Numbers 23:11
◄  Numbers 23:11  ►
New International Version (©2011)
Balak said to Balaam, "What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies, but you have done nothing but bless them!"

New Living Translation (©2007)
Then King Balak demanded of Balaam, "What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies. Instead, you have blessed them!"

English Standard Version (©2001)
And Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have done nothing but bless them.”

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
Then Balak said to Balaam, "What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, but behold, you have actually blessed them!"

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
And Balak said unto Balaam, What hast thou done unto me? I took thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast blessed them altogether.

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
What have you done to me?" Balak asked Balaam. "I brought you to curse my enemies, but look, you have only blessed them!"

International Standard Version (©2012)
"What are you doing to me?" Balak asked Balaam. "I brought you to curse my enemies, not pronounce a blessing!"

NET Bible (©2006)
Then Balak said to Balaam, "What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies, but on the contrary you have only blessed them!"

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
Balak said to Balaam, "What have you done to me? I brought you here to curse my enemies, but all you've done is bless them!"

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
And Balak said unto Balaam, What have you done unto me? I took you to curse my enemies, and, behold, you have blessed them altogether.

American King James Version
And Balak said to Balaam, What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, and, behold, you have blessed them altogether.

American Standard Version
And Balak said unto Balaam, What hast thou done unto me? I took thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast blessed them altogether.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And Balac said to Balaam: What is this that thou dost? I sent for thee to curse my enemies: and thou contrariwise blessest them.

Darby Bible Translation
And Balak said to Balaam, What hast thou done to me? I took thee to curse mine enemies, and behold, thou hast blessed them altogether.

English Revised Version
And Balak said unto Balaam, What hast thou done unto me? I took thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast blessed them altogether.

Webster's Bible Translation
And Balak said to Balaam, What hast thou done to me? I took thee to curse my enemies, and behold, thou hast blessed them altogether.

World English Bible
Balak said to Balaam, "What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have blessed them altogether."

Young's Literal Translation
And Balak saith unto Balaam, 'What hast thou done to me? to pierce mine enemies I have taken thee -- and lo, thou hast certainly blessed;'

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

23:11-30 Balak was angry with Balaam. Thus a confession of God's overruling power is extorted from a wicked prophet, to the confusion of a wicked prince. A second time the curse is turned into a blessing; and this blessing is both larger and stronger than the former. Men change their minds, and break their words; but God never changes his mind, and therefore never recalls his promise. And when in Scripture he is said to repent, it does not mean any change of his mind; but only a change of his way. There was sin in Jacob, and God saw it; but there was not such as might provoke him to give them up to ruin. If the Lord sees that we trust in his mercy, and accept of his salvation; that we indulge no secret lust, and continue not in rebellion, but endeavour to serve and glorify him; we may be sure that he looks upon us as accepted in Christ, that our sins are all pardoned. Oh the wonders of providence and grace, the wonders of redeeming love, of pardoning mercy, of the new-creating Spirit! Balak had no hope of ruining Israel, and Balaam showed that he had more reason to fear being ruined by them. Since Balaam cannot say what he would have him, Balak wished him to say nothing. But though there are many devices in man's heart, God's counsels shall stand. Yet they resolve to make another attempt, though they had no promise on which to build their hopes. Let us, who have a promise that the vision at the end shall speak and not lie, continue earnest in prayer, Lu 18:1.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And Balak said unto Balaam, what hast thou done unto me?.... Or "for me" (f); nothing at all, to answer his purpose, or his end in sending for him:

I took thee to curse mine enemies: so he calls the Israelites, though they had never done him any wrong; nor committed any acts of hostility against him, nor showed any intention to commit any; nay, were forbidden by the Lord their God to contend in battle with him and his people:

and, behold, thou hast blessed them altogether; or, "in blessing blessed" (g), done nothing but bless them, and that with many blessings, or pronounced them blessed, and prophesied of their blessedness, for their number, their safety, and of their happiness, not only in life, but at and after death.

(f) "pro me". (g) "benedixisti benedicendo", Pagninus, Montanus, Piscator.

Numbers 23:11 Parallel Commentaries

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Balaam's First Oracle
…10Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his! 11And Balak said to Balaam, What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, and, behold, you have blessed them altogether. 12And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD has put in my mouth?

Nehemiah 13:2 because they had not met the Israelites with food and water but had hired Balaam to call a curse down on them. (Our God, however, turned the curse into a blessing.)
Numbers 23:12 He answered, "Must I not speak what the LORD puts in my mouth?"