Lectionary Calendar
Friday, August 22nd, 2025
the Week of Proper 15 / Ordinary 20
the Week of Proper 15 / Ordinary 20
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Read the Bible
Easy-to-Read Version
Numbers 23:12
But Balaam answered, "I must say the things that the Lord tells me to say."
Jump to:Bible Study Tools • Parallel Bible Verse • Bible Contextual Overview • Bible Cross-References • Gill's Bible Notes
Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
- Nave'sDictionaries:
- AmericanEncyclopedias:
- CondensedParallel Translations
Hebrew Names Version
He answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD puts in my mouth?
He answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD puts in my mouth?
King James Version
And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the Lord hath put in my mouth?
And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the Lord hath put in my mouth?
Lexham English Bible
He answered and said, "Should I not speak what Yahweh puts in my mouth?"
He answered and said, "Should I not speak what Yahweh puts in my mouth?"
English Standard Version
And he answered and said, "Must I not take care to speak what the Lord puts in my mouth?"
And he answered and said, "Must I not take care to speak what the Lord puts in my mouth?"
New Century Version
But Balaam answered, "I must say what the Lord tells me to say."
But Balaam answered, "I must say what the Lord tells me to say."
New English Translation
Balaam replied, "Must I not be careful to speak what the Lord has put in my mouth?"
Balaam replied, "Must I not be careful to speak what the Lord has put in my mouth?"
Amplified Bible
Balaam answered, "Must I not be obedient and careful to speak what the LORD has put in my mouth?"
Balaam answered, "Must I not be obedient and careful to speak what the LORD has put in my mouth?"
New American Standard Bible
He replied, "Must I not be careful to speak what the LORD puts in my mouth?"
He replied, "Must I not be careful to speak what the LORD puts in my mouth?"
Geneva Bible (1587)
And he answered, and said, Must I not take heede to speake that, which the Lord hath put in my mouth?
And he answered, and said, Must I not take heede to speake that, which the Lord hath put in my mouth?
Legacy Standard Bible
And he replied, "Must I not be careful to speak what Yahweh puts in my mouth?"
And he replied, "Must I not be careful to speak what Yahweh puts in my mouth?"
Contemporary English Version
Balaam answered, "I can say only what the Lord tells me."
Balaam answered, "I can say only what the Lord tells me."
Complete Jewish Bible
He answered, "Mustn't I take care to say just what Adonai puts in my mouth?"
He answered, "Mustn't I take care to say just what Adonai puts in my mouth?"
Darby Translation
And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which Jehovah puts in my mouth?
And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which Jehovah puts in my mouth?
George Lamsa Translation
And Balaam answered and said, Behold, whatever the LORD puts in my mouth that thing will I speak.
And Balaam answered and said, Behold, whatever the LORD puts in my mouth that thing will I speak.
Good News Translation
He answered, "I can say only what the Lord tells me to say."
He answered, "I can say only what the Lord tells me to say."
Christian Standard Bible®
He answered, “Shouldn’t I say exactly what the Lord puts in my mouth?”
He answered, “Shouldn’t I say exactly what the Lord puts in my mouth?”
Literal Translation
And he replied and said, Must not I take heed to speak what Jehovah has put in my mouth?
And he replied and said, Must not I take heed to speak what Jehovah has put in my mouth?
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
He answered & saide: Must I not kepe & speake yt, which the LORDE putteth in to me mouth?
He answered & saide: Must I not kepe & speake yt, which the LORDE putteth in to me mouth?
American Standard Version
And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which Jehovah putteth in my mouth?
And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which Jehovah putteth in my mouth?
Bible in Basic English
And in answer he said, Am I not ordered to say only what the Lord puts into my mouth?
And in answer he said, Am I not ordered to say only what the Lord puts into my mouth?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
He aunswered and sayd: Must I not take heede to speake that whiche the lorde hath put in my mouth?
He aunswered and sayd: Must I not take heede to speake that whiche the lorde hath put in my mouth?
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And he answered and said: 'Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD putteth in my mouth?'
And he answered and said: 'Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD putteth in my mouth?'
King James Version (1611)
And he answered, and said, Must I not take heede to speake that which the Lord hath put in my mouth?
And he answered, and said, Must I not take heede to speake that which the Lord hath put in my mouth?
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Balaam said to Balac, Whatsoever the Lord shall put into my mouth, shall I not take heed to speak this?
And Balaam said to Balac, Whatsoever the Lord shall put into my mouth, shall I not take heed to speak this?
English Revised Version
And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD putteth in my mouth?
And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD putteth in my mouth?
Berean Standard Bible
But Balaam replied, "Should I not speak exactly what the LORD puts in my mouth?"
But Balaam replied, "Should I not speak exactly what the LORD puts in my mouth?"
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
To whom Balaam answeride, Whether Y may speke othir thing no but that that the Lord comaundith?
To whom Balaam answeride, Whether Y may speke othir thing no but that that the Lord comaundith?
Young's Literal Translation
and he answereth and saith, `That which Jehovah doth put in my mouth -- it do I not take heed to speak?'
and he answereth and saith, `That which Jehovah doth put in my mouth -- it do I not take heed to speak?'
Update Bible Version
And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which Yahweh puts in my mouth?
And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which Yahweh puts in my mouth?
Webster's Bible Translation
And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD hath put in my mouth?
And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD hath put in my mouth?
World English Bible
He answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which Yahweh puts in my mouth?
He answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which Yahweh puts in my mouth?
New King James Version
So he answered and said, "Must I not take heed to speak what the LORD has put in my mouth?"
So he answered and said, "Must I not take heed to speak what the LORD has put in my mouth?"
New Living Translation
But Balaam replied, "I will speak only the message that the Lord puts in my mouth."
But Balaam replied, "I will speak only the message that the Lord puts in my mouth."
New Life Bible
Balaam answered, "Must I not be careful to speak what the Lord puts in my mouth?"
Balaam answered, "Must I not be careful to speak what the Lord puts in my mouth?"
New Revised Standard
He answered, "Must I not take care to say what the Lord puts into my mouth?"
He answered, "Must I not take care to say what the Lord puts into my mouth?"
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And he answered and said, - Was it not to be so that whatsoever Yahweh should put into my mouth, the same, should I take heed to speak?
And he answered and said, - Was it not to be so that whatsoever Yahweh should put into my mouth, the same, should I take heed to speak?
Douay-Rheims Bible
He answered him: Can I speak any thing else but what the Lord commandeth?
He answered him: Can I speak any thing else but what the Lord commandeth?
Revised Standard Version
And he answered, "Must I not take heed to speak what the LORD puts in my mouth?"
And he answered, "Must I not take heed to speak what the LORD puts in my mouth?"
THE MESSAGE
Balaam answered, "Don't I have to be careful to say what God gives me to say?"
Balaam answered, "Don't I have to be careful to say what God gives me to say?"
New American Standard Bible (1995)
He replied, "Must I not be careful to speak what the LORD puts in my mouth?"
He replied, "Must I not be careful to speak what the LORD puts in my mouth?"
Contextual Overview
1 Balaam said, "Build seven altars here. And prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me." 2 Balak did what Balaam asked. Then Balak and Balaam killed a ram and a bull on each of the altars. 3 Then Balaam said to Balak, "Stay here near this altar. I will go to another place. Then the Lord will come to me, and he will tell me what I must say." Then Balaam went away to a higher place. 4 God came to Balaam at that place, and Balaam said, "I have prepared seven altars. And I have killed a bull and a ram as a sacrifice on each altar." 5 Then the Lord gave Balaam a message for Balak and said, "Go back to Balak and say the things that I have given you to say." 6 So Balaam went back to Balak. Balak was still standing near the altar, and all the leaders of Moab were standing there with them. 7 Then Balaam spoke, and this was his message: "Balak, the king of Moab, brought me here from the eastern mountains of Aram. Balak said to me, ‘Come, curse Jacob for me. Come, speak against the Israelites.' 8 But God is not against them, so I cannot speak against them either! The Lord has not asked for bad things to happen to these people. So I cannot do that either. 9 I see these people from the mountain. I see them from the high hills. They live alone. They are not part of another nation. 10 Who can count Jacob's people? They are as many as the grains of dust. No one can count even a fourth of the Israelites. Let me die like a good man. Let my life end as happy as theirs!"
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
Numbers 23:20, Numbers 23:26, Numbers 22:38, Numbers 24:13, Proverbs 26:25, Romans 16:18, Titus 1:16
Reciprocal: Exodus 4:15 - and I Numbers 22:8 - General Numbers 22:20 - but yet 2 Chronicles 18:13 - even what my God
Cross-References
Genesis 18:2
He looked up and saw three men standing in front of him. When he saw the men, he ran to them and bowed before them.
He looked up and saw three men standing in front of him. When he saw the men, he ran to them and bowed before them.
Genesis 19:1
That evening the two angels came to the city of Sodom. Lot was sitting near the city gates and saw them. He got up and went to them. He bowed to show respect and said, "Sirs, please come to my house, and I will serve you. There you can wash your feet and stay the night. Then tomorrow you can continue your journey." The angels answered, "No, we will stay the night in the city square."
That evening the two angels came to the city of Sodom. Lot was sitting near the city gates and saw them. He got up and went to them. He bowed to show respect and said, "Sirs, please come to my house, and I will serve you. There you can wash your feet and stay the night. Then tomorrow you can continue your journey." The angels answered, "No, we will stay the night in the city square."
Genesis 23:7
Abraham got up and bowed to the people.
Abraham got up and bowed to the people.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
And he answered and said,.... By reply to Balak:
must I not take heed to speak that which the Lord hath put in my mouth? pretending a great regard to the word of God, and to great carefulness to speak it, exactly and punctually as he received it, whereas he was forced to it, and could not do otherwise.
