Numbers 22 19

Numbers 22:19 kjv

Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the LORD will say unto me more.

Numbers 22:19 nkjv

Now therefore, please, you also stay here tonight, that I may know what more the LORD will say to me."

Numbers 22:19 niv

Now spend the night here so that I can find out what else the LORD will tell me."

Numbers 22:19 esv

So you, too, please stay here tonight, that I may know what more the LORD will say to me."

Numbers 22:19 nlt

But stay here one more night, and I will see if the LORD has anything else to say to me."

Numbers 22 verses

Numbers 22 19 Meaning

Numbers 22:19 shows Balaam requesting that Balak's messengers wait overnight again. His stated purpose is to ascertain if the LORD, the God of Israel, would provide additional or altered instructions beyond the clear command already given not to go with them and not to curse Israel. This request suggests Balaam's desire for personal gain, hoping God might reverse or modify His earlier explicit prohibition due to the increased honor and riches offered.

Numbers 22 19 Context

Numbers chapter 22 begins with Moabite King Balak's deep fear of the large Israelite population, who had recently defeated the Amorites and settled near his territory. Convinced that military might alone wouldn't suffice, Balak sought supernatural aid. He sent elders from Moab and Midian to Balaam, a renowned diviner (a type of prophet) from Mesopotamia, asking him to curse Israel. The first delegation offered payment. God appeared to Balaam and explicitly forbade him from going or cursing Israel because they were blessed (Num 22:12). Despite this clear divine command, Balak sent a second delegation, comprising more numerous and honorable princes, with greater promises of wealth and prestige. It is to this second, more influential delegation that Balaam speaks the words of Numbers 22:19, requesting another night to consult with the LORD. His earlier rejection of Balak's initial request made this second consultation seem insincere, highlighting a significant internal conflict between obedience to God and desire for worldly riches.

Numbers 22 19 Word analysis

• Now therefore, please tarry: This phrase indicates a renewed plea following Balak's intensified offer. It suggests Balaam's previous encounter with God was somehow insufficient for this new level of temptation. The Hebrew atah-khen (עַ תָּ ה֙ כֵּ ן) can imply a conclusion drawn from previous events, thus, "in light of what you've now presented." Shivu-na (שִ בּו ּ־נָא), "stay please," is a polite imperative, but under the circumstances, it also signifies his deliberate choice to seek a different answer rather than firmly adhering to the first.

• here tonight also: The word "also" (gam - גַּ ם) is crucial. It points to a repetition of his previous night's waiting for divine counsel (Num 22:8). This repetition is not for lack of a clear answer, but possibly for hope of a changed answer. It shows a persistent, perhaps even testing, attitude toward God's clearly stated will.

• that I may know: The Hebrew v’edah (וְ אֵ דְ עָ ה), derived from yada, means to know experientially or intimately, not just intellectually. Balaam wants to be fully certain of God's word, yet given his prior instruction, it casts doubt on his true intention. He seems to be seeking validation for his desire to go, rather than seeking a true understanding of God's unchanging will.

• what more: The phrase mah-yosef (מַ ה־ יֹ סִ פ), literally "what will add," implies Balaam is anticipating, or at least hoping for, a supplemental or altered directive from God. This is the heart of his presumed fault – believing that increased external pressure or personal desire could sway the divine will already established. It hints at his avarice influencing his perception of God's immutability.

• the LORD: Refers to Yahweh (יְ הוָ ה), the covenant God of Israel. That a foreign diviner uses God's specific name highlights his awareness of God's power and distinctiveness, yet his actions portray a man trying to manipulate God rather than submit to Him.

• will say to me: The Hebrew y'dabber li (יְ דַ בֵּ ר לִ י) emphasizes direct, personal divine communication. Balaam correctly expects to hear from God, but his error lies in hoping for a word contrary to God's steadfast nature, driven by his covetous desires. He wants God to re-speak His word, possibly in a more convenient way.

• "Now therefore...that I may know what more the LORD will say to me": This complete phrase, spoken after receiving clear instructions, is problematic. It suggests Balaam, instead of accepting God's firm "No," is essentially reopening negotiations with God. He isn't seeking clarification but hoping for an update that aligns with his personal interests (wealth and honor offered by Balak). This presumption illustrates a dangerous attempt to force God's hand or presume upon His grace. It reveals his internal struggle between prophetic office and personal gain, ultimately foreshadowing his fall.

Numbers 22 19 Bonus section

• Balaam's actions here establish a dangerous precedent in biblical narratives: the professional prophet who knows God's word but whose heart is divided by avarice. He seeks further divine communication, not out of humility or uncertainty, but out of a subtle rebellious hope that God might change His mind under greater duress, much like one might haggle over a price.
• The narrative serves as a powerful warning against attempting to test God's patience or His clear, initial commands. God's allowance of Balaam to go (in the following verses) is often interpreted as God "giving them up" to their own hardened desires (as seen in Rom 1:24), letting him experience the natural consequences of choosing disobedience while simultaneously demonstrating His ultimate sovereignty by still preventing Balaam from cursing Israel.
• This verse sets the stage for the dramatic confrontation with the Angel of the LORD and the talking donkey, a testament to God's direct intervention to stop a prophet compromised by greed, rather than altering His divine decree. It illustrates that God uses even the most unusual means to uphold His word and protect His people.

Numbers 22 19 Commentary

Numbers 22:19 is a pivotal verse, encapsulating Balaam's profound moral conflict. Despite a clear and unambiguous divine prohibition, he sought a second, potentially different, word from God, influenced by the heightened temptation of Balak's offer. This action reveals a heart not fully submitted to God's initial clear command, but rather hoping that God's will could be swayed by the magnitude of the offered rewards. It highlights the human tendency to try and re-negotiate with God when His commands conflict with personal desires or ambitions. Balaam wasn't seeking clarification; he was hoping for concession, showcasing a perilous mixture of knowing God's power and attempting to manipulate His unchanging nature for personal profit. This pursuit of personal gain, in defiance of known divine will, becomes his tragic "error," warned about in later Scriptures.