Numbers 22:9
New International Version
God came to Balaam and asked, “Who are these men with you?”

New Living Translation
That night God came to Balaam and asked him, “Who are these men visiting you?”

English Standard Version
And God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?”

Berean Standard Bible
Then God came to Balaam and asked, “Who are these men with you?”

King James Bible
And God came unto Balaam, and said, What men are these with thee?

New King James Version
Then God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?”

New American Standard Bible
Then God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?”

NASB 1995
Then God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?”

NASB 1977
Then God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?”

Legacy Standard Bible
Then God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?”

Amplified Bible
God came to Balaam, and said, “Who are these men with you?”

Christian Standard Bible
Then God came to Balaam and asked, “Who are these men with you? ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then God came to Balaam and asked, “Who are these men with you?”

American Standard Version
And God came unto Balaam, and said, What men are these with thee?

Contemporary English Version
During the night, God asked Balaam, "Who are these people at your house?"

English Revised Version
And God came unto Balaam, and said, What men are these with thee?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
God came to Balaam and asked, "Who are these men with you?"

Good News Translation
God came to Balaam and asked, "Who are these people that are staying with you?"

International Standard Version
God visited Balaam and asked him, "Who are these men with you?"

Majority Standard Bible
Then God came to Balaam and asked, “Who are these men with you?”

NET Bible
And God came to Balaam and said, "Who are these men with you?"

New Heart English Bible
And God came to Balaam, and said, "Who are these men with you?"

Webster's Bible Translation
And God came to Balaam, and said, What men are these with thee?

World English Bible
God came to Balaam, and said, “Who are these men with you?”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And God comes to Balaam and says, “Who [are] these men with you?”

Young's Literal Translation
And God cometh in unto Balaam, and saith, 'Who are these men with thee?'

Smith's Literal Translation
And God will come to Balaam, and will say, What men these with thee?
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
What mean these men that are with thee?

Catholic Public Domain Version
“What do these men want with you?”

New American Bible
Then God came to Balaam and said: Who are these men with you?

New Revised Standard Version
God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And God came to Balaam and said to him, Who are these men that are with you?

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And God came upon Balaam and said to him: “Who are these men with you?”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And God came unto Balaam, and said: 'What men are these with thee?'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And God came to Balaam, and said to him, Who are these men with thee?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Balak Summons Balaam
8“Spend the night here,” Balaam replied, “and I will give you the answer that the LORD speaks to me.” So the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam. 9Then God came to Balaam and asked, “Who are these men with you?” 10And Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent me this message:…

Cross References
Genesis 20:3
One night, however, God came to Abimelech in a dream and told him, “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken, for she is a married woman.”

Genesis 31:24
But that night God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream and warned him, “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.”

Job 33:15-16
In a dream, in a vision in the night, when deep sleep falls upon men as they slumber on their beds, / He opens their ears and terrifies them with warnings

Genesis 15:1
After these events, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.”

Genesis 46:2
And that night God spoke to Israel in a vision: “Jacob, Jacob!” He said. “Here I am,” replied Jacob.

Matthew 1:20
But after he had pondered these things, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to embrace Mary as your wife, for the One conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 2:12
And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they withdrew to their country by another route.

Acts 10:3-4
One day at about the ninth hour, he had a clear vision of an angel of God who came to him and said, “Cornelius!” / Cornelius stared at him in fear and asked, “What is it, Lord?” The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have ascended as a memorial offering before God.

Acts 16:9
During the night, Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and pleading with him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”

Acts 18:9
One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking; do not be silent.

Acts 23:11
The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about Me in Jerusalem, so also you must testify in Rome.”

1 Kings 3:5
One night at Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream, and God said, “Ask, and I will give it to you!”

Daniel 2:19
During the night, the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision, and he blessed the God of heaven

Daniel 4:5
I had a dream, and it frightened me; while I was in my bed, the images and visions in my mind alarmed me.

Daniel 7:1
In the first year of the reign of Belshazzar over Babylon, Daniel had a dream, and visions passed through his mind as he lay on his bed. He wrote down the dream, and this is the summary of his account.


Treasury of Scripture

And God came to Balaam, and said, What men are these with you?

God

Numbers 23:20
Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.

Genesis 20:3
But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man's wife.

Genesis 31:24
And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said unto him, Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.

what men

Genesis 3:9-11
And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? …

Genesis 4:9
And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?

Genesis 16:8
And he said, Hagar, Sarai's maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai.

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Balaam
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Balaam
Numbers 22
1. Balak's first message for Balaam is refused
15. His second message obtains him
22. An angel would have slain him, if he had not been saved by his donkey
36. Balak entertains him














Then God came to Balaam
This phrase marks a pivotal moment in the narrative, where divine intervention directly influences human affairs. The Hebrew word for "God" here is "Elohim," a term that emphasizes God's power and sovereignty. It is significant that God chooses to engage with Balaam, a non-Israelite prophet, which underscores the universality of God's dominion and His ability to use anyone to fulfill His purposes. This encounter sets the stage for the unfolding drama, highlighting God's active role in guiding and directing events according to His divine will.

and asked
The act of God asking Balaam a question is profound. It reflects a relational aspect of God, who engages with humanity in a manner that invites dialogue. This is reminiscent of God's interactions with other biblical figures, such as Adam in the Garden of Eden. The Hebrew root for "asked" is "sha'al," which can also mean to inquire or seek information. This suggests that God is drawing Balaam into a deeper understanding of the situation, prompting reflection and discernment.

Who are these men with you?
This question is not for God's benefit, as He is omniscient, but rather for Balaam's. It serves to prompt Balaam to consider the nature and intentions of his companions. Historically, Balaam was a well-known figure in the ancient Near East, and his association with the Moabite officials indicates a significant political and spiritual encounter. The question challenges Balaam to reflect on his alliances and the potential consequences of his actions. It is a call to self-examination, urging Balaam to recognize the gravity of the situation and the divine perspective on the unfolding events.

(9) What men are these with thee?--This inquiry, like that addressed to Elijah, "What doest thou here?" (1Kings 19:9), or that to Hezekiah, "What said these men? and from whence came they unto thee?" and "What have they seen in thine house?" (Isaiah 39:3-4) was calculated to arouse the slumbering conscience of Balaam, and to open his eyes to a perception of his sin and of his danger.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then God
אֱלֹהִ֖ים (’ĕ·lō·hîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

came
וַיָּבֹ֥א (way·yā·ḇō)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

Balaam
בִּלְעָ֑ם (bil·‘ām)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1109: Balaam -- a prophet

and asked,
וַיֹּ֕אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“Who
מִ֛י (mî)
Interrogative
Strong's 4310: Who?, whoever, in oblique construction with prefix, suffix

are these
הָאֵ֖לֶּה (hā·’êl·leh)
Article | Pronoun - common plural
Strong's 428: These, those

men
הָאֲנָשִׁ֥ים (hā·’ă·nā·šîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 582: Man, mankind

with you?”
עִמָּֽךְ׃ (‘im·māḵ)
Preposition | second person feminine singular
Strong's 5973: With, equally with


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OT Law: Numbers 22:9 God came to Balaam and said What (Nu Num.)
Numbers 22:8
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