Meaning, commentary and cross references
Numbers 23:19
“God is not man, that he should lie,
or a son of man, that he should change his mind.
Has he said, and will he not do it?
Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?”In other translations
KJV · King James Version
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?
NIV · New International Version
God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?
WEB · World English Bible
God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should repent. Has he said, and he won’t do it? Or has he spoken, and he won’t make it good?
What does Numbers 23:19 mean?
John Gill · Exposition of the Entire Bible, on Numbers 23:19
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 ascribed to him in a figurative sense, yet is not to be conceived of in a corporeal manner; and though he is a Spirit, yet eternal, immense, and infinite; and much less is as a sinful man, who goes astray from the womb speaking lies; no, let God be true, and every man a liar: he is God, that cannot lie; his counsels of old are faithfulness and truth; his promises yea and amen in Christ; the Scriptures inspired by him are true, and the prophecies of them are punctually accomplished, particularly what…
John Gill, Exposition of the Entire Bible (1746–63). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
Context: Numbers 23:16–22 (WEB)
16The LORD met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, “Return to Balak, and say this.” 17He came to him, and behold, he was standing by his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. Balak said to him, “What has the LORD spoken?” 18He took up his parable, and said, “Rise up, Balak, and hear! Listen to me, you son of Zippor. 19God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should repent. Has he said, and he won’t do it? Or has he spoken, and he won’t make it good? 20Behold, I have received a command to bless. He has blessed, and I can’t reverse it. 21He has not seen iniquity in Jacob. Neither has he seen perverseness in Israel. The LORD his God is with him. The shout of a king is among them. 22God brings them out of Egypt. He has as it were the strength of the wild ox.
Cross references
- 1 Samuel 15:29
Also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent; for he is not a man, that he should repent.”
- James 1:17
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation nor turning shadow.
- Malachi 3:6
“For I, the LORD, don’t change; therefore you, sons of Jacob, are not consumed.
- Hebrews 6:18
that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we may have a strong encouragement, who have fled for refuge to take hold of the hope set before us.
- Titus 1:2
in hope of eternal life, which God, who can’t lie, promised before time began;
- Luke 21:33
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will by no means pass away.
- Romans 11:29
For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
- Habakkuk 2:3
For the vision is yet for the appointed time, and it hurries toward the end, and won’t prove false. Though it takes time, wait for it, because it will surely come. It won’t delay.