Numbers 22:20
◄  Numbers 22:20  ►
New International Version (©2011)
That night God came to Balaam and said, "Since these men have come to summon you, go with them, but do only what I tell you."

New Living Translation (©2007)
That night God came to Balaam and told him, "Since these men have come for you, get up and go with them. But do only what I tell you to do."

English Standard Version (©2001)
And God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, rise, go with them; but only do what I tell you.”

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
God came to Balaam at night and said to him, "If the men have come to call you, rise up and go with them; but only the word which I speak to you shall you do."

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men come to call thee, rise up, and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do.

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
God came to Balaam at night and said to him, "Since these men have come to summon you, get up and go with them, but you must only do what I tell you."

International Standard Version (©2012)
God came to visit Balaam that same night and told him, "If the men come to call on you, get up and go with them, but be sure to do only what I tell you to do."

NET Bible (©2006)
God came to Balaam that night, and said to him, "If the men have come to call you, get up and go with them; but the word that I will say to you, that you must do."

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
That night God came to Balaam and said, "If these men have come to summon you, go with them, but do only what I tell you."

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men come to call you, rise up, and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say unto you, that shall you do.

American King James Version
And God came to Balaam at night, and said to him, If the men come to call you, rise up, and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say to you, that shall you do.

American Standard Version
And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men are come to call thee, rise up, go with them; but only the word which I speak unto thee, that shalt thou do.

Douay-Rheims Bible
God therefore came to Balaam in the night, and said to him: It these men be come to call thee, arise and go with them: yet so, that thou do what I shall command thee.

Darby Bible Translation
Then God came to Balaam at night, and said to him, If the men have come to call thee, rise up, and go with them; but only what I shall say unto thee shalt thou do.

English Revised Version
And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men be come to call thee, rise up, go with them; but only the word which I speak unto thee, that shalt thou do.

Webster's Bible Translation
And God came to Balaam at night, and said to him, If the men come to call thee, rise and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say to thee, that shalt thou perform.

World English Bible
God came to Balaam at night, and said to him, "If the men have come to call you, rise up, go with them; but only the word which I speak to you, that you shall do."

Young's Literal Translation
And God cometh in unto Balaam, by night, and saith to him, 'If to call for thee the men have come, rise, go with them, and only the thing which I speak unto thee -- it thou dost do.'

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

22:15-21 A second embassy was sent to Balaam. It were well for us, if we were as earnest and constant in prosecuting a good work, notwithstanding disappointments. Balak laid a bait, not only for Balaam's covetousness, but for his pride and ambition. How earnestly should we beg of God daily to mortify such desires in us! Thus sinners stick at no pains, spare no cost, and care not how low they stoop, to gratify their luxury, or their malice. Shall we then be unwilling to do what is right? God forbid! Balaam's convictions charged him to keep to the command of God; nor could any man have spoken better. But many call God theirs, who are not his, not truly because not only his. There is no judging men by their words; God knows the heart. Balaam's corruptions at the same time inclined him to go contrary to the command. He seemed to refuse the temptation; but he expressed no abhorrence of it. He had a strong desire to accept the offer, and hoped that God might give him leave to go. He had already been told what the will of God was. It is a certain evidence of the ruling of corruption in the heart, to beg leave to sin. God gave Balaam up to his own heart's lusts. As God sometimes denies the prayers of his people in love, so sometimes he grants the desires of the wicked in wrath.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And the Lord came unto Balaam at night,.... As before, Numbers 22:9 it may be in a dream; the Targum of Jonathan is as there,"a word came from the Lord:"

and said unto him, if the men come and call thee, rise up, and go with them; this was said, as some think, not seriously, but sarcastically, or rather in an angry manner, bidding him go, if he would; so giving him up to his own heart's lusts, or, at most; only permitting him to go with them, but not to curse Israel; and this permission to go seems to be on this condition, if the princes first called him, and were urgent on him to go with them: this was a trial of Balaam, whether he would be eager and forward to go, or patiently wait until he should be called; or the words may be rendered, "seeing", or because (g):

they are come to call thee: but yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shall thou do; whether he would or not, he should be forced to do it, as Jarchi; and therefore go not with any intention to curse Israel, which shall never be done; wherefore to go would be vain and fruitless, since he would never be able to answer the design of Balak: but still Balaam hoped, it not being so fully and clearly expressed as before, that he should not curse Israel; that God would say something else unto him, though he had no reason at all for it, but all the reverse; so blinded was he with a greedy desire of riches and honour.

(g) "quandoquidem", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; so Noldius, p. 88. & Ainsworth.

Numbers 22:20 Parallel Commentaries

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Balak Summons Balaam
…19Now therefore, I pray you, tarry you also here this night, that I may know what the LORD will say to me more. 20And God came to Balaam at night, and said to him, If the men come to call you, rise up, and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say to you, that shall you do. 21And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.

Numbers 22:19 Now spend the night here so that I can find out what else the LORD will tell me."
Numbers 22:35 The angel of the LORD said to Balaam, "Go with the men, but speak only what I tell you." So Balaam went with Balak's officials.
Numbers 23:5 The LORD put a word in Balaam's mouth and said, "Go back to Balak and give him this word."
Numbers 23:12 He answered, "Must I not speak what the LORD puts in my mouth?"
Numbers 23:16 The LORD met with Balaam and put a word in his mouth and said, "Go back to Balak and give him this word."
Numbers 24:4 the prophecy of one who hears the words of God, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened:
Numbers 24:13 Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not do anything of my own accord, good or bad, to go beyond the command of the LORD--and I must say only what the LORD says'?
Jeremiah 1:7 But the LORD said to me, "Do not say, 'I am too young.' You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you.