King James Version
What Does Numbers 22:16 Mean?
“And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me: Let: Heb. Be not thou hindered from, etc”
Numbers 22:16 · KJV
Context
14
And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went unto Balak, and said, Balaam refuseth to come with us.
15
And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honourable than they.
16
And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me: Let: Heb. Be not thou hindered from, etc
17
For I will promote thee unto very great honour, and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people.
18
And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more.
Commentary
KJV Study CommentaryLet nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me—Balak's plea reveals pagan theology: he assumed obstacles to prophetic service were merely external hindrances (distance, payment, honor) rather than divine prohibition. The verb מָנַע (māna', "hinder") suggests Balak thought Balaam faced logistical barriers, not moral ones.
This verse exposes the world's fundamental misunderstanding: it assumes God's servants are available for hire if the price is right. Balak never conceived that Balaam might be bound by a Word he cannot break, revealing the gulf between pagan transactional religion and covenant obedience to Yahweh.
This verse exposes the world's fundamental misunderstanding: it assumes God's servants are available for hire if the price is right. Balak never conceived that Balaam might be bound by a Word he cannot break, revealing the gulf between pagan transactional religion and covenant obedience to Yahweh.
KJV Study — Public Domain
Historical & Cultural Context
Ancient Near Eastern divination was commercial—professional prophets and diviners charged fees, with prices varying by difficulty and client status. Balak operated within this paradigm, assuming every prophet had a price. Israel's prophets, by contrast, spoke as Yahweh's mouthpiece, not for hire.
Reflection Questions
- When the world assumes you can be bought, how clearly have you demonstrated that you serve a Master who cannot be negotiated with?
- How does the world's "name your price" mentality conflict with covenantal obedience to God's non-negotiable commands?
- What "hindrances" do worldly people imagine keep you from sin, when the real barrier is God's absolute prohibition?
Original Language Analysis
Hebrew · 15 wordsל֗וֹ5 of 15
H0כֹּ֤ה6 of 15
H3541properly, like this, i.e., by implication, (of manner) thus (or so); also (of place) here (or hither); or (of time) now
בֶּן9 of 15
“the son”
H1121a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or
אַל11 of 15
H408not (the qualified negation, used as a deprecative); once (job 24:25) as a noun, nothing
נָ֥א12 of 15
H4994'i pray', 'now', or 'then'; added mostly to verbs (in the imperative or future), or to interjections, occasionally to an adverb or conjunction
תִמָּנַ֖ע13 of 15
“Let nothing I pray thee hinder”
H4513to debar (negatively or positively) from benefit or injury
מֵֽהֲלֹ֥ךְ14 of 15
“thee from coming”
H1980to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)
Study Guide
Historical Context
This verse is found in the book of Numbers. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.
Theological Significance
Numbers 22:16 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.