Numbers 23:12

12 And he answered and said, ¹"Must I not take care to speak 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 the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the upright, and let my end be like his!"

11 And Balak said to Balaam, "What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have done nothing but bless them."

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

13 And Balak said to him, "Please come with me to another place, from which you may see them. You shall see only a fraction of them and shall not see them all. Then curse them for me from there."

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

Cross References

• 1. See ver. 5