Numbers 22:17
New International Version
because I will reward you handsomely and do whatever you say. Come and put a curse on these people for me.”

New Living Translation
I will pay you very well and do whatever you tell me. Just come and curse these people for me!”

English Standard Version
for I will surely do you great honor, and whatever you say to me I will do. Come, curse this people for me.’”

Berean Standard Bible
for I will honor you richly and do whatever you say. So please come and put a curse on this people for me!’”

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
for I will certainly honor you greatly, and I will do whatever you say to me. Therefore please come, curse this people for me.’ ”

New American Standard Bible
for I will indeed honor you richly, and I will do whatever you tell me. Please come then, curse this people for me.’”

NASB 1995
for I will indeed honor you richly, and I will do whatever you say to me. Please come then, curse this people for me.’”

NASB 1977
for I will indeed honor you richly, and I will do whatever you say to me. Please come then, curse this people for me.’”

Legacy Standard Bible
for I will indeed honor you richly, and I will do whatever you say to me. Please come then, curse this people for me.’”

Amplified Bible
For I will give you a very great honor and I will do whatever you tell me; so please come, curse these people [of Israel] for me.’”

Christian Standard Bible
for I will greatly honor you and do whatever you ask me. So please come and put a curse on these people for me! ’ ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
for I will greatly honor you and do whatever you ask me. So please come and put a curse on these people for me!’”

American Standard Version
for I will promote thee unto very great honor, and whatsoever thou sayest unto me I will do: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people.

Contemporary English Version
I'll pay you very well and do whatever you ask. Just come and place a curse on these people."

English Revised Version
for I will promote thee unto very great honour, and whatsoever thou sayest unto me I will do: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
I will make sure you are richly rewarded, and I will do whatever you ask. Please, come and curse these people for me."

Good News Translation
I will reward you richly and do anything you say. Please come and curse these people for me."

International Standard Version
I'm determined to reward you generously, and I'll do everything you tell me to do. So come right away and curse this people for me.'"

Majority Standard Bible
for I will honor you richly and do whatever you say. So please come and put a curse on this people for me!??

NET Bible
For I will honor you greatly, and whatever you tell me I will do. So come, put a curse on this nation for me.'"

New Heart English Bible
for I will greatly honor you, and whatever you say to me I will do for you. Please come therefore, and curse this people for me.'"

Webster's Bible Translation
For I will promote thee to very great honor, and I will do whatever thou sayest to me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse this people for me.

World English Bible
for I will promote you to very great honor, and whatever you say to me I will do. Please come therefore, and curse this people for me.’”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
for I honor you very greatly, and all that you say to me I do; and come, please pierce this people for me.”

Young's Literal Translation
for very greatly I honour thee, and all that thou sayest unto me I do; and come, I pray thee, pierce for me this people.'

Smith's Literal Translation
For honoring, I will honor thee greatly, and all which thou shalt say to me I will do; and come, now, curse to me this people.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
For I am ready to honour thee, and will give thee whatsoever thou wilt: come and curse this people.

Catholic Public Domain Version
For I am ready to honor you, and whatever you would want, I shall give to you. Come and curse this people.”

New American Bible
I will reward you very handsomely and will do anything you ask of me. Come, lay a curse on this people for me.”

New Revised Standard Version
for I will surely do you great honor, and whatever you say to me I will do; come, curse this people for me.’”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
For I will surely honor you exceedingly, and I will do for you whatever you say to me; come therefore, curse this people for me.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Because surely I shall honor you greatly and everything that you say to me I shall do, and come, curse for me this people.’”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
for I will promote thee unto very great honour, and whatsoever thou sayest unto me I will do; come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
For I will greatly honour thee, and will do for thee whatsoever thou shalt say; come then, curse me this people.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Balak Summons Balaam
16They came to Balaam and said, “This is what Balak son of Zippor says: ‘Please let nothing hinder you from coming to me, 17for I will honor you richly and do whatever you say. So please come and put a curse on this people for me!’” 18But Balaam replied to the servants of Balak, “If Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything small or great to go beyond the command of the LORD my God.…

Cross References
2 Peter 2:15
They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness.

Jude 1:11
Woe to them! They have traveled the path of Cain; they have rushed headlong into the error of Balaam; they have perished in Korah’s rebellion.

Deuteronomy 23:4-5
For they did not meet you with food and water on your way out of Egypt, and they hired Balaam son of Beor from Pethor in Aram-naharaim to curse you. / Yet the LORD your God would not listen to Balaam, and the LORD your God turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the LORD your God loves you.

Joshua 24:9-10
Then Balak son of Zippor, the king of Moab, set out to fight against Israel. He sent for Balaam son of Beor to curse you, / but I would not listen to Balaam. So he blessed you again and again, and I delivered you from his hand.

Nehemiah 13:2
because they had not met the Israelites with food and water, but had hired Balaam to call down a curse against them (although our God had turned the curse into a blessing).

Revelation 2:14
But I have a few things against you, because some of you hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to place a stumbling block before the Israelites so they would eat food sacrificed to idols and commit sexual immorality.

Micah 6:5
My people, remember what Balak king of Moab counseled and what Balaam son of Beor answered. Remember your journey from Shittim to Gilgal, so that you may acknowledge the righteousness of the LORD.’”

2 Kings 5:16
But Elisha replied, “As surely as the LORD lives, before whom I stand, I will not accept it.” And although Naaman urged him to accept it, he refused.

1 Timothy 6:9-10
Those who want to be rich, however, fall into temptation and become ensnared by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. / For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. By craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.

Proverbs 15:27
He who is greedy for unjust gain brings trouble on his household, but he who hates bribes will live.

1 Samuel 15:22-23
But Samuel declared: “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obedience to His voice? Behold, obedience is better than sacrifice, and attentiveness is better than the fat of rams. / For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance is like the wickedness of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has rejected you as king.”

1 Kings 13:8-9
But the man of God replied, “If you were to give me half your possessions, I still would not go with you, nor would I eat bread or drink water in this place. / For this is what I was commanded by the word of the LORD: ‘You must not eat bread or drink water or return by the way you came.’”

Matthew 6:24
No one can serve two masters: Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

Acts 8:18-20
When Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money. / “Give me this power as well,” he said, “so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” / But Peter replied, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money!

1 Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide an escape, so that you can stand up under it.


Treasury of Scripture

For I will promote you to very great honor, and I will do whatever you say to me: come therefore, I pray you, curse me this people.

I will promote

Numbers 24:11
Therefore now flee thou to thy place: I thought to promote thee unto great honour; but, lo, the LORD hath kept thee back from honour.

Deuteronomy 16:9
Seven weeks shalt thou number unto thee: begin to number the seven weeks from such time as thou beginnest to put the sickle to the corn.

Esther 5:11
And Haman told them of the glory of his riches, and the multitude of his children, and all the things wherein the king had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the princes and servants of the king.

and I will do

Numbers 23:2,3,29,30
And Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bullock and a ram…

Matthew 14:7
Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask.

come

Numbers 22:6
Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me: peradventure I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land: for I wot that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed.

curse me.

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Curse Handsomely Highly Honor Honour Indeed Pierce Please Prayer Promote Reward Richly Surely Whatever Whatsoever
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Numbers 22
1. Balak's first message for Balaam is refused
15. His second message obtains him
22. An angel would have slain him, if he had not been saved by his donkey
36. Balak entertains him














for I will honor you richly
This phrase reflects the promise of material wealth and social status. The Hebrew word for "honor" here is "כָּבֵד" (kavod), which often denotes weightiness or glory. In the ancient Near Eastern context, honor was a tangible expression of one's worth and was often associated with wealth, power, and influence. Balak, the king of Moab, is attempting to entice Balaam with the promise of great reward, appealing to human desires for recognition and prosperity. This reflects a common biblical theme where earthly riches are contrasted with spiritual integrity and obedience to God.

and do whatever you say
This phrase indicates a willingness to submit to Balaam's authority, suggesting that Balak is desperate for Balaam's cooperation. The Hebrew root "עָשָׂה" (asah) means to do, make, or accomplish. In this context, it implies that Balak is ready to fulfill any request Balaam might have, underscoring the urgency and gravity of the situation. Historically, this reflects the ancient practice of hiring seers or prophets to curse one's enemies, a practice that was common in the ancient world. It also highlights the perceived power of spoken words and blessings or curses in the biblical narrative.

So please come and put a curse on this people for me
The request to "put a curse" is central to the narrative. The Hebrew word for curse is "אָרַר" (arar), which means to bind or to hem in with obstacles. In the ancient world, curses were believed to have real power to affect the physical and spiritual realms. Balak's plea reveals his fear of the Israelites and his belief that a supernatural intervention is necessary to defeat them. This reflects the biblical theme of the power of words and the spiritual battle between God's people and their adversaries. It also sets the stage for the unfolding drama where God's sovereignty and protection over Israel are demonstrated, despite human attempts to thwart His plans.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
for
כִּֽי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

I will honor you
כַבֵּ֤ד (ḵab·bêḏ)
Verb - Piel - Infinitive absolute
Strong's 3513: To be heavy, weighty, or burdensome

richly
מְאֹ֔ד (mə·’ōḏ)
Adverb
Strong's 3966: Vehemence, vehemently, wholly, speedily

and do
אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֑ה (’e·‘ĕ·śeh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 6213: To do, make

whatever
וְכֹ֛ל (wə·ḵōl)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

you say.
תֹּאמַ֥ר (tō·mar)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

So please
נָּא֙ (nā)
Interjection
Strong's 4994: I pray', 'now', 'then'

come
וּלְכָה־ (ū·lə·ḵāh-)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk

and put a curse
קָֽבָה־ (qā·ḇāh-)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 6895: To scoop out, to malign, execrate

on these
הַזֶּֽה׃ (haz·zeh)
Article | Pronoun - masculine singular
Strong's 2088: This, that

people for me!’”
הָעָ֥ם (hā·‘ām)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock


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OT Law: Numbers 22:17 For I will promote you to very (Nu Num.)
Numbers 22:16
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