Numbers 22:16

16 They went to Balaam and delivered this message to him: “This is what Balak son of Zippor says: Please don’t let anything stop you from coming to help me.

Numbers 22:16 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 22:16

And they came to Balaam
Though men of such rank and dignity, they did not decline the embassy, being sent by their king; nor did they think it below them to wait upon this soothsayer:

and said unto him, thus saith Balak the son of Zippor;
representing their master, and addressing the diviner in his name, as his ambassadors; at the same time doing honour to Balak that sent them, of whom they speak respectfully, and to Balaam, to whom they were sent:

let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me;
no business, though ever so important, that might be upon his hands; nor any want of respect to him he might imagine; nor if the rewards offered were not thought sufficient; nor any persuasions of men to the contrary; and if it could be thought he knew anything of the prohibition of God, that may be included; so urgent was he upon his coming to him.

Numbers 22:16 In-Context

14 So the Moabite officials returned to King Balak and reported, “Balaam refused to come with us.”
15 Then Balak tried again. This time he sent a larger number of even more distinguished officials than those he had sent the first time.
16 They went to Balaam and delivered this message to him: “This is what Balak son of Zippor says: Please don’t let anything stop you from coming to help me.
17 I will pay you very well and do whatever you tell me. Just come and curse these people for me!”
18 But Balaam responded to Balak’s messengers, “Even if Balak were to give me his palace filled with silver and gold, I would be powerless to do anything against the will of the LORD my God.
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