Numbers 24:13
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’?
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?
Matthew Henry
Hebrew interlinear
H518
prt — lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not
Derivation: a primitive particle;
used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also Oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not
KJV: (and, can-, doubtless, if, that) (not), + but, either, + except, + more(-over if, than), neither, nevertheless, nor, oh that, or, + save (only, -ing), seeing, since, sith, + surely (no more, none, not), though, + of a truth, + unless, + verily, when, whereas, whether, while, + yet.
conj — if
אִם conj.
1. hypoth. part. if
2. Interrog. part.
relative conjunction
כִּי אם־
1. each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause:
a. that if
b. for if
2. (About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause—
a. limiting the prec. clause, except
b. the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but
c. after an oath, surely
H5414
v — give, put, make
Derivation: a primitive root;
to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)
KJV: add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, × avenge, × be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, × doubtless, × without fail, fasten, frame, × get, give (forth, over, up), grant, hang (up), × have, × indeed, lay (unto charge, up), (give) leave, lend, let (out), lie, lift up, make, O that, occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, × pull, put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send (out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), sing, slander, strike, (sub-) mit, suffer, × surely, × take, thrust, trade, turn, utter, weep, willingly, withdraw, would (to) God, yield.
vb — give
נָתַן 2007 vb. give, put, set
Qal 1917
1. give
2. Put, set
3. Make, constitute
Niph. 82
1. be given
2. Be put, set
Hoph.
1.
a. be given, bestowed
b. = be given to one for wife
2. be put upon
H1111
n-pr-m — Balak
Derivation: from 1110; waster;
Balak, a Moabitish king
KJV: Balak.
n.pr.m — Balak
בָּלָק n.pr.m. (devastator) king of Moab
H4393
n-m — fulness
Derivation: rarely מְלוֹא; or מְלוֹ; (Ezekiel 41:8), from 4390;
fulness (literally or figuratively)
KJV: × all along, × all that is (there-) in, fill, (× that whereof...was) full, fulness, (hand-) full, multitude.
n.m — fulness
מְלֹא, [מְלוֹא] n.m. fulness, that which fills
1. fulness of hand (= handful)
2. mass of shepherds; multitude of nations
H1004
n-m — a house
Derivation: probably from 1129 abbreviated;
a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)
KJV: court, daughter, door, + dungeon, family, + forth of, × great as would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter) house(-hold), inside(-ward), palace, place, + prison, + steward, + tablet, temple, web, + within(-out).
prep — between
בֵּית fem. of בַּיִן, בֵּין prep. between
n.m — house
בַּ֫יִת 2034 n.m. house
1. house
2. place
3. receptacle
4. of house as containing a family
5. household, family (592 t.)
6. house, including household affairs
7. lit. housewards, hence metaph. inwards
8. מִבַּיִת
a. adv. on the inside
b. prep. within
H3701
n-m — silver, pale, money
Derivation: from 3700;
silver (from its pale color); by implication, money
KJV: money, price, silver(-ling).
n.m — silver
כֶּ֫סֶף 402 n.m. silver, money
1. = silver ore, raw silver
2. silver as bright, shining
3. silver, as wealth
4. silver as spoil of war
5. silver as merchandise
6. silver as costly gift
7. silver as material
8. silver as measure of weight and value
9. among vbs. and phr.
H2091
n-m — gold, something gold-colored, oil, clear sky
Derivation: from an unused root meaning to shimmer;
gold, figuratively, something gold-colored (i.e. yellow), as oil, a clear sky
KJV: gold(-en), fair weather.
n.m — gold
זָהָב 385 n.m. gold
1. = gold-ore, gold in raw state
2. gold as wealth
3. gold as spoil of war
4. gold as merchandise
5. gold as costly gift
6. gold as material
7. gold described by its source
8. gold defined by var. adj. and pts.
9. as measure of weight and value
10. = golden oil, from colour
11. often named with
12. the chief vbs. used
H3808
adv — not, no
Derivation: or לוֹא; or לֹה; (Deuteronomy 3:11), a primitive particle;
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
KJV: × before, or else, ere, except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (× as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, surely, as truly as, of a truth, verily, for want, whether, without.
adv — not
לֹא or לוֹא adv. not
H3201
v — be able, can, could, may, might
Derivation: or (fuller) יָכוֹל; a primitive root;
to be able, literally (can, could) or morally (may, might)
KJV: be able, any at all (ways), attain, can (away with, (-not)), could, endure, might, overcome, have power, prevail, still, suffer.
vb — be able
יָכֹל, יָכוֹל 193 vb. be able, have power, prevail, endure
Qal
1. be able, to do a thing,, whether ability be physical, moral, constitutional, or dependent on external authority
2. prevail
3. abs. have ability, strength, only neg.
H5674
v — cross, transition, cover
Derivation: a primitive root;
to cross over; used very widely of any transition (literal or figurative; transitive, intransitive, intensive, causative); specifically, to cover (in copulation)
KJV: alienate, alter, × at all, beyond, bring (over, through), carry over, (over-) come (on, over), conduct (over), convey over, current, deliver, do away, enter, escape, fail, gender, get over, (make) go (away, beyond, by, forth, his way, in, on, over, through), have away (more), lay, meddle, overrun, make partition, (cause to, give, make to, over) pass(-age, along, away, beyond, by, -enger, on, out, over, through), (cause to, make) proclaim(-amation), perish, provoke to anger, put away, rage, raiser of taxes, remove, send over, set apart, shave, cause to (make) sound, × speedily, × sweet smelling, take (away), (make to) transgress(-or), translate, turn away, (way-) faring man, be wrath.
vb — pass over
עָבַר 648 vb. pass over, through, by, pass on
Qal
1. pass over
2. Pass beyond
3. Pass through, traverse
4.
a. pass along by
b. pass by
c. sweep by, of scourge
d. be past, over, of time
e. pass along (from hand to hand)
5. Pass on, go on
6. Pass away
Niph. Impf. a stream which cannot be forded
Pi.
1. his bull impregnateth
a. cause one to cross river
b. cause something to pass over
c. make over to
d. devote children to (לְ) heathen god
e. pass along (from hand to hand)
2.
a. cause to pass through
b. let pass through
3.
a. cause to pass by
b. let pass by
c. cause arrow to pass beyond
d. cause to pass under rod, for counting
4. cause to pass away, take away
Hiph.
1. cause to pass over, bring over
2. he made to pass across with chains of gold
vb. denom — be arrogant
[עָבַר] vb. denom. Hithp. be arrogant, infuriate oneself
H853
prt — self, even, namely
Derivation: apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of entity;
properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)
KJV: [as such unrepresented in English].
mark of the accusative
אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
H6310
n-m — mouth, blowing, speech, edge, portion, side, according to
Derivation: from 6284;
the mouth (as the means of blowing), whether literal or figurative (particularly speech); specifically edge, portion or side; adverbially (with preposition) according to
KJV: accord(-ing as, -ing to), after, appointment, assent, collar, command(-ment), × eat, edge, end, entry, file, hole, × in, mind, mouth, part, portion, × (should) say(-ing), sentence, skirt, sound, speech, × spoken, talk, tenor, × to, two-edged, wish, word.
n.m — mouth
פֶּה 485 n.m. mouth
1.
a. mouth, of man, organ of eating and drinking
b. external organ
2.
a. much oftener, as organ of speech, of man
b. as laughing; panting
c. of God
d. of idols
e. of musical instr. = sound
3. of animals; hence of edge of sword
4. mouth = opening, orifice
5.
a. extremity, end
b. = portion
6. with preps.
H3068
n-pr — Existent, Jeho-vah
Derivation: from 1961;
(the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jeho-vah, Jewish national name of God
KJV: Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.
n.pr.dei — God
יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)
I. יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb
II.
1. יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D
2. the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy
3. יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh
H6213
v — do, make
Derivation: a primitive root;
to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application
KJV: accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, × certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, feast, (fight-) ing man, finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go about, govern, grant, great, hinder, hold (a feast), × indeed, be industrious, journey, keep, labour, maintain, make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, officer, pare, bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure, provide, put, requite, × sacrifice, serve, set, shew, × sin, spend, × surely, take, × thoroughly, trim, × very, vex, be (warr-) ior, work(-man), yield, use.
vb — do
עָשָׂה 2622 vb. do, make
Qal 2524
I.
1. do (1560 t.)
2. deal with
3. oft. in phr. do kindness with
4. abs. act, act with effect
II.
1. make (670 t.)
2. produce, yield
3. prepare, esp. of dressing and cooking food
4. make offering
5. attend to, put in order
6. observe, celebrate, religious festival
7. acquire property of various kinds
8. appoint priests
9. bring about of י׳’s effecting a deliverance
10. use
11. spend, pass, days of life
Niph. 97
1. be done
2.
a. be made, of concr. things
b. be produced from vine
c. be prepared, of food
d. be offered
e. be observed, passover
f. be used
Pu. I was made
vb — press
[עָשָׂה] vb. Pi. press, squeeze
H2896
a n-m n-f — good
Derivation: from 2895;
good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or women), also as an adverb (well)
KJV: beautiful, best, better, bountiful, cheerful, at ease, × fair (word), (be in) favour, fine, glad, good (deed, -lier, -liest, -ly, -ness, -s), graciously, joyful, kindly, kindness, liketh (best), loving, merry, × most, pleasant, pleaseth, pleasure, precious, prosperity, ready, sweet, wealth, welfare, (be) well(-favoured).
n.m — a good thing
טוֹב n.m. a good thing, benefit, welfare
1. welfare, prosperity, happiness
2. good things
3. good = benefit
4. moral good
adj — pleasant
טוֹב adj. pleasant, agreeable, good
1. pleasant, agreeable to the senses
2. pleasant to the higher nature, giving pleasure, happiness, prosperity, and so agreeable, pleasing, well
3. good, excellent, of its kind
4. good, rich, valuable in estimation
5. good, appropriate, becoming
6. c. מִן compar. = better
7. of man's sensuous nature, glad, happy, prosperous
8. of man's intellectual nature, good understanding
9. good, kind, benign
10. good (ethical), right
n.f — welfare
טוֹבָה n.f. welfare, benefit, good things, good
1. welfare, prosperity, happiness
2. good things
3. bounty, good
H176
conj — desire, or, if
Derivation: presumed to be the 'constructive' or genitival form of אַו ; short for 185;
desire (and so probably in Proverbs 31:4); hence (by way of alternative) or, also if
KJV: also, and, either, if, at the least, × nor, or, otherwise, then, whether.
conj — or
אוֹ 320 conj. or
1. sometimes implying a preference, nearly or rather
2. introducing a sentence, esp. a particular case under a general principle, or = or if
3. if perchance
4. once, with the juss. = except
H7451
a n-m n-f — bad, evil
Derivation: from 7489;
bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral)
KJV: adversity, affliction, bad, calamity, displease(-ure), distress, evil((-favouredness), man, thing), exceedingly, × great, grief(-vous), harm, heavy, hurt(-ful), ill (favoured), mark, mischief(-vous), misery, naught(-ty), noisome, not please, sad(-ly), sore, sorrow, trouble, vex, wicked(-ly, -ness, one), worse(-st), wretchedness, wrong. (Incl. feminine raaah; as adjective or noun.).
n.m — evil
רַע 126 n.m. evil, distress, misery, injury, calamity
1. evil, distress, adversity
2. evil, injury, wrong
3. ethical evil
adj — bad
רַע 228 adj. bad, evil
1. bad, disagreeable, malignant
2. bad, unpleasant, giving pain, unhappiness, misery
3. evil, displeasing
4. bad of its kind
5. bad, , i.e. of low value
6. מִן comp., worse than
7. sad, unhappy
8. devise evil (hurtful) device
9. bad, unkind, vicious in disposition or temper
10. ethically bad, evil, wicked
n.f — evil
רָעָה 310 n.f. evil, misery, distress, injury
1. evil, misery, distress
2. evil, injury, wrong
3. ethical evil
H3820
n-m — heart, feelings, will, intellect, centre
Derivation: a form of 3824;
the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect; likewise for the centre of anything
KJV: care for, comfortably, consent, × considered, courag(-eous), friend(-ly), ((broken-), (hard-), (merry-), (stiff-), (stout-), double) heart(-ed), × heed, × I, kindly, midst, mind(-ed), × regard(-ed), × themselves, × unawares, understanding, × well, willingly, wisdom.
n.m — inner man
לֵב 599 n.m. (f.) inner man, mind, will, heart
I. seldom of things in the midst of the sea
II. elsewhere of men
1. the inner man in contrast with the outer
2. the inner man, indef., soul, comprehending mind, affections and will
3. specific reference to mind
4. spec. ref. to inclinations, resolutions and determinations of the will
5. spec. ref. to conscience
6. [various]
7. for the man himself
8. as seat of appetites
9. as seat of emotions and passions
10. seat of courage
H834
r — who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that
Derivation: a primitive relative pronoun (of every gender and number);
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.
KJV: × after, × alike, as (soon as), because, × every, for, + forasmuch, + from whence, + how(-soever), × if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), × though, + until, + whatsoever, when, where (+ -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, + whither(-soever), who(-m, -soever, -se). As it is indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun expletively, used to show the connection.
part. of relation — who
אֲשֶׁר part. of relation A sign of relation, bringing the clause introduced by it into relation with an antecedent clause.
adv — in which
בַאֲשֶׁר
a. in (that) which
b. adv. in (the place) where
c. conj. in that, inasmuch as
d. on account of whom?
conj — according as
כַּאֲשֶׁר conj. according as, as, when
1. according to that which, according as, as
2. with a causal force, in so far as, since
3. with a temporal force, when
adv — who
מֵאֲשֶׁר
a. from (or than) that which
b. adv. from (the place) where
c. conj. from (the fact) that …, since
H1696
v — arrange, speak, subdue
Derivation: a primitive root;
perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue
KJV: answer, appoint, bid, command, commune, declare, destroy, give, name, promise, pronounce, rehearse, say, speak, be spokesman, subdue, talk, teach, tell, think, use (entreaties), utter, × well, × work.
vb — speak
[דָבַר] 1142 vb. speak (original mng. dub.)
Qal speak
Niph. reciprocal sense, speak with one another, talk
Pi. speak
Pu. in the day when she may be spoken for
Hithp. speaking this word
Hiph. either leads subject, or puts to flight, fig. for subdues
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Verses 10–14
Numbers 24:10–14
We have here the conclusion of this vain attempt to curse Israel, and the total abandonment of it. 1. Balak made the worst of it. He broke out into a rage against Balaam (Num 24:10), expressed both in words and gesture the highest degree of vexation at the disappointment; he smote his hands together, for indignation, to see all his measures thus broken, and his project baffled. He charged Balaam with putting upon him the basest affront and cheat imaginable: "I called thee to curse my enemies, and thou hast shown thyself in league with them, and in their interests, for thou hast blessed them these three times, though, by appointing the altars to be built and sacrifices to be offered, thou madest be believe thou wouldest certainly curse them." Hereupon he forbade him his presence, expelled him his country, upbraided him with the preferments he had designed to bestow upon him, but now would not (Num 24:11): "The Lord hath kept thee back from honour. See what thou gettest by pleasing the Lord, instead of pleasing me; thou has hindered thy preferment by it." Thus those who are any way losers by their duty are commonly upbraided with it, as fools, for preferring it before their interest in the world. Whereas, if Balaam had been voluntary and sincere in his adherence to the word of the Lord, though he lost the honour Balak designed him by it, God would have made that loss up to him abundantly to his advantage. 2. Balaam made the best if it. (1.) He endeavours to excuse the disappointment. And a very good excuse he has for it, that God restrained him from saying what he would have said, and constrained him to say what he would not; and that this was what Balak ought not to be displeased at, not only because he could not help it, but because he had told Balak before what he must depend upon, Num 24:12, Num 24:13. Balak could not say that he had cheated him, since he had given him fair notice of the check he found himself under. (2.) He endeavours to atone for it, Num 24:14. Though he cannot do what Balak would have him do, yet, [1.] He will gratify his curiosity with some predictions concerning the nations about him. It is natural to us to be pleased with prophecy, and with this he hopes to pacify the angry prince. [2.] He will satisfy him with an assurance that, whatever this formidable people should do to his people, it should not be till the latter days; so that he, for his part, needed not to fear any mischief or molestation from them; the vision was for a great while to come, but in his days there should be peace. [3.] He will put him into a method of doing Israel a mischief without the ceremonies of enchantment and execration. This seems to be implied in that word: I will advertise thee; for it properly signifies, I will counsel thee. What the counsel was is not set down here, because it was given privately, but we are told afterwards what it was, Num 31:16. He counselled him to entice the Israelites to idolatry, Rev 2:14. Since he could not have leave from God to curse them, he puts him in a way of getting help from the devil to tempt them. Flectere si nequeo superos, Acheronta movebo - If I cannot move heaven, I will solicit hell.
Cross-references: Num 24:10 · Num 24:11 · Num 24:12 · Num 24:13 · Num 24:14 · Num 31:16 · Rev 2:14