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Numbers 22:37

Old Testament Law (Torah) ASV (1901)

What does Numbers 22:37 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “And Balak said unto Balaam, Did I not earnestly send unto thee to call thee? wherefore camest thou not unto me? am I not able indeed to promote thee to honor?” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

And Balak said unto Balaam, Did I not earnestly send unto thee to call thee? wherefore camest thou not unto me? am I not able indeed to promote thee to honor?
Numbers 22:37 — American Standard Version

Context — Numbers 22

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
34And Balaam said unto the angel of Jehovah, I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease thee, I will get me back again.
35And the angel of Jehovah said unto Balaam, Go with the men; but only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that thou shalt speak. So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.
36And when Balak heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him unto the City of Moab, which is on the border of the Arnon, which is in the utmost part of the border.
37And Balak said unto Balaam, Did I not earnestly send unto thee to call thee? wherefore camest thou not unto me? am I not able indeed to promote thee to honor?
38And Balaam said unto Balak, Lo, I am come unto thee: have I now any power at all to speak anything? the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak.
39And Balaam went with Balak, and they came unto Kiriath-huzoth.
40And Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes that were with him.
← Numbers 22:36Numbers 22:38 →
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“And Balak said unto Balaam, etc.] Upon their meeting together: did I not earnestly send unto thee to call thee? or “in sending send” f353; the first messengers in a very pressing manner, with great importunity, to give thee an invitation to come to me, and those men of rank and quality, with rewards of divination in their hands, and yet the invitation was rejected; and after them other messengers, more in number and greater in dignity, with larger offers and promises; and now indeed thou art come, but with much ado, what is the meaning of all this? wherefore camest thou not unto me? at first, without showing so much indifference and reluctance, and which obliged me to send another message to…”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“22:37 Balak thought Balaam did not understand how urgent the situation was nor how great the offered payment.”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“I am not able, Num 22:16, Num 22:17, Num 24:11; Psa 75:6; Mat 4:8, Mat 4:9; Luk 4:6; Joh 5:44 Numbers 22:38”
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Related study paths

Read Numbers 22 in contextBrowse Hebrew word studiesOpen this verse in the study reader

Sources and verification