In essence, Balaam acknowledges that his utterances are entirely dependent on the LORD’s command.
Balaam, a prophet from Mesopotamia around the 15th century BC, arrived at the request of Balak, king of Moab, who sought to curse Israel. In Numbers 22:38, Balaam acknowledges his inability to speak anything other than what God prescribes, for he himself is a messenger bound by divine instruction. As the verse testifies, Balaam said to Balak, “Behold, I have come now to you! Am I able to speak anything at all? The word that God puts in my mouth, that I shall speak.” (v.38)
In this scene, the Israelites had been camping in the plains of Moab, northeast of the Dead Sea, near the end of their forty years of wandering (Numbers 22:1). Balaam’s journey to Moab was marked by God’s repeated warnings for him to heed the Lord’s words (Numbers 22-24). When he finally meets Balak around 1400 BC, Balaam’s statement reveals his awareness that any true prophecy or pronouncement he makes comes exclusively from God’s authority. Rather than cursing Israel, Balaam is constrained by the command of the LORD to utter only what God commands, demonstrating that no prophetic power transcends God’s sovereign will. Balaam’s admission here also foreshadows his ultimate failure to circumvent God’s will, emphasizing that genuine prophecy cannot be wielded for personal gain (2 Peter 2:15-16).
Spiritually, Balaam’s confession that “The word that God puts in my mouth, that I shall speak” underscores the principle that God’s command supersedes human intent. Jesus, centuries later, reaffirmed that He spoke only what He heard from the Father (John 12:49), reminding us that authentic spiritual authority hinges on God’s truth. While Balaam initially came seeking reward (Numbers 22:7), his words in this verse remind us of the importance of obedience to the Divine, even when earthly incentives point elsewhere.
Balaam, despite being entangled in Moab’s schemes, declares here that he can only speak for God.
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Numbers 22:38 meaning
Balaam, a prophet from Mesopotamia around the 15th century BC, arrived at the request of Balak, king of Moab, who sought to curse Israel. In Numbers 22:38, Balaam acknowledges his inability to speak anything other than what God prescribes, for he himself is a messenger bound by divine instruction. As the verse testifies, Balaam said to Balak, “Behold, I have come now to you! Am I able to speak anything at all? The word that God puts in my mouth, that I shall speak.” (v.38)
In this scene, the Israelites had been camping in the plains of Moab, northeast of the Dead Sea, near the end of their forty years of wandering (Numbers 22:1). Balaam’s journey to Moab was marked by God’s repeated warnings for him to heed the Lord’s words (Numbers 22-24). When he finally meets Balak around 1400 BC, Balaam’s statement reveals his awareness that any true prophecy or pronouncement he makes comes exclusively from God’s authority. Rather than cursing Israel, Balaam is constrained by the command of the LORD to utter only what God commands, demonstrating that no prophetic power transcends God’s sovereign will. Balaam’s admission here also foreshadows his ultimate failure to circumvent God’s will, emphasizing that genuine prophecy cannot be wielded for personal gain (2 Peter 2:15-16).
Spiritually, Balaam’s confession that “The word that God puts in my mouth, that I shall speak” underscores the principle that God’s command supersedes human intent. Jesus, centuries later, reaffirmed that He spoke only what He heard from the Father (John 12:49), reminding us that authentic spiritual authority hinges on God’s truth. While Balaam initially came seeking reward (Numbers 22:7), his words in this verse remind us of the importance of obedience to the Divine, even when earthly incentives point elsewhere.
Balaam, despite being entangled in Moab’s schemes, declares here that he can only speak for God.