You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do.
Numbers 23:12 - New International Version (Anglicised) He answered, ‘Must I not speak what the Lord puts in my mouth?’ Tuilleadh leaganachaKing James Version (Oxford) 1769 And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD hath put in my mouth? Amplified Bible - Classic Edition And Balaam answered, Must I not be obedient and speak what the Lord has put in my mouth? American Standard Version (1901) And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which Jehovah putteth in my mouth? Common English Bible He answered and said, “Don’t I have to take care to speak whatever the LORD gives me to say?” Catholic Public Domain Version He answered him, "How can I say anything other than what the Lord orders?" Douay-Rheims version of The Bible - 1752 version He answered him: Call I speak any thing else but what the Lord commandeth? |
You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do.
Though their speech is charming, do not believe them, for seven abominations fill their hearts.
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.’
‘Well, I have come to you now,’ Balaam replied. ‘But I can’t say whatever I please. I must speak only what God puts in my mouth.’
Then Balak said to him, ‘Come with me to another place where you can see them; you will not see them all but only the outskirts of their camp. And from there, curse them for me.’
I have received a command to bless; he has blessed, and I cannot change it.
Balaam answered, ‘Did I not tell you I must do whatever the Lord says?’
Then Balaam said to Balak, ‘Stay here beside your offering while I go aside. Perhaps the Lord will come to meet with me. Whatever he reveals to me I will tell you.’ Then he went off to a barren height.
“Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not do anything of my own accord, good or bad, to go beyond the command of the Lord – and I must say only what the Lord says”?
For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people.
They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.