Numbers 23:8
New International Version
How can I curse those whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce those whom the LORD has not denounced?

New Living Translation
But how can I curse those whom God has not cursed? How can I condemn those whom the LORD has not condemned?

English Standard Version
How can I curse whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce whom the LORD has not denounced?

Berean Standard Bible
How can I curse what God has not cursed? How can I denounce what the LORD has not denounced?

King James Bible
How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the LORD hath not defied?

New King James Version
“How shall I curse whom God has not cursed? And how shall I denounce whom the LORD has not denounced?

New American Standard Bible
“How am I to put a curse on him upon whom God has not put a curse? And how am I to curse him whom the LORD has not cursed?

NASB 1995
“How shall I curse whom God has not cursed? And how can I denounce whom the LORD has not denounced?

NASB 1977
“How shall I curse, whom God has not cursed? And how can I denounce, whom the LORD has not denounced?

Legacy Standard Bible
How shall I curse whom God has not cursed? And how can I denounce whom Yahweh has not denounced?

Amplified Bible
“How shall I curse those whom God has not cursed? Or how can I [violently] denounce those the LORD has not denounced?

Christian Standard Bible
How can I curse someone God has not cursed? How can I denounce someone the LORD has not denounced?

Holman Christian Standard Bible
How can I curse someone God has not cursed? How can I denounce someone the LORD has not denounced?

American Standard Version
How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? And how shall I defy, whom Jehovah hath not defied?

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
How shall I curse him that has God not cursed, and how shall I destroy him whom LORD JEHOVAH has not destroyed?

Brenton Septuagint Translation
How can I curse whom the Lord curses not? or how can I devote whom God devotes not?

Contemporary English Version
But I can't go against God! He did not curse or condemn Israel. *

Douay-Rheims Bible
How shall I curse him, whom God hath not cursed? By what means should I detest him, whom the Lord detesteth not?

English Revised Version
How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? And how shall I defy, whom the LORD hath not defied?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
How can I curse those whom God hasn't cursed? How can I condemn those whom the LORD hasn't condemned?

Good News Translation
How can I curse what God has not cursed, Or speak of doom when the LORD has not?

International Standard Version
But how can I curse those whom God hasn't cursed? How can I denounce those whom the LORD hasn't denounced?

JPS Tanakh 1917
How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? And how shall I execrate, whom the LORD hath not execrated?

Literal Standard Version
How do I pierce [when] God has not pierced? And how am I indignant [when] YHWH has not been indignant?

Majority Standard Bible
How can I curse what God has not cursed? How can I denounce what the LORD has not denounced?

New American Bible
How can I lay a curse on the one whom God has not cursed? How denounce the one whom the LORD has not denounced?

NET Bible
How can I curse one whom God has not cursed, or how can I denounce one whom the LORD has not denounced?

New Revised Standard Version
How can I curse whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce those whom the LORD has not denounced?

New Heart English Bible
How shall I curse whom the LORD has not cursed? How shall I defy whom God has not defied?

Webster's Bible Translation
How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the LORD hath not defied?

World English Bible
How shall I curse whom God has not cursed? How shall I defy whom Yahweh has not defied?

Young's Literal Translation
What -- do I pierce? -- God hath not pierced! And what -- am I indignant? -- Jehovah hath not been indignant!

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Balaam's First Oracle
7And Balaam lifted up an oracle, saying: “Balak brought me from Aram, the king of Moab from the mountains of the east. ‘Come,’ he said, ‘put a curse on Jacob for me; come and denounce Israel!’ 8How can I curse what God has not cursed? How can I denounce what the LORD has not denounced? 9For I see them from atop the rocky cliffs, and I watch them from the hills. Behold, a people dwelling apart, not reckoning themselves among the nations.…

Cross References
Numbers 22:6
So please come now and put a curse on this people, because they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I may be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land; for I know that those you bless are blessed, and those you curse are cursed."

Numbers 22:12
But God said to Balaam, "Do not go with them. You are not to curse this people, for they are blessed."

Numbers 23:7
And Balaam lifted up an oracle, saying: "Balak brought me from Aram, the king of Moab from the mountains of the east. 'Come,' he said, 'put a curse on Jacob for me; come and denounce Israel!'

Proverbs 26:2
Like a fluttering sparrow or darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest.


Treasury of Scripture

How shall I curse, whom God has not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the LORD has not defied?

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

Isaiah 44:25
That frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish;

Isaiah 47:12,13
Stand now with thine enchantments, and with the multitude of thy sorceries, wherein thou hast laboured from thy youth; if so be thou shalt be able to profit, if so be thou mayest prevail…

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Angry Cursed Curses Defied Defy Denounce Denounced Execrate Indignant Pierce Pierced
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Angry Cursed Curses Defied Defy Denounce Denounced Execrate Indignant Pierce Pierced
Numbers 23
1. Balak's sacrifices
















Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
How
מָ֣ה (māh)
Interrogative
Strong's 4100: What?, what!, indefinitely what

can I curse [what]
קַבֹּ֖ה (qab·bōh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular
Strong's 6895: To scoop out, to malign, execrate

God
אֵ֑ל (’êl)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 410: Strength -- as adjective, mighty, the Almighty

has not
לֹ֥א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

cursed?
אֶקֹּ֔ב (’eq·qōḇ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 5344: To puncture

How
וּמָ֣ה (ū·māh)
Conjunctive waw | Interrogative
Strong's 4100: What?, what!, indefinitely what

can I denounce [what]
אֶזְעֹ֔ם (’ez·‘ōm)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 2194: To foam at the mouth, to be enraged

the LORD
יְהוָֽה׃ (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

has not
לֹ֥א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

denounced?
זָעַ֖ם (zā·‘am)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 2194: To foam at the mouth, to be enraged


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OT Law: Numbers 23:8 How shall I curse whom God has (Nu Num.)
Numbers 23:7
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