The Meaning of Numbers 22:38 Explained

Numbers 22:38

KJV: And Balaam said unto Balak, Lo, I am come unto thee: have I now any power at all to say any thing? the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak.

YLT: And Balaam saith unto Balak, 'Lo, I have come unto thee; now -- am I at all able to speak anything? the word which God setteth in my mouth -- it I do speak.'

Darby: And Balaam said to Balak, Lo, I am come to thee; but shall I now be able at all to say anything? the word that God puts in my mouth, that shall I speak.

ASV: And Balaam said unto Balak, Lo, I am come unto thee: have I now any power at all to speak anything? the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Balaam  said  unto Balak,  Lo, I am come  unto thee: have I now any power  at all  to say  any thing?  the word  that God  putteth  in my mouth,  that shall I speak. 

What does Numbers 22:38 Mean?

Context Summary

Numbers 22:21-40 - Balaam Warned What To Speak
If only Balaam had abided by his first answer to Balak's request, he would have been saved from the disgrace and suffering which ensued. But he seemed to think that it was possible to alter God's mind; hence his request to the second company of messengers that they give him time to ascertain God's will. Already that will had been clearly made known to him; what object had he in pressing for a further response?
When, finally, he was told that he might go, he rose up in the morning, saddled his ass, and started post-haste. He was trying to serve two masters-to speak as God bade him, but to please Balak and pocket his gold.
How many agencies God uses to arrest our evil courses! Peter specially refers to this incident, 2 Peter 2:16. Many cries are raised to stop the boat that is caught in the rapids above Niagara! Thus the way of transgressors is made hard by the love of God! [source]

Chapter Summary: 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

What do the individual words in Numbers 22:38 mean?

and said Balaam to Balak Look I have come to you now have at all I any power to say anything the word that puts God in my mouth that I must speak
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר בִּלְעָ֜ם אֶל־ בָּלָ֗ק הִֽנֵּה־ בָ֙אתִי֙ אֵלֶ֔יךָ עַתָּ֕ה הֲיָכ֥וֹל אוּכַ֖ל דַּבֵּ֣ר ؟ מְא֑וּמָה הַדָּבָ֗ר אֲשֶׁ֨ר יָשִׂ֧ים אֱלֹהִ֛ים בְּפִ֖י אֹת֥וֹ אֲדַבֵּֽר

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
בִּלְעָ֜ם  Balaam 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: בִּלְעָם 
Sense: the son of Beor, a man endowed with the gift of prophecy.
בָּלָ֗ק  Balak 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: בָּלָק  
Sense: a king of Moab who hired Balaam to curse Israel.
הִֽנֵּה־  Look 
Parse: Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
בָ֙אתִי֙  I  have  come 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
אֵלֶ֔יךָ  to  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
עַתָּ֕ה  now 
Parse: Adverb
Root: עַתָּה  
Sense: now.
הֲיָכ֥וֹל  have  at  all 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive absolute
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
אוּכַ֖ל  I  any  power 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: יָכֹל  
Sense: to prevail, overcome, endure, have power, be able.
דַּבֵּ֣ר  to  say 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
؟ מְא֑וּמָה  anything 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מְאוּמָה  
Sense: anything.
הַדָּבָ֗ר  the  word 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
אֲשֶׁ֨ר  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
יָשִׂ֧ים  puts 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שׂוּמָה 
Sense: to put, place, set, appoint, make.
אֱלֹהִ֛ים  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
בְּפִ֖י  in  my  mouth 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: פֶּה  
Sense: mouth.
אֹת֥וֹ  that 
Parse: Direct object marker, third person masculine singular
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
אֲדַבֵּֽר  I  must  speak 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.