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Sunday, October 20th, 2024
the Week of Proper 24 / Ordinary 29
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Read the Bible

Christian Standard Bible ®

Numbers 23:12

He answered, “Shouldn’t I say exactly what the Lord puts in my mouth?”

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Minister, Christian;   Prophets;   Thompson Chain Reference - Balaam;   Inspiration;   Prophets;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Desert, Journey of Israel through the;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Camp, Encampments;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Balaam;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Magic;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Balaam;   Balak;   Kibroth-Hattaavah;   Moab, Moabites;   Prophecy, Prophets;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - On to Canaan;   Moses, the Man of God;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Revelation;  

Parallel Translations

English Standard Version
And he answered and said, "Must I not take care to speak what the Lord puts in my mouth?"
Update Bible Version
And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which Yahweh puts in my mouth?
English Revised Version
And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD putteth in my mouth?
New Century Version
But Balaam answered, "I must say what the Lord tells me to say."
New English Translation
Balaam replied, "Must I not be careful to speak what the Lord has put in my mouth?"
Webster's Bible Translation
And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD hath put in my mouth?
World English Bible
He answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which Yahweh puts in my mouth?
Amplified Bible
Balaam answered, "Must I not be obedient and careful to speak what the LORD has put in my mouth?"
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
To whom Balaam answeride, Whether Y may speke othir thing no but that that the Lord comaundith?
Young's Literal Translation
and he answereth and saith, `That which Jehovah doth put in my mouth -- it do I not take heed to speak?'
Berean Standard Bible
But Balaam replied, "Should I not speak exactly what the LORD puts in my mouth?"
Contemporary English Version
Balaam answered, "I can say only what the Lord tells me."
American Standard Version
And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which Jehovah putteth in my mouth?
Bible in Basic English
And in answer he said, Am I not ordered to say only what the Lord puts into my mouth?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
He aunswered and sayd: Must I not take heede to speake that whiche the lorde hath put in my mouth?
Complete Jewish Bible
He answered, "Mustn't I take care to say just what Adonai puts in my mouth?"
Darby Translation
And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which Jehovah puts in my mouth?
Easy-to-Read Version
But Balaam answered, "I must say the things that the Lord tells me to say."
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And he answered and said: 'Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD putteth in my mouth?'
King James Version (1611)
And he answered, and said, Must I not take heede to speake that which the Lord hath put in my mouth?
New Life Bible
Balaam answered, "Must I not be careful to speak what the Lord puts in my mouth?"
New Revised Standard
He answered, "Must I not take care to say what the Lord puts into my mouth?"
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And he answered and said, - Was it not to be so that whatsoever Yahweh should put into my mouth, the same, should I take heed to speak?
Geneva Bible (1587)
And he answered, and said, Must I not take heede to speake that, which the Lord hath put in my mouth?
George Lamsa Translation
And Balaam answered and said, Behold, whatever the LORD puts in my mouth that thing will I speak.
Good News Translation
He answered, "I can say only what the Lord tells me to say."
Douay-Rheims Bible
He answered him: Can I speak any thing else but what the Lord commandeth?
Revised Standard Version
And he answered, "Must I not take heed to speak what the LORD puts in my mouth?"
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Balaam said to Balac, Whatsoever the Lord shall put into my mouth, shall I not take heed to speak this?
Hebrew Names Version
He answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD puts in my mouth?
King James Version
And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the Lord hath put in my mouth?
Lexham English Bible
He answered and said, "Should I not speak what Yahweh puts in my mouth?"
Literal Translation
And he replied and said, Must not I take heed to speak what Jehovah has put in my mouth?
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
He answered & saide: Must I not kepe & speake yt, which the LORDE putteth in to me mouth?
THE MESSAGE
Balaam answered, "Don't I have to be careful to say what God gives me to say?"
New American Standard Bible
He replied, "Must I not be careful to speak what the LORD puts in my mouth?"
New King James Version
So he answered and said, "Must I not take heed to speak what the LORD has put in my mouth?"
New Living Translation
But Balaam replied, "I will speak only the message that the Lord puts in my mouth."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
He replied, "Must I not be careful to speak what the LORD puts in my mouth?"
Legacy Standard Bible
And he replied, "Must I not be careful to speak what Yahweh puts in my mouth?"

Contextual Overview

1Then Balaam said to Balak, “Build me seven altars here and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me.” 2So Balak did as Balaam directed, and they offered a bull and a ram on each altar. 3Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here by your burnt offering while I am gone. Maybe the Lord will meet with me. I will tell you whatever he reveals to me.” So he went to a barren hill. 4God met with him and Balaam said to him, “I have arranged seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.” 5Then the Lord put a message in Balaam’s mouth and said, “Return to Balak and say what I tell you.” 6So he returned to Balak, who was standing there by his burnt offering with all the officials of Moab. 7Balaam proclaimed his poem: 8How can I curse someone God has not cursed?How can I denounce someone the Lord has not denounced? 9I see them from the top of rocky cliffs,and I watch them from the hills.There is a people living alone;it does not consider itself among the nations. 10Who has counted the dust of Jacobor numbered even one-fourth of Israel?Let me die the death of the upright;let the end of my life be like theirs.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Numbers 23:20, Numbers 23:26, Numbers 22:38, Numbers 24:13, Proverbs 26:25, Romans 16:18, Titus 1:16

Reciprocal: Exodus 4:15 - and I Numbers 22:8 - General Numbers 22:20 - but yet 2 Chronicles 18:13 - even what my God

Cross-References

Genesis 18:2
He looked up, and he saw three men standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them, bowed to the ground,
Genesis 19:1
The two angels entered Sodom in the evening as Lot was sitting in Sodom’s gateway. When Lot saw them, he got up to meet them. He bowed with his face to the ground
Genesis 23:7
Then Abraham rose and bowed down to the Hethites, the people of the land.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And he answered and said,.... By reply to Balak:

must I not take heed to speak that which the Lord hath put in my mouth? pretending a great regard to the word of God, and to great carefulness to speak it, exactly and punctually as he received it, whereas he was forced to it, and could not do otherwise.


 
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