Numbers 23:12

12 He answered, “Must I not speak what the LORD puts in my mouth?”

Numbers 23:12 in Other Translations

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

12 And he answered and said, "Must I not take care to speak what the LORD puts in my mouth?"

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

12 Balaam answered, "Don't I have to be careful to say what God gives me to say?"

12 He answered, "Shouldn't I say exactly what the Lord puts in my mouth?"

Numbers 23:12 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 23:12

And he answered and said
By reply to Balak:

must I not take heed to speak that which the Lord hath put in my mouth?
pretending a great regard to the word of God, and to great carefulness to speak it, exactly and punctually as he received it, whereas he was forced to it, and could not do otherwise.

Numbers 23:12 In-Context

10 Who can count the dust of Jacob or number even a fourth of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and may my final end be like theirs!”

11 Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies, but you have done nothing but bless them!”

12 He answered, “Must I not speak what the LORD puts in my mouth?”

13 Then Balak said to him, “Come with me to another place where you can see them; you will not see them all but only the outskirts of their camp. And from there, curse them for me.”

14 So he took him to the field of Zophim on the top of Pisgah, and there he built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

Cross References

• 1. S Numbers 22:18,20; Numbers 22:20,38