Numbers

Numbers 22:6–11

6So please come now and put a curse on this people, because they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I may be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land; for I know that those you bless are blessed, and those you curse are cursed.”

7The elders of Moab and Midian departed with the fees for divination in hand. They came to Balaam and relayed to him the words of Balak.

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 God came to Balaam and asked, “Who are these men with you?”

10And Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent me this message: 11‘Behold, a people has come out of Egypt, and they cover the face of the land. Now come and put a curse on them for me. Perhaps I may be able to fight against them and drive them away.’”

Read all of Numbers 22

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Numbers 22:6

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
So pleaseנָּ֨אnāInterjectionH4994 I (we) pray, now
comeלְכָה־lə·ḵāh-Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular; third person feminine singularH1980 go, come, walk
nowוְעַתָּה֩wə·‘at·tāhConjunctive waw; AdverbH6258 now
and put a curseאָֽרָה־’ā·rāh-Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular; third person feminine singularH779 curse
on thisהַזֶּ֗הhaz·zehArticle; Pronoun - masculine singularH2088 this, that
peopleהָעָ֣םhā·‘āmArticle; Noun - masculine singularH5971 people
becauseכִּֽי־kî-ConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
theyהוּא֙hūPronoun - third person masculine singularH1931 he, she
are too mightyעָצ֥וּם‘ā·ṣūmAdjective - masculine singularH6099 mighty, numerous
for meמִמֶּ֔נִּיmim·men·nîPreposition; first person common singularH4480 out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not
Perhaps I mayאוּלַ֤י’ū·layAdverbH194 peradventure, perhaps
be ableאוּכַל֙’ū·ḵalVerb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singularH3201 be able, have power, prevail, endure
to defeatנַכֶּה־nak·keh-Verb - Piel - Infinitive constructH5221 smite
themבּ֔וֹbōwPreposition; third person masculine singular
and drive them outוַאֲגָרְשֶׁ֖נּוּwa·’ă·ḡā·rə·šen·nūConjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Conjunctive imperfect - first person common singular; third person masculine singularH1644 drive out, cast out
ofמִן־min-PrepositionH4480 out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not
the landהָאָ֑רֶץhā·’ā·reṣArticle; Noun - feminine singularH776 earth, land
forכִּ֣יkîConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
I knowיָדַ֗עְתִּיyā·ḏa‘·tîVerb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularH3045 know
that thoseאֲשֶׁר־’ă·šer-Pronoun - relativeH834 particle of relation
you blessתְּבָרֵךְ֙tə·ḇā·rêḵVerb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singularH1288 kneel, bless
are blessedמְבֹרָ֔ךְmə·ḇō·rāḵVerb - Pual - Participle - masculine singularH1288 kneel, bless
and thoseוַאֲשֶׁ֥רwa·’ă·šerConjunctive waw; Pronoun - relativeH834 particle of relation
you curseתָּאֹ֖רtā·’ōrVerb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularH779 curse
are cursedיוּאָֽר׃yū·’ārVerb - Hofal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH779 curse

Numbers 22:7

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
The eldersזִקְנֵ֤יziq·nêAdjective - masculine plural constructH2205 old
of Moabמוֹאָב֙mō·w·’āḇNoun - proper - feminine singularH4124 Moab
and Midianמִדְיָ֔ןmiḏ·yānNoun - proper - masculine singularH4080 Midjan
departedוַיֵּ֨לְכ֜וּway·yê·lə·ḵūConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralH1980 go, come, walk
with the fees for divinationוּקְסָמִ֖יםū·qə·sā·mîmConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine pluralH7081 divination
in handבְּיָדָ֑םbə·yā·ḏāmPreposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine pluralH3027 hand
They cameוַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙way·yā·ḇō·’ūConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralH935 come in, come, go in, go
toאֶל־’el-PrepositionH413 motion to
Balaamבִּלְעָ֔םbil·‘āmNoun - proper - masculine singularH1109 Balaam
and relayedוַיְדַבְּר֥וּway·ḏab·bə·rūConjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralH1696 speak
to himאֵלָ֖יו’ê·lāwPreposition; third person masculine singularH413 motion to
the wordsדִּבְרֵ֥יdiḇ·rêNoun - masculine plural constructH1697 speech, word
of Balakבָלָֽק׃ḇā·lāqNoun - proper - masculine singularH1111 Balak

Numbers 22:8

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Spendלִ֤ינוּlî·nūVerb - Qal - Imperative - masculine pluralH3885 lodge, pass the night
the nightהַלַּ֔יְלָהhal·lay·lāhArticle; Noun - masculine singularH3915 twist, night, adversity
hereפֹה֙p̄ōhAdverbH6311 here, hither
repliedוַיֹּ֣אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
and I will giveוַהֲשִׁבֹתִ֤יwa·hă·ši·ḇō·ṯîConjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singularH7725 turn back, return
you the answerדָּבָ֔רdā·ḇārNoun - masculine singularH1697 speech, word
thatכַּאֲשֶׁ֛רka·’ă·šerPreposition-k; Pronoun - relativeH834 particle of relation
the LORDיְהוָ֖הYah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
speaksיְדַבֵּ֥רyə·ḏab·bêrVerb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH1696 speak
to meאֵלָ֑י’ê·lāyPreposition; first person common singularH413 motion to
So the princesשָׂרֵֽי־śā·rê-Noun - masculine plural constructH8269 chieftain, chief, ruler, official, captain, prince
of Moabמוֹאָ֖בmō·w·’āḇNoun - proper - feminine singularH4124 Moab
stayedוַיֵּשְׁב֥וּway·yê·šə·ḇūConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralH3427 sit, remain, dwell
withעִם־‘im-PrepositionH5973 with
Balaamבִּלְעָֽם׃bil·‘āmNoun - proper - masculine singularH1109 Balaam

Numbers 22:9

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Then Godאֱלֹהִ֖ים’ĕ·lō·hîmNoun - masculine pluralH430 God
cameוַיָּבֹ֥אway·yā·ḇōConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH935 come in, come, go in, go
toאֶל־’el-PrepositionH413 motion to
Balaamבִּלְעָ֑םbil·‘āmNoun - proper - masculine singularH1109 Balaam
and askedוַיֹּ֕אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
Whoמִ֛יmîInterrogativeH4310 who?
are theseהָאֵ֖לֶּהhā·’êl·lehArticle; Pronoun - common pluralH428 these
menהָאֲנָשִׁ֥יםhā·’ă·nā·šîmArticle; Noun - masculine pluralH582 man, mankind
with youעִמָּֽךְ׃‘im·māḵPreposition; second person feminine singularH5973 with

Numbers 22:10

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
And Balaamבִּלְעָ֖םbil·‘āmNoun - proper - masculine singularH1109 Balaam
saidוַיֹּ֥אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
toאֶל־’el-PrepositionH413 motion to
Godהָאֱלֹהִ֑יםhā·’ĕ·lō·hîmArticle; Noun - masculine pluralH430 God
Balakבָּלָ֧קbā·lāqNoun - proper - masculine singularH1111 Balak
sonבֶּן־ben-Noun - masculine singular constructH1121 son
of Zipporצִפֹּ֛רṣip·pōrNoun - proper - masculine singularH6834 Tsippor
kingמֶ֥לֶךְme·leḵNoun - masculine singular constructH4428 king
of Moabמוֹאָ֖בmō·w·’āḇNoun - proper - feminine singularH4124 Moab
sent meשָׁלַ֥חšā·laḥVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularH7971 send
this messageאֵלָֽי׃’ê·lāyPreposition; first person common singularH413 motion to

Numbers 22:11

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Beholdהִנֵּ֤הhin·nêhInterjectionH2009 lo! behold!
a peopleהָעָם֙hā·‘āmArticle; Noun - masculine singularH5971 people
has come outהַיֹּצֵ֣אhay·yō·ṣêArticle; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularH3318 go or come out
of Egyptמִמִּצְרַ֔יִםmim·miṣ·ra·yimPreposition-m; Noun - proper - feminine singularH4714 Egypt, Egyptians
and they coverוַיְכַ֖סway·ḵasConjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH3680 cover
the faceעֵ֣ין‘ênNoun - common singular constructH5869 eye
of the landהָאָ֑רֶץhā·’ā·reṣArticle; Noun - feminine singularH776 earth, land
Nowעַתָּ֗ה‘at·tāhAdverbH6258 now
comeלְכָ֤הlə·ḵāhVerb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular; third person feminine singularH1980 go, come, walk
and put a curseקָֽבָה־qā·ḇāh-Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular; third person feminine singularH6895 utter a curse against, curse
on themאֹת֔וֹ’ō·ṯōwDirect object marker; third person masculine singularH853 mark of the accusative
for meלִּי֙lîPreposition; first person common singular
Perhaps I mayאוּלַ֥י’ū·layAdverbH194 peradventure, perhaps
be ableאוּכַ֛ל’ū·ḵalVerb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singularH3201 be able, have power, prevail, endure
to fightלְהִלָּ֥חֶםlə·hil·lā·ḥemPreposition-l; Verb - Nifal - Infinitive constructH3898 fight, do battle
against themבּ֖וֹbōwPreposition; third person masculine singular
and drive them awayוְגֵרַשְׁתִּֽיו׃wə·ḡê·raš·tîwConjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular; third person masculine singularH1644 drive out, cast out

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Numbers 22:6 Numbers 24:9 · Numbers 23:7–8

Numbers 22:7 Micah 3:11 · 1 Samuel 9:7–8

Numbers 22:9 Genesis 20:3 · Numbers 22:20

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.