New King James Version
Numbers 22:7
7So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the diviner’s fee in their hand, and they came to Balaam and spoke to him the words of Balak.
Numbers 22:7 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came unto Balaam, and spake unto him the words of Balak.
- New International Version (NIV)The elders of Moab and Midian left, taking with them the fee for divination. When they came to Balaam, they told him what Balak had said.
- English Standard Version (ESV)So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the fees for divination in their hand. And they came to Balaam and gave him Balak's message.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Balak’s messengers, who were elders of Moab and Midian, set out with money to pay Balaam to place a curse upon Israel. They went to Balaam and delivered Balak’s message to him.
Context of Numbers 22:7
5Then he sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor at Pethor, which is near the River in the land of the sons of his people, to call him, saying: “Look, a people has come from Egypt. See, they cover the face of the earth, and are settling next to me! 6Therefore please come at once, curse this people for me, for they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land, for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.” So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the diviner’s fee in their hand, and they came to Balaam and spoke to him the words of Balak. 8And he said to them, “Lodge here tonight, and I will bring back word to you, as the Lord speaks to me.” So the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam. 9Then God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?”
Read all of Numbers 22Numbers 22:7 word by word
וַיֵּ֨לְכ֜וּ זִקְנֵ֤י מוֹאָב֙ וְזִקְנֵ֣י מִדְיָ֔ן וּקְסָמִ֖ים בְּיָדָ֑ם וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ אֶל־בִּלְעָ֔ם וַיְדַבְּר֥וּ אֵלָ֖יו דִּבְרֵ֥י בָלָֽק׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And the eldersזָקֵןzâqên · old: elderH2205
- of Moabמוֹאָבmô'âb · MoabH4124
- of Midianמִדְיָןmidyân · MidianH4080
- departedיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
- with the rewards of divinationקֶ֫סֶםqesem · divinationH7081
- in their handיָדyâd · hand: powerH3027
- and they cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- unto Balaamבִּלְעָםbil‛âm · BalaamH1109
- and spakeדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
- unto him the wordsדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
- of Balakבָּלָקbâlâq · BalakH1111
Cross-references for Numbers 22:7
- 1 Samuel 9:7Then Saul said to his servant, “But look, if we go, what shall we bring the man? For the bread in our vessels is all gone, and there is no present to bring to the man of God. What do we have?”
- Isaiah 56:11Yes, they are greedy dogs Which never have enough. And they are shepherds Who cannot understand; They all look to their own way, Every one for his own gain, From his own territory.
- Ezekiel 13:19And will you profane Me among My people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, killing people who should not die, and keeping people alive who should not live, by your lying to My people who listen to lies?”
- Micah 3:11Her heads judge for a bribe, Her priests teach for pay, And her prophets divine for money. Yet they lean on the Lord, and say, “Is not the Lord among us? No harm can come upon us.”
- Romans 16:18For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple.
- 1 Timothy 6:9But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.
- 2 Peter 2:15They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
- Jude 1:11Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.
Commentaries on Numbers 22:7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7The rewards of divination - Whoever went to consult a prophet took with him a present, as it was on such gratuitous offerings the prophets lived; but here more than a mere present is intended, perhaps every thing necessary to provide materials for the incantation. The drugs, etc., used on such occasions were often very expensive. It appears that Balaam was very covetous, and that he loved the wages of unrighteousness, and probably lived by it; see 2 Peter…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7Rewards of divination - Rightly interpreted in 2 Peter 2:15 as “the wages of unrighteousness.”Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7departed with the fees for divination in hand: Balaam was a professional diviner and could demand a high payment for his services (22:7, 17–18; compare 1 Samuel 9:7–8; 2 Kings 8:7–9).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 77. the elders of Moab and ... of Midian departed with the rewards of divination--like the fee of a fortune teller, and being a royal present, it would be something handsome.Read the comment
Topics related to Numbers 22:7
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