Numbers 22:38

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

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.

Complete Jewish Bible:

Bil'am replied to Balak, "Here, I've come to you! But I have no power of my own to say anything. The word that God puts in my mouth is what I will say."

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.”

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.

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

And Balaam^{H1109} said^{H559} unto Balak^{H1111}, Lo, I am come^{H935} unto thee: have I now any power^{H3201} at all^{H3201} to say^{H1696} any thing^{H3972}? the word^{H1697} that God^{H430} putteth^{H7760} in my mouth^{H6310}, that shall I speak^{H1696}.

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Commentary for Numbers 22:38

Numbers 22:38 is part of the narrative concerning Balaam, a non-Israelite prophet, and his interactions with Balak, the king of Moab. The Moabites were descendants of Lot and were related to the Israelites, but they were also historical rivals. At this point in the biblical narrative, the Israelites, led by Moses, are on their journey to the Promised Land and have encamped near Moab. Balak, fearing the Israelites' numbers and their God, seeks to hire Balaam to curse the Israelites in hopes of weakening them.

In the verse, Balaam has arrived after being summoned by Balak, but he immediately clarifies his position and the source of his authority. Balaam acknowledges that he has no personal power to speak anything of his own volition. Instead, he emphasizes that he can only speak the words that God puts in his mouth. This statement reflects the theme of divine authority and the prophet's role as a conduit for God's messages rather than an independent agent. It also highlights the limits of human power in the face of divine will, a recurring theme in the Bible.

Historically, this passage reflects the ancient Near Eastern practice of hiring prophets and seers to gain favorable outcomes in conflicts. However, Balaam's submission to the will of the God of Israel, rather than the local deities, underscores the sovereignty of Yahweh over other gods and the expectation that even foreign prophets are subject to His authority. The narrative of Balaam and Balak ultimately serves to demonstrate God's protection over Israel and His ability to turn curses into blessings, as Balaam, despite Balak's intentions, ends up pronouncing blessings over Israel instead of curses.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

1. Strong's Number: H1109
   There are 57 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: בִּלְעָם
   Transliteration: Bilʻâm
   Pronunciation: bil-awm'
   Description: probably from בַּל and עַם; not (of the) people, i.e. foreigner; Bilam, a Mesopotamian prophet; also a place in Palestine; Balaam, Bileam.
   
2. Strong's Number: H559
   There are 4434 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אָמַר
   Transliteration: ʼâmar
   Pronunciation: aw-mar'
   Description: a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude); answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [idiom] plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), [idiom] still, [idiom] suppose, talk, tell, term, [idiom] that is, [idiom] think, use (speech), utter, [idiom] verily, [idiom] yet.
   
3. Strong's Number: H1111
   There are 40 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: בָּלָק
   Transliteration: Bâlâq
   Pronunciation: baw-lawk'
   Description: from בָּלַק; waster; Balak, a Moabitish king; Balak.
   
4. Strong's Number: H935
   There are 2307 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: בּוֹא
   Transliteration: bôwʼ
   Pronunciation: bo
   Description: a primitive root; to go or come (in a wide variety of applications); abide, apply, attain, [idiom] be, befall, [phrase] besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, [idiom] certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out, upon, to pass), depart, [idiom] doubtless again, [phrase] eat, [phrase] employ, (cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be fallen, fetch, [phrase] follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war), grant, [phrase] have, [idiom] indeed, (in-) vade, lead, lift (up), mention, pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, [idiom] (well) stricken (in age), [idiom] surely, take (in), way.
   
5. Strong's Number: H3201
   There are 182 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: יָכֹל
   Transliteration: yâkôl
   Pronunciation: yaw-kole'
   Description: or (fuller) יָכוֹל; a primitive root; to be able, literally (can, could) or morally (may, might); be able, any at all (ways), attain, can (away with, (-not)), could, endure, might, overcome, have power, prevail, still, suffer.
   
6. Strong's Number: H1696
   There are 1050 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: דָבַר
   Transliteration: dâbar
   Pronunciation: daw-bar'
   Description: a primitive root; perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue; answer, appoint, bid, command, commune, declare, destroy, give, name, promise, pronounce, rehearse, say, speak, be spokesman, subdue, talk, teach, tell, think, use (entreaties), utter, [idiom] well, [idiom] work.
   
7. Strong's Number: H3972
   There are 32 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: מְאוּמָה
   Transliteration: mᵉʼûwmâh
   Pronunciation: meh-oo'-maw
   Description: apparently a form of מאוּם; properly, a speck or point, i.e. (by implication) something; with negative, nothing; fault, [phrase] no(-ught), ought, somewhat, any (no-)thing.
   
8. Strong's Number: H1697
   There are 1290 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: דָּבָר
   Transliteration: dâbâr
   Pronunciation: daw-baw'
   Description: from דָבַר; a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause; act, advice, affair, answer, [idiom] any such (thing), because of, book, business, care, case, cause, certain rate, [phrase] chronicles, commandment, [idiom] commune(-ication), [phrase] concern(-ing), [phrase] confer, counsel, [phrase] dearth, decree, deed, [idiom] disease, due, duty, effect, [phrase] eloquent, errand, (evil favoured-) ness, [phrase] glory, [phrase] harm, hurt, [phrase] iniquity, [phrase] judgment, language, [phrase] lying, manner, matter, message, (no) thing, oracle, [idiom] ought, [idiom] parts, [phrase] pertaining, [phrase] please, portion, [phrase] power, promise, provision, purpose, question, rate, reason, report, request, [idiom] (as hast) said, sake, saying, sentence, [phrase] sign, [phrase] so, some (uncleanness), somewhat to say, [phrase] song, speech, [idiom] spoken, talk, task, [phrase] that, [idiom] there done, thing (concerning), thought, [phrase] thus, tidings, what(-soever), [phrase] wherewith, which, word, work.
   
9. Strong's Number: H430
   There are 2334 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אֱלֹהִים
   Transliteration: ʼĕlôhîym
   Pronunciation: el-o-heem'
   Description: plural of אֱלוֹהַּ; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative; angels, [idiom] exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), [idiom] (very) great, judges, [idiom] mighty.
   
10. Strong's Number: H7760
    There are 550 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: שׂוּם
    Transliteration: sûwm
    Pronunciation: soom
    Description: or שִׂים; a primitive root; to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and elliptically); [idiom] any wise, appoint, bring, call (a name), care, cast in, change, charge, commit, consider, convey, determine, [phrase] disguise, dispose, do, get, give, heap up, hold, impute, lay (down, up), leave, look, make (out), mark, [phrase] name, [idiom] on, ordain, order, [phrase] paint, place, preserve, purpose, put (on), [phrase] regard, rehearse, reward, (cause to) set (on, up), shew, [phrase] stedfastly, take, [idiom] tell, [phrase] tread down, (over-)turn, [idiom] wholly, work.
    
11. Strong's Number: H6310
    There are 460 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: פֶּה
    Transliteration: peh
    Pronunciation: peh
    Description: from פָּאָה; the mouth (as the means of blowing), whether literal or figurative (particularly speech); specifically edge, portion or side; adverbially (with preposition) according to; accord(-ing as, -ing to), after, appointment, assent, collar, command(-ment), [idiom] eat, edge, end, entry, [phrase] file, hole, [idiom] in, mind, mouth, part, portion, [idiom] (should) say(-ing), sentence, skirt, sound, speech, [idiom] spoken, talk, tenor, [idiom] to, [phrase] two-edged, wish, word.