Lectionary Calendar
Wednesday, August 20th, 2025
the Week of Proper 15 / Ordinary 20
the Week of Proper 15 / Ordinary 20
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Read the Bible
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Numbers 23:12
He replied, "Must I not be careful to speak what the LORD puts in my mouth?"
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Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
- Nave'sDictionaries:
- AmericanEncyclopedias:
- CondensedParallel Translations
Hebrew Names Version
He answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD puts in my mouth?
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?
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?"
He answered and said, "Should I not speak what Yahweh puts in my mouth?"
English Standard Version
And he answered and said, "Must I not take care to speak what the Lord puts in my mouth?"
And he answered and said, "Must I not take care to speak what the Lord puts in my mouth?"
New Century Version
But Balaam answered, "I must say what the Lord tells me to say."
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?"
Balaam replied, "Must I not be careful to speak what the Lord has put in my mouth?"
Amplified Bible
Balaam answered, "Must I not be obedient and careful to speak what the LORD has put in my mouth?"
Balaam answered, "Must I not be obedient and careful to speak what the LORD has put in my mouth?"
New American Standard Bible
He replied, "Must I not be careful to speak what the LORD puts in my mouth?"
He replied, "Must I not be careful to speak what the LORD puts in my mouth?"
Geneva Bible (1587)
And he answered, and said, Must I not take heede to speake that, which the Lord hath put in my mouth?
And he answered, and said, Must I not take heede to speake that, which the Lord hath put in my mouth?
Legacy Standard Bible
And he replied, "Must I not be careful to speak what Yahweh puts in my mouth?"
And he replied, "Must I not be careful to speak what Yahweh puts in my mouth?"
Contemporary English Version
Balaam answered, "I can say only what the Lord tells me."
Balaam answered, "I can say only what the Lord tells me."
Complete Jewish Bible
He answered, "Mustn't I take care to say just what Adonai puts in my mouth?"
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?
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."
But Balaam answered, "I must say the things that the Lord tells me to say."
George Lamsa Translation
And Balaam answered and said, Behold, whatever the LORD puts in my mouth that thing will I speak.
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."
He answered, "I can say only what the Lord tells me to say."
Christian Standard Bible®
He answered, “Shouldn’t I say exactly what the Lord puts in my mouth?”
He answered, “Shouldn’t I say exactly what the Lord 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?
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?
He answered & saide: Must I not kepe & speake yt, which the LORDE putteth in to me mouth?
American Standard Version
And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which Jehovah putteth in my mouth?
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?
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?
He aunswered and sayd: Must I not take heede to speake that whiche the lorde hath put in my mouth?
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And he answered and said: 'Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD putteth in my mouth?'
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?
And he answered, and said, Must I not take heede to speake that which the Lord hath put 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?
And Balaam said to Balac, Whatsoever the Lord shall put into my mouth, shall I not take heed to speak this?
English Revised Version
And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD putteth in my mouth?
And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD putteth in my mouth?
Berean Standard Bible
But Balaam replied, "Should I not speak exactly what the LORD puts in my mouth?"
But Balaam replied, "Should I not speak exactly what the LORD puts in my mouth?"
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
To whom Balaam answeride, Whether Y may speke othir thing no but that that the Lord comaundith?
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?'
and he answereth and saith, `That which Jehovah doth put in my mouth -- it do I not take heed to speak?'
Update Bible Version
And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which Yahweh puts in my mouth?
And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which Yahweh puts 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?
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?
He answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which Yahweh 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?"
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."
But Balaam replied, "I will speak only the message that the Lord puts in my mouth."
New Life Bible
Balaam answered, "Must I not be careful to speak what the Lord puts in my mouth?"
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?"
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?
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?
Douay-Rheims Bible
He answered him: Can I speak any thing else but what the Lord commandeth?
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?"
And he answered, "Must I not take heed to speak what the LORD puts in my mouth?"
THE MESSAGE
Balaam answered, "Don't I have to be careful to say what God gives me to say?"
Balaam answered, "Don't I have to be careful to say what God gives me to say?"
Contextual Overview
1 Then Balaam said to Balak, "Build seven altars for me here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me here." 2 Balak did just as Balaam had spoken, and Balak and Balaam offered up a bull and a ram on each altar. 3 Then Balaam said to Balak, "Stand beside your burnt offering, and I will go; perhaps the LORD will come to meet me, and whatever He shows me I will tell you." So he went to a bare hill. 4 Now God met Balaam, and he said to Him, "I have set up the seven altars, and I have offered up a bull and a ram on each altar." 5 Then the LORD put a word in Balaam's mouth and said, "Return to Balak, and you shall speak thus." 6 So he returned to him, and behold, he was standing beside his burnt offering, he and all the leaders of Moab. 7 He took up his discourse and said, "From Aram Balak has brought me, Moab's king from the mountains of the East, 'Come curse Jacob for me, And come, denounce Israel!' 8 "How shall I curse whom God has not cursed? And how can I denounce whom the LORD has not denounced? 9 "As I see him from the top of the rocks, And I look at him from the hills; Behold, a people who dwells apart, And will not be reckoned among the nations. 10 "Who can count the dust of Jacob, Or number the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the upright, And let my end be like his!"
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
When he lifted up his eyes and looked, behold, three men were standing opposite him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the earth,
When he lifted up his eyes and looked, behold, three men were standing opposite him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the earth,
Genesis 19:1
Now the two angels came to Sodom in the evening as Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them and bowed down with his face to the ground.
Now the two angels came to Sodom in the evening as Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them and bowed down with his face to the ground.
Genesis 23:7
So Abraham rose and bowed to the people of the land, the sons of Heth.
So Abraham rose and bowed to the people of the land, the sons of Heth.
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.
