Numbers 22:15-21

Listen to Numbers 22:15-21
15 Once again Balak sent princes, more in number and more honorable than these.
16 And they came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak the son of Zippor: ‘Let nothing hinder you from coming to me,
17 1for I will surely do you great honor, and whatever you say to me I will do. 2Come, curse this people for me. ’”
18 But Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, 3“Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, 4I could not go beyond the command of the Lord my God to do less or more.
19 So you, too, 5please stay here tonight, that I may know what more the Lord will say to me. ”
20 6And God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, rise, go with them; 7but only do what I tell you. ”
21 So Balaam rose in the morning and saddled his donkey and went with the princes of Moab.

Numbers 22:15-21 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 22

The children of Israel being come into the plains of Moab, put the king of Moab into a panic, who expressed his fears to the elders of Midian, Nu 22:1-4 and sent for Balaam the soothsayer to curse the people of Israel, but he, upon consulting the Lord refused to come, Nu 22:5-14, on which the king of Moab sent to him a second time, making large promises of preferment to him, and who at this time got leave from the Lord to go with the messengers, Nu 22:15-21, but was met with in the way by an angel of the Lord, who would have slain him had it not been for his ass, of which a very wonderful revelation is given, Nu 22:22-35, and the chapter is closed with the interview between Balak king of Moab and Balaam, and an account of what passed between them, and what was done by them, Nu 22:36-41.

Unlock Deeper Insights: Get Over 20 Commentaries with Plus! Subscribe Now

Cross References 7

  • 1. 22:17 ver. 37; ch. 24:11
  • 2. 22:17 ver. 11
  • 3. 22:18 ch. 24:13
  • 4. 22:18 ver. 38; ch. 23:26; [1 Kgs. 22:14; 2 Chr. 18:13]
  • 5. 22:19 ver. 8
  • 6. 22:20 [See ver. 9 above]
  • 7. 22:20 ver. 35; ch. 23:12, 26; 24:13
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025