Bible Strands
Numbers 23:11
Then Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you here to curse my enemies, and behold, you have only blessed them!”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Balak speaks to Balaam immediately after Balaam pronounces a blessing over Israel instead of the requested curse.
The words — מֶה עָשִׂיתָ (meh 'a.Si.ta) translates literally to "what have you done," capturing Balak’s direct confrontation over the unexpected outcome.
The thread — Balak’s complaint resurfaces in Numbers 24:10 when his anger burns again, and Nehemiah 13:2 recalls the broader failure of his hired curse attempt.
Why it lands — The text records Balak’s frustration that his summoned curse became a blessing. It requires the reader to acknowledge that divine declaration overrides human strategy.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And Balak said unto Balaam, What hast thou done unto me? I took thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast blessed them altogether.
Cross-references
- Nehemiah 13:2 because they had not met the Israelites with food and water, but had hired Balaam to call down a curse against them (although our God had turned the curse into a blessing).
- Numbers 24:10 Then Balak’s anger burned against Balaam, and he struck his hands together and said to Balaam, “I summoned you to curse my enemies, but behold, you have persisted in blessing them these three times.
- Numbers 22:17 for I will honor you richly and do whatever you say. So please come and put a curse on this people for me!’”
- 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!’
- Psalms 109:17 The cursing that he loved, may it fall on him; the blessing in which he refused to delight, may it be far from him.
- Numbers 22:11 ‘Behold, a people has come out of Egypt, and they cover the face of the land. Now come and put a curse on them for me. Perhaps I may be able to fight against them and drive them away.’”