Numbers 23:12

12 But Balaam answered, "I must say what the Lord tells me to say."

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 No one can number the many people of Jacob, and no one can count a fourth of Israel. Let me die like good men, and let me end up like them!"

11 Balak said to Balaam, "What have you done to me? I brought you here to curse my enemies, but you have only blessed them!"

12 But Balaam answered, "I must say what the Lord tells me to say."

13 Then Balak said to him, "Come with me to another place, where you can also see the people. But you can only see part of them, not all of them. Curse them for me from there."

14 So Balak took Balaam to the field of Zophim, on top of Mount Pisgah. There Balak built seven altars and offered a bull and a male sheep on each altar