The Meaning of Numbers 23:26 Explained

Numbers 23:26

KJV: But Balaam answered and said unto Balak, Told not I thee, saying, All that the LORD speaketh, that I must do?

YLT: and Balaam answereth and saith unto Balak, 'Have I not spoken unto thee, saying, All that Jehovah speaketh -- it I do?'

Darby: And Balaam answered and said to Balak, Did I not tell thee, saying, All that Jehovah shall speak, that will I do?

ASV: But Balaam answered and said unto Balak, Told not I thee, saying, All that Jehovah speaketh, that I must do?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But Balaam  answered  and said  unto Balak,  Told  not I thee, saying,  All that the LORD  speaketh,  that I must do? 

What does Numbers 23:26 Mean?

Context Summary

Numbers 23:13-30 - No Enchantment Against Israel
Balak was surprised and disappointed. He therefore bethought himself of limiting the seer's vision, so that he might see an attenuated Israel from a height that commanded only a partial view of the camp. How often we try to see only what we want to see! How often we shut our eyes to a rival's real merits! Instead of entering into God's great thoughts we shut ourselves up in a tiny limited world. We will not acknowledge what our pride does not want to acknowledge. We are like children building sand-castles against the tide. You had better bring your mind to harmonize with God's facts than minimize or evade their truth. You are hurting yourself, but can never alter them. Take God's way and be at peace!
Let us ponder Numbers 23:21 -it is as we are in God's purpose; and Numbers 23:23 -when faced by our enemies; and Numbers 23:24 -when most convinced of our helplessness. [source]

Chapter Summary: Numbers 23

1  Balak's sacrifices

What do the individual words in Numbers 23:26 mean?

So answered Balaam and said to Balak did not I tell you saying all that speaks Yahweh that I must do
וַיַּ֣עַן בִּלְעָ֔ם וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אֶל־ בָּלָ֑ק הֲלֹ֗א דִּבַּ֤רְתִּי אֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר כֹּ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־ יְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֹת֥וֹ ؟ אֶֽעֱשֶֽׂה

וַיַּ֣עַן  So  answered 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: לְעַנּׄות 
Sense: to answer, respond, testify, speak, shout.
בִּלְעָ֔ם  Balaam 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: בִּלְעָם 
Sense: the son of Beor, a man endowed with the gift of prophecy.
וַיֹּ֖אמֶר  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
בָּלָ֑ק  Balak 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: בָּלָק  
Sense: a king of Moab who hired Balaam to curse Israel.
הֲלֹ֗א  did  not 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
דִּבַּ֤רְתִּי  I  tell 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
לֵאמֹ֔ר  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֲשֶׁר־  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
יְדַבֵּ֥ר  speaks 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
יְהוָ֖ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
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.
؟ אֶֽעֱשֶֽׂה  I  must  do 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.