Numbers 24

Numbers · Chapter 24

Numbers 24:13

1And when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he went not, as at other times, to seek for enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness.2And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel abiding in his tents according to their tribes; and the spirit of God came upon him.3And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:4He hath said, which heard the words of God, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:5How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel!6As the valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the river’s side, as the trees of lign aloes which the LORD hath planted, and as cedar trees beside the waters.7He shall pour the water out of his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters, and his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted.8God brought him forth out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn: he shall eat up the nations his enemies, and shall break their bones, and pierce them through with his arrows.9He couched, he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion: who shall stir him up? Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee.10And Balak’s anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together: and Balak said unto Balaam, I called thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast altogether blessed them these three times.11Therefore now flee thou to thy place: I thought to promote thee unto great honour; but, lo, the LORD hath kept thee back from honour.12And Balaam said unto Balak, Spake I not also to thy messengers which thou sentest unto me, saying,13If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the LORD, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; but what the LORD saith, that will I speak?14And now, behold, I go unto my people: come therefore, and I will advertise thee what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days.15And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:16He hath said, which heard the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the most High, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:17I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.18And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly.19Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city.20And when he looked on Amalek, he took up his parable, and said, Amalek was the first of the nations; but his latter end shall be that he perish for ever.21And he looked on the Kenites, and took up his parable, and said, Strong is thy dwellingplace, and thou puttest thy nest in a rock.22Nevertheless the Kenite shall be wasted, until Asshur shall carry thee away captive.23And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God doeth this!24And ships shall come from the coast of Chittim, and shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber, and he also shall perish for ever.25And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place: and Balak also went his way.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
13If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the LORD, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; but what the LORD saith, that will I speak?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.If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of Jehovah, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; what Jehovah speaketh, that will I speak?

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
ifאִם־'im-H0518A
if

אִם (im) : if/whether_or/though 1) if 1a) conditional clauses 1a1) of possible situations 1a2) of impossible situations 1b) oath contexts 1b1) no, not 1c) if...if, whether...or, whether...or...or 1d) when, whenever 1e) since 1f) interrogative particle 1g) but rather

he will giveיִתֶּן־yi-ten-H5414G
to give: give

נָתַן (na.tan) : give/deliver/send/produce 1) to give, put, set 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to give, bestow, grant, permit, ascribe, employ, devote, consecrate, dedicate, pay wages, sell, exchange, lend, commit, entrust, give over, deliver up, yield produce, occasion, produce, requite to, report, mention, utter, stretch out, extend 1a2) to put, set, put on, put upon, set, appoint, assign, designate 1a3) to make, constitute 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be given, be bestowed, be provided, be entrusted to, be granted to, be permitted, be issued, be published, be uttered, be assigned 1b2) to be set, be put, be made, be inflicted …

Balakבָלָ֜קva-LAKH1111
Balak

בָּלָק (ba.laq) A man of the Moabites living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Num.22.2; son of: Zippor (H6834) Also named: Balak (Βαλάκ "Balak" G0904) § Balak = "devastator" a king of Moab who hired Balaam to curse Israel

[the] fullness ofמְלֹ֣אme-LO'H4393
fullness

מְלֹא (me.lo) 1) fulness, that which fills 1a) fulness, handful 1b) mass, multitude 1c) fulness, that which fills, entire contents 1d) full length, full line

house hisבֵיתוֹ֮vei-TOH1004B
to lodge

בִּית (but) (P'al) to pass the night, lodge Aramaic of ba.yit (בַּ֫יִת ": home" H1004B)

silverכֶּ֣סֶףKE-sefH3701G
silver: money

כֶּ֫סֶף (ke.seph) : money/payment/silver 1) silver, money 1a) silver 1a1) as metal 1a2) as ornament 1a3) as colour 1b) money, shekels, talents

and goldוְזָהָב֒ve-za-HAVH2091
gold

דְּהַב (de.hav) gold Aramaic of za.hav (זָהָב "gold" H2091)

notלֹ֣אlo'H3808
not

לֹא (lo) 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time) Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

I will be ableאוּכַ֗ל'u-KHALH3201
be able

יָכֹל (ya.khol) 1) to prevail, overcome, endure, have power, be able 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to be able, be able to gain or accomplish, be able to endure, be able to reach 1a2) to prevail, prevail over or against, overcome, be victor 1a3) to have ability, have strength Aramaic equivalent: ye.khel (יְכִל "be able" H3202)

to transgressלַעֲבֹר֙la-'a-VORH5674DNo entry
[the] mouth ofפִּ֣יpiH6310I
lip

פֶּה (peh) : lip/mouth peh 1) mouth 1a) mouth (of man) 1b) mouth (as organ of speech) 1c) mouth (of animals) 1d) mouth, opening, orifice (of a well, river, etc) 1e) extremity, end pim 2) a weight equal to one third of a shekel, occurs only in 1Sa 13:21

Yahwehיְהוָ֔הYAH-wehH3068G
Lord

אֲדֹנָי (a.do.nai) Lord - a title, spoken in place of Yahweh in Jewish display of reverence Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)

by doingלַעֲשׂ֥וֹתla-'a-SOTH6213A
to make: do

עָשָׂה (a.sah) : do/perform 1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to do, work, make, produce 1a1a) to do 1a1b) to work 1a1c) to deal (with) 1a1d) to act, act with effect, effect 1a2) to make 1a2a) to make 1a2b) to produce 1a2c) to prepare 1a2d) to make (an offering) 1a2e) to attend to, put in order 1a2f) to observe, celebrate 1a2g) to acquire (property) 1a2h) to appoint, ordain, institute 1a2i) to bring about 1a2j) to use 1a2k) to spend, pass 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be done 1b2) to be made 1b3) to be produced 1b4) to be offered 1b5) to be observed 1b6) to be used 1c) (Pual) to be made

a good thingטוֹבָ֛הto-VAHH2896C
welfare

טוֹבָה (to.vah) 1) welfare, benefit, good things 1a) welfare, prosperity, happiness 1b) good things (collective) 1c) bounty

orא֥וֹ'oH0176A
or

אוֹ (o) 1) or, rather 1a) implying that the latter choice is preferred 1b) or if, introducing an example to be seen under a particular principle 1c) (in series) either...or, whether...or 1d) if perchance 1e) except, or else 2) whether, not the least, if, otherwise, also, and, then

a bad thingרָעָ֖הra-'AHH7451A
bad: harmful

רַע (ra) : harmful adj 1) bad, evil 1a) bad, disagreeable, malignant 1b) bad, unpleasant, evil (giving pain, unhappiness, misery) 1c) evil, displeasing 1d) bad (of its kind-land, water, etc) 1e) bad (of value) 1f) worse than, worst (comparison) 1g) sad, unhappy 1h) evil (hurtful) 1i) bad, unkind (vicious in disposition) 1j) bad, evil, wicked (ethically) 1j1) in general, of persons, of thoughts 1j2) deeds, actions

from own heart myמִלִּבִּ֑יmi-li-BIH3820A
mind

בָּל (bal) mind, heart Aramaic of lev (לֵב "heart" H3820A)

[that] whichאֲשֶׁר־'a-SHER-H0834A
which

אֲשֶׁר (a.sher) A: 1) (relative part.) 1a) which, who 1b) that which 2) (conj) 2a) that (in obj clause) 2b) when 2c) since 2d) as 2e) conditional if B: Beth+ 1) in (that) which 2) (adv) 2a) where 3) (conj) 3a) in that, inasmuch as 3b) on account of C: Mem+ 1) from (or than) that which 2) from (the place) where 3) from (the fact) that, since D: Kaph+ 1) (conj.), according as, as, when 1a) according to that which, according as, as 1b) with a causal force: in so far as, since 1c) with a temporal force: when

he will speakיְדַבֵּ֥רye-da-BERH1696G
to speak: speak

דָבַר (da.var) : speak/tell/command 1) to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing 1a) (Qal) to speak 1b) (Niphal) to speak with one another, talk 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to speak 1c2) to promise 1d) (Pual) to be spoken 1e) (Hithpael) to speak 1f) (Hiphil) to lead away, put to flight

Yahwehיְהוָ֖הYAH-wehH3068G
Lord

אֲדֹנָי (a.do.nai) Lord - a title, spoken in place of Yahweh in Jewish display of reverence Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)

I will speakאֲדַבֵּֽר׃'a-da-BERH1696G
to speak: speak

דָבַר (da.var) : speak/tell/command 1) to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing 1a) (Qal) to speak 1b) (Niphal) to speak with one another, talk 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to speak 1c2) to promise 1d) (Pual) to be spoken 1e) (Hithpael) to speak 1f) (Hiphil) to lead away, put to flight

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.