Lectionary Calendar
Thursday, September 19th, 2024
the Week of Proper 19 / Ordinary 24
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Read the Bible

New King James Version

Numbers 24:13

"If Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the word of the LORD, to do good or bad of my own will. What the LORD says, that I must speak'?

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Minister, Christian;   Thompson Chain Reference - Balaam;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Prophets;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Balaam;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Balak;   Moab, Moabites;   Prophecy, Prophets;   Targums;  

Encyclopedias:

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

Parallel Translations

Legacy Standard Bible
‘Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything to trespass the command of Yahweh, either good or bad, of my own accord. What Yahweh speaks, that I will speak'?
New American Standard Bible (1995)
'Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything contrary to the command of the LORD, either good or bad, of my own accord. What the LORD speaks, that I will speak'?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
If Balac woulde geue me his house full of siluer and golde, I can not passe the word of the Lord, to do either good or bad of mine owne minde: But what the Lorde sayeth, that wyll I speake.
Easy-to-Read Version
‘Even if Balak gives me his most beautiful house filled with silver and gold, I can still say only what the Lord commands me to say. I cannot do anything myself, good or bad. I must say what the Lord commands.'
Revised Standard Version
'If Balak should give me his house full of silver and gold, I would not be able to go beyond the word of the LORD, to do either good or bad of my own will; what the LORD speaks, that will I speak'?
World English Bible
If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I can't go beyond the word of Yahweh, to do either good or bad of my own mind; what Yahweh speaks, that will I speak?
King James Version (1611)
If Balak would give mee his house full of siluer and gold, I cannot goe beyond the commandement of the Lord, to doe either good or bad of mine owne mind? But what the Lord saith, that will I speake.
King James Version
If 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?
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Yf Balac wolde geue me his house full of syluer and golde, yet coulde I not go beyonde the worde of the LORDE, to do either euell or good after myne awne hert: but what ye LORDE speaketh, that must I speake also.
American Standard Version
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?
Bible in Basic English
Even if Balak gave me his house full of silver and gold, it would not be possible for me to go outside the orders of the Lord, doing good or evil at the impulse of my mind; whatever the Lord says I will say?
Update Bible Version
If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I can't go beyond the word of Yahweh, to do either good or bad of my own mind; what Yahweh speaks, that I will speak?
Webster's Bible Translation
If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the commandment of the LORD, to do [either] good or bad of my own mind; [but] what the LORD saith, that will I speak?
New English Translation
‘If Balak would give me his palace full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the Lord to do either good or evil of my own will, but whatever the Lord tells me I must speak'?
Contemporary English Version
that even if you offered me a palace full of silver or gold, I would still obey the Lord . And I explained that I would say only what he told me.
Complete Jewish Bible
that even if Balak would give me his palace full of silver and gold, I could not of my own accord go beyond the word of Adonai to do either good or bad? that what Adonai said is what I would say?
Darby Translation
If Balak gave me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the commandment of Jehovah to do good or bad out of my heart: what Jehovah shall say, that will I speak?
Geneva Bible (1587)
If Balak would giue me his house ful of siluer and gold, I can not passe the commandement of the Lorde, to doe either good or bad of mine owne minde? what the Lord shall commaunde, the same will I speake.
George Lamsa Translation
If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I would not transgress the commandment of the LORD to do either good or bad of my own mind; but what the LORD says, that will I speak.
Good News Translation
even if you gave me all the silver and gold in your palace, I could not disobey the command of the Lord by doing anything of myself. I will say only what the Lord tells me to say."
Amplified Bible
'Even if Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the command of the LORD, to do either good or bad of my own accord. What the LORD speaks, that I will speak?'
Hebrew Names Version
If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I can't go beyond the word of the LORD, to do either good or bad of my own mind; what the LORD speaks, that will I speak?
JPS Old Testament (1917)
If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the LORD, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; what the LORD speaketh, that will I speak?
New Living Translation
‘Even if Balak were to give me his palace filled with silver and gold, I would be powerless to do anything against the will of the Lord .' I told you that I could say only what the Lord says!
New Life Bible
‘Even if Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot do anything against the Word of the Lord'? I said, ‘I cannot do good or bad because I want to. What the Lord says, I will say.'
New Revised Standard
‘If Balak should give me his house full of silver and gold, I would not be able to go beyond the word of the Lord , to do either good or bad of my own will; what the Lord says, that is what I will say'?
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
If Balac should give me his house full of silver and gold, I shall not be able to transgress the word of the Lord to make it good or bad by myself; whatsoever things God shall say, them will I speak.
English Revised Version
If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the LORD, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; what the LORD speaketh, that will I speak?
Berean Standard Bible
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.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Though Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, yet could I not go beyond the bidding of Yahweh, to, do good or ill, out of my own heart, - what Yahweh shall speak, that, must I speak?
Douay-Rheims Bible
If Balac would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to utter any thing of my own head either good or evil: but whatsoever the Lord shall say, that I will speak?
Lexham English Bible
‘If Balak gave to me the fullness of his house full of silver and gold, I am not able to go beyond the command of Yahweh to do good or evil, from my heart; what Yahweh speaks, I will speak'?
Literal Translation
If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the mouth of Jehovah, to do good or bad of my own heart. What Jehovah speaks, that I will speak.
English Standard Version
‘If Balak should give me his house full of silver and gold, I would not be able to go beyond the word of the Lord , to do either good or bad of my own will. What the Lord speaks, that will I speak'?
New American Standard Bible
'If Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything contrary to the command of the LORD, either good or bad, of my own accord. What the LORD speaks, I will speak'?
New Century Version
‘Balak could give me his palace filled with silver and gold, but I still cannot go against the Lord 's commands. I could not do anything, good or bad, on my own, but I must say what the Lord says.'
Christian Standard Bible®
If Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go against the Lord 's command, to do anything good or bad of my own will? I will say whatever the Lord says.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Thouy Balaach schal yyue to me his hows ful of siluer and of gold, Y schal not mow passe the word of my Lord God, that Y brynge forth of myn herte ony thing, ethir of good ethir of yuel, but what euer thing the Lord schal seie, Y schal speke this?
Young's Literal Translation
If Balak doth give to me the fulness of his house of silver and gold, I am not able to pass over the command of Jehovah, to do good or evil of mine own heart -- that which Jehovah speaketh -- it I speak?

Contextual Overview

10 Then Balak's anger was aroused against Balaam, and he struck his hands together; and Balak said to Balaam, "I called you to curse my enemies, and look, you have bountifully blessed them these three times! 11 Now therefore, flee to your place. I said I would greatly honor you, but in fact, the LORD has kept you back from honor." 12 So Balaam said to Balak, "Did I not also speak to your messengers whom you sent to me, saying, 13 "If Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the word of the LORD, to do good or bad of my own will. What the LORD says, that I must speak'? 14 And now, indeed, I am going to my people. Come, I will advise you what this people will do to your people in the latter days."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Reciprocal: Genesis 31:24 - Take heed Numbers 16:28 - of mine Numbers 22:18 - If Balak Numbers 22:20 - but yet Numbers 22:38 - the word Numbers 23:12 - General Numbers 23:26 - General 1 Kings 13:8 - If 1 Kings 22:14 - what the Lord 1 Kings 22:23 - and the Lord 2 Kings 10:16 - Come with me 2 Chronicles 18:13 - even what my God Jeremiah 38:21 - this is

Cross-References

Genesis 24:9
So the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning this matter.
Genesis 24:10
Then the servant took ten of his master's camels and departed, for all his master's goods were in his hand. And he arose and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor.
Genesis 24:11
And he made his camels kneel down outside the city by a well of water at evening time, the time when women go out to draw water.
Genesis 24:43
behold, I stand by the well of water; and it shall come to pass that when the virgin comes out to draw water, and I say to her, "Please give me a little water from your pitcher to drink,"
Exodus 2:16
Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters. And they came and drew water, and they filled the troughs to water their father's flock.
Judges 5:11
Far from the noise of the archers, among the watering places, There they shall recount the righteous acts of the LORD, The righteous acts for His villagers in Israel; Then the people of the LORD shall go down to the gates.
1 Samuel 9:11
As they went up the hill to the city, they met some young women going out to draw water, and said to them, "Is the seer here?"
Psalms 37:5
Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass.
Proverbs 3:6
In all your ways acknowledge Him,And He shall direct [fn] your paths.
John 4:7
A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give Me a drink."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold,.... Which are the very words he said to the princes of Moab, Numbers 22:18,

I cannot go beyond the commandment of the Lord, to do either good or bad; for though here it is the "commandment", and there the "word" of the Lord, yet it is the same word in both places in the original text: indeed, here he omits the relation to the Lord he there claims, saying "my God"; and instead of "little or great", here it is "good or bad", but the sense is the same: and he adds, for explanation sake,

of mine own mind: or out of my heart, which was disposed well enough to serve Balak, but was laid under a restraint by the Lord:

but what the Lord said, that will I speak; and he had not only said this to the messengers, but to the king himself, and therefore he thought, that as he had openly and honestly told him this at first, he had no reason to be so angry with him; see Numbers 22:38.


 
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