New King James Version
Numbers 22:18
18Then Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, “Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to do less or more.
Numbers 22:18 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to do less or more.
- New International Version (NIV)But Balaam answered them, “Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not do anything great or small to go beyond the command of the Lord my God.
- English Standard Version (ESV)But Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, "Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the command of the Lord my God to do less or more.
- New Living Translation (NLT)But Balaam responded to Balak’s messengers, “Even if Balak were to give me his palace filled with silver and gold, I would be powerless to do anything against the will of the Lord my God.
Context of Numbers 22:18
16And they came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak the son of Zippor: ‘Please let nothing hinder you from coming to me; 17for I will certainly honor you greatly, and I will do whatever you say to me. Therefore please come, curse this people for me.’ ” Then Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, “Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to do less or more. 19Now therefore, please, you also stay here tonight, that I may know what more the Lord will say to me.” 20And 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.”
Read all of Numbers 22Numbers 22:18 word by word
וַיַּ֣עַן בִּלְעָ֗ם וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֶל־עַבְדֵ֣י בָלָ֔ק אִם־יִתֶּן־לִ֥י בָלָ֛ק מְלֹ֥א בֵית֖וֹ כֶּ֣סֶף וְזָהָ֑ב לֹ֣א אוּכַ֗ל לַעֲבֹר֙ אֶת־פִּי֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהָ֔י לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת קְטַנָּ֖ה א֥וֹ גְדוֹלָֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Balaamבִּלְעָםbil‛âm · BalaamH1109
- answeredעָנָה‛ânâh · to answerH6030
- and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto the servantsעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
- of Balakבָּלָקbâlâq · BalakH1111
- would giveנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
- me his houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
- fullמְלֹאmelô' melô' melô · fullnessH4393
- of silverכֶּ֫סֶףkeseph · silver: moneyH3701
- and goldזָהָבzâhâb · goldH2091
- I cannotיָכֹלyâkôl yâkôl · be ableH3201
- go beyondעָבַר‛âbar · to pass: trespassH5674
- the wordפֶּהpeh · lip: wordH6310
- of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- my Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- to doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- lessקָטָןqâţân qâţôn · smallH6996
- or moreגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
Cross-references for Numbers 22:18
- Numbers 24:13‘If Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the word of the Lord, to do good or bad of my own will. What the Lord says, that I must speak’?
- Numbers 23:26So Balaam answered and said to Balak, “Did I not tell you, saying, ‘All that the Lord speaks, that I must do’?”
- 1 Kings 22:14And Micaiah said, “As the Lord lives, whatever the Lord says to me, that I will speak.”
- 2 Chronicles 18:13And Micaiah said, “As the Lord lives, whatever my God says, that I will speak.”
- Daniel 5:17Then Daniel answered, and said before the king, “Let your gifts be for yourself, and give your rewards to another; yet I will read the writing to the king, and make known to him the interpretation.
- Acts 8:20But Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money!
Commentaries on Numbers 22:18
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God - Balaam knew God too well to suppose he could reverse any of his purposes; and he respected him too much to attempt to do any thing without his permission. Though he was covetous, yet he dared not, even when strongly tempted both by riches and honors, to go contrary to the command of his God. Many make all the professions of Balaam, without justifying them by their conduct. "They pretend," says one, "they…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. 18Some people think Balaam answered the second group of messengers in a way that tried to gain a larger reward. They suggest that he wanted a more profitable offer. However, Balaam later said that he could not go beyond the command of the Lord, even for a great reward (24:13). This statement makes that view less likely. Instead, Balaam appeared determined to obey the Lord. He even called the Lord “my God,” which shows that he recognized the Lord’s authority.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-201. Israel ... pitched in the plains of Moab--so called from having formerly belonged to that people, though wrested from them by Sihon. It was a dry, sunken, desert region on the east of the Jordan valley, opposite Jericho.Read the comment
Topics related to Numbers 22:18
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries