּ֥ב לִקְרָאתִ֖י בַּדָּ֑רֶךְ וְעַתָּ֛ה אִם־רַ֥ע בְּעֵינֶ֖יךָ אָשׁ֥וּבָה לִּֽי׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Balaamבִּלְעָםbil‛âm · BalaamH1109
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto the angelמַלְאָךְmal'âk · messenger: angelH4397
- of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- I have sinnedחָטָאchâţâ' · to sinH2398
- for I knewיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
- not that thou stoodestנָצַבnâtsab · to standH5324
- in the wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: roadH1870
- againstקִרְאָהqir'âh · befallH7125
- me: now therefore, if it displease theeעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eye: seeingH5869
- me: now therefore, if it displease theeרָעַעrâ‛a‛ · be evilH7489
- I will get me back againשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
Cross-references for Numbers 22:34
- Exodus 9:27So Pharaoh sent and summoned Moses and Aaron and said to them, “I have sinned this time! The Lord is righteous, and I and my people are guilty.
- Exodus 10:16Then Pharaoh quickly summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “I have sinned against the Lord your God and against you!
- 1 Samuel 15:24Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned, for I have disobeyed what the Lord commanded and what you said as well. For I was afraid of the army, and I followed their wishes.
- 1 Samuel 24:17He said to David, “You are more innocent than I, for you have treated me well, even though I have tried to harm you!
- 1 Samuel 26:21Saul replied, “I have sinned. Come back, my son David. I won’t harm you, for you treated my life with value this day. I have behaved foolishly and have made a very terrible mistake!”
- 2 Samuel 12:13Then David exclaimed to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord!” Nathan replied to David, “Yes, and the Lord has forgiven your sin. You are not going to die.
- Job 34:31“Has anyone said to God, ‘I have endured chastisement, but I will not act wrongly any more.
- Psalms 78:34When he struck them down, they sought his favor; they turned back and longed for God.
- Matthew 27:4saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood!” But they said, “What is that to us? You take care of it yourself!”
- Numbers 22:12But God said to Balaam, “You must not go with them; you must not curse the people, for they are blessed.”
- Numbers 11:1When the people complained, it displeased the Lord. When the Lord heard it, his anger burned, and so the fire of the Lord burned among them and consumed some of the outer parts of the camp.
- 1 Chronicles 21:7God was also offended by it, so he attacked Israel.
- Proverbs 24:18lest the Lord see it, and be displeased, and turn his wrath away from him.
Commentaries on Numbers 22:34
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 34If it displease thee, I will get me back again - Here is a proof, that though he loved the wages of unrighteousness, yet he still feared God; and he is now willing to drop the enterprise if God be displeased with his proceeding. The piety of many called Christians does not extend thus far; they see that the thing displeases God, and yet they proceed. Reader, is this thy case?Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 22-35Verses 22-35 We must not think, that because God does not always by his providence restrain men from sin, therefore he approves of it, or that it is not hateful to him. The holy angels oppose sin, and perhaps are employed in preventing it more than we are aware. This angel was an adversary to Balaam, because Balaam counted him his adversary; those are really our best friends, and we ought so to reckon them, who stop our progress in sinful ways. Balaam has…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 34I have sinned: Balaam admitted he was wrong. He realized that he had not seen the angel of the Lord standing in his way. He also had not understood the angel’s purpose. Balaam offered to turn back and not continue on the journey.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 34-3534-35. I have sinned ... if it displease thee, I will get me back again--Notwithstanding this confession, he evinced no spirit of penitence, as he speaks of desisting only from the outward act. The words "go with the men" was a mere withdrawal of further restraint, but the terms in which leave was given are more absolute and peremptory than those in Nu 22:20.Read the comment
Topics related to Numbers 22:34
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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