New King James Version
Numbers 22:34
34And 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.”
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 Living Translation (NLT)Then Balaam confessed to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned. I didn’t realize you were standing in the road to block my way. I will return home if you are against my going.”
Context of Numbers 22:34
32And the Angel of the Lord said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to stand against you, because your way is perverse before Me. 33The donkey saw Me and turned aside from Me these three times. If she had not turned aside from Me, surely I would also have killed you by now, and let her live.” 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.” 35Then the Angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but only the word that I speak to you, that you shall speak.” So Balaam went with the princes of Balak. 36Now when Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the city of Moab, which is on the border at the Arnon, the boundary of the 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 9:27And Pharaoh sent and called for Moses and Aaron, and said to them, “I have sinned this time. The Lord is righteous, and my people and I are wicked.
- Exodus 10:16Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste, 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 transgressed the commandment of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.
- 1 Samuel 24:17Then he said to David: “You are more righteous than I; for you have rewarded me with good, whereas I have rewarded you with evil.
- 1 Samuel 26:21Then Saul said, “I have sinned. Return, my son David. For I will harm you no more, because my life was precious in your eyes this day. Indeed I have played the fool and erred exceedingly.”
- 2 Samuel 12:13So David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die.
- Job 34:31“For has anyone said to God, ‘I have borne chastening; I will offend no more;
- Psalms 78:34When He slew them, then they sought Him; And they returned and sought earnestly for God.
- Matthew 27:4saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” And they said, “What is that to us? You see to it!”
- Numbers 22:12And God said to Balaam, “You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.”
- Numbers 11:1Now when the people complained, it displeased the Lord; for the Lord heard it, and His anger was aroused. So the fire of the Lord burned among them, and consumed some in the outskirts of the camp.
- 1 Chronicles 21:7And God was displeased with this thing; therefore He struck Israel.
- Proverbs 24:18Lest the Lord see it, and it displease Him, And He turn away His wrath 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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries