Numbers 22:17
in Numbers 22for I will honor you richly and do whatever you say. So please come and put a curse on this people for me!’”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
for I will promote thee unto very great honor, and whatsoever thou sayest unto me I will do: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people.
KJV
For I will promote thee unto very great honour, and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people.
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This verse in Numbers 22
Commentary
5 notes on this verseLove of money then is an old and ancient vice, which showed itself even at the declaration of the divine law; for a law was given to check it. On account of love of money Balak thought Balaam could be tempted by rewards to curse the people of our fathers. Love of money would have won the day too, had not God bidden him hold back from cursing.
This site's exposition
Then Balak sent other princes
on Numbers 22:15-17
The second embassy is larger and more distinguished, and the offer climbs to I will honor you richly and do whatever you say. Balak treats a settled answer as an opening price. 2 Peter 2:15 names what was on the table, the wages of wickedness, which Balaam loved.
This site's exposition
I will honor you richly
Ambrose of Milan says love of money, the vice Balak counted on, would have won had God not held Balaam back. Matthew Henry notes the first offer baited greed and this one adds pride, with honour beside the fee. Henry calls greed and ambition two limbs of the old man.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
For I will promote thee unto very great honour,....
Thus sinners stick at no pains, spare no cost, and care not how low they stoop, for the gratifying either of their luxury or of their malice; shall we then be stiff and strait-handed in our compliance with the laws of virtue?
The words behind it
16 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| כַבֵּ֤ד | khabed | surely <honor> | H3513 → | 113 times |
| אֲכַבֶּדְךָ֙ | ʾakhabedkha | I will honor you | H3513 → | 113 times |
| מְאֹ֔ד | meod | exceedingly | H3966 → | 300 times |
| וְכֹ֛ל | vekhol | and all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | that | H834 → | 5497 times |
| תֹּאמַ֥ר | tomar | you will say | H559 → | 5305 times |
| אֵלַ֖י | ʾelai | to me | H413 → | 5510 times |
| אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֑ה | ʾeeseh | I will do | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| וּלְכָה־ | ulekhah- | and come ! | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| נָּא֙ | na' | please | H4994 → | 404 times |
| קָֽבָה־ | kavah- | curse ! | H6895 → | 14 times |
| לִּ֔י | li | for <the> me | ||
| אֵ֖ת | ʾet | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הָעָ֥ם | haam | the people | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| הַזֶּֽה׃ | hazeh | <the> this | H2088 → | 1180 times |
כִּֽי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
כַבֵּ֤דsurely <honor>
khabedH3513 →113 times
אֲכַבֶּדְךָ֙I will honor you
ʾakhabedkhaH3513 →113 times
מְאֹ֔דexceedingly
meodH3966 →300 times
וְכֹ֛לand all
vekholH3605 →5413 times
אֲשֶׁר־that
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
תֹּאמַ֥רyou will say
tomarH559 →5305 times
אֵלַ֖יto me
ʾelaiH413 →5510 times
אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֑הI will do
ʾeesehH6213 →2628 times
וּלְכָה־and come !
ulekhah-H1980 →1546 times
נָּא֙please
na'H4994 →404 times
קָֽבָה־curse !
kavah-H6895 →14 times
לִּ֔יfor <the> me
li
אֵ֖ת<obj.>
ʾetH853 →10935 times
הָעָ֥םthe people
haamH5971 →1873 times
הַזֶּֽה׃<the> this
hazehH2088 →1180 times
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
Deuteronomy 16:9You are to count off seven weeks from the time you first put the sickle to the standing grain.
it leads to
- Exodus 23:16
You are also to keep the Feast of Harvest with the firstfruits of the produce from what you sow in the field. And keep the Feast of Ingathering at the end of the year,…
- Exodus 34:22
And you are to celebrate the Feast of Weeks with the firstfruits of the wheat harvest, and the Feast of Ingathering at the turn of the year.
- Acts 2:1
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.
- Exodus 23:16
Through
Esther 5:11Haman recounted to them his glorious wealth, his many sons, and all the ways the king had honored and promoted him over the other officials and servants.
it leads to
- Esther 9:7–10
including Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha,
- Esther 3:1
After these events, King Xerxes honored Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, elevating him to a position above all the princes who were with him.
- Esther 9:7–10
Through
Matthew 14:7so much that he promised with an oath to give to her whatever she asked.
it leads to
- Esther 5:6
And as they drank their wine, the king said to Esther, “What is your petition? It will be given to you. What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be…
- Esther 5:3
“What is it, Queen Esther?” the king inquired. “What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be given to you.”
- Esther 5:6
Through
Numbers 22:37And he said to Balaam, “Did I not send you an urgent summons? Why did you not come to me? Am I really not able to richly reward you?”
it leads to
- Numbers 24:11
Therefore, flee at once to your home! I said I would richly reward you, but instead the LORD has denied your reward.”
- Numbers 24:11
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Numbers
This page draws on Ambrose of Milan, On the Duties of the Clergy 2.26.130; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch; Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.