Numbers 22:34
in Numbers 22“I have sinned,” Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, “for I did not realize that you were standing in the road to confront me. And now, if this is displeasing in your sight, I will go back home.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Balaam said unto the angel of Jehovah, I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease thee, I will get me back again.
KJV
And Balaam said unto the angel of the Lord, I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease thee, I will get me back again.
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This verse in Numbers 22
Commentary
5 notes on this verseIf it displease thee, I will get me back again - Here is a proof, that though he loved the wages of unrighteousness, yet he still feared God; and he is now willing to drop the enterprise if God be displeased with his proceeding. The piety of many called Christians does not extend thus far; they see that the thing displeases God, and yet they proceed. Reader, is this thy case?
This site's exposition
for I knew not that thou stoodest
on Numbers 22:34-35
His confession is I have sinned, and the ground he gives for the sin is ignorance, that he did not know what was standing in the road. His offer to turn back carries a condition on the front of it, if it displease thee, and he is sent forward under the same restriction he was given at verse 20. The errand stands unchanged except that the man now knows what is escorting him.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And Balaam said unto the angel of the Lord, I have sinned,....
It does not appear that he was sensible of this wickedness of his heart, or willing to own it, but, when he finds he cannot go forward, he will be content (since there is no remedy) to go back. Here is no sign that his heart is turned, but, if his hands are tied, he cannot help it. Thus many leave their sins only because their sins have left them.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
I have sinned . . . if it displease thee, I will get me back again--Notwithstanding this confession, he evinced no spirit of penitence, as he speaks of desisting only from the outward act. The words "go with the men" was a mere withdrawal of further restraint, but the terms in which leave was given are more absolute and peremptory than those in Nu 22:20.
The words behind it
20 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּ֨אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| בִּלְעָ֜ם | bilam | Balaam | H1109 → | 61 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| מַלְאַ֤ךְ | malakh | [the] angel of | H4397 → | 213 times |
| יְהוָה֙ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| חָטָ֔אתִי | chatati | I have sinned | H2398 → | 238 times |
| כִּ֚י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| לֹ֣א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יָדַ֔עְתִּי | yada'ti | I knew | H3045 → | 945 times |
| כִּ֥י | ki | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| אַתָּ֛ה | ʾatah | you | H859 → | 1094 times |
| נִצָּ֥ב | nitzav | [were] standing | H5324 → | 75 times |
| לִקְרָאתִ֖י | likrati | to meet me | H7122 → | 139 times |
| בַּדָּ֑רֶךְ | badarekh | in the road | H1870 → | 707 times |
| וְעַתָּ֛ה | veatah | and therefore | H6258 → | 433 times |
| אִם־ | ʾim- | if | H518 → | 1069 times |
| רַ֥ע | ra' | [it is] displeasing | H7489 → | 107 times |
| בְּעֵינֶ֖יךָ | beeineikha | in view your | H5869 → | 887 times |
| אָשׁ֥וּבָה | ʾashuvah | I will turn back | H7725 → | 1056 times |
| לִּֽי׃ | li | for <the> myself |
וַיֹּ֨אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
בִּלְעָ֜םBalaam
bilamH1109 →61 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
מַלְאַ֤ךְ[the] angel of
malakhH4397 →213 times
יְהוָה֙Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
חָטָ֔אתִיI have sinned
chatatiH2398 →238 times
כִּ֚יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
לֹ֣אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
יָדַ֔עְתִּיI knew
yada'tiH3045 →945 times
כִּ֥יthat
kiH3588 →4482 times
אַתָּ֛הyou
ʾatahH859 →1094 times
נִצָּ֥ב[were] standing
nitzavH5324 →75 times
לִקְרָאתִ֖יto meet me
likratiH7122 →139 times
בַּדָּ֑רֶךְin the road
badarekhH1870 →707 times
וְעַתָּ֛הand therefore
veatahH6258 →433 times
אִם־if
ʾim-H518 →1069 times
רַ֥ע[it is] displeasing
ra'H7489 →107 times
בְּעֵינֶ֖יךָin view your
beeineikhaH5869 →887 times
אָשׁ֥וּבָהI will turn back
ʾashuvahH7725 →1056 times
לִּֽי׃for <the> myself
li
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
2 Samuel 12:13Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” “The LORD has taken away your sin,” Nathan replied. “You will not die.
it leads to
- Proverbs 28:13
He who conceals his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them will find mercy.
- Psalms 51:4
Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You may be proved right when You speak and blameless when You judge.
- 2 Samuel 24:10
After David had numbered the troops, his conscience was stricken and he said to the LORD, “I have sinned greatly in what I have done. Now, O LORD, I beg You to take away…
- Zechariah 3:4
So the angel said to those standing before him, “Take off his filthy clothes!” Then he said to Joshua, “See, I have removed your iniquity, and I will clothe you with splendid robes.”
- Luke 15:21
The son declared, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
- Proverbs 28:13
Through
1 Samuel 26:21Then Saul replied, “I have sinned. Come back, David my son. I will never harm you again, because today you considered my life precious. I have played the fool and have committed a grave…
it leads to
- Exodus 9:27
Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron. “This time I have sinned,” he said. “The LORD is righteous, and I and my people are wicked.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Exodus 9:27
Through
1 Samuel 15:24Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned; I have transgressed the LORD’s commandment and your instructions, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.
it leads to
- 2 Samuel 12:13
Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” “The LORD has taken away your sin,” Nathan replied. “You will not die.
- 2 Samuel 12:13
Through
1 Samuel 15:30“I have sinned,” Saul replied. “Please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel. Come back with me, so that I may worship the LORD your God.”
it leads to
- John 5:44
How can you believe if you accept glory from one another, yet do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?
- John 5:44
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Numbers
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Calvin, Commentary on the Four Last Books of Moses Arranged in the Form of a Harmony; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.