Numbers 23:26 (GNV)

Passage

But Balaam answered, and saide vnto Balak, Tolde not I thee, saying, All that the Lord speaketh, that must I do?

Nearby Context

Numbers 23:24 Behold, the people shall rise vp as a lyon, and lift vp himselfe as a yong lyon: hee shall not lye downe, till he eate of the pray, and till he drinke the blood of the slayne.

Numbers 23:25 Then Balak sayde vnto Balaam, Neither curse, nor blesse them at all.

Numbers 23:26 But Balaam answered, and saide vnto Balak, Tolde not I thee, saying, All that the Lord speaketh, that must I do?

Numbers 23:27 Againe Balak sayd vnto Balaam, Come, I pray thee, I wil bring thee vnto another place, if so be it wil please God, that thou mayest thence curse them for my sake.

Numbers 23:28 So Balak brought Balaam vnto the top of Peor, that looketh toward Ieshmon.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "balaam", "answered", "saide", "vnto", "balak", "tolde", "thee", and "saying". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "balaam" and "answered", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 25's "Then Balak sayde vnto Balaam Neither curse..." into verse 27's "Againe Balak sayd vnto Balaam Come I...", so "balaam" and "answered" 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 "balaam" and "answered" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.