Numbers 23:19 - Forerunner Commentary

Numbers 23:19

17 So he came to him, and there he was, standing by his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab were with him. And Balak said to him, “What has the Lord spoken?”

18 Then he took up his oracle and said:
^a“Rise up, Balak, and hear!
Listen to me, son of Zippor!

19 “God^a is not a man, that He should lie,
Nor a son of man, that He should repent.
Has He ^bsaid, and will He not do?
Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?

20 Behold, I have received a command to bless;
^aHe has blessed, and I cannot reverse it.

21 “He^a has not observed iniquity in Jacob,
Nor has He seen¹ wickedness in Israel.
The Lord his God is with him,
^bAnd the shout of a King is among them.

22 ^aGod brings them out of Egypt;
He has ^bstrength like a wild ox.

23 “For there is no¹ sorcery against Jacob,
Nor any¹ divination against Israel.
It now must be said of Jacob
And of Israel, ‘Oh, ^awhat God has done!’

24 Look, a people rises ^alike a lioness,
And lifts itself up like a lion;
^bIt shall not lie down until it devours the prey,
And drinks the blood of the slain.”

25 Then Balak said to Balaam, “Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all!”

26 So Balaam answered and said to Balak, “Did I not tell you, saying, ^a‘All that the Lord speaks, that I must do’?”

Verse Comparison: Numbers 23:19

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American Standard Version
God is not a man, that he should lie, Neither the son of man, that he should repent: Hath he said, and will he not do it? Or hath he spoken, and will he not make it good?

Amplified® Bible
God is not a man, that He should tell {or} act a lie, neither the son of man, that He should feel repentance {or} compunction [for what He has promised]. Has He said and shall He not do it? Or has He spoken and shall He not make it good?

Contemporary English Version
God is no mere human! He doesn't tell lies or change his mind. God always keeps his promises.

Darby English Version
ùGod is not a man, that he should lie; neither a son of man, that he should repent. Shall he say and not do? and shall he speak and not make it good?

Good News Bible
God is not like people, who lie; He is not a human who changes his mind. Whatever he promises, he does; He speaks, and it is done.

King James Version
God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?

New American Standard Bible
"God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent; Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?

New International Version
God is not a man, that he should lie,
nor a son of man, that he should change his mind.
Does he speak and then not act?
Does he promise and not fulfill?

New King James Version
"God is not a man, that He should lie,
Nor a son of man, that He should repent.
Has He said, and will He not do?
Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?

N.A.S.B. in E-Prime
" We cannot consider God a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent; Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?

Revised Standard Version
God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should repent. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfil it?

Young's Literal Translation
God `is' not a man -- and lieth, And a son of man -- and repenteth! Hath He said -- and doth He not do `it'? And spoken -- and doth He not confirm it?

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