The Meaning of Numbers 22:20 Explained

Numbers 22:20

KJV: And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men come to call thee, rise up, and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do.

YLT: And God cometh in unto Balaam, by night, and saith to him, 'If to call for thee the men have come, rise, go with them, and only the thing which I speak unto thee -- it thou dost do.'

Darby: Then God came to Balaam at night, and said to him, If the men have come to call thee, rise up, and go with them; but only what I shall say unto thee shalt thou do.

ASV: And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men are come to call thee, rise up, go with them; but only the word which I speak unto thee, that shalt thou do.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And God  came  unto Balaam  at night,  and said  unto him, If the men  come  to call  thee, rise up,  [and] go  with them; but yet  the word  which I shall say  unto thee, that shalt thou do. 

What does Numbers 22:20 Mean?

Context Summary

Numbers 22:1-20 - Balaam Sent For, To Curse Israel
These chapters present a surprising contrast between the covetous prophet and his sublime prophecies. It is clearly possible to be the mouthpiece of truth and yet have neither part nor lot in it.
Balak, as had been predicted, was sore afraid. Compare Numbers 22:3 with Exodus 15:15. The elders of Midian were his friends and allies. It was very important for them to stand together. The journey across the desert to Mesopotamia, where Balaam lived, was long and tedious, but he was a famous magician, who could marshal unseen forces into the battle by his incantations. He knew the only true God, but loved the wages of unrighteousness and erred for reward. See 2 Peter 2:14-16; Judges 1:11.
He made up his mind to win Balak's promised gifts, and sought to persuade God to become his accomplice, first, by letting him go, and, secondly, by letting him say what Balak wished said. But God demands our loyalty and unison with Him, and will not swerve from the path of truth and righteousness by a hair's-breadth to help our desires and ambitions. [source]

Chapter Summary: Numbers 22

1  Balak's first message for Balaam is refused
15  His second message obtains him
22  An angel would have slain him, if he had not been saved by his donkey
36  Balak entertains him

What do the individual words in Numbers 22:20 mean?

And came God to Balaam at night and said to him if to call you come the men rise [and] go with them but only - the word which I speak to you that shall you do
וַיָּבֹ֨א אֱלֹהִ֥ים ׀ אֶל־ בִּלְעָם֮ לַיְלָה֒ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֗וֹ אִם־ לִקְרֹ֤א לְךָ֙ בָּ֣אוּ הָאֲנָשִׁ֔ים ק֖וּם לֵ֣ךְ אִתָּ֑ם וְאַ֗ךְ אֶת־ הַדָּבָ֛ר אֲשֶׁר־ אֲדַבֵּ֥ר אֵלֶ֖יךָ אֹת֥וֹ תַעֲשֶֽׂה

וַיָּבֹ֨א  And  came 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
אֱלֹהִ֥ים ׀  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
בִּלְעָם֮  Balaam 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: בִּלְעָם 
Sense: the son of Beor, a man endowed with the gift of prophecy.
לַיְלָה֒  at  night 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: לַיִל 
Sense: night.
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
ל֗וֹ  to  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
לִקְרֹ֤א  to  call 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
בָּ֣אוּ  come 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
הָאֲנָשִׁ֔ים  the  men 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
ק֖וּם  rise 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: קוּם 
Sense: to rise, arise, stand, rise up, stand up.
לֵ֣ךְ  [and]  go 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
אִתָּ֑ם  with  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: אֵת 
Sense: with, near, together with.
וְאַ֗ךְ  but  only 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: אַךְ  
Sense: indeed, surely (emphatic).
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַדָּבָ֛ר  the  word 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
אֲדַבֵּ֥ר  I  speak 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
אֵלֶ֖יךָ  to  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
אֹת֥וֹ  that 
Parse: Direct object marker, third person masculine singular
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
תַעֲשֶֽׂה  shall  you  do 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.