But Balaam replied, “Did I not tell you that whatever the LORD says, I must do?”
Parallel translations
- WEB But Balaam answered Balak, “Didn’t I tell you, saying, ‘All that Yahweh speaks, that I must do?’”
- KJV But Balaam answered and said unto Balak, Told not I thee, saying, All that the LORD speaketh, that I must do?
- NKJV So Balaam answered and said to Balak, “Did I not tell you, saying, ‘All that the Lord speaks, that I must do’?”
- NASB But Balaam replied to Balak, “Did I not tell you, ‘Whatever the Lord speaks, I must do’?”
- NLT But Balaam replied to Balak, “Didn’t I tell you that I can do only what the Lord tells me?”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Balaam reminds Balak that he must do all that Yahweh speaks. He restates his obligation to God's word.
Overview
Balaam again pleads that he is bound to declare only what God says. The repeated theme underscores that no human authority can override divine revelation. Even a reluctant, mercenary prophet becomes a witness to God's unstoppable blessing.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- Acts 5:29But Peter and the other apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than men.
- Num 22:18But Balaam replied to the servants of Balak, “If Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything small or great to go beyond the command of the LORD my God.
- 2 Chr 18:13But Micaiah said, “As surely as the LORD lives, I will speak whatever my God tells me.”
- Acts 4:19–20But Peter and John replied, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to listen to you rather than God.
- Num 22:38“See, I have come to you,” Balaam replied, “but can I say just anything? I must speak only the word that God puts in my mouth.”
- Num 24:12–13Balaam answered Balak, “Did I not already tell the messengers you sent me
- Num 23:12–13But Balaam replied, “Should I not speak exactly what the LORD puts in my mouth?”
- 1 Kgs 22:14But Micaiah said, “As surely as the LORD lives, I will speak whatever the LORD tells me.”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
In the wilderness Christ is the water from the rock, the bronze serpent lifted up that the dying might look and live (John 3:14), and the star and scepter that Balaam saw rising out of Jacob.
How Numbers 23:26 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.