Numbers 22:38
New International Version
“Well, I have come to you now,” Balaam replied. “But I can’t say whatever I please. I must speak only what God puts in my mouth.”

New Living Translation
Balaam replied, “Look, now I have come, but I have no power to say whatever I want. I will speak only the message that God puts in my mouth.”

English Standard Version
Balaam said to Balak, “Behold, I have come to you! Have I now any power of my own to speak anything? The word that God puts in my mouth, that must I speak.”

Berean Standard Bible
“See, I have come to you,” Balaam replied, “but can I say just anything? I must speak only the word that God puts in my mouth.”

King James Bible
And Balaam said unto Balak, Lo, I am come unto thee: have I now any power at all to say any thing? the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak.

New King James Version
And Balaam said to Balak, “Look, I have come to you! Now, have I any power at all to say anything? The word that God puts in my mouth, that I must speak.”

New American Standard Bible
So Balaam said to Balak, “Behold, I have come to you now! Am I really able to speak anything? The word that God puts in my mouth, that only shall I speak.”

NASB 1995
So Balaam said to Balak, “Behold, I have come now to you! Am I able to speak anything at all? The word that God puts in my mouth, that I shall speak.”

NASB 1977
So Balaam said to Balak, “Behold, I have come now to you! Am I able to speak anything at all? The word that God puts in my mouth, that I shall speak.”

Legacy Standard Bible
So Balaam said to Balak, “Behold, I have come now to you! Am I able to speak anything at all? The word that God puts in my mouth, that I shall speak.”

Amplified Bible
So Balaam said to Balak, “Indeed I have come to you now, but am I able to say anything at all? The word that God puts in my mouth, that I shall speak.”

Christian Standard Bible
Balaam said to him, “Look, I have come to you, but can I say anything I want? I must speak only the message God puts in my mouth.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Balaam said to him, “Look, I have come to you, but can I say anything I want? I must speak only the message God puts in my mouth.”

American Standard Version
And Balaam said unto Balak, Lo, I am come unto thee: have I now any power at all to speak anything? the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And Balaam said to Balaq, “Behold, I have come to you now, for surely I am not able to say anything but the word that God lays down in my mouth; that is what I say.”

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Balaam said to Balac, Behold, I am now come to thee: shall I be able to say anything? the word which God shall put into my mouth, that I shall speak.

Contemporary English Version
"I'm here now," Balaam answered. "But I will say only what God tells me to say."

Douay-Rheims Bible
He answered him: Lo, here I am: shall I have power to speak any other thing but that which God shall put in my mouth?

English Revised Version
And Balaam said unto Balak, Lo, I am come unto thee: have I now any power at all to speak any thing? the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Balaam replied, "Well, I've come to you now. But I can't say whatever I want to. I can only say what God tells me to say."

Good News Translation
Balaam answered, "I came, didn't I? But now, what power do I have? I can say only what God tells me to say."

International Standard Version
Balaam answered Balak, "Well, I'm here now. I've come to you, but I can't just say anything, can I? I'll speak only what God puts in my mouth to say."

JPS Tanakh 1917
And Balaam said unto Balak: 'Lo, I am come unto thee; have I now any power at all to speak any thing? the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak.'

Literal Standard Version
And Balaam says to Balak, “Behold, I have come to you; now, am I able to speak anything at all? The word which God sets in my mouth—it I speak.”

Majority Standard Bible
“See, I have come to you,” Balaam replied, “but can I say just anything? I must speak only the word that God puts in my mouth.”

New American Bible
Balaam answered Balak, “Well, I have come to you after all. But what power have I to say anything? I can speak only what God puts in my mouth.”

NET Bible
Balaam said to Balak, "Look, I have come to you. Now, am I able to speak just anything? I must speak only the word that God puts in my mouth."

New Revised Standard Version
Balaam said to Balak, “I have come to you now, but do I have power to say just anything? The word God puts in my mouth, that is what I must say.”

New Heart English Bible
Balaam said to Balak, "Look, I have come to you: have I now any power at all to speak anything? The word that God puts in my mouth, that shall I speak."

Webster's Bible Translation
And Balaam said to Balak, Lo, I have come to thee: have I now any power at all to say any thing? the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak.

World English Bible
Balaam said to Balak, “Behold, I have come to you. Have I now any power at all to speak anything? I will speak the word that God puts in my mouth.”

Young's Literal Translation
And Balaam saith unto Balak, 'Lo, I have come unto thee; now -- am I at all able to speak anything? the word which God setteth in my mouth -- it I do speak.'

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Angel and Balaam's Donkey
37And he said to Balaam, “Did I not send you an urgent summons? Why did you not come to me? Am I really not able to richly reward you?” 38“See, I have come to you,” Balaam replied, but can I say just anything? I must speak only the word that God puts in my mouth.” 39So Balaam accompanied Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth.…

Cross References
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 22:37
And he said to Balaam, "Did I not send you an urgent summons? Why did you not come to me? Am I really not able to richly reward you?"

Numbers 22:39
So Balaam accompanied Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth.


Treasury of Scripture

And Balaam said to Balak, See, I am come to you: have I now any power at all to say any thing? the word that God puts in my mouth, that shall I speak.

have I

Numbers 22:18
And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more.

Psalm 33:10
The LORD bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect.

Psalm 76:10
Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain.

the word

Numbers 23:16,26
And the LORD met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Go again unto Balak, and say thus…

Numbers 24:13
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?

1 Kings 22:14
And Micaiah said, As the LORD liveth, what the LORD saith unto me, that will I speak.

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Numbers 22
1. Balak's first message for Balaam is refused
15. His second message obtains him
22. An angel would have slain him, if he had not been saved by his donkey
36. Balak entertains him
















Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
“See,
הִֽנֵּה־ (hin·nêh-)
Interjection
Strong's 2009: Lo! behold!

I have come
בָ֙אתִי֙ (ḇā·ṯî)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

to you,”
אֵלֶ֔יךָ (’ê·le·ḵā)
Preposition | second person masculine singular
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

Balaam
בִּלְעָ֜ם (bil·‘ām)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1109: Balaam -- a prophet

replied,
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“but can
אוּכַ֖ל (’ū·ḵal)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 3201: To be able, have power

I say
דַּבֵּ֣ר (dab·bêr)
Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct
Strong's 1696: To arrange, to speak, to subdue

just anything?
מְא֑וּמָה (mə·’ū·māh)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3972: A speck, point, nothing

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

only the word
הַדָּבָ֗ר (had·dā·ḇār)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1697: A word, a matter, thing, a cause

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

God
אֱלֹהִ֛ים (’ĕ·lō·hîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

puts
יָשִׂ֧ים (yā·śîm)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7760: Put -- to put, place, set

in my mouth.”
בְּפִ֖י (bə·p̄î)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 6310: The mouth, edge, portion, side, according to


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OT Law: Numbers 22:38 Balaam said to Balak Behold I have (Nu Num.)
Numbers 22:37
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