Commentaries Dictionaries Concordances

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

Numbers 22:12

God Tells Him Not to Go and Not to Curse Israel (Numbers 22:12)

Numbers 22:12

‘And God said to Balaam, “You shall not go with them. You shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.” '

Note again that the One Who spoke to him was called ‘God' and not ‘Yahweh'. He was not to be seen as one of many gods whom Balaam contacted (which was how Balaam would have seen Yahweh). He was the living God, the only God. He sternly informed Balaam that he must not go, and that he was not to seek to curse this people, for they were blessed. In other words they had special protection over them and were strengthened and watched over by Him. So no one must touch them (compare Psalms 105:15).

Continues after advertising

See also Numbers 22:12 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Numbers 22:12. _THOU SHALT NOT GO WITH THEM; THOU SHALT NOT CURSE THE_ _PEOPLE_] That is, Thou shalt not go with them to curse the people. With them he _might go_, as we find he afterwards did...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    III. EVENTS IN THE PLAIN OF MOAB FACING THE LAND 1. Balak and Balaam and Balaam's Parables CHAPTER 22 _ 1. Balak's message to Balaam (Numbers 22:1)_ 2. The journey of Balaam (Numbers 22:21) 3. Ba...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    BALAK'S FIRST SUMMONS TO BALAAM, AND YAHWEH'S REFUSAL TO LET HIM GO. This comes mainly from J. But in Numbers 22:5, if the land of the children of his people (which can only refer to Balak and yields...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    NOT GO. This is absolute. Compare Numbers 22:20, where the permission is conditional. See Structure above. THOU SHALT NOT CURSE.. special various reading called _Sevir_ (see App-34), with Samaritan P...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _for they are blessed_ It was necessary to inform Balaam of this; as a foreigner in far Mesopotamia he knew nothing of Israel and their relation to Jehovah....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Balak king of Moab being frightened by the near proximity of the Israelites sent for Balaam a famous soothsayer to curse them, offering him liberal payment. Balaam came but refused to utter any oracle...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    THOU SHALT NOT CURSE THE PEOPLE— Though Balaam's cursing the Israelites signified nothing of itself, yet God would not permit it, because the Moabites would have paid so great a regard to what he had...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    B. GOD'S PROHIBITION vv. 7-14 TEXT Numbers 22:7. And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came unto Balaam, and spake unto him th...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _AND HE SAID UNTO THEM, LODGE HERE THIS NIGHT, AND I WILL BRING YOU WORD AGAIN, AS THE LORD SHALL SPEAK UNTO ME: AND THE PRINCES OF MOAB ABODE WITH BALAAM._ Lodge here this night ... God usually reve...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    BALAAM The Israelites now enter upon the last stage of their journey to Canaan. They are within sight of the land of promise, being encamped at the northern end of the Dead Sea, near the mouth of the...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THEY _are_ BLESSED] see Genesis 22:17; Numbers 6:27....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    THE OLD TESTAMENT BOOK OF NUMBERS IN THE DESERT NUMBERS _MARION ADAMS_ CHAPTER 22 THE KING OF THE COUNTRY CALLED MOAB REQUESTS BALAAM’S HELP – NUMBERS 22:1-14 V1 The *Israelites travelle

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וַ יֹּ֤אמֶר אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶל ־בִּלְעָ֔ם לֹ֥א תֵל

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    BALAAM INVOKED Numbers 22:1 WHILE a part of the army of Israel was engaged in the campaign against Bashan, the tribes remained "in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan at Jericho." The topography is...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    BALAAM SENT FOR, TO CURSE ISRAEL Numbers 22:1 These Chapter s present a surprising contrast between the covetous prophet and his sublime prophecies. It is clearly possible to be the mouthpiece of tr...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    We now come to the story of BaIaarn. It is evident that he was a remarkable personality. He appears in the story as a man of integrity, who attempted a literal obedience to the will of God. We are arr...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    And God (f) said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they [are] blessed. (f) He warned him by a dream, that he should not consent to the kings wicked reques...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    What a precious scripture is here! Reader! do not confine it to the Israel then, or to the occasion on which the sweet words were spoken. But consider it as of an everlasting import: GOD'S people are...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    The successes given to the children of Israel alarmed some of their neighbours, more particularly Moab; and this gives occasion for a striking episode in the history which brought to issue as solemn a...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    12._Thou shalt not go with them. _If there were any room for doubt, God peremptorily removes it, and confirms the prohibition; because it was unlawful to curse, those whom He had blessed. For nothing...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 22, 23, 24, AND 25. Moab also opposes in vain. Now they are in the plains of Moab, having only Jordan between them and the land of their rest. But had they a...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AND GOD SAID UNTO BALAAM, THOU SHALT NOT GO WITH THEM,.... Which is a denial of the first thing Balak requested, "come now, therefore", c. Numbers 22:6 THOU SHALL NOT CURSE THE PEOPLE which was the p...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _They are blessed_ They are conducted under the banner of heaven, and no imprecations can hinder their progress. Though Balaam's cursing Israel signified nothing of itself, yet God would not permit it...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 Balaks first message for Balaam is refused. 15 His second message obtaineth him. 22 An Angel would haue slaine him, if his asse had not saued him. 36 Balak intertaineth him. 1 AND the children o...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them'; thou shalt not curse the people, for they are blessed, and therefore all statements which were intended for curses would have no effect....

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    THE FIRST INVITATION REFUSED...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    BALAK HIRING BALAAM (vs.1-21) Still within Moab, Israel moved again to the plains and camped near Jordan, across from Jericho. Moab had no power to withstand them, however, though Balak, king of Moa...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-14 The king of Moab formed a plan to get the people of Israel cursed; that is, to set God against them, who had hitherto fought for them. He had a false notion, that if he could get some prophet to...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    God revealeth his mind to Balaam, not for any love to him, but for the sake of his people concerned in it, as he did to Pharaoh, GENESIS 41:25, and to Nebuchadnezzar, DANIEL 2:45. THEY ARE BLESSED by...

  • Notes on the Pentateuch by Charles Henry Mackintosh

    NUMBERS 24:1-25. These three Chapter s form a distinct section of our book a truly marvellous section, abounding in rich and varied instruction. In it we have presented to us, first, the covetous prop...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Numbers 22:12 God H430 said H559 (H8799) Balaam H1109 go H3212 (H8799) curse H779 (H8799) people...

  • Scofield's Bible Commentary

    NOT GO Compare (Numbers 22:12). (_ See Scofield) - (Genesis 46:3). _...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Balaam's visit to Balak and the strange warning on the way. CHARACTERS: God, Balak, Balaam, Angel of Jehovah. CONCLUSION: The enemies of God's people are restless and unwearied in their at...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Numbers 22:5. _To Pethor, which is by the river._ A Pethor was in Mesopotamia; the river is thought to be the Euphrates, or one of its branches, distant at least 500 miles from Moab. Deuteronomy 23:4....

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Balak. .. sent messengers unto Balaam._ BALAK’S FIRST APPLICATION TO BALAAM; OR, MAN AND SUPERNATURAL I. Men in difficulty seeking supernatural help. “It was supposed that prophets and sorcerers ha...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    NUMBERS—NOTE ON NUMBERS 22:1 Israel in the Plains of Moab. These chapters tell of Israel’s lengthy encampment in the plains of Moab at the northern end of the Dead Sea. Here they prepared to cross the...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    NUMBERS—NOTE ON NUMBERS 22:7 When BALAAM says that God refused him permission to go, BALAK increases his payment offer. This suggests the original messengers had reported to Balak that Balaam would pr...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES We now enter upon the last division of this Book, which comprises fifteen Chapter s (22–36). “In the steppes of Moab the Israelites encamped upon the border of the Promi...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION THE COMING OF BALAAM (Numbers 22:2). NUMBERS 22:2 BALAK THE SON OF ZIPPOR. The name Balak is connected with a word "to make waste," and "Zippor" is a small bird. Balak was, as is

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    AND so the children of Israel sat forward, and pitched in the plains of Moab (Numbers 22:1) Moving now south from this position. on this side of the Jordan River [on the eastern side of the Jordan Ri...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Deuteronomy 23:5; Deuteronomy 33:29; Ephesians 1:3; Genesis 12:2;...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    THE WOES OF THE WICKED BALAAM _Selections from Numbers 22:1_ INTRODUCTORY WORDS One of the things which sadden the soul is the way that not only professing Christians, but real believing Christians...

Continues after advertising