King James Version

Numbers 22:18

And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more.

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Hebrew

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וַיַּ֣עַןvayaanand shoutעָנָהconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and shout”, the next action in the storyH6030properly, to eye or (generally) to heed, i.e. pay attention; by implication, to respond; by extension to begin to speak; specifically to sing, shout, testify, announcegive account, afflict (by mistake for H6031 (עָנָה)), (cause to, give) answer, bring low (by mistake for H6031 (עָנָה)), cry, hear, Leannoth, lift up, say, [idiom] scholar, (give a) shout, sing (together by course), speak, testify, utter,…בִּלְעָ֗םbilamBalaamבִּלְעָםnoun, proper name — “Balaam”H1109Bilam, a Mesopotamian prophet; also a place in PalestineBalaam, Bileam.וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙vayomerand sayאָמַרconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and say”, the next action in the storyH559to say (used with great latitude)answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [id…אֶלelamongאֵלpreposition — “among”H413near, with or among; often in general, toabout, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).עַבְדֵ֣יavdeservantעֶבֶדnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct — “servant”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH5650a servant[idiom] bondage, bondman, (bond-) servant, (man-) servant.בָלָ֔קvalaqBalakבָּלָקnoun, proper name — “Balak”H1111Balak, a Moabitish kingBalak.אִםimoh thatאִםconjunction — “oh that”H518used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also Oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not(and, can-, doubtless, if, that) (not), [phrase] but, either, [phrase] except, [phrase] more(-over if, than), neither, nevertheless, nor, oh that, or, [phrase] save (only, -ing), seeing, since, sith, [phrase] surely (no more, none, not), t…יִתֶּןyitengiveנָתַןverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “give”, an unfinished actionH5414to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, [idiom] avenge, [idiom] be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, [phrase] cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, [idiom] doubtless, [idiom] wi…לִ֥יlitoלִ֥יpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “to”toבָלָ֛קvalaqBalakבָּלָקnoun, proper name — “Balak”H1111Balak, a Moabitish kingBalak.מְלֹ֥אmelofulnessמְלֹאnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “fulness”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH4393fulness (literally or figuratively)[idiom] all along, [idiom] all that is (there-) in, fill, ([idiom] that whereof...was) full, fulness, (hand-) full, multitude.בֵית֖וֹveytvofamilyבַּיִתnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “family”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1004a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)court, daughter, door, [phrase] dungeon, family, [phrase] forth of, [idiom] great as would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter) house(-hold), inside(-ward), palace, place, [phrase] prison, [phrase] steward, [phrase] tablet, temple, web,…כֶּ֣סֶףkesefmoneyכֶּסֶףnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “money”, the ordinary formH3701silver (from its pale color); by implication, moneymoney, price, silver(-ling).וְזָהָ֑בvezahavand goldזָהָבconjunction, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “and gold”, the ordinary formH2091gold, figuratively, something gold-colored (i.e. yellow), as oil, a clear skygold(-en), fair weather.לֹ֣אlono , -r,לֹאparticle, negative — “no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…אוּכַ֗לukhalbe ableיָכֹלverb, qal, imperfect, 1st person, common, singular — “be able”, an unfinished actionH3201to be able, literally (can, could) or morally (may, might)be able, any at all (ways), attain, can (away with, (-not)), could, endure, might, overcome, have power, prevail, still, suffer.לַעֲבֹר֙laavorto alienateעָבַרpreposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct — “to alienate”, the to-form of the verbH5674to cross over; used very widely of any transition (literal or figurative; transitive, intransitive, intensive, causative); specifically, to cover (in copulation)alienate, alter, [idiom] at all, beyond, bring (over, through), carry over, (over-) come (on, over), conduct (over), convey over, current, deliver, do away, enter, escape, fail, gender, get over, (make) go (away, beyond, by, forth, his way…אֶתetobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker — “object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).פִּי֙piedgeפֶּהnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “edge”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6310the mouth (as the means of blowing), whether literal or figurative (particularly speech); specifically edge, portion or side; adverbially (with preposition) according toaccord(-ing as, -ing to), after, appointment, assent, collar, command(-ment), [idiom] eat, edge, end, entry, [phrase] file, hole, [idiom] in, mind, mouth, part, portion, [idiom] (should) say(-ing), sentence, skirt, sound, speech, [idiom] s…יְהוָ֣הyehvahJehovahיְהֹוָהnoun, proper name — “Jehovah”H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of GodJehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050 (יָהּ), H3069 (יְהֹוִה).אֱלֹהָ֔יelohayGodאֱלֹהִיםnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “God”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH430gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlativeangels, [idiom] exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), [idiom] (very) great, judges, [idiom] mighty.לַעֲשׂ֥וֹתlaasotto doעָשָׂהpreposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct — “to do”, the to-form of the verbH6213to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest applicationaccomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, [idiom] certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, [phrase] displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, f…קְטַנָּ֖הqetanahleastקָטָןadjective, adjective, feminine, singular, absolute — “least”, the ordinary formH6996abbreviated, i.e. diminutive, literally (in quantity, size or number) or figuratively (in age or importance)least, less(-er), little (one), small(-est, one, quantity, thing), young(-er, -est).א֥וֹvoalsoאוֹconjunction — “also”H176desire (and so probably in Proverbs 31:4); hence (by way of alternative) or, also ifalso, and, either, if, at the least, [idiom] nor, or, otherwise, then, whether.גְדוֹלָֽהgedolahgreatגָּדוֹלadjective, adjective, feminine, singular, absolute — “great”, the ordinary formH1419great (in any sense); hence, older; also insolent[phrase] aloud, elder(-est), [phrase] exceeding(-ly), [phrase] far, (man of) great (man, matter, thing,-er,-ness), high, long, loud, mighty, more, much, noble, proud thing, [idiom] sore, ([idiom]) very.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak: 'If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do any thing, small or great.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of Jehovah my God, to do less or more.

Young’s Literal Translation

And Balaam answereth and saith unto the servants of Balak, 'If Balak doth give to me the fulness of his house of silver and gold, I am not able to pass over the command of Jehovah my God, to do a little or a great thing;

World English Bible

Balaam answered the servants of Balak, “If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I can’t go beyond the word of Yahweh my God, to do less or more.

Darby Translation

And Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, If Balak give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the commandment of Jehovah my God, to do less or more.

Douay-Rheims

Balaam answered: If Balac would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot alter the word of the Lord my God, to speak either more or less.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak: 'If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do any thing, small or great.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And Balaam answered and said to the princes of Balac, If Balac would give me his house full of silver and gold, I shall not be able to go beyond the word of the Lord God, to make it little or great in my mind.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ ἀπεκρίθη Βαλαὰμ, καὶ εἶπε τοῖς ἄρχουσι Βαλὰκ, ἐὰν δῷ μοι Βαλὰκ πλήρη τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ ἀργυρίου καὶ χρυσίου, οὐ δυνήσομαι παραβῆναι τὸ ῥῆμα Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ, ποιῆσαι αὐτὸ μικρὸν ἢ μέγα ἐν τῇ διανοίᾳ μου.