Numbers 24:13
in Numbers 24that 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of Jehovah, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; what Jehovah speaketh, that will I speak?
KJV
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 own mind; but what the Lord saith, that will I speak?
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This verse in Numbers 24
Commentary
5 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
Did I not already tell the messengers you sent me
on Numbers 24:12-14
Balaam quotes himself from 22:18 closely but not exactly, now saying the command of the LORD and adding of my own accord. He kept that word, and 2 Peter 2:15 still says he loved the wages of wickedness.
This site's exposition
his house full of silver and gold
Balaam's defence rests on his first answer. Matthew Henry reads the verse as a fair excuse, since Balaam had warned Balak of the check he was under. The king could not say he had been cheated.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold,....
Balak could not say that he had cheated him, since he had given him fair notice of the check he found himself under. (2.) He endeavours to atone for it,
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together--The "smiting of the hands together" is, among Oriental people, an indication of the most violent rage (see Eze 21:17;
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
[AND BALAAM SAID UNTO BALAK]: ‘SPOKE I NOT ALSO TO THY MESSENGERS ETC.?’ Balaam was now defending himself on the basis of what he had told Balak’s messengers when they came back to him, before he knew what the Eternal would speak unto him more; 225 Above,:19.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
Since Balaam wanted to tell [Balak] about the punishment [that would befall] his people, as it is written, and he shall smite through the corners of Moab, 227 Further Verse.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 5 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
24 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אִם־ | ʾim- | if | H518 → | 1069 times |
| יִתֶּן־ | yiten- | he will give | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| לִ֨י | li | to <the> me | ||
| בָלָ֜ק | valak | Balak | H1111 → | 43 times |
| מְלֹ֣א | melo' | [the] fullness of | H4393 → | |
| בֵיתוֹ֮ | veito | house his | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| כֶּ֣סֶף | kesef | silver | H3701 → | 403 times |
| וְזָהָב֒ | vezahav | and gold | H2091 → | 389 times |
| לֹ֣א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| אוּכַ֗ל | ʾukhal | I will be able | H3201 → | 194 times |
| לַעֲבֹר֙ | laavor | to transgress | H5674 → | 556 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| פִּ֣י | pi | [the] mouth of | H6310 → | 498 times |
| יְהוָ֔ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת | laasot | by doing | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| טוֹבָ֛ה | tovah | a good thing | H2896 → | 538 times |
| א֥וֹ | ʾo | or | H176 → | 321 times |
| רָעָ֖ה | raah | a bad thing | H7451 → | 662 times |
| מִלִּבִּ֑י | milibi | from own heart my | H3820 → | 595 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | [that] which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| יְדַבֵּ֥ר | yedaber | he will speak | H1696 → | 1141 times |
| יְהוָ֖ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֹת֥וֹ | ʾoto | <obj.> it | H853 → | 10935 times |
| אֲדַבֵּֽר׃ | ʾadaber | I will speak | H1696 → | 1141 times |
אִם־if
ʾim-H518 →1069 times
יִתֶּן־he will give
yiten-H5414 →2011 times
לִ֨יto <the> me
li
בָלָ֜קBalak
valakH1111 →43 times
מְלֹ֣א[the] fullness of
melo'H4393 →
בֵיתוֹ֮house his
veitoH1004 →2046 times
כֶּ֣סֶףsilver
kesefH3701 →403 times
וְזָהָב֒and gold
vezahavH2091 →389 times
לֹ֣אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
אוּכַ֗לI will be able
ʾukhalH3201 →194 times
לַעֲבֹר֙to transgress
laavorH5674 →556 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
פִּ֣י[the] mouth of
piH6310 →498 times
יְהוָ֔הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
לַעֲשׂ֥וֹתby doing
laasotH6213 →2628 times
טוֹבָ֛הa good thing
tovahH2896 →538 times
א֥וֹor
ʾoH176 →321 times
רָעָ֖הa bad thing
raahH7451 →662 times
מִלִּבִּ֑יfrom own heart my
milibiH3820 →595 times
אֲשֶׁר־[that] which
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
יְדַבֵּ֥רhe will speak
yedaberH1696 →1141 times
יְהוָ֖הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 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.
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 22:20That night God came to Balaam and said, “Since these men have come to summon you, get up and go with them, but you must only do what I tell you.”
it leads to
- Numbers 23:26
But Balaam replied, “Did I not tell you that whatever the LORD says, I must do?”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Numbers 23:12
But Balaam replied, “Should I not speak exactly what the LORD puts in my mouth?”
- Numbers 22:35
But 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.
- Numbers 23:26
Through
Numbers 16:28Then Moses said, “This is how you will know that the LORD has sent me to do all these things, for it was not my own doing:
it leads to
- John 6:38
For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but to do the will of Him who sent Me.
- Exodus 3:12
“I will surely be with you,” God said, “and this will be the sign to you that I have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, all of you will…
- Jeremiah 23:16
This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They are filling you with false hopes. They speak visions from their own…
- John 5:36
But I have testimony more substantial than that of John. For the works that the Father has given Me to accomplish—the very works I am doing—testify about Me that the Father has sent Me.
- John 6:38
Through
Numbers 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…
it leads to
- 1 Kings 22:14
But Micaiah said, “As surely as the LORD lives, I will speak whatever the LORD tells me.”
- 1 Kings 22:14
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 Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary.