New International VersionGod came to Balaam and asked, “Who are these men with you?”
New Living TranslationThat night God came to Balaam and asked him, “Who are these men visiting you?”
English Standard VersionAnd God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?”
Berean Standard BibleThen God came to Balaam and asked, “Who are these men with you?”
King James BibleAnd God came unto Balaam, and said, What men are these with thee?
New King James VersionThen God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?”
New American Standard BibleThen God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?”
NASB 1995Then God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?”
NASB 1977Then God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?”
Legacy Standard BibleThen God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?”
Amplified BibleGod came to Balaam, and said, “Who are these men with you?”
Christian Standard BibleThen God came to Balaam and asked, “Who are these men with you? ”
Holman Christian Standard BibleThen God came to Balaam and asked, “Who are these men with you?”
American Standard VersionAnd God came unto Balaam, and said, What men are these with thee?
Contemporary English VersionDuring the night, God asked Balaam, "Who are these people at your house?"
English Revised VersionAnd God came unto Balaam, and said, What men are these with thee?
GOD'S WORD® TranslationGod came to Balaam and asked, "Who are these men with you?"
Good News TranslationGod came to Balaam and asked, "Who are these people that are staying with you?"
International Standard VersionGod visited Balaam and asked him, "Who are these men with you?"
NET BibleAnd God came to Balaam and said, "Who are these men with you?"
New Heart English BibleAnd God came to Balaam, and said, "Who are these men with you?"
Webster's Bible TranslationAnd God came to Balaam, and said, What men are these with thee? Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleThen God came to Balaam and asked, “Who are these men with you?”
World English BibleGod came to Balaam, and said, “Who are these men with you?” Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd God comes to Balaam and says, “Who [are] these men with you?”
Young's Literal Translation And God cometh in unto Balaam, and saith, 'Who are these men with thee?'
Smith's Literal TranslationAnd God will come to Balaam, and will say, What men these with thee? Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleWhat mean these men that are with thee?
Catholic Public Domain Version“What do these men want with you?”
New American BibleThen God came to Balaam and said: Who are these men with you?
New Revised Standard VersionGod came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?” Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleAnd God came to Balaam and said to him, Who are these men that are with you?
Peshitta Holy Bible TranslatedAnd God came upon Balaam and said to him: “Who are these men with you?” OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917And God came unto Balaam, and said: 'What men are these with thee?'
Brenton Septuagint TranslationAnd God came to Balaam, and said to him, Who are these men with thee?
Additional Translations ... Audio Bible
Context Balak Summons Balaam… 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 GodcametoBalaamand asked,“Whoare thesemenwith you?”10And Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent me this message:…
Cross References Genesis 20:3One night, however, God came to Abimelech in a dream and told him, “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken, for she is a married woman.”
Genesis 31:24But that night God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream and warned him, “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.”
Job 33:15-16In a dream, in a vision in the night, when deep sleep falls upon men as they slumber on their beds, / He opens their ears and terrifies them with warnings
Genesis 15:1After these events, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.”
Genesis 46:2And that night God spoke to Israel in a vision: “Jacob, Jacob!” He said. “Here I am,” replied Jacob.
Matthew 1:20But after he had pondered these things, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to embrace Mary as your wife, for the One conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 2:12And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they withdrew to their country by another route.
Acts 10:3-4One day at about the ninth hour, he had a clear vision of an angel of God who came to him and said, “Cornelius!” / Cornelius stared at him in fear and asked, “What is it, Lord?” The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have ascended as a memorial offering before God.
Acts 16:9During the night, Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and pleading with him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”
Acts 18:9One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking; do not be silent.
Acts 23:11The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about Me in Jerusalem, so also you must testify in Rome.”
1 Kings 3:5One night at Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream, and God said, “Ask, and I will give it to you!”
Daniel 2:19During the night, the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision, and he blessed the God of heaven
Daniel 4:5I had a dream, and it frightened me; while I was in my bed, the images and visions in my mind alarmed me.
Daniel 7:1In the first year of the reign of Belshazzar over Babylon, Daniel had a dream, and visions passed through his mind as he lay on his bed. He wrote down the dream, and this is the summary of his account.
Treasury of Scripture And God came to Balaam, and said, What men are these with you? God Numbers 23:20 Behold, I have receivedcommandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it. Genesis 20:3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thouart but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for sheis a man's wife. Genesis 31:24 And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said unto him, Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad. what men Genesis 3:9-11 And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Whereart thou? … Genesis 4:9 And the LORD said unto Cain, Whereis Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not:Am I my brother's keeper? Genesis 16:8 And he said, Hagar, Sarai's maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai. Jump to Previous BalaamJump to Next BalaamNumbers 22 1.Balak's first message for Balaam is refused15.His second message obtains him22.An angel would have slain him, if he had not been saved by his donkey36.Balak entertains himThen God came to BalaamThis phrase indicates a divine encounter, emphasizing God's active involvement in the events of the narrative. Balaam, a non-Israelite prophet, is approached by God, highlighting God's sovereignty over all nations and peoples. This encounter underscores the theme that God can use anyone to fulfill His purposes, regardless of their background. Theologically, it reflects the idea that God communicates His will directly, even to those outside the covenant community of Israel. This moment is pivotal, as it sets the stage for the unfolding events where Balaam's actions will be influenced by divine intervention. and asked, “Who are these men with you?”
God's question to Balaam serves multiple purposes. It is not due to a lack of knowledge, as God is omniscient, but rather to prompt Balaam to reflect on his associations and intentions. This question can be seen as a test of Balaam's discernment and loyalty. In the broader biblical context, similar divine inquiries are used to provoke self-examination and confession, as seen inGenesis 3:9 when God asks Adam, "Where are you?" The presence of these men, sent by Balak, king of Moab, represents a temptation for Balaam to act against God's will for personal gain. This interaction foreshadows the tension between divine command and human ambition that will characterize Balaam's story. Persons / Places / Events 1. BalaamA non-Israelite prophet or diviner known for his ability to bless or curse. He is approached by Balak to curse the Israelites. 2. God (Yahweh)The one true God of Israel, who intervenes in Balaam's plans and speaks to him directly. 3. BalakThe king of Moab who fears the Israelites and seeks Balaam's help to curse them. 4. MoabA region east of the Jordan River, whose king, Balak, is threatened by the presence of the Israelites. 5. The Men with BalaamRepresentatives sent by Balak to persuade Balaam to curse the Israelites. Teaching Points God's SovereigntyGod is in control and intervenes in human affairs, even those involving non-Israelites like Balaam. Discernment and ObedienceBelievers should seek God's guidance and be discerning about the influences and people they allow into their lives. The Power of WordsWords have the power to bless or curse, and we should use them wisely, aligning with God's will. God's ProtectionGod protects His people and can turn intended curses into blessings. Integrity and MotivesExamine your motives and ensure they align with God's purposes, avoiding the temptation of material gain over righteousness. Lists and Questions Top 10 Lessons from Numbers 22
In Genesis 31:24, why would God communicate with Laban if Laban worshipped other gods, and how does this align with other biblical passages about idolatry?
Numbers 23:8–10: How credible is it that a pagan prophet blesses Israel despite a king’s demand to curse them, considering other biblical narratives?
How does God's change from forbidding Balaam to go (Numbers 22:12) to eventually permitting him (Numbers 22:20) align with the concept of divine consistency?
If God permitted Balaam to go (Numbers 22:20), why did He become angry with him later (Numbers 22:22)?(9) What men are these with thee?--This inquiry, like that addressed to Elijah, "What doest thou here?" ( 1Kings 19:9), or that to Hezekiah, "What said these men? and from whence came they unto thee?" and "What have they seen in thine house?" ( Isaiah 39:3-4) was calculated to arouse the slumbering conscience of Balaam, and to open his eyes to a perception of his sin and of his danger.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew Then Godאֱלֹהִ֖ים(’ĕ·lō·hîm)Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 430:gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlativecameוַיָּבֹ֥א(way·yā·ḇō)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 935:To come in, come, go in, gotoאֶל־(’el-)Preposition
Strong's 413:Near, with, among, toBalaamבִּלְעָ֑ם(bil·‘ām)Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1109:Balaam -- a prophetand asked,וַיֹּ֕אמֶר(way·yō·mer)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559:To utter, say“Whoמִ֛י(mî)Interrogative
Strong's 4310:Who?, whoever, in oblique construction with prefix, suffixare theseהָאֵ֖לֶּה(hā·’êl·leh)Article | Pronoun - common plural
Strong's 428:These, thosemenהָאֲנָשִׁ֥ים(hā·’ă·nā·šîm)Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 582:Man, mankindwith you?”עִמָּֽךְ׃(‘im·māḵ)Preposition | second person feminine singular
Strong's 5973:With, equally with
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OT Law: Numbers 22:9 God came to Balaam and said What (Nu Num.) |
