Numbers 23:12 He answered, "Must I not speak what the LORD puts in my mouth?"

◄ Numbers 23:12 ►

Parallel Verses

New International Version
He answered, "Must I not speak what the LORD puts in my mouth?"

English Standard Version
And he answered and said, “Must I not take care to speak what the LORD puts in my mouth?”

New American Standard Bible
He replied, "Must I not be careful to speak what the LORD puts in my mouth?"

King James Bible
And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD hath put in my mouth?

Holman Christian Standard Bible
He answered, "Shouldn't I say exactly what the LORD puts in my mouth?"

International Standard Version
But in response, Balaam asked, "Shouldn't I be careful to communicate only what the LORD puts in my mouth?"

American Standard Version
And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which Jehovah putteth in my mouth?

Douay-Rheims Bible
He answered him: Call I speak any thing else but what the Lord commandeth?

Darby Bible Translation
And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which Jehovah puts in my mouth?

Young's Literal Translation
and he answereth and saith, 'That which Jehovah doth put in my mouth -- it do I not take heed to speak?'

Cross References

Exodus 4:15
And you shall speak to him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with your mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what you shall do.

Numbers 22:20
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.

Numbers 23:13
And Balak said to him, Come, I pray you, with me to another place, from from where you may see them: you shall see but the utmost part of them, and shall not see them all: and curse me them from there.

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Commentaries

Matthew Henry's 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.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

10. Who can count the dust of Jacob?—an Oriental hyperbole for a very populous nation, as Jacob's posterity was promised to be (Ge 13:16; 28:14).

the number of the fourth part of Israel—that is, the camp consisted of four divisions; every one of these parts was formidable in numbers.

Let me die the death of the righteous—Hebrew, "of Jeshurun"; or, the Israelites. The meaning is: they are a people happy, above all others, not only in life, but at death, from their knowledge of the true God, and their hope through His grace. Balaam is a representative of a large class in the world, who express a wish for the blessedness which Christ has promised to His people but are averse to imitate the mind that was in Him.