What Does Numbers 23:5 Mean in the King James?

And the LORD put a word in Balaam’s mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus thou shalt speak.

Numbers 23:5 · KJV

The analysis reads the King James wording.

King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.

THE KEY

The Hebrew root for “word” is also the root for “speak”: what is placed in Balaam’s mouth is already oriented toward being voiced.

THE MEANING

A word can reach your mouth before you form it; your mouth can carry what it did not originate. Receiving, direction, and speaking form one movement: a word is placed, its destination is named, and then it is voiced.

WHAT THIS UNDOES

This undoes the belief that every word you speak must originate in you; speech can carry a word received from beyond the speaker.

THE ROOT

דָּבָר

dābār

GROWS FROM

דבר

d-b-r

To speak or utter; the related noun means a word, matter, or thing.

The noun dābār (“word”) and the verb tedabber (“you shall speak”) share the consonants ⁨דבר⁩, binding the received message to its utterance in the verse itself. The word placed in the mouth is already oriented toward being spoken.

ALSO GROWS

dābār: Word, matter, or thing.

דָּבָר

The word put into the mouth is a matter entrusted to be spoken, not empty sound.

tedabber: You shall speak or utter.

תְדַבֵּר

The same root recurs in the command to speak, joining the message received to its expression.

THE PATTERN

A mouth can voice what it first receives, so the origin of speech may lie beyond the speaker.

Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.

Exodus 4:12 · KJVSpeech is shown as something taught and received before it is spoken.

Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.

Jeremiah 1:9 · KJVWords are placed in the mouth before they are voiced, just as in Numbers.

For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.

Luke 12:12 · KJVThe words to be spoken are taught at the moment of speaking, continuing the pattern of speech received before it is voiced.

THE THREAD

Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.

Jeremiah 1:9 · KJV

Numbers uses dābār (“word”) and tedabber (“speak”) from the same root, while Jeremiah also places words in a mouth. Together they make the sequence visible: the word is received before it is voiced.

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