Numbers 23:16
in Numbers 23And the LORD met with Balaam and put a message in his mouth, saying, “Return to Balak and speak what I tell you.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Jehovah met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus shalt thou speak.
KJV
And the Lord met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Go again unto Balak, and say thus.
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This verse in Numbers 23
Commentary
3 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
the LORD met with Balaam and put a message in his mouth
on Numbers 23:16-17
The second meeting repeats the first, the LORD met with Balaam and put a message in his mouth, at a new address. John Gill notes verse 6 says all the princes of Moab and verse 17 only the princes of Moab. He passes on the reading that some went home.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And the Lord met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth,.... As he did before, Num 23:5. and said, go again unto Balak, and say thus; the words which are expressed in Num 23:18.
When Balaam returned Balak was impatient to know what message he had: " What hath the Lord spoken? Are there any better tidings yet, any hopes of speeding?" This should be our enquiry when we come to hear the word of God.
The words behind it
13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּקָּ֤ר | vaiyikar | and he met | H7136 → | 27 times |
| יְהוָה֙ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | <to> | H413 → | 5510 times |
| בִּלְעָ֔ם | bilam | Balaam | H1109 → | 61 times |
| וַיָּ֥שֶׂם | vaiyasem | and he put | H7760 → | 584 times |
| דָּבָ֖ר | davar | a word | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| בְּפִ֑יו | befiv | in mouth his | H6310 → | 498 times |
| וַיֹּ֛אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| שׁ֥וּב | shuv | return | H7725 → | 1056 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| בָּלָ֖ק | balak | Balak | H1111 → | 43 times |
| וְכֹ֥ה | vekhoh | and thus | H3541 → | 577 times |
| תְדַבֵּֽר׃ | tedaber | you will speak | H1696 → | 1141 times |
וַיִּקָּ֤רand he met
vaiyikarH7136 →27 times
יְהוָה֙Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֶל־<to>
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
בִּלְעָ֔םBalaam
bilamH1109 →61 times
וַיָּ֥שֶׂםand he put
vaiyasemH7760 →584 times
דָּבָ֖רa word
davarH1697 →1440 times
בְּפִ֑יוin mouth his
befivH6310 →498 times
וַיֹּ֛אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
שׁ֥וּבreturn
shuvH7725 →1056 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
בָּלָ֖קBalak
balakH1111 →43 times
וְכֹ֥הand thus
vekhohH3541 →577 times
תְדַבֵּֽר׃you will speak
tedaberH1696 →1141 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
Numbers 23:5Then the LORD put a message in Balaam’s mouth, saying, “Return to Balak and give him this message.”
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 18:18
I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. I will put My words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him.
- Jeremiah 1:9
Then the LORD reached out His hand, touched my mouth, and said to me: “Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.
- Isaiah 59:21
“As for Me, this is My covenant with them,” says the LORD. “My Spirit will not depart from you, and My words that I have put in your mouth will not depart from your…
- Isaiah 51:16
I have put My words in your mouth, and covered you with the shadow of My hand, to establish the heavens, to found the earth, and to say to Zion, ‘You are My people.’”
- Deuteronomy 18:18
Through
Numbers 24:1And when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not resort to sorcery as on previous occasions, but he turned his face toward the wilderness.
it leads to
- Numbers 23:3
“Stay here by your burnt offering while I am gone,” Balaam said to Balak. “Perhaps the LORD will meet with me. And whatever He reveals to me, I will tell you.” So Balaam went…
- Numbers 23:23
For there is no spell against Jacob and no divination against Israel. It will now be said of Jacob and Israel, ‘What great things God has done!’
- Numbers 22:13
So Balaam got up the next morning and said to Balak’s princes, “Go back to your homeland, because the LORD has refused to let me go with you.”
- Numbers 23:3
Through
Numbers 22:35But the angel of the LORD said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but you are to speak only what I tell you.” So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.
it leads to
- 2 Thessalonians 2:9–12
The coming of the lawless one will be accompanied by the working of Satan, with every kind of power, sign, and false wonder,
- 2 Thessalonians 2:9–12
Where this verse is studied
About Numbers
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.