Numbers 22:18-20

18 Balaam replied to the servants of Balak, "1Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything, either small or great, contrary to the command of the LORD my God.
19 "Now please, you also stay here tonight, and I will find out what else the LORD will speak to me."
20 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 2only the word which I speak to you shall you do."

Numbers 22:18-20 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 22

The children of Israel being come into the plains of Moab, put the king of Moab into a panic, who expressed his fears to the elders of Midian, Nu 22:1-4 and sent for Balaam the soothsayer to curse the people of Israel, but he, upon consulting the Lord refused to come, Nu 22:5-14, on which the king of Moab sent to him a second time, making large promises of preferment to him, and who at this time got leave from the Lord to go with the messengers, Nu 22:15-21, but was met with in the way by an angel of the Lord, who would have slain him had it not been for his ass, of which a very wonderful revelation is given, Nu 22:22-35, and the chapter is closed with the interview between Balak king of Moab and Balaam, and an account of what passed between them, and what was done by them, Nu 22:36-41.

Cross References 2

  • 1. Numbers 22:38; Numbers 24:13; 1 Kings 22:14; 2 Chronicles 18:13
  • 2. Numbers 22:35; Numbers 23:5, 12, 16, 26; Numbers 24:13

Footnotes 1

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, California.  All rights reserved.