Revised Literal Translation
Numbers 23:19
19God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?
Numbers 23:19 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?
- New International Version (NIV)God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?
- English Standard Version (ESV)God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?
- New King James Version (NKJV)“God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?
Context of Numbers 23:19
17And when he came to him, behold, he stood by his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said unto him, What hath Yhwh spoken? 18And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor: God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? 20Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it. 21He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: Yhwh his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them.
Read all of Numbers 23Numbers 23:19 word by word
לֹ֣א אִ֥ישׁ אֵל֙ וִֽיכַזֵּ֔ב וּבֶן־אָדָ֖ם וְיִתְנֶחָ֑ם הַה֤וּא אָמַר֙ וְלֹ֣א יַעֲשֶׂ֔ה וְדִבֶּ֖ר וְלֹ֥א יְקִימֶֽנָּה׃Read the interlinear
- Godאֵל'êl · GodH410
- not a manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- that he should lieכָּזַבkâzab · to lieH3576
- neither the sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- of manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
- that he should repentנָחַםnâcham · to be sorry: relentH5162
- hath he saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- and shall he not doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- or hath he spokenדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
- and shall he not make it goodקוּםqûm · to arise: establishH6965
Cross-references for Numbers 23:19
- 1 Samuel 15:29And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent.
- Psalms 89:35Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David.
- Habakkuk 2:3For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.
- Malachi 3:6For I am Yhwh, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
- Luke 21:33Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.
- Romans 11:29For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
- Hebrews 6:18That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:
- James 1:17Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
- 1 Chronicles 17:17And yet this was a small thing in thine eyes, O God; for thou hast also spoken of thy servant’s house for a great while to come, and hast regarded me according to the estate of a man of high degree, O Yhwh God.
- Micah 7:20Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.
Commentaries on Numbers 23:19
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 19God is not a man, that he should lie - This seems to be spoken to correct the foregoing supposition of Balak that God could change his mind. Even the heathen would not allow that their supreme god could be caught in a falsity. Hence Aeschylus, in Prometh. vinct. 1068: - , . "The mouth of Jove knows not to frame a lie; But every word finds full accomplishment."Read the comment
- 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. 19Because God is faithful and always keeps his word, Balaam had no choice but to bless Israel. He could not speak against them because God had decided to bless them.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 18-1918-19. Rise up--As Balak was already standing (Nu 23:17), this expression is equivalent to "now attend to me." The counsels and promises of God respecting Israel are unchangeable; and no attempt to prevail on Him to reverse them will succeed, as they may with a man.Read the comment
Topics related to Numbers 23:19
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
Revised Literal Translation — © 2018 Michael W. Jones, Sr. — GPL
Commentaries