Numbers 22:20

20 That night God came to Balaam and said, “Since these men have come to summon you, go with them, but do only what I tell you.”

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Numbers 22:20 in Other Translations

KJV

20 And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men come to call thee, rise up, and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do.

ESV

20 And God came to Balaam at night and said to him, "If the men have come to call you, rise, go with them; but only do what I tell you."

NLT

20 That night God came to Balaam and told him, “Since these men have come for you, get up and go with them. But do only what I tell you to do.”

MSG

20 God came to Balaam that night and said, "Since these men have come all this way to see you, go ahead and go with them. But make sure you do absolutely nothing other than what I tell you."

CSB

20 God came to Balaam at night and said to him, "Since these men have come to summon you, get up and go with them, but you must only do what I tell you."

Numbers 22:20 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 22:20

And the Lord came unto Balaam at night
As before, ( Numbers 22:9 ) it may be in a dream; the Targum of Jonathan is as there,

``a word came from the Lord:''

and said unto him, if the men come and call thee, rise up, and go with
them;
this was said, as some think, not seriously, but sarcastically, or rather in an angry manner, bidding him go, if he would; so giving him up to his own heart's lusts, or, at most; only permitting him to go with them, but not to curse Israel; and this permission to go seems to be on this condition, if the princes first called him, and were urgent on him to go with them: this was a trial of Balaam, whether he would be eager and forward to go, or patiently wait until he should be called; or the words may be rendered, "seeing", or because ^F7,

they are come to call thee: but yet the word which I shall say unto
thee, that shall thou do;
whether he would or not, he should be forced to do it, as Jarchi; and therefore go not with any intention to curse Israel, which shall never be done; wherefore to go would be vain and fruitless, since he would never be able to answer the design of Balak: but still Balaam hoped, it not being so fully and clearly expressed as before, that he should not curse Israel; that God would say something else unto him, though he had no reason at all for it, but all the reverse; so blinded was he with a greedy desire of riches and honour.

FOOTNOTES:

F7 (Ma) "quandoquidem", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; so Noldius, p. 88. & Ainsworth.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Numbers 22:20 In-Context

18 But Balaam answered them, “Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not do anything great or small to go beyond the command of the LORD my God.

19 Now spend the night here so that I can find out what else the LORD will tell me.”

20 That night God came to Balaam and said, “Since these men have come to summon you, go with them, but do only what I tell you.”

21 Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with the Moabite officials.

22 But God was very angry when he went, and the angel of the LORD stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him.