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Kretzmann's Popular Commentary

Numbers 23:19

God is not a man that He should lie, neither the son of man that He should repent, a statement which reproved the thought of Balak that God might take back His word concerning the blessing upon Israel. Hath He said, and shall He not do it? Or hath He spoken, and shall He not make it good?

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See also Numbers 23:19 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Numbers 23:19. _GOD_ IS _NOT A MAN, THAT HE SHOULD LIE_] This seems to be spoken to correct the foregoing supposition of Balak that God could change his mind. Even the heathen would not allow th...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    THE PARABLES OF BALAAM Chapter S 23-24 _ 1. The first parable (Numbers 23:1)_ 2. Balak's surprise and Balaam's answer (Numbers 23:11) 3. At Zophim (Numbers 23:13) 4. The second parable

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    BALAAM'S SECOND ORACLE. This goes beyond the preceding in frustrating the hopes of Balak, for it declares that God has not only not cursed Israel, but has positively blessed it, and describes Israel's...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    HATH HE SAID. Figure of speech _Erotesis._ App-6....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _Balaam's second prophetic message_. This consists of eleven, or (see on Numbers 23:23) more probably ten, couplets. Balaam declares that God will never change His mind (as Balak had thought, Numbers...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _Neither_ A _son of man_ a mere mortal, with human caprices. It is the only occurrence of the expression that is certainly earlier than Ezekiel....

  • Charles Simeon's Horae Homileticae

    DISCOURSE: 174 GOD WILL FULFIL HIS WORD Numbers 23:19. _God is not a man, that he should lie._ THERE is scarcely any thing that more strongly manifests the depravity of our nature, than that propensi...

  • Charles Simeon's Horae Homileticae

    DISCOURSE: 173 BALAAM’S SECOND ATTEMPT TO CURSE ISRAEL Numbers 23:18. And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor: God is not a man, that he sho...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    GOD IS NOT A MAN— The prophet is here compelled, in the strongest manner, to proclaim his own folly, and the vain expectation of the king of Moab; asserting, that it is not to be imagined that the hig...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    E. BALAAM'S SECOND BLESSING vv. 13-24 TEXT Numbers 23:13. And Balak said unto him, Come, I pray thee, with me to another place, from whence thou mayest see them, and shalt not see them all: and curse...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _AND HE TOOK UP HIS PARABLE, AND SAID, RISE UP, BALAK, AND HEAR; HEARKEN UNTO ME, THOU SON OF ZIPPOR:_ _ `Rise up, Balak, and hear! Hearken unto me, thou son of Zippori! God is not a man, that he sho...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    BALAAM (CONTINUED) 1-10. First Utterance of Balaam....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    Balak is wrong in thinking to induce God by means of enchantments to alter His purpose: cp. 1 Samuel 15:29; Isaiah 54:10; Romans 11:29; Titus 1:2;...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    THE OLD TESTAMENT BOOK OF NUMBERS IN THE DESERT NUMBERS _MARION ADAMS_ CHAPTER 23 BALAAM’S FIRST *PROPHECY – NUMBERS 23:1-12 V1 Balaam said to Balak, ‘Build 7 *altars here. Then bring to

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    NEITHER THE SON OF MAN, THAT HE SHOULD REPENT. — The adoption of these words, with slight variation, by Samuel (1 Samuel 15:29) affords evidence of his familiarity with this portion of the Pentateuch....

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    לֹ֣א אִ֥ישׁ אֵל֙ וִֽ יכַזֵּ֔ב וּ בֶן

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    NO ENCHANTMENT AGAINST ISRAEL Numbers 23:13 Balak was surprised and disappointed. He therefore bethought himself of limiting the seer's vision, so that he might see an attenuated Israel from a height...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    The first of Balaam's prophecies was uttered in the midst of strange surroundings. Sacrifices were offered to heathen gods, while Balaam turned aside to inquire of Jehovah. The result was that we hav...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    (h) God [is] not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do [it]? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? (h) God's enemies...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Changed. Hebrew, "repent." Septuagint, "to be overawed by threats." Origen, "to be terrified." In the book of Judith, (viii. 15,) it is said, For God will not threaten like man, nor be inflamed to an...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    These are very precious truths; and doubly so when read with an eye to the evidence they bring with them, as they are in JESUS. In the covenant relationship of GOD in CHRIST, the word, the oath, the p...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    The successes given to the children of Israel alarmed some of their neighbours, more particularly Moab; and this gives occasion for a striking episode in the history which brought to issue as solemn a...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 22, 23, 24, AND 25. Moab also opposes in vain. Now they are in the plains of Moab, having only Jordan between them and the land of their rest. But had they a...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    GOD IS NOT A MAN, THAT HE SHOULD LIE,.... Man is a creature consisting of a body of flesh and blood, and of a soul, a created and finite spirit; but God, though he has the parts of an human body ascri...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    _God [is] not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do [it]? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?_ Ver. 19. _That he sh...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _That he should lie_ Break his promise made to his people for their preservation and benediction. _Neither the son of man that he should repent_ Change his counsels or purposes, as men change theirs,...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1.13.28 Balaks sacrifice. 7.18 Balaams parable. 1 AND Balaam saide vnto Balak, Build me here seuen Altars, and prepare mee here seuen oxen, and seuen rammes. 2 And Balak did as Balaam had spoken, an...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    BALAAM'S FIRST PROPHECY (vs.1-12) THE SANCTIFICATION OF ISRAEL Chapter 22:41 tells us that Balak brought Balaam to the high places of Baal in order to prophecy against Israel. Here he observed onl...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    11-30 Balak was angry with Balaam. Thus a confession of God's overruling power is extorted from a wicked prophet, to the confusion of a wicked prince. A second time the curse is turned into a blessin...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    THAT HE SHOULD LIE, i.e. break his faith and promises made to his people for their preservation and benediction. THAT HE SHOULD REPENT,. e. change his counsels or purposes; which men do, either becaus...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Numbers 23:19 God H410 man H376 lie H3576 (H8762) son H1121 man H120 repent H5162 (H8691) said...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    Numbers 23:18 (18a-24) ‘And he took up his incantation (parable),' Once again Balaam gave out his incantation. Note even here the chiastic construction. Numbers 23:18 (18b-24) “Rise up, Balak, and...

  • Scofield's Bible Commentary

    REPENT (_ See Scofield) - (Zechariah 8:14). _...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Balaam blesses instead of curses Israel. CHARACTERS: God, Balaam, Balak. CONCLUSION: Those who have the good will of heaven may expect the ill will of hell but God will not suffer real inj...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Numbers 23:1. _Seven altars._ The Lord commanded Job's friends to take seven bullocks and seven rams, offered no doubt on seven altars: Job 42:8. This was the highest sacrifice a nation could present....

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _God is not a man, that He should lie._ THE UNCHANGEABLE GOD I. God is unchangeable. God cannot change; to suppose that He could change would be to suppose Him not Divine. A finite being may refuse t...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    NUMBERS—NOTE ON NUMBERS 23:13 Balaam observes that GOD does not CHANGE HIS MIND, so the blessing already pronounced cannot be turned into a curse (vv....

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    NUMBERS—NOTE ON NUMBERS 23:19 GOD IS NOT MAN, THAT HE SHOULD LIE. Balaam is affirming God’s truthfulness in general (compare Titus 1:2). His promises to Israel will come to pass.

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES Numbers 23:1. _Build me here seven altars_. “As _seven_ was a number of perfection, Balaam chose it on this occasion, because he intended to offer a grand sacrifice, and...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    NUMBERS 23:1 BUILD ME HERE SEVEN ALTARS. According to the common opinion of the heathen, it was necessary to propitiate with sacrifices the God with whom they had to do, and if possible to secure his...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Numbers 23:1-30 And God met Balaam: and Balaam said to him, I have prepared seven altars, and I have offered upon every altar a bullock and a ram. And the LORD put a word in Balaam's mouth, and said,...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Chronicles 17:17; 1 Samuel 15:29; Habakkuk 2:3; Hebrews 6:18;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    That he should lie — Break his promises made to his people for their preservation and benediction. Repent — Change his counsels or purposes; unless he see iniquity in Jacob....

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