Numbers 23:19

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

God is not a man, that he should lie, Neither the son of man, that he should repent: Hath he said, and will he not do it? Or hath he spoken, and will he not make it good?

Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

לֹ֣א אִ֥ישׁ אֵל֙ וִֽיכַזֵּ֔ב וּבֶן־אָדָ֖ם וְיִתְנֶחָ֑ם הַה֤וּא אָמַר֙ וְלֹ֣א יַעֲשֶׂ֔ה וְדִבֶּ֖ר וְלֹ֥א יְקִימֶֽנָּה׃

Transliteration

lōʾ ʾîš ʾēl wî-kazēb û-ben-ʾādām wə-yitneḥām ha-hûʾ ʾāmar wə-lōʾ yaʿăśeh wə-dibber wə-lōʾ yəqîmennâ

Grammar Details

*lōʾ*: negative particle - not
*ʾîš*: common noun, masculine singular - man
*ʾēl*: common noun, masculine singular - God
*wî-kazēb*: waw conjunction + piel imperfect, 3rd masculine singular - that he should lie
*û-ben*: waw conjunction + common noun, masculine singular construct - nor son of
*ʾādām*: common noun, masculine singular - mankind
*wə-yitneḥām*: waw conjunction + hithpael imperfect, 3rd masculine singular - that he should repent
*ha-hûʾ*: definite article + 3rd masculine singular pronoun - is it he
*ʾāmar*: qal perfect, 3rd masculine singular - has said
*wə-lōʾ*: waw conjunction + negative particle - and not
*yaʿăśeh*: qal imperfect, 3rd masculine singular - he will do
*wə-dibber*: waw conjunction + piel perfect, 3rd masculine singular - or has spoken
*yəqîmennâ*: hiphil imperfect, 3rd masculine singular + 3rd feminine singular suffix - he will fulfill it

Word Meanings

*ʾîš*: man/person/human
*ʾēl*: God/deity
*yəkazēb*: should lie/would lie/would be false
*ben*-*ʾādām*: son of man/human/mortal
*yitneḥām*: should repent/would change his mind/would regret
*ʾāmar*: has said/has spoken/has promised
*yaʿăśeh*: will do/will perform/will carry out
*dibber*: has spoken/has declared/has promised
*yəqîmennâ*: will fulfill it/will establish it/will make it stand

ℹ️

About this Translation

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Formal EquivalenceSource: American Standard VersionBest for: Word studies and original-language research

🎯 Translation Approach

A highly literal, word-for-word translation (ASV, 1901) augmented with Strong's numbering to connect English words to underlying Hebrew and Greek terms for study.

Word-for-word

5/5

Readability

2/5

💎 Distinctive Features

Integrated Strong's numbering: Links English terms to underlying Hebrew and Greek words for deeper lexical study.
Formal equivalence: Prioritizes close alignment with source-language forms and structures.
Divine name rendering: Frequently renders the Tetragrammaton as Jehovah in the Old Testament, following ASV tradition.
Study-focused formatting: Optimized for reference and research rather than casual reading.

✅ Strengths

High fidelity to original languages
Includes Strong's numbers for precise word study
Consistent lexical choices aid exegesis
Stable, longstanding scholarly text

⚠️ Considerations

Archaic language reduces readability
Older textual basis compared to some modern translations
Strong's numbers are a concordance index, not full lexical definitions

👥 Who is this for?

Ideal for

Pastors and teachers
Seminary students
Serious Bible students
Readers conducting word studies
Those referencing Hebrew/Greek tools

Consider alternatives for

Casual readers
Children and early teens
ESL learners seeking simple English
Readers preferring contemporary language

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Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

Heb 6:18 : 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 lay hold of the hope set before us:
Rom 11:29 : 29 For the gifts and the calling of God are not repented of.
Mal 3:6 : 6 For I, Jehovah, change not; therefore ye, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed.
1 Sam 15:29 : 29 And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent; for he is not a man, that he should repent.
Titus 1:2 : 2 in hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before times eternal;
Jas 1:17 : 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, neither shadow that is cast by turning.
Hab 2:3 : 3 For the vision is yet for the appointed time, and it hasteth toward the end, and shall not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not delay.
Luke 21:33 : 33 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.
Ps 89:35 : 35 Once have I sworn by my holiness: I will not lie unto David:
Hos 11:9 : 9 I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and not man; the Holy One in the midst of thee; and I will not come in wrath.
Mic 7:20 : 20 Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, [and] the lovingkindness to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.
1 Chr 17:17 : 17 And this was a small thing in thine eyes, O God; but thou hast spoken of thy servant's house for a great while to come, and hast regarded me according to the estate of a man of high degree, O Jehovah God.

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

1 Sam 15:29
77%
29And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent; for he is not a man, that he should repent.
Num 23:20-21
2 verses
75%
20Behold, I have received [commandment] to bless: And he hath blessed, and I cannot reverse it.
21He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob; Neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: Jehovah his God is with him, And the shout of a king is among them.
Num 23:18
72%
18And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; Hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor:
Num 23:8
71%
8How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? And how shall I defy, whom Jehovah hath not defied?
Num 23:25-26
2 verses
70%
25And Balak said unto Balaam, Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all.
26But Balaam answered and said unto Balak, Told not I thee, saying, All that Jehovah speaketh, that I must do?
Job 34:23
70%
23For he needeth not further to consider a man, That he should go before God in judgment.
Amos 7:6
69%
6Jehovah repented concerning this: this also shall not be, saith the Lord Jehovah.
Amos 7:3
69%
3Jehovah repented concerning this: It shall not be, saith Jehovah.
Num 30:2
69%
2When a man voweth a vow unto Jehovah, or sweareth an oath to bind his soul with a bond, he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.
Lev 27:33
69%
33He shall not search whether it be good or bad, neither shall he change it: and if he change it at all, then both it and that for which it is changed shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed.
Job 34:12
69%
12Yea, of a surety, God will not do wickedly, Neither will the Almighty pervert justice.
Ps 89:34-35
2 verses
69%
34My covenant will I not break, Nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.
35Once have I sworn by my holiness: I will not lie unto David:
Rom 3:4
68%
4God forbid: yea, let God be found true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy words, And mightest prevail when thou comest into judgment.
Jonah 3:10
68%
10And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil which he said he would do unto them; and he did it not.
Num 22:18
68%
18And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of Jehovah my God, to do less or more.
Job 34:10
68%
10Therefore hearken unto me, ye men of understanding: Far be it from God, that he should do wickedness, And from the Almighty, that he should commit iniquity.
Num 23:12
68%
12And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which Jehovah putteth in my mouth?
Num 22:12
68%
12And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people; for they are blessed.
Prov 30:6
68%
6Add thou not unto his words, Lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
Lam 3:37-38
2 verses
68%
37Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?
38Out of the mouth of the Most High cometh there not evil and good?
Job 8:20
67%
20Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, Neither will he uphold the evil-doers.
Num 24:12-13
2 verses
67%
12And Balaam said unto Balak, Spake I not also to thy messengers that thou sentest unto me, saying,
13If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of Jehovah, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; what Jehovah speaketh, that will I speak?
Jer 16:20
67%
20Shall a man make unto himself gods, which yet are no gods?
Mal 3:6
67%
6For I, Jehovah, change not; therefore ye, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed.
Jer 23:23
67%
23Am I a God at hand, saith Jehovah, and not a God afar off?
Jas 1:13
67%
13Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God; for God cannot be tempted {G2076} with evil, and he himself tempteth no man:
Job 24:25
67%
25And if it be not so now, who will prove me a liar, And make my speech nothing worth?
Jer 48:30
67%
30I know his wrath, saith Jehovah, that it is nought; his boastings have wrought nothing.
Jer 18:10
66%
10if they do that which is evil in my sight, that they obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them.
Jer 5:12
66%
12They have denied Jehovah, and said, It is not he; neither shall evil come upon us; neither shall we see sword nor famine:
Job 9:32
66%
32For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, That we should come together in judgment.
Job 4:17
66%
17Shall mortal man be more just than God? Shall a man be more pure than his Maker?
Deut 18:21-22
2 verses
66%
21And if thou say in thy heart, How shall we know the word which Jehovah hath not spoken?
22when a prophet speaketh in the name of Jehovah, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which Jehovah hath not spoken: the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously, thou shalt not be afraid of him.
Num 23:23
66%
23Surely there is no enchantment with Jacob; Neither is there any divination with Israel: Now shalt it be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought!
Ps 10:6
66%
6He saith in his heart, I shall not be moved; To all generations I shall not be in adversity.
Lam 3:33
66%
33For he doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men.
Ps 103:10
66%
10He hath not dealt with us after our sins, Nor rewarded us after our iniquities.
Ps 101:7
66%
7He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: He that speaketh falsehood shall not be established before mine eyes.
2 Cor 1:18
66%
18But as God is faithful, our word toward you is not yea and nay.
Lev 19:12
65%
12And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, and profane the name of thy God: I am Jehovah.
Rom 11:29
65%
29For the gifts and the calling of God are not repented of.
Jer 4:28
65%
28For this shall the earth mourn, and the heavens above be black; because I have spoken it, I have purposed it, and I have not repented, neither will I turn back from it.
Ezek 17:18
65%
18For he hath despised the oath by breaking the covenant; and behold, he had given his hand, and yet hath done all these things; he shall not escape.
Ezek 24:14
65%
14I, Jehovah, have spoken it: it shall come to pass, and I will do it: I will not go back, neither will I spare, neither will I repent; according to thy ways, and according to thy doings, shall they judge thee, saith the Lord Jehovah.