Lectionary Calendar
Thursday, April 16th, 2026
the Second Week after Easter
the Second Week after Easter
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Read the Bible
Good News Translation
Numbers 23:12
He answered, "I can say only what 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?
Easy-to-Read Version
But Balaam answered, "I must say the things that the Lord tells me to say."
But Balaam answered, "I must say the things that the Lord tells me to say."
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.
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 He said to Balak, "Build seven altars here for me, and bring me seven bulls and seven rams." 2 Balak did as he was told, and he and Balaam offered a bull and a ram on each altar. 3 Then Balaam said to Balak, "Stand here by your burnt offering, while I go to see whether or not the Lord will meet me. I will tell you whatever he reveals to me." So he went alone to the top of a hill, 4 and God met him. Balaam said to him, "I have built the seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each." 5 The Lord told Balaam what to say and sent him back to Balak to give him his message. 6 So he went back and found Balak still standing by his burnt offering with all the leaders of Moab. 7 Balaam uttered this prophecy: "Balak king of Moab has brought me From Syria, from the eastern mountains. ‘Come speak for me,' he said. ‘Put a curse on the people of Israel.' 8 How can I curse what God has not cursed, Or speak of doom when the Lord has not? 9 From the high rocks I can see them; I can watch them from the hills. They are a nation that lives alone; They know they are blessed more than other nations. 10 The descendants of Israel are like the dust— There are too many of them to be counted. Let me end my days like one of God's people; Let me die in peace like the righteous."
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 there. As soon as he saw them, he ran out to meet them. Bowing down with his face touching the ground,
he looked up and saw three men standing there. As soon as he saw them, he ran out to meet them. Bowing down with his face touching the ground,
Genesis 19:1
When the two angels came to Sodom that evening, Lot was sitting at the city gate. As soon as he saw them, he got up and went to meet them. He bowed down before them
When the two angels came to Sodom that evening, Lot was sitting at the city gate. As soon as he saw them, he got up and went to meet them. He bowed down before them
Genesis 23:7
Then Abraham bowed before them
Then Abraham bowed before them
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.
