Balaam understands that genuine obedience to God involves speaking His truth precisely as given.
In this verse, we see Balaam receive a clear command: “But the angel of the LORD said to Balaam, ‘Go with the men, but you shall speak only the word which I tell you.’ So Balaam went along with the leaders of Balak.” (v.35). Balaam, a non-Israelite seer who lived around the fifteenth century BC, stands at a critical juncture. The “angel of the LORD” instructs him to continue on his journey to Moab but to remain utterly faithful to God’s message. Moab, situated east of the Dead Sea in what is now modern-day Jordan, was under the leadership of King Balak, who feared the presence of the Israelites (Numbers 22:2-4). In this moment, Balaam transitions from resistance against God’s directive to submission, showing that even prophets outside of Israel’s lineage can still be used by the LORD for His purposes.
When the divine messenger tells Balaam, “but you shall speak only the word which I tell you” (v.35), it underscores God’s sovereign authority. Balaam, who had hoped for some measure of personal gain (Numbers 22:15-17), learns that his prophetic gift is not his own to manipulate. The leaders of Balak, who come from the Moabite kingdom near the plains of Moab, serve as witnesses to this transformation. The geographical significance of Moab is that it sits near the route the Israelites would travel on their way to Canaan, so Balak’s fear was not just spiritual—it was territorial and political.
By obeying the angel’s instruction, Balaam foreshadows the principle found in the New Testament that ultimately, God’s Word stands above human motives. Much like Jesus, who declared that He spoke only what He heard from the Father (John 12:49), Balaam’s message is meant to come directly from the LORD. This verse hence speaks to believers about the importance of listening to God and honoring His authority no matter the temptations or pressures from people in power.
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Numbers 22:35 meaning
In this verse, we see Balaam receive a clear command: “But the angel of the LORD said to Balaam, ‘Go with the men, but you shall speak only the word which I tell you.’ So Balaam went along with the leaders of Balak.” (v.35). Balaam, a non-Israelite seer who lived around the fifteenth century BC, stands at a critical juncture. The “angel of the LORD” instructs him to continue on his journey to Moab but to remain utterly faithful to God’s message. Moab, situated east of the Dead Sea in what is now modern-day Jordan, was under the leadership of King Balak, who feared the presence of the Israelites (Numbers 22:2-4). In this moment, Balaam transitions from resistance against God’s directive to submission, showing that even prophets outside of Israel’s lineage can still be used by the LORD for His purposes.
When the divine messenger tells Balaam, “but you shall speak only the word which I tell you” (v.35), it underscores God’s sovereign authority. Balaam, who had hoped for some measure of personal gain (Numbers 22:15-17), learns that his prophetic gift is not his own to manipulate. The leaders of Balak, who come from the Moabite kingdom near the plains of Moab, serve as witnesses to this transformation. The geographical significance of Moab is that it sits near the route the Israelites would travel on their way to Canaan, so Balak’s fear was not just spiritual—it was territorial and political.
By obeying the angel’s instruction, Balaam foreshadows the principle found in the New Testament that ultimately, God’s Word stands above human motives. Much like Jesus, who declared that He spoke only what He heard from the Father (John 12:49), Balaam’s message is meant to come directly from the LORD. This verse hence speaks to believers about the importance of listening to God and honoring His authority no matter the temptations or pressures from people in power.