Numbers 22:8-18

8 and he saith unto them, `Lodge here to-night, and I have brought you back word, as Jehovah speaketh unto me;' and the princes of Moab abide with Balaam.

9 And God cometh in unto Balaam, and saith, `Who [are] these men with thee?'

10 And Balaam saith unto God, `Balak, son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent unto me:

11 Lo, the people that is coming out from Egypt and covereth the eye of the land, -- now come, pierce it for me; it may be I am able to fight against it, and have cast it out;'

12 and God saith unto Balaam, `Thou dost not go with them; thou dost not curse the people; for it [is] blessed.'

13 And Balaam riseth in the morning, and saith unto the princes of Balak, `Go unto your land, for Jehovah is refusing to suffer me to go with you;'

14 and the princes of Moab rise, and come in unto Balak, and say, `Balaam is refusing to come with us.'

15 And Balak addeth yet to send princes, more numerous and honoured than these,

16 and they come in unto Balaam, and say to him, `Thus said Balak son of Zippor, Be not, I pray thee, withheld from coming unto me,

17 for very greatly I honour thee, and all that thou sayest unto me I do; and come, I pray thee, pierce for me this people.'

18 And Balaam answereth and saith unto the servants of Balak, `If Balak doth give to me the fulness of his house of silver and gold, I am not able to pass over the command of Jehovah my God, to do a little or a great thing;

Numbers 22:8-18 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.