But Balaam answered and said unto Balak, Told not I thee, saying, All that the LORD speaketh, that I must do?
But Balaam answered and said to Balak, 'Didn't I tell you before that whatever the LORD says, that's exactly what I have to do?'
Balaam is reminding King Balak that he can only speak what God tells him to speak, not what the king wants to hear.
📚 Historical Context
In the Book of Numbers, Balak, the king of Moab, hired Balaam, a prophet, to curse the Israelites as they approached the Promised Land, fearing their growing power. However, God directly intervened and commanded Balaam to bless the Israelites instead, which frustrated Balak and led to repeated attempts to change Balaam's message. This verse captures Balaam reaffirming his obedience to God's instructions over any human demands.
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