Balak Dismisses Balaam

Numbers 24:13

In 11 translations

BSB: 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.
KJV: 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?
WEB: ‘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’?
ASV: 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?
LSV: 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?
YLT: 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?
DBY: If Balak gave me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the commandment of Jehovah to do good or bad out of my heart: what Jehovah shall say, that will I speak?
DRC: 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?
GNV: If Balak would giue me his house ful of siluer and gold, I can not passe the commandement of the Lord, to doe either good or bad of mine owne minde? what the Lord shall commaund, the same will I speake.
JPS: 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?
LXXE: 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.Or, go beyond.

Word by word Hebrew · tap a word

Words in brackets are English the glossers added; the Hebrew has no word for them, and they can carry a choice of tense or meaning.

Original-language editions

WLC: אִם־יִתֶּן־לִ֨י בָלָ֜ק מְלֹ֣א בֵיתוֹ֮ כֶּ֣סֶף וְזָהָב֒ לֹ֣א אוּכַ֗ל לַעֲבֹר֙ אֶת־פִּ֣י יְהוָ֔ה לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת טוֹבָ֛ה א֥וֹ רָעָ֖ה מִלִּבִּ֑י אֲשֶׁר־יְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֹת֥וֹ אֲדַבֵּֽר׃
LXX-Br: ἐάν μοι δῷ Βαλὰκ πλήρη τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ ἀργυρίου καὶ χρυσίου, οὐ δυνήσομαι παραβῆναι τὸ ῥῆμα Κυρίου ποιῆσαι αὐτὸ καλὸν ἤ πονηρὸν παρʼ ἐμαυτοῦ· ὅσα ἂν εἴπῃ ὁ Θεός, ταῦτα ἐρῶ.

Who and where

👤 Balak 👤 God

People, places and events the Theographic dataset links to this verse.

In the reference works topics that cite this verse

Jashub Balak Abel-Shittim Charm Magic; Magician Moab; Moabites Moabites Word Worldliness Numbers, Book of

From public-domain Bible dictionaries and topical indexes (1884–1915).

Cross-references most cited first

Numbers 16:28Then 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 22:18But 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.
Numbers 22:20That 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.”

From the OpenBible.info cross-reference set (votes from readers; not every link is a quotation or allusion).