Numbers 22:12 - Forerunner Commentary

Numbers 22:12

10 So Balaam said to God, “Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent to me, saying,

11 ‘Look, a people has come out of Egypt, and they cover the face of the earth. Come now, curse them for me; perhaps I shall be able to overpower them and drive them out.’ ”

12 And God said to Balaam, “You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for ^athey are blessed.”

13 So Balaam rose in the morning and said to the princes of Balak, “Go back to your land, for the Lord has refused to give me permission to go with you.”

14 And the princes of Moab rose and went to Balak, and said, “Balaam refuses to come with us.”

15 Then Balak again sent princes, more numerous and more¹ honorable than they.

16 And they came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak the son of Zippor: ‘Please let nothing hinder you from coming to me;

17 for I will certainly ^ahonor you greatly, and I will do whatever you say to me. ^bTherefore please come, curse this people for me.’ ”

18 Then Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, ^a“Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, ^bI could not go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to do less or more.

19 Now therefore, please, you also ^astay here tonight, that I may know what more the Lord will say to me.”

20 ^aAnd God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “If the men come to call you, rise and go with them; but ^bonly the word which I speak to you—that you shall do.”

21 So Balaam rose in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.

Verse Comparison: Numbers 22:12

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American Standard Version
And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people; for they are blessed.

Amplified® Bible
And God said to Balaam, You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.

Contemporary English Version
But God replied, "Don't go with Balak's messengers. I have blessed those people who have come from Egypt, so don't curse them."

Darby English Version
And God said to Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people; for they are blessed.

Good News Bible
God said to Balaam, "Do not go with them, and do not put a curse on the people of Israel, because they have my blessing."

King James Version
And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed.

New American Standard Bible
God said to Balaam, "Do not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed."

New International Version
But God said to Balaam, "Do not go with them. You must not put a curse on those people, because they are blessed."

New King James Version
And God said to Balaam, "You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed."

N.A.S.B. in E-Prime
God said to Balaam,"Do not go with them; you shall not curse them, for I have blessed them.

Revised Standard Version
God said to Balaam, "You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed."

Young's Literal Translation
and God saith unto Balaam, `Thou dost not go with them; thou dost not curse the people; for it `is' blessed.'

New English Translation
But God said to Balaam, “You must not go with them; you must not curse the people,¹ for they are blessed.”²

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