Numbers 23:12
10 Who can count the dust of Jacob or number even a fourth of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous; let my end be like theirs!”
11 Then Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you here to curse my enemies, and behold, you have only blessed them!”
But Balaam replied, “Should I not speak exactly what the LORD puts in my mouth?”
13 Then Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place where you can see them. You will only see the outskirts of their camp—not all of them. And from there, curse them for me.”
14 So Balak took him to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, where he built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
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
- But Balaam replied, “Should I not speak exactly what the LORD puts in my mouth?”
- KJV
- And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD hath put in my mouth?
- WEB
- He answered and said, “Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD puts in my mouth?”
- ASV
- And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which Jehovah putteth in my mouth?
- DARBY
- And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which Jehovah puts in my mouth?
- BLB
- And he answered and said, “What YHWH has put in my mouth, is [it] not [that] I must guard [myself] to speak?”
- ÅB
- Men han svarte: Skulle jeg ikke akte på det Herren legger i min munn, og tale det?
- OTB
- Bileam svarte: «Må jeg ikke tale det som Herren har lagt i min munn?»
- B1930
- Men han svarte: Skulde jeg ikke akte på det Herren legger i min munn, og tale det?
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Numbers 22:38
“See, I have come to you,” Balaam replied, “but can I say just anything? I must speak only the word that God puts in my mouth.”
Read in contextNumbers 23:26
But Balaam replied, “Did I not tell you that whatever the LORD says, I must do?”
Read in contextNumbers 24:13
that even if Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything of my own accord, good or bad, to go beyond the command of the LORD? I will speak whatever the LORD says.
Read in contextProverbs 26:25
When he speaks graciously, do not believe him, for seven abominations fill his heart.
Read in contextNumbers 23:20
I have indeed received a command to bless; He has blessed, and I cannot change it.
Read in contextNumbers 22:20
That night God came to Balaam and said, “Since these men have come to summon you, get up and go with them, but you must only do what I tell you.”
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 1:16
They profess to know God, but by their actions they deny Him. They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good deed.
Read in context