Numbers 23:16 (ASV)

Passage

And Jehovah met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus shalt thou speak.

Nearby Context

Numbers 23:14 And he took him into the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered up a bullock and a ram on every altar.

Numbers 23:15 And he said unto Balak, Stand here by thy burnt-offering, while I meet [Jehovah] yonder.

Numbers 23:16 And Jehovah met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus shalt thou speak.

Numbers 23:17 And he came to him, and, lo, he was standing by his burnt-offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said unto him, What hath Jehovah spoken?

Numbers 23:18 And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; Hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor:

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "jehovah", "balaam", "word", "mouth", "said", "return", "balak", and "thus". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "jehovah" and "balaam", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 15's "And he said unto Balak Stand here..." into verse 17's "And he came to him and lo...", so "jehovah" and "balaam" belong inside that flow. In Numbers context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "jehovah" and "balaam" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.