KJV ORIGINAL
Therefore now flee thou to thy place: I thought to promote thee unto great honour; but, lo, the LORD hath kept thee back from honour.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
So now go back to where you came from! I had planned to give you great honor and rewards, but look—the LORD has prevented you from receiving that honor.
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
Balak is angrily dismissing Balaam, saying he had planned to reward him greatly, but God prevented Balaam from earning those rewards.
📚 Historical Context
King Balak of Moab had hired the prophet Balaam to curse the Israelites, promising him great wealth and honor. However, God kept overriding Balaam's attempts, forcing him to bless Israel instead of cursing them. This verse captures Balak's frustrated dismissal of Balaam after his third failed attempt to curse God's people.
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