New Living Translation
Numbers 23:26
26But Balaam replied to Balak, “Didn’t I tell you that I can do only what the Lord tells me?”
Numbers 23:26 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But Balaam answered and said unto Balak, Told not I thee, saying, All that the Lord speaketh, that I must do?
- New International Version (NIV)Balaam answered, “Did I not tell you I must do whatever the Lord says?”
- English Standard Version (ESV)But Balaam answered Balak, "Did I not tell you, 'All that the Lord says, that I must do'?"
- New King James Version (NKJV)So Balaam answered and said to Balak, “Did I not tell you, saying, ‘All that the Lord speaks, that I must do’?”
Context of Numbers 23:26
24These people rise up like a lioness, like a majestic lion rousing itself. They refuse to rest until they have feasted on prey, drinking the blood of the slaughtered!” 25Then Balak said to Balaam, “Fine, but if you won’t curse them, at least don’t bless them!” But Balaam replied to Balak, “Didn’t I tell you that I can do only what the Lord tells me?” 27Then King Balak said to Balaam, “Come, I will take you to one more place. Perhaps it will please God to let you curse them from there.” 28So Balak took Balaam to the top of Mount Peor, overlooking the wasteland.
Read all of Numbers 23Numbers 23:26 word by word
וַיַּ֣עַן בִּלְעָ֔ם וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אֶל־בָּלָ֑ק הֲלֹ֗א דִּבַּ֤רְתִּי אֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר כֹּ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־יְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֹת֥וֹ אֶֽעֱשֶֽׂה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Numbers 23:26
- Numbers 23:12But Balaam replied, “I will speak only the message that the Lord puts in my mouth.”
- Numbers 22:18But 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.
- Numbers 24:12Balaam told Balak, “Don’t you remember what I told your messengers? I said,
- 1 Kings 22:14But Micaiah replied, “As surely as the Lord lives, I will say only what the Lord tells me to say.”
- 2 Chronicles 18:13But Micaiah replied, “As surely as the Lord lives, I will say only what my God says.”
- Acts 4:19But Peter and John replied, “Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him?
- Acts 5:29But Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than any human authority.
Commentaries on Numbers 23:26
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-30Verses 11-30 Balak was angry with Balaam. Thus a confession of God's overruling power is extorted from a wicked prophet, to the confusion of a wicked prince. A second time the curse is turned into a blessing; and this blessing is both larger and stronger than the former. Men change their minds, and break their words; but God never changes his mind, and therefore never recalls his promise. And when in Scripture he is said to repent, it does not mean any…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 13-26Balak hoped for different results by changing the location. The exact location of the plateau of Zophim on Pisgah Peak is unknown. Yet, Pisgah is part of the ridge that is above the plains of Moab (Deuteronomy 34:1). It is near Bamoth-baal and Mount Peor (Numbers 22:41; 23:28).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2626. All that the Lord speaketh, that I must do--a remarkable confession that he was divinely constrained to give utterances different from what it was his purpose and inclination to do.Read the comment
Topics related to Numbers 23:26
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Numbers 23
- 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 Living Translation — © 1996, 2004, 2015 Tyndale House Foundation
Commentaries