Numbers 22:7
5 he sent messengers to Balaam son of Beor at Pethor, which is by the Euphrates in the land of his people. “Behold, a people has come out of Egypt,” said Balak. “They cover the face of the land and have settled next to me.
6 So please come now and put a curse on this people, because they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I may be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land; for I know that those you bless are blessed, and those you curse are cursed.”
The elders of Moab and Midian departed with the fees for divination in hand. They came to Balaam and relayed to him the words of Balak.
8 “Spend the night here,” Balaam replied, “and I will give you the answer that the LORD speaks to me.” So the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam.
9 Then God came to Balaam and asked, “Who are these men with you?”
Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- The elders of Moab and Midian departed with the fees for divination in hand. They came to Balaam and relayed to him the words of Balak.
- 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.
- WEB
- The elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand. They came to Balaam, and spoke to him the words of Balak.
- ASV
- 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.
- DARBY
- And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed, having the rewards of divination in their hand. And they came to Balaam, and spoke to him the words of Balak.
- BLB
- And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the diviner’s fee in their hands. And they came to Balaam and spoke to him the words of Balak.
- ÅB
- Og Moabs eldste dro avsted sammen med Midians eldste og hadde spåmannslønn med seg; og de kom til Bileam og bar fram Balaks ord til ham.
- OTB
- De eldste i Moab og Midjan dro av sted, og de tok med seg betaling for spådomskunst. Da de kom til Bileam, overbrakte de Balaks budskap til ham.
- B1930
- Og Moabs eldste drog avsted sammen med Midians eldste og hadde spåmannslønn med sig; og de kom til Bileam og bar frem Balaks ord til ham.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Micah 3:11
Her leaders judge for a bribe, her priests teach for a price, and her prophets practice divination for money. Yet they lean upon the LORD, saying, “Is not the LORD among us? No disaster can come upon us.”
Read in context1 Samuel 9:7–8
“If we do go,” Saul replied, “what can we give the man? For the bread in our packs is gone, and there is no gift to take to the man of God. What do we have?”
Read in context2 Peter 2:15
They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness.
Read in contextIsaiah 56:11
Like ravenous dogs, they are never satisfied. They are shepherds with no discernment; they all turn to their own way, each one seeking his own gain:
Read in context1 Timothy 6:9–10
Those who want to be rich, however, fall into temptation and become ensnared by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction.
Read in contextRomans 16:18
For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.
Read in contextTitus 1:11
who must be silenced. For the sake of dishonorable gain, they undermine entire households and teach things they should not.
Read in contextNumbers 24:1
And when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not resort to sorcery as on previous occasions, but he turned his face toward the wilderness.
Read in context