Numbers 23

Balaam’s First Prophecy

1 Balaam said to Balak, “Build seven altars here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me.”

2 Balak did what Balaam told him, and the two of them offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
3 Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here beside your burnt offering while I’m gone. Maybe the Lord will come and meet with me. I will tell you whatever he reveals to me.” Then Balaam went off to a higher place where there were no trees.4 God came to him, and Balaam said, “I have set up seven altars, and I offered a bull and a ram on each altar.”5 The Lord told Balaam, “Go back to Balak, and give him my message.”6 So he went back to Balak and found him standing beside his burnt offering with all the princes of Moab.

7 Then Balaam delivered this message:
“Balak brought me from Aram.The king of Moab summoned me from the eastern mountains.‘Come, curse Jacob for me,’ he said.‘Come, condemn Israel.’8 How can I curse those whom God hasn’t cursed?How can I condemn those whom the Lord hasn’t condemned?9 I see them from the top of rocky cliffs,I look at them from the hills.I see a nation that lives by itself,people who do not consider themselvesto be like other nations.10 The descendants of Jacob are like specks of dust.Who can count themor number even one-fourth of the people of Israel?Let me die the death of innocent people.Let my end be like theirs.”11 Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you here to curse my enemies, but all you’ve done is bless them!”12 Balaam answered, “I must say what the Lord tells me to say.”

Balaam’s Second Prophecy

13 Then Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place, where you can see the Israelites. You will see only some of them, not all of them. Curse them for me from there.”14 So he took him to the Field of Zophimt on top of Mount Pisgah, where he built seven altars. He offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

15 Then Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here beside your burnt offering while I meet with God over there.”
16 The Lord came to Balaam and told him, “Go back to Balak, and give him my message.”17 He came to Balak and found him standing beside his burnt offering with the princes of Moab. Balak asked him, “What did the Lord say?”

18 Then Balaam delivered this message:
“Stand up, Balak, and listen!Hear me, son of Zippor!19 God is not like people. He tells no lies.He is not like humans. He doesn’t change his mind.When he says something, he does it.When he makes a promise, he keeps it.20 I have received a command to bless.He has blessed, and I can’t change it.21 He doesn’t want any trouble for the descendants of Jacob.He sees no misfortune for the people of Israel.The Lord their God is with them,praised as their king.22 The God who brought them out of Egypthas the strength of a wild bull.23 No spell can curse the descendants of Jacob.No magic can harm the people of Israel.Now it will be said of Jacob and Israel:‘See what God has done!’24 Here is a nation that attacks like a lionessand is as ferocious as a lion.It doesn’t lie down until it eats its preyand drinks the blood of its victim.”25 Balak said to Balaam, “If you won’t curse them, then at least don’t bless them!”26 Balaam answered, “Didn’t I tell you that I must do whatever the Lord says?”27 Balak said to Balaam, “Come, let me take you to another place. Maybe God wants you to curse them for me from there.”

28 So Balak took Balaam to the top of Mount Peor, which overlooks Jeshimon.
29 Balaam said to Balak, “Build seven altars here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me.”

30 Balak did what Balaam told him, and he offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

Numbers 23

1 And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams.2 And Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bullock and a ram.3 And Balaam said unto Balak, Stand by thy burnt-offering, and I will go: peradventure Jehovah will come to meet me; and whatsoever he showeth me I will tell thee. And he went to a bare height.4 And God met Balaam: and he said unto him, I have prepared the seven altars, and I have offered up a bullock and a ram on every altar.5 And Jehovah put a word in Balaam’s mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus thou shalt speak.6 And he returned unto him, and, lo, he was standing by his burnt-offering, he, and all the princes of Moab.7 And he took up his parable, and said, From Aram hath Balak brought me, The king of Moab from the mountains of the East: Come, curse me Jacob, And come, defy Israel.8 How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? And how shall I defy, whom Jehovah hath not defied?9 For from the top of the rocks I see him, And from the hills I behold him: Lo, it is a people that dwelleth alone, And shall not be reckoned among the nations.10 Who can count the dust of Jacob, Or number the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, And let my last end be like his!11 And Balak said unto Balaam, What hast thou done unto me? I took thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast blessed them altogether.12 And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which Jehovah putteth in my mouth?

13 And Balak said unto him, Come, I pray thee, with me unto another place, from whence thou mayest see them; thou shalt see but the utmost part of them, and shalt not see them all: and curse me them from thence.14 And he took him into the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered up a bullock and a ram on every altar.15 And he said unto Balak, Stand here by thy burnt-offering, while I meet Jehovah yonder.16 And Jehovah met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus shalt thou speak.17 And he came to him, and, lo, he was standing by his burnt-offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said unto him, What hath Jehovah spoken?18 And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; Hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor:

19 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?

20 Behold, I have received commandment to bless: And he hath blessed, and I cannot reverse it.

21 He 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.

22 God bringeth them forth out of Egypt; He hath as it were the strength of the wild-ox.

23 Surely 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!

24 Behold, the people riseth up as a lioness, And as a lion doth he lift himself up: He shall not lie down until he eat of the prey, And drink the blood of the slain.

25 And Balak said unto Balaam, Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all.26 But Balaam answered and said unto Balak, Told not I thee, saying, All that Jehovah speaketh, that I must do?27 And Balak said unto Balaam, Come now, I will take thee unto another place; peradventure it will please God that thou mayest curse me them from thence.28 And Balak took Balaam unto the top of Peor, that looketh down upon the desert.29 And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams.30 And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered up a bullock and a ram on every altar.