Numbers 22:37

37 Balak spoke to Balaam. He said, "Didn't I send messengers to you? I wanted you to come quickly. So why didn't you come? I can make you very rich."

Numbers 22:37 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 22:37

And Balak said unto Balaam
Upon their meeting together:

did I not earnestly send unto thee to call thee?
or "in sending send" {u}; the first messengers in a very pressing manner, with great importunity, to give thee an invitation to come to me, and those men of rank and quality, with rewards of divination in their hands, and yet the invitation was rejected; and after them other messengers, more in number and greater in dignity, with larger offers and promises; and now indeed thou art come, but with much ado, what is the meaning of all this?

wherefore camest thou not unto me?
at first, without showing so much indifference and reluctance, and which obliged me to send another message to thee:

am I not able to promote thee to honour?
to give thee wealth and riches, and put thee into high places of honour and profit? hadst thou any doubt in thy mind about it, either concerning my ability or will to do it?

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FOOTNOTES:

F21 (ytxlv xlv) "mittendo misi", Pagninus, Montanus.

Numbers 22:37 In-Context

35 The angel of the LORD spoke to Balaam. He said, "Go with the men. But say only what I tell you to say." So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.

36 Balak heard that Balaam was coming. So he went out to meet him. They met at a Moabite town near the Arnon River. The town was on the border of Balak's territory.

37 Balak spoke to Balaam. He said, "Didn't I send messengers to you? I wanted you to come quickly. So why didn't you come? I can make you very rich."

38 "Well, I've come to you now," Balaam replied. "But I can't say just anything. I can only speak the words God puts in my mouth."

39 Then Balaam went with Balak to Kiriath Huzoth.