King James Version
Numbers 23:5 in the King James Version says “And the LORD put a word in Balaam's mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus thou shalt speak.” — study this verse from Numbers chapter 23 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.
“And the LORD put a word in Balaam's mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus thou shalt speak.”
Numbers 23:5 · KJV
And Balaam said unto Balak, Stand by thy burnt offering, and I will go: peradventure the LORD will come to meet me: and whatsoever he sheweth me I will tell thee. And he went to an high place. to an: or, solitary
And God met Balaam: and he said unto him, I have prepared seven altars, and I have offered upon every altar a bullock and a ram.
And the LORD put a word in Balaam's mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus thou shalt speak.
And he returned unto him, and, lo, he stood by his burnt sacrifice, he, and all the princes of Moab.
And he took up his parable, and said, Balak the king of Moab hath brought me from Aram, out of the mountains of the east, saying, Come, curse me Jacob, and come, defy Israel.
KJV Study — Public Domain
“put”
H7760to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and elliptically)
“And the LORD”
H3068(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god
“a word”
H1697a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause
“mouth”
H6310the mouth (as the means of blowing), whether literal or figurative (particularly speech); specifically edge, portion or side; adverbially (with prepos
“Return”
H7725to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point);
properly, like this, i.e., by implication, (of manner) thus (or so); also (of place) here (or hither); or (of time) now
“and thus thou shalt speak”
H1696perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue
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.
Numbers 23:5 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.
Verses related to Numbers 23:5 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge