Verses 16-18a are very similar to verses 4-7a, so translators should render them consistently.

And the LORD met Balaam: Instead of the LORD (YHWH in Hebrew), verse 4 has “God” (ʾelohim). Translators should keep this difference. As in verse 4 (see the comments there), met renders a passive form of the Hebrew verb yiqah.

And put a word in his mouth, and said: See verse 5.

Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak: See verse 5.

Quoted with permission from de Regt, Lénart J. and Wendland, Ernst R. A Handbook on Numbers. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .