Bilangan 22:37

22:37 Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not send again and again ¹  to you to summon you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not able to honor you?” ² 

Bilangan 23:26

23:26 But Balaam replied ³  to Balak, “Did I not tell you, ‘All that the Lord speaks, ⁴  I must do’?”

Bilangan 24:12

24:12 Balaam said to Balak, “Did I not also tell your messengers whom you sent to me,

[22:37]  ¹ tn The emphatic construction is made of the infinitive absolute and the perfect tense from the verb שָׁלַח (shalakh, “to send”). The idea must be more intense than something like, “Did I not certainly send.” Balak is showing frustration with Balaam for refusing him.

[22:37]  ² sn Balak again refers to his ability to “honor” the seer. This certainly meant payment for his service, usually gold ornaments, rings and jewelry, as well as some animals.

[23:26]  ³ tn Heb “answered and said.”

[23:26]  ⁴ tn This first clause, “all that the Lord speaks” – is a noun clause functioning as the object of the verb that comes at the end of the verse. It is something of an independent accusative case, since it is picked up with the sign of the accusative: “all that the Lord speaks, it I must do.”