Numbers 23:12
New International Version
He answered, “Must I not speak what the LORD puts in my mouth?”

New Living Translation
But Balaam replied, “I will speak only the message that the LORD puts in my mouth.”

English Standard Version
And he answered and said, “Must I not take care to speak what the LORD puts in my mouth?”

Berean Standard Bible
But Balaam replied, “Should I not speak exactly what the LORD puts in my mouth?”

King James Bible
And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD hath put in my mouth?

New King James Version
So he answered and said, “Must I not take heed to speak what the LORD has put in my mouth?”

New American Standard Bible
He replied, “Must I not be careful to speak what the LORD puts in my mouth?”

NASB 1995
He replied, “Must I not be careful to speak what the LORD puts in my mouth?”

NASB 1977
And he answered and said, “Must I not be careful to speak what the LORD puts in my mouth?”

Legacy Standard Bible
And he replied, “Must I not be careful to speak what Yahweh puts in my mouth?”

Amplified Bible
Balaam answered, “Must I not be obedient and careful to speak what the LORD has put in my mouth?”

Christian Standard Bible
He answered, “Shouldn’t I say exactly what the LORD puts in my mouth? ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
He answered, “Shouldn’t I say exactly what the LORD puts in my mouth?”

American Standard Version
And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which Jehovah putteth in my mouth?

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And Balaam answered and said, “Behold, whatever LORD JEHOVAH puts in my mouth is what I observe to speak.”

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Balaam said to Balac, Whatsoever the Lord shall put into my mouth, shall I not take heed to speak this?

Contemporary English Version
Balaam answered, "I can say only what the LORD tells me."

Douay-Rheims Bible
He answered him: Call I speak any thing else but what the Lord commandeth?

English Revised Version
And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD putteth in my mouth?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Balaam answered, "I must say what the LORD tells me to say."

Good News Translation
He answered, "I can say only what the LORD tells me to say."

International Standard Version
But in response, Balaam asked, "Shouldn't I be careful to communicate only what the LORD puts in my mouth?"

JPS Tanakh 1917
And he answered and said: 'Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD putteth in my mouth?'

Literal Standard Version
and he answers and says, “That which YHWH puts in my mouth—do I not take heed to speak it?”

Majority Standard Bible
But Balaam replied, “Should I not speak exactly what the LORD puts in my mouth?”

New American Bible
Balaam replied, “Is it not what the LORD puts in my mouth that I take care to repeat?”

NET Bible
Balaam replied, "Must I not be careful to speak what the LORD has put in my mouth?"

New Revised Standard Version
He answered, “Must I not take care to say what the LORD puts into my mouth?”

New Heart English Bible
He answered and said, "Must I not be careful to speak that which God puts in my mouth?"

Webster's Bible Translation
And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD hath put in my mouth?

World English Bible
He answered and said, “Must I not take heed to speak that which Yahweh puts in my mouth?”

Young's Literal Translation
and he answereth and saith, 'That which Jehovah doth put in my mouth -- it do I not take heed to speak?'

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Balaam's First Oracle
11Then Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you here to curse my enemies, and behold, you have only blessed them!” 12But Balaam replied, “Should I not speak exactly what the LORD puts in my mouth?”

Cross References
Exodus 4:15
You are to speak to him and put the words in his mouth. I will help both of you to speak, and I will teach you what to do.

Numbers 22:20
That 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."

Numbers 23:13
Then Balak said to him, "Please come with me to another place where you can see them. You will only see the outskirts of their camp--not all of them. And from there, curse them for me."


Treasury of Scripture

And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD has put in my mouth?

Numbers 23:20,26
Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it…

Numbers 22:38
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.

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?

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Numbers 23
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Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
But [Balaam] replied,
וַיַּ֖עַן (way·ya·‘an)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6030: To answer, respond

“Should I not
הֲלֹ֗א (hă·lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

speak
לְדַבֵּֽר׃ (lə·ḏab·bêr)
Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct
Strong's 1696: To arrange, to speak, to subdue

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

the LORD
יְהוָה֙ (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

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

in my mouth?”
בְּפִ֔י (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 23:12 He answered and said Must I not (Nu Num.)
Numbers 23:11
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