Numbers 22:6-16

6 Therefore come thou, and curse this people, that is stronger than I, if in any manner I may smite and drive him out of my land; for I know, that he is blessed whom thou blessest, and he is cursed whom thou hast cursed. (And so come thou, and curse these people who be stronger than I, and then I may be able to fight against them, and drive them out of my land; for I know that he is blessed whom thou blessest, and he is cursed whom thou cursest.)

7 The elder men of Moab and the elder men of Midian went forth, having in their hands the price of false divining; and when they had come to Balaam, and had told to him all the words of Balak, (The elders of Moab and of Midian went forth, having in their hands the payment for the curse; and when they had come to Balaam, and had told him all of Balak's words,)

8 he answered, Dwell ye here tonight, and I shall answer to Balak whatever thing the Lord shall say to me. And the princes of Moab dwelled at Balaam (And so the leaders of Moab stayed that night with Balaam).

9 God came, and said to him, What will these men with thee? (And God came, and said to him, Who be these men with thee?)

10 Balaam answered, Balak, the son of Zippor, king of Moabites, sent (them) to me, and (he) said,

11 Lo! a people that is gone out of Egypt hath covered the face of the earth; come thou, and curse them, if in any manner I may fight with them (for then I may be able to fight against them), and drive them away.

12 And God said to Balaam, Do not thou go with them, neither curse thou the people, for it is blessed (for they be blessed/for on the contrary, they should be blessed).

13 And Balaam rose early, and said to the princes, Go ye into your land (Go ye back to your land), for God hath forbade me to come with you.

14 The princes turned again (So the leaders returned), and said to Balak, Balaam would not come with us.

15 Again Balak sent many more, and nobler, men, than he had sent before;

16 which said (who said), when they had come to Balaam, Balak, the son of Zippor, saith thus, Tarry thou not to come to me,

Numbers 22:6-16 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 22

The children of Israel being come into the plains of Moab, put the king of Moab into a panic, who expressed his fears to the elders of Midian, Nu 22:1-4 and sent for Balaam the soothsayer to curse the people of Israel, but he, upon consulting the Lord refused to come, Nu 22:5-14, on which the king of Moab sent to him a second time, making large promises of preferment to him, and who at this time got leave from the Lord to go with the messengers, Nu 22:15-21, but was met with in the way by an angel of the Lord, who would have slain him had it not been for his ass, of which a very wonderful revelation is given, Nu 22:22-35, and the chapter is closed with the interview between Balak king of Moab and Balaam, and an account of what passed between them, and what was done by them, Nu 22:36-41.