Numbers 23:18
16 And the LORD met with Balaam and put a message in his mouth, saying, “Return to Balak and speak what I tell you.”
17 So he returned to Balak, who was standing there by his burnt offering with the princes of Moab. “What did the LORD say?” Balak asked.
Then Balaam lifted up an oracle, saying: “Arise, O Balak, and listen; give ear to me, O son of Zippor.
19 God is not a man, that He should lie, or a son of man, that He should change His mind. Does He speak and not act? Does He promise and not fulfill?
20 I have indeed received a command to bless; He has blessed, and I cannot change it.
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
- Then Balaam lifted up an oracle, saying: “Arise, O Balak, and listen; give ear to me, O son of Zippor.
- KJV
- And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor:
- WEB
- He took up his parable, and said, “Rise up, Balak, and hear! Listen to me, you son of Zippor.
- ASV
- And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; Hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor:
- DARBY
- Then he took up his parable and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear! hearken unto me, son of Zippor!
- BLB
- And he lifted up his oracle and said, “Rise up, O Balak, and hear; give ear to me, O son of Zippor!
- ÅB
- Da tok han til å kvede og sa: Stå opp, Balak, og hør! Lytt til meg, du Sippors sønn!
- OTB
- Bileam leverte sitt budskap: «Reis deg, Balak, og lytt; hør meg, Sippors sønn.
- B1930
- Da tok han til å kvede og sa: Stå op, Balak, og hør! Lytt til mig, du Sippors sønn!
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Judges 3:20
Then Ehud approached him while he was sitting alone in the coolness of his upper room. “I have a word from God for you,” Ehud said, and the king rose from his seat.
Read in context