New Living Translation
Numbers 22:20
20That night God came to Balaam and told him, “Since these men have come for you, get up and go with them. But do only what I tell you to 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
18But 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. 19But stay here one more night, and I will see if the Lord has anything else to say to me.” That night God came to Balaam and told him, “Since these men have come for you, get up and go with them. But do only what I tell you to do.” 21So the next morning Balaam got up, saddled his donkey, and started off with the Moabite officials. 22But God was angry that Balaam was going, so he sent the angel of the Lord to stand in the road to block his way. As Balaam and two servants were riding along,
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 22:9That night God came to Balaam and asked him, “Who are these men visiting you?”
- 1 Samuel 8:5“Look,” they told him, “you are now old, and your sons are not like you. Give us a king to judge us like all the other nations have.”
- 1 Samuel 12:12“But when you were afraid of Nahash, the king of Ammon, you came to me and said that you wanted a king to reign over you, even though the Lord your God was already your king.
- Psalms 81:12So I let them follow their own stubborn desires, living according to their own ideas.
- Ezekiel 14:2this message came to me from the Lord:
- 2 Thessalonians 2:9This man will come to do the work of Satan with counterfeit power and signs and miracles.
- Numbers 22:35But the angel of the Lord told Balaam, “Go with these men, but say only what I tell you to say.” So Balaam went on with Balak’s officials.
- Numbers 23:12But Balaam replied, “I will speak only the message that the Lord puts in my mouth.”
- Numbers 24:13‘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.’ I told you that I could say only what the Lord says!
- Psalms 33:10The Lord frustrates the plans of the nations and thwarts all their schemes.
- Psalms 78:30But before they satisfied their craving, while the meat was yet in their mouths,
- Isaiah 37:29And because of your raging against me and your arrogance, which I have heard for myself, I will put my hook in your nose and my bit in your mouth. I will make you return by the same road on which you came.”
- Hosea 13:11In my anger I gave you kings, and in my fury I took them away.
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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