Numbers 22:18

And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more.

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Word by word — the Hebrew

Word	Hebrew	Strong’s	Meaning
Balaam	בִּלְעָ֗ם bil.'Am	H1109	Bilam · proper noun, a man's name
answered	וַיַּ֣עַן vai.Ya.'an	H6030	properly · conjunction + verb, qal sequential imperfect, 3rd person masculine singular
said	וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ vai.Yo.mer	H559	to say (used with great latitude) · conjunction + verb, qal sequential imperfect, 3rd person masculine singular
servants	עַבְדֵ֣י 'av.Dei	H5650	a servant · noun, common masculine plural construct
Balak	בָלָ֔ק va.Lak	H1111	Balak · proper noun, a man's name
Balak	בָלָ֛ק va.Lak	H1111	Balak · proper noun, a man's name
give	יִתֶּן yi.ten-	H5414	to give · verb, qal imperfect, 3rd person masculine singular
house	בֵית֖וֹ vei.To	H1004	a house (in the greatest variation of applications · noun, common masculine singular construct + pronominal suffix, 3rd person masculine singular
full	מְלֹ֥א me.Lo'	H4393	fulness (literally or figuratively) · noun, common masculine singular construct
silver	כֶּ֣סֶף Ke.sef	H3701	silver (from its pale color) · noun, common masculine singular absolute
gold	וְזָהָ֑ב ve.za.Hav	H2091	gold · conjunction + noun, common masculine singular absolute
cannot	אוּכַ֗ל 'u.Khal	H3201	to be able · verb, qal imperfect, 1st person common singular
beyond	לַעֲבֹר֙ la.'a.Vor	H5674	to cross over · preposition + verb, qal infinitive construct
word	פִּי֙ pi	H6310	the mouth (as the means of blowing) · noun, common masculine singular construct
LORD	יְהוָ֣ה Yah.weh	H3068	Jehovah · proper noun, a title
God	אֱלֹהָ֔י 'e.lo.Hai	H430	gods in the ordinary sense · noun, common masculine plural construct + pronominal suffix
do	לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת la.'a.Sot	H6213	to do or make · preposition + verb, qal infinitive construct
less	קְטַנָּ֖ה ke.ta.Nah	H6996	abbreviated · adjective, feminine singular absolute
more	גְדוֹלָֽה ge.do.Lah	H1419	great (in any sense) · adjective, feminine singular absolute

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Cross-references

Numbers 24:13 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 o…
1 Kings 22:14 And Micaiah said, As the LORD liveth, what the LORD saith unto me, that will I speak.
2 Chronicles 18:13 And Micaiah said, As the LORD liveth, even what my God saith, that will I speak.
Numbers 23:26 But Balaam answered and said unto Balak, Told not I thee, saying, All that the LORD speaketh, that I must do?
Numbers 22:38 And Balaam said unto Balak, Lo, I am come unto thee: have I now any power at all to say any thing? the word that God putteth in my mouth, th…
Daniel 5:17 Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; yet I will read the writing unt…
Acts 8:20 But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.
Titus 1:16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Numbers 22:15-21

We have here a second embassy sent to Balaam, to fetch him over to curse Israel. It were well for us if we were as earnest and constant in prosecuting a good work, notwithstanding disappointments, as Balak was in pursuing this ill design. The enemies of the church are restless and unwearied in their attempts against it; but he that sits in heaven laughs at them. Observe, I. The temptation Balak laid before Balaam. He contrived to make this assault more vigorous than the former. It is very probable that he sent double money in the hands of his messengers; but, besides that, now he tempted him with honours, laid a bait not only for his covetousness, but for his pride and ambition. How earnestl…

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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Numbers 22:13

the Lord refuseth to give me leave to go with you--This answer has an appearance of being good, but it studiously concealed the reason of the divine prohibition [Num 22:12], and it intimated his own willingness and desire to go--if permitted. Balak despatched a second mission, which held out flattering prospects, both to his avarice and his ambition (Gen 31:30).

John Gill on Numbers 22:18

And Balaam answered, and said unto the servant's of Balak,.... Who were not only princes of the land, but officers of state in the court of Balak: if Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to do less or more; which is well spoken, had it been from his heart: he speaks very respectfully of God, calling him by his great and incommunicable name Jehovah, the Being of beings; representing him as the object of his worship and adoration, as he might be along with other gods, which was the practice of the Heathens in those times, particularly the Syrians, among whom Balaam lived; so did Laban and others before him: likewise he makes a…

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John Calvin on Numbers 22:15-19

And Balak sent yet again princes. Here we see that, however humbly ungodly men implore God's grace, still they do not lay aside their pride; as if their grandeur could avail to dazzle the eyes of God. In order, therefore, to make Him comply with their wishes, they think it enough to display their magnificent ceremonies; and, indeed, whatever modesty superstition may pretend, it always swells with secret confidence Thus Balak, in order to obtain favor, makes a show of his dignity and power, and deems that Balaam will be thus at his service. Although, however, the impostor shews much more spirit in this his second reply than before, still his hypocrisy is soon discovered, and he betrays the du…

Dictionary and topics

Desert, Journey Of Israel Through The · Balaam not permitted to curse Israel — Balaam not permitted to curse Israel
Money · Gold and silver used as — Gold and silver used as
Prophets · .Presents refused by — .Presents refused by

Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).

Numbers 22:18

Word by word — the Hebrew

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Numbers 22:15-21

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Numbers 22:13

John Gill on Numbers 22:18

John Calvin on Numbers 22:15-19

Dictionary and topics

Numbers 22:18

Word by word — the Hebrew

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Numbers 22:15-21

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Numbers 22:13

John Gill on Numbers 22:18

John Calvin on Numbers 22:15-19

Dictionary and topics

Keil & Delitzsch on Numbers 22:2-21

Tyndale Open Study Notes on Numbers 22:18

Rashi on Numbers 22:18