Numbers 22:14

The Holy Bible, Berean Study Bible

Contextual Overview

¹Then the Israelites traveled on and camped in the plains of Moab near the Jordan, across from Jericho. ²Now Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites, ³and Moab was terrified of the people because they were numerous. Indeed, Moab dreaded the Israelites. ⁴So the Moabites said to the elders of Midian, "This horde will devour everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field." Since Balak son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time, ⁵he sent messengers to Balaam son of Beor at Pethor, which is by the Euphrates in the land of his people. "Behold, a people has come out of Egypt," said Balak. "They cover the face of the land and have settled next to me. ⁶So please come now and put a curse on these people, because they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I may be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land; for I know that those you bless are blessed, and those you curse are cursed." ⁷The elders of Moab and Midian departed with the fees for divination in hand. They came to Balaam and relayed to him the words of Balak. ⁸"Spend the night here," Balaam replied, "and I will give you the answer that the LORD speaks to me." So the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam. ⁹Then God came to Balaam and asked, "Who are these men with you?" ¹⁰And Balaam said to God, "Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent me this message:

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Balaam refuseth: Numbers 22:13, Numbers 22:37

Reciprocal: 1 Kings 21:4 - I will not

Cross-References

Genesis 22:4
On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance.

Genesis 22:5
"Stay here with the donkey," Abraham told his servants. "The boy and I will go over there to worship, and then we will return to you."

Genesis 22:8
Abraham answered, "God Himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." And the two walked on together.

Genesis 22:10
Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son.

Genesis 22:13
Then Abraham looked up and saw behind him a ram in a thicket, caught by its horns. So he went and took the ram and offered it as a burnt offering in place of his son.

Genesis 22:14
And Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. So to this day it is said, "On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided."

Genesis 22:17
I will surely bless you, and I will multiply your descendants like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will possess the gates of their enemies.

Genesis 28:19
and he called that place Bethel, though previously the city had been named Luz.

Genesis 32:30
So Jacob named the place Peniel, saying, "Indeed, I have seen God face to face, and yet my life was spared."

Exodus 17:15
And Moses built an altar and named it The LORD Is My Banner.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the princes of Moab rose up,.... And the princes of Midian also, immediately, without entering into a parley with him, to persuade him to go with them; perceiving by his answer that it would be to no purpose, and that he was determined to do as the Lord directed him:

and they went unto Balak, and said, Balaam refuseth to come with us; as Balaam told them less than what God had said to him, so they related less to Balak than what Balaam had said to them; saying nothing of the Lord's refusing to let him go with them, but represent it as a piece of pride and obstinacy in Balaam, and which Balak was left to understand; and it seems as if he did understand it as a piece of policy in Balaam, to get a larger offer of money or honour, or both, from him, and which the following account seems to confirm.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Numbers 22:14. Balaam refuseth to come with us. — "Observe," says Mr. Ainsworth, "Satan's practice against God's word, seeking to lessen the same, and that from hand to hand, till he bring it to naught. Balaam told the princes less than God told him, and they relate to Balak less than Balaam told them; so that when the answer came to the king of Moab, it was not the word of God, but the word of man; it was simply, Balaam refuseth to come, without ever intimating that God had forbidden him." But in this Balaam is not to blame; he told the messengers in the most positive manner, Jehovah refuseth to give me leave to go with you, Numbers 22:13; and more explicit he could not be.