Numbers 24:11

11 Turn again to thy place; forsooth I deemed to honour thee greatly, but the Lord deprived thee from [thine] honour (that was) disposed. (Return to thy place; I had intended to greatly reward thee, but the Lord hath now deprived thee of the reward which I had ordained for thee.)

Numbers 24:11 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 24:11

Therefore now flee thou to thy place
His own country, from whence Balak had sent for him, and he came; begone directly, make all haste away; he speaks as one so provoked, that he could not bear him in his presence, and as threatening him if he did not at once get out of his sight:

I thought to promote thee unto great honour;
to bestow much wealth and riches upon him, and to prefer him in his court to high offices of honour and dignity; he had promised that he would, and he thought as he said, he was determined upon it, had he performed as he expected:

but, lo, the Lord hath kept thee back from honour;
the Lord thou hast so much talked of, and at whose beck and command thou hast been, and by whom thou hast been checked and controlled, he has hindered thee from riches and honour; see what thou hast got, or rather lost, by hearkening to him, and how he will pay thee for it.

Numbers 24:11 In-Context

9 He rested, and slept as a lion, and as a lioness, whom no man shall dare raise. He that blesseth thee, shall be blessed; and he that curseth, shall be areckoned into cursing. (He rested, and slept like a lion, and like a lioness, whom no man shall dare raise up. He who blesseth thee, shall be blessed; and he who curseth thee, shall be cursed.)
10 And Balak was wroth against Balaam, and he said, when his hands were wrung together, I called thee to curse mine enemies, whom, on the contrary, thou hast blessed thrice (but who, instead, thou hast now blessed three times!).
11 Turn again to thy place; forsooth I deemed to honour thee greatly, but the Lord deprived thee from [thine] honour (that was) disposed. (Return to thy place; I had intended to greatly reward thee, but the Lord hath now deprived thee of the reward which I had ordained for thee.)
12 Balaam answered to Balak, Whether I said not to thy messengers, which thou sentest to me, (Balaam answered to Balak, Did I not say to thy messengers, whom thou sentest to me,)
13 Though Balak shall give to me his house full of silver and of gold, I shall not be able to pass [over] the word of my Lord God, that I bring forth of mine heart anything, either of good or of evil, but whatever thing the Lord shall say, I shall speak that? (Even if Balak shall give me all the gold and silver in his house, I shall not change the word of the Lord my God, so that I bring forth something out of my own heart, either good or bad, nay, but whatever thing the Lord shall say, that I shall speak?)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.