Revised Webster's Bible
Numbers 22:18
18And Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more.
Numbers 22:18 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to do less or more.
- New International Version (NIV)But Balaam answered them, “Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not do anything great or small to go beyond the command of the Lord my God.
- English Standard Version (ESV)But Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, "Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the command of the Lord my God to do less or more.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, “Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to do less or more.
Context of Numbers 22:18
16And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming to me: 17For I will promote thee to very great honour, and I will do whatever thou sayest to me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse this people for me. And Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more. 19Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the LORD will say to me more. 20And God came to Balaam at night, and said to him, If the men come to call thee, rise, and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say to thee, that shalt thou perform.
Read all of Numbers 22Numbers 22:18 word by word
וַיַּ֣עַן בִּלְעָ֗ם וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֶל־עַבְדֵ֣י בָלָ֔ק אִם־יִתֶּן־לִ֥י בָלָ֛ק מְלֹ֥א בֵית֖וֹ כֶּ֣סֶף וְזָהָ֑ב לֹ֣א אוּכַ֗ל לַעֲבֹר֙ אֶת־פִּי֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהָ֔י לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת קְטַנָּ֖ה א֥וֹ גְדוֹלָֽה׃Read the interlinear
- Balaamבִּלְעָםbil‛âm · BalaamH1109
- answeredעָנָה‛ânâh · to answerH6030
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- servantsעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
- Balakבָּלָקbâlâq · BalakH1111
- giveנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
- houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
- fullמְלֹאmelô' melô' melô · fullnessH4393
- silverכֶּ֫סֶףkeseph · silver: moneyH3701
- goldזָהָבzâhâb · goldH2091
- notיָכֹלyâkôl yâkôl · be ableH3201
- beyondעָבַר‛âbar · to pass: trespassH5674
- wordפֶּהpeh · lip: wordH6310
- LORDיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- lessקָטָןqâţân qâţôn · smallH6996
- moreגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
Cross-references for Numbers 22:18
- Numbers 24:13If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the commandment of the LORD, to do either good or bad of my own mind; but what the LORD saith, that will I speak?
- Numbers 23:26But Balaam answered and said to Balak, Did I not tell thee, saying, All that the LORD speaketh, that I must do?
- 1 Kings 22:14And Micaiah said, As the LORD liveth, what the LORD saith to me, that will I speak.
- 2 Chronicles 18:13And Micaiah said, As the LORD liveth, even what my God saith, that will I speak.
- Daniel 5:17Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; yet I will read the writing to the king, and make known to him the interpretation.
- Acts 8:20But Peter said to him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.
Commentaries on Numbers 22:18
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God - Balaam knew God too well to suppose he could reverse any of his purposes; and he respected him too much to attempt to do any thing without his permission. Though he was covetous, yet he dared not, even when strongly tempted both by riches and honors, to go contrary to the command of his God. Many make all the professions of Balaam, without justifying them by their conduct. "They pretend," says one, "they…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. 18Some people think Balaam answered the second group of messengers in a way that tried to gain a larger reward. They suggest that he wanted a more profitable offer. However, Balaam later said that he could not go beyond the command of the Lord, even for a great reward (24:13). This statement makes that view less likely. Instead, Balaam appeared determined to obey the Lord. He even called the Lord “my God,” which shows that he recognized the Lord’s authority.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-201. Israel ... pitched in the plains of Moab--so called from having formerly belonged to that people, though wrested from them by Sihon. It was a dry, sunken, desert region on the east of the Jordan valley, opposite Jericho.Read the comment
Topics related to Numbers 22:18
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
Revised Webster's Bible — 1833 — Public Domain
Commentaries