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Numbers 22:38

in Numbers 22

“See, I have come to you,” Balaam replied, “but can I say just anything? I must speak only the word that God puts in my mouth.”

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

And Balaam said unto Balak, Lo, I am come unto thee: have I now any power at all to speak anything? the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak.

KJV

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, that shall I speak.

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This verse in Numbers 22

Commentary

5 notes on this verse

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

The word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak - Here was a noble resolution, and he was certainly faithful to it: though he wished to please the king, and get wealth and honor, yet he would not displease God to realize even these bright prospects. Many who slander this poor semi-antinomian prophet, have not half his piety.

This site's exposition

when Balak heard that Balaam was come

on Numbers 22:36-38

Balak goes out as far as the border at Arnon to meet him, and Numbers 21:13 had already fixed Arnon as the boundary of Moab. His greeting is a reproach with the money in it, am I not able indeed to promote thee to honour. Balaam answers with another true sentence, the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak, and chapters 23 and 24 show him keeping it to the letter while Numbers 31:16 records the counsel he found to give instead.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

And Balaam said unto Balak, lo, I am come unto thee,....

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

They address themselves with all speed to the business. Balaam is nobly entertained over night, a sacrifice of thanksgiving is offered to the gods of Moab, for the safe arrival of this welcome guest, and his is treated with a feast upon the sacrifice,

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

proposed

the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak--This appears a pious answer. It was an acknowledgment that he was restrained by a superior power.

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase

The words behind it

19 Hebrew words

Every 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.

  • וַיֹּ֨אמֶרand he said

    vaiyomerH559 →5305 times

  • בִּלְעָ֜םBalaam

    bilamH1109 →61 times

  • אֶל־to

    ʾel-H413 →5510 times

  • בָּלָ֗קBalak

    balakH1111 →43 times

  • הִֽנֵּה־here!

    hineh-H2009 →843 times

  • בָ֙אתִי֙I have come

    vatiH935 →2568 times

  • אֵלֶ֔יךָto you

    ʾeleikhaH413 →5510 times

  • עַתָּ֕הnow

    ʾatahH6258 →433 times

  • הֲיָכ֥וֹל¿ certainly <to able>

    hayakholH3201 →194 times

  • אוּכַ֖לam I able

    ʾukhalH3201 →194 times

  • דַּבֵּ֣רto speak

    daberH1696 →1141 times

  • מְא֑וּמָהanything

    meumahH3972 →

  • הַדָּבָ֗רthe word

    hadavarH1697 →1440 times

  • אֲשֶׁ֨רwhich

    ʾasherH834 →5497 times

  • יָשִׂ֧יםhe will put

    yasimH7760 →584 times

  • אֱלֹהִ֛יםGod

    ʾelohimH430 →2601 times

  • בְּפִ֖יin mouth my

    befiH6310 →498 times

  • אֹת֥וֹ<obj.> it

    ʾotoH853 →10935 times

  • אֲדַבֵּֽר׃I will speak

    ʾadaberH1696 →1141 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

18 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Numbers 23:20I have indeed received a command to bless; He has blessed, and I cannot change it.7 worksNumbers 22:18But Balaam replied to the servants of Balak, “If Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything small or great to go beyond the command of the LORD my God.4 worksProverbs 19:21Many plans are in a man’s heart, but the purpose of the LORD will prevail.4 worksJeremiah 1:7But the LORD told me: “Do not say, ‘I am only a child.’ For to everyone I send you, you must go, and all that I command you, you must speak.4 worksNumbers 23:12But Balaam replied, “Should I not speak exactly what the LORD puts in my mouth?”4 worksNumbers 23:16And the LORD met with Balaam and put a message in his mouth, saying, “Return to Balak and speak what I tell you.”3 works
The other 12 cross-references, with their words ▾
Numbers 23:26But Balaam replied, “Did I not tell you that whatever the LORD says, I must do?”3 works1 Kings 22:14But Micaiah said, “As surely as the LORD lives, I will speak whatever the LORD tells me.”3 worksActs 4:20For we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.”3 worksExodus 4:15You are to speak to him and put the words in his mouth. I will help both of you to speak, and I will teach you what to do.3 worksNumbers 24:13that 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.2 worksPsalms 76:10Even the wrath of man shall praise You; with the survivors of wrath You will clothe Yourself.2 worksPsalms 33:10The LORD frustrates the plans of the nations; He thwarts the devices of the peoples.2 works2 Chronicles 18:13But Micaiah said, “As surely as the LORD lives, I will speak whatever my God tells me.”2 worksIsaiah 47:12So take your stand with your spells and with your many sorceries, with which you have wearied yourself from your youth. Perhaps you will succeed; perhaps you will inspire terror!2 worksIsaiah 46:10I declare the end from the beginning, and ancient times from what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and all My good pleasure I will accomplish.’2 worksIsaiah 44:25who foils the signs of false prophets and makes fools of diviners, who confounds the wise and turns their knowledge into nonsense,2 worksNumbers 24:12Balaam answered Balak, “Did I not already tell the messengers you sent me2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each 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

    Proverbs 19:21

    Many plans are in a man’s heart, but the purpose of the LORD will prevail.

    it leads to

    • Proverbs 16:9

      A man’s heart plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.

    • Isaiah 14:24

      The LORD of Hosts has sworn: “Surely, as I have planned, so will it be; as I have purposed, so will it stand.

    • Proverbs 16:1

      The plans of the heart belong to man, but the reply of the tongue is from the LORD.

    • Psalms 33:10–11

      The LORD frustrates the plans of the nations; He thwarts the devices of the peoples.

    • Isaiah 46:10

      I declare the end from the beginning, and ancient times from what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and all My good pleasure I will accomplish.’

  • Through

    Numbers 22:18

    But Balaam replied to the servants of Balak, “If Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything small or great to go beyond the command…

    it leads to

    • 2 Chronicles 18:13

      But Micaiah said, “As surely as the LORD lives, I will speak whatever my God tells me.”

      Reached by 2 separate paths from here.

    • Numbers 24:13

      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…

  • Through

    Numbers 23:26

    But Balaam replied, “Did I not tell you that whatever the LORD says, I must do?”

    it leads to

    • Numbers 22:18

      But Balaam replied to the servants of Balak, “If Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything small or great to go beyond the command…

      Reached by 2 separate paths from here.

Where this verse is studied

About Numbers

An Angel Appears to Balaam — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain
An Angel Appears to Balaam — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain
Numbers: the study guide →Read Numbers 22 →

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.

Read on in Numbers 22 →