Numbers 24:13
New International Version
Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not do anything of my own accord, good or bad, to go beyond the command of the LORD—and I must say only what the LORD says’?

New Living Translation
‘Even if Balak were to give me his palace filled with silver and gold, I would be powerless to do anything against the will of the LORD.’ I told you that I could say only what the LORD says!

English Standard Version
‘If Balak should give me his house full of silver and gold, I would not be able to go beyond the word of the LORD, to do either good or bad of my own will. What the LORD speaks, that will I speak’?

Berean Standard Bible
that even if Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything of my own accord, good or bad, to go beyond the command of the LORD? I will speak whatever the LORD says.

King James Bible
If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the LORD, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; but what the LORD saith, that will I speak?

New King James Version
‘If Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the word of the LORD, to do good or bad of my own will. What the LORD says, that I must speak’?

New American Standard Bible
‘If Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything contrary to the command of the LORD, either good or bad, of my own accord. What the LORD speaks, I will speak’?

NASB 1995
‘Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything contrary to the command of the LORD, either good or bad, of my own accord. What the LORD speaks, that I will speak ‘?

NASB 1977
‘Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything contrary to the command of the LORD, either good or bad, of my own accord. What the LORD speaks, that I will speak’?

Legacy Standard Bible
‘Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything to trespass the command of Yahweh, either good or bad, of my own accord. What Yahweh speaks, that I will speak’?

Amplified Bible
‘Even if Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the command of the LORD, to do either good or bad of my own accord. What the LORD speaks, that I will speak?’

Christian Standard Bible
If Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go against the LORD’s command, to do anything good or bad of my own will? I will say whatever the LORD says.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
If Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go against the LORD’s command, to do anything good or bad of my own will? I will say whatever the LORD says.

American Standard Version
If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of Jehovah, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; what Jehovah speaketh, that will I speak?

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
That if Balaq gives to me a house of full of silver or gold I cannot pass over the word of the mouth of LORD JEHOVAH and offer from my heart good or evil; anything that LORD JEHOVAH says to me, that I am speaking.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
If Balac should give me his house full of silver and gold, I shall not be able to transgress the word of the Lord to make it good or bad by myself; whatsoever things God shall say, them will I speak.

Contemporary English Version
that even if you offered me a palace full of silver or gold, I would still obey the LORD. And I explained that I would say only what he told me.

Douay-Rheims Bible
If Balac would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to utter any thing of my own head either good or evil: but whatsoever the Lord shall say, that I will speak?

English Revised Version
If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the LORD, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; what the LORD speaketh, that will I speak?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
'Even if Balak would give me his palace filled with silver and gold, I couldn't disobey the LORD's command no matter how good or bad the request might seem to me. I must say only what the LORD says.'

Good News Translation
even if you gave me all the silver and gold in your palace, I could not disobey the command of the LORD by doing anything of myself. I will say only what the LORD tells me to say."

International Standard Version
Even if Balak gives me his palace full of silver and gold, I won't double-cross the command of the LORD and do anything—whether good or evil—on my own initiative, because I'm going to say whatever the LORD says.'

JPS Tanakh 1917
If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the LORD, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; what the LORD speaketh, that will I speak?

Literal Standard Version
If Balak gives to me the fullness of his house of silver and gold, I am not able to pass over the command of YHWH, to do good or evil of my own heart; that which YHWH speaks—it I speak?

Majority Standard Bible
that even if Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything of my own accord, good or bad, to go beyond the command of the LORD? I will speak whatever the LORD says.

New American Bible
‘Even if Balak gave me his house full of silver and gold, I could not of my own accord do anything, good or evil, contrary to the command of the LORD’? Whatever the LORD says I must say.

NET Bible
If Balak would give me his palace full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the LORD to do either good or evil of my own will, but whatever the LORD tells me I must speak'?

New Revised Standard Version
‘If Balak should give me his house full of silver and gold, I would not be able to go beyond the word of the LORD, to do either good or bad of my own will; what the LORD says, that is what I will say’?

New Heart English Bible
If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I can't go beyond the word of the LORD, to do either good or bad in my heart. I will say what God says'?

Webster's Bible Translation
If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the commandment of the LORD, to do either good or bad of my own mind; but what the LORD saith, that will I speak?

World English Bible
‘If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I can’t go beyond Yahweh’s word, to do either good or bad from my own mind. I will say what Yahweh says’?

Young's Literal Translation
If Balak doth give to me the fulness of his house of silver and gold, I am not able to pass over the command of Jehovah, to do good or evil of mine own heart -- that which Jehovah speaketh -- it I speak?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Balak Dismisses Balaam
12Balaam answered Balak, “Did I not already tell the messengers you sent me 13that even if Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything of my own accord, good or bad, to go beyond the command of the LORD? I will speak whatever the LORD says. 14Now I am going back to my people, but come, let me warn you what this people will do to your people in the days to come.”…

Cross References
Numbers 16:28
Then Moses said, "This is how you will know that the LORD has sent me to do all these things, for it was not my own doing:

Numbers 22:18
But 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.

Numbers 22:20
That night God came to Balaam and said, "Since these men have come to summon you, get up and go with them, but you must only do what I tell you."

1 Kings 13:8
But the man of God replied, "If you were to give me half your possessions, I still would not go with you, nor would I eat bread or drink water in this place.

1 Kings 22:14
But Micaiah said, "As surely as the LORD lives, I will speak whatever the LORD tells me."


Treasury of Scripture

If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the LORD, to do either good or bad of my own mind; but what the LORD said, that will I speak?

I will advertise

Numbers 24:17
I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.

Numbers 31:7-18
And they warred against the Midianites, as the LORD commanded Moses; and they slew all the males…

Micah 6:5
O my people, remember now what Balak king of Moab consulted, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal; that ye may know the righteousness of the LORD.

the latter

Genesis 49:1
And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days.

Isaiah 24:22
And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited.

Jeremiah 48:47
Yet will I bring again the captivity of Moab in the latter days, saith the LORD. Thus far is the judgment of Moab.

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Able Bad Balak Command Commandment Contrary Either House Mind Palace Silver Speak Speaketh Speaks Word
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Able Bad Balak Command Commandment Contrary Either House Mind Palace Silver Speak Speaketh Speaks Word
Numbers 24
1. Balaam, leaving divinations, prophesies the happiness of Israel
10. Balak, in anger, dismisses him
15. He prophesies of the Star of Jacob, and the destruction of some nations














(13) I cannot go beyond the commandment of the Lord.--Hebrew, the mouth of the Lord: the same expression which is used in Numbers 22:18, where the Authorised Version has "the word of the Lord."



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
that even if
אִם־ (’im-)
Conjunction
Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not

Balak
בָלָ֜ק (ḇā·lāq)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1111: Balak -- 'devastator', a Moabite king

were to give
יִתֶּן־ (yit·ten-)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

me
לִ֨י (lî)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's Hebrew

his house
בֵיתוֹ֮ (ḇê·ṯōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 1004: A house

full
מְלֹ֣א (mə·lō)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4393: Fullness, that which fills

of silver
כֶּ֣סֶף (ke·sep̄)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3701: Silver, money

and gold,
וְזָהָב֒ (wə·zā·hāḇ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2091: Gold, something gold-colored, as oil, a clear sky

I could
אוּכַ֗ל (’ū·ḵal)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 3201: To be able, have power

not
לֹ֣א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

do
לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת (la·‘ă·śō·wṯ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 6213: To do, make

anything of my own accord,
מִלִּבִּ֑י (mil·lib·bî)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 3820: The heart, the feelings, the will, the intellect, centre

good
טוֹבָ֛ה (ṭō·w·ḇāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2896: Pleasant, agreeable, good

or
א֥וֹ (’ōw)
Conjunction
Strong's 176: Desire, if

bad,
רָעָ֖ה (rā·‘āh)
Adjective - feminine singular
Strong's 7451: Bad, evil

to go beyond
לַעֲבֹר֙ (la·‘ă·ḇōr)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 5674: To pass over, through, or by, pass on

the command
פִּ֣י (pî)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6310: The mouth, edge, portion, side, according to

of the LORD?
יְהוָ֔ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

I will speak
יְדַבֵּ֥ר (yə·ḏab·bêr)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1696: To arrange, to speak, to subdue

whatever
אֲשֶׁר־ (’ă·šer-)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

the LORD
יְהוָ֖ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

says.
אֲדַבֵּֽר׃ (’ă·ḏab·bêr)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 1696: To arrange, to speak, to subdue


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OT Law: Numbers 24:13 If Balak would give me his house (Nu Num.)
Numbers 24:12
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