Numbers 22:15-21

Context

Balaam Accompanies the Moabite Princes

22:15 Balak again sent princes,¹ more numerous and more distinguished than the first.² 22:16 And they came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak son of Zippor: ‘Please do not let anything hinder you from coming³ to me. 22:17 For I will honor you greatly,⁴ and whatever you tell me I will do. So come, put a curse on this nation for me.’”

22:18 Balaam replied⁵ to the servants of Balak, “Even if Balak would give me his palace full of silver and gold, I could not transgress the commandment⁶ of the Lord my God⁷ to do less or more. 22:19 Now therefore, please stay⁸ the night here also, that I may know what more the Lord might say to me.”⁹ 22:20 God came to Balaam that night, and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, get up and go with them; but the word that I will say to you, that you must do.” 22:21 So Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.

[22:15] ¹tn The construction is a verbal hendiadys. It uses the Hiphil preterite of the verb “to add” followed by the Qal infinitive “to send.” The infinitive becomes the main verb, and the preterite an adverb: “he added to send” means “he sent again.”

[22:15] ²tn Heb “than these.”

[22:16] ³tn The infinitive construct is the object of the preposition.

[22:17] ⁴tn The construction uses the Piel infinitive כַּבֵּד (kabbed) to intensify the verb, which is the Piel imperfect/cohortative אֲכַבֶּדְךָ (’akhabbedkha). The great honor could have been wealth, prestige, or position.

[22:18] ⁵tn Heb “answered and said.”

[22:18] ⁶tn Heb “mouth.”

[22:18] ⁷sn In the light of subsequent events one should not take too seriously that Balaam referred to Yahweh as his God. He is referring properly to the deity for which he is acting as the agent.

[22:19] ⁸tn In this case “lodge” is not used, but “remain, reside” (שְׁבוּ, shÿvu).

[22:19] ⁹tn This clause is also a verbal hendiadys: “what the Lord might add to speak,” meaning, “what more the Lord might say.”