Numbers 24 13

Numbers 24:13 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?

Numbers 24:13 nkjv

'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'?

Numbers 24:13 niv

'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'?

Numbers 24:13 esv

'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'?

Numbers 24:13 nlt

'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!

Numbers 24 verses

Numbers 24 13 Meaning

Numbers 24:13 declares Balaam's inability to speak anything other than what the LORD commands, even if offered an unimaginable bribe of a house full of silver and gold. He asserts that he cannot, by his own will, alter God's message, whether to pronounce something seemingly "good" for Balak or "bad" for Israel, thereby stating his absolute dependence on God's revelation. This verse underscores the supreme authority of God's word and His control over events.

Numbers 24 13 Context

Numbers chapter 24 is part of a larger narrative (chapters 22-24) describing Balak, the king of Moab, hiring the Mesopotamian diviner Balaam to curse the approaching Israelites. Balak feared Israel's vast numbers and success. However, God repeatedly prevents Balaam from cursing Israel, instead compelling him to pronounce blessings and prophecies about Israel's future and their King. This verse (Num 24:13) occurs during Balaam's third significant encounter with Balak, before he delivers his final prophecies. Balaam uses it to justify his repeated blessings, affirming his absolute submission to YHWH's imposed control over his utterances. Historically, this event emphasizes God's sovereign protection of Israel during their wilderness wanderings, and it acts as a polemic against pagan beliefs that gods or divine power could be manipulated by human magic, sorcery, or wealth. YHWH is shown to be truly omnipotent and in control of all outcomes.

Numbers 24 13 Word analysis

• if Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold:

  • Original Context: "his house full" (בֵיתוֹ מָלֵא – beito male) is hyperbole, emphasizing the immense, overwhelming value of the potential bribe. "Silver and gold" (כֶּסֶף וְזָהָב – kesef v'zahav) were the universal currency of power and wealth in the ancient Near East, symbolizing the greatest possible temptation.
  • Significance: This phrase highlights the strength of the enticement presented to Balaam and implicitly his struggle with covetousness. It sets up the contrast between the fleeting value of material wealth and the absolute authority of God's unchanging word. Balaam acknowledges the bribe but claims to prioritize God's command.

• I could not do anything contrary to:

  • Hebrew: The phrase "go beyond" or "transgress" (לַעֲבֹר – laʿavor) implies breaking a boundary or stepping outside an appointed limit.
  • Significance: Balaam states that he is under divine constraint; he cannot overstep the bounds set by YHWH. This points to God's ultimate sovereignty even over human intentions or a prophet's desires.

• the command of the LORD:

  • Hebrew: "mouth of YHWH" (פִּי יְהוָה – pi YHWH). This direct phrase emphasizes divine utterance as the sole source of the message, highlighting God's direct revelation and control over what Balaam is permitted to say.
  • Significance: It establishes YHWH as the sole authority and originator of the prophetic word. Balaam identifies himself as merely a conduit, reinforcing the truth that a true prophet speaks only God's words, not their own.

• either good or bad:

  • Hebrew: "from good to evil" (מִטּוֹבָה וְעַד רָעָה – mittovah v'ad raʿah). This is a merism, covering all possibilities, from blessing (good) to cursing (bad).
  • Significance: This indicates the comprehensiveness of God's control. Balaam states that he cannot deviate from God's command in any way, whether to lessen a "bad" prophecy or amplify a "good" one, illustrating total obedience to God's precise instruction.

• to do it of my own accord:

  • Hebrew: "from my heart" (מִלִּבִּי – millibbiy). Refers to personal initiative, internal desire, or self-will.
  • Significance: Balaam clarifies that his pronouncements are not driven by his personal preferences, desires, or self-interest, but by divine mandate. This emphasizes the lack of human autonomy in delivering God's message, which should be devoid of personal bias.

• what the LORD speaks, that I will speak:

  • Hebrew: Repetition of the root "to speak" (דָּבָר – dabar). "אֲשֶׁר יְדַבֵּר יְהוָה, אֹתוֹ אֲדַבֵּר" (asher yedabber YHWH, oto adabber) means "that which YHWH speaks, that I will speak."
  • Significance: This phrase is the ultimate statement of prophetic fidelity and the core principle of a true prophet: simply repeating verbatim what God reveals. It positions Balaam as a mouthpiece, directly conveying God's message without alteration or embellishment, underscoring the authority and immutability of God's word.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "if Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything contrary to": This segment highlights the monumental temptation Balaam faced. His statement paradoxically both reveals his awareness of the prophet's sacred duty to obey God absolutely, while simultaneously hinting at his underlying avarice that still sought this material gain. The contrast powerfully underscores divine constraint over human desire.
  • "the command of the LORD, either good or bad, to do it of my own accord": This intricate phrase defines the parameters of true prophetic ministry: not speaking from one's own will or preferences ("my own accord"), but being completely submitted to God's utterance ("command of the LORD"), regardless of whether the message seems beneficial or detrimental from a human perspective ("good or bad"). It is a principle that emphasizes selfless submission to divine sovereignty.
  • "what the LORD speaks, that I will speak": This direct declaration encapsulates the ideal role of a divine messenger. The prophet is not an originator but a reporter, faithfully transmitting the exact message received from God. This statement is foundational for understanding the authenticity and authority of prophetic declarations throughout the Bible.

Numbers 24 13 Bonus section

• Divine Overrule: This verse illustrates God's capacity to overrule human will and intentions for His greater purposes. Even if Balaam desired to curse Israel for gain, God ensures that only blessings and true prophecies are spoken, turning a curse into a blessing (Deut 23:5).
• The Nuance of Balaam's Character: Balaam is not simply a 'false prophet' in the conventional sense during these oracles; he is a unique figure who correctly receives and speaks God's word due to divine compulsion, yet later, by his own corrupt will, provides a means for Israel to stumble (Num 31:16, Rev 2:14). His prophetic ability does not equate to righteousness or faithful adherence to God's ways in his personal life.
• Literary Foreshadowing: This declaration by Balaam sets up the reader for the remarkable, involuntary nature of his subsequent oracles. It highlights that the powerful prophecies of Israel's future (the Star out of Jacob, the Scepter from Israel) come not from Balaam's own wisdom or design, but entirely from divine revelation and control.

Numbers 24 13 Commentary

Numbers 24:13 stands as a striking declaration by Balaam, articulating the profound theological truth of God's absolute sovereignty over human speech and prophetic utterance. Despite being a Gentile diviner, and one later revealed to be motivated by "wages of unrighteousness" (2 Pet 2:15), Balaam here accurately states the fundamental principle of true prophecy: the prophet is a mere instrument, speaking only what God puts in their mouth, unable to deviate "either good or bad," or "of his own accord," even in the face of overwhelming material temptation. The very grandiosity of Balak's promised reward ("house full of silver and gold") serves to heighten the divine power at work, as it compels even a man driven by avarice to deliver messages contrary to his patron's desires and seemingly against his own immediate interests. The irony is poignant: Balaam possessed a clear intellectual understanding of divine revelation and articulated its highest ideals, yet his heart remained ensnared by greed. This verse therefore simultaneously affirms the unchallengeable power of God's word to achieve its purpose and illuminates the moral struggle within even a divinely used individual. It is God's power, not Balaam's righteousness, that guarantees the integrity of these prophecies.