Numbers 23

1 Then Balaam said to Balak, Build seven altars for me here, and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams. Then Balaam said to Balak, Build seven altars for me here, and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams.2 And Balak did just as Balaam had spoken, and Balak and Balaam offered a bull and a ram on each altar.3 Then Balaam said to Balak, Stand by your burnt offering, and I will go; perhaps the Lord will come to meet me, and whatever He shows me I will tell you. So he went to a desolate height.4 And God met Balaam, and he said to Him, I have prepared the seven altars, and I have offered on each altar a bull and a ram.5 Then the Lord put a word in Balaams mouth, and said, Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak.6 So he returned to him, and there he was, standing by his burnt offering, he and all the princes of Moab.7 And he took up his oracle and said: Balak the king of Moab has brought me from Aram, From the mountains of the east. Come, curse Jacob for me, And come, denounce Israel!8 How shall I curse whom God has not cursed? And how shall I denounce whom the Lord has not denounced?9 For from the top of the rocks I see him, And from the hills I behold him; There! A people dwelling alone, Not reckoning itself among the nations.10 Who can count the dust of Jacob, Or number one-fourth of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, And let my end be like his!11 Then Balak said to Balaam, What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, and look, you have blessed them bountifully!12 So he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak what the Lord has put in my mouth?

Balaams Second Prophecy

13 Then Balak said to him, Please come with me to another place from which you may see them; you shall see only the outer part of them, and shall not see them all; curse them for me from there.14 So he brought him to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.15 And he said to Balak, Stand here by your burnt offering while I meet the L ord over there.16 Then the Lord met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Go back to Balak, and thus you shall speak.17 So he came to him, and there he was, standing by his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab were with him. And Balak said to him, What has the Lord spoken?18 Then he took up his oracle and said: Rise up, Balak, and hear! Listen to me, son of Zippor!19 God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?20 Behold, I have received a command to bless; He has blessed, and I cannot reverse it.21 He has not observed iniquity in Jacob, Nor has He seen wickedness in Israel. The Lord his God is with him, And the shout of a King is among them.22 God brings them out of Egypt; He has strength like a wild ox.23 For there is no sorcery against Jacob, Nor any divination against Israel. It now must be said of Jacob And of Israel, Oh, what God has done!24 Look, a people rises like a lioness, And lifts itself up like a lion; It shall not lie down until it devours the prey, And drinks the blood of the slain.25 Then Balak said to Balaam, Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all!26 So Balaam answered and said to Balak, Did I not tell you, saying, All that the Lord speaks, that I must do?

Balaams Third Prophecy

27 Then Balak said to Balaam, Please come, I will take you to another place; perhaps it will please God that you may curse them for me from there.28 So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, that overlooks the wasteland.29 Then Balaam said to Balak, Build for me here seven altars, and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams.30 And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bull and a ram on every altar.

NUMBERS 23

Balaam's First Message

1 Balaam said to Balak, “Build seven altars here, then bring seven bulls and seven rams.”
2 After Balak had done this, they sacrificed a bull and a ram on each altar.

3 Then Balaam said, “Wait here beside your offerings, and I'll go somewhere to be alone. Maybe the [Lord] will appear to me. If he does, I will tell you everything he says.” And he left.

4 When God appeared to him, Balaam said, “I have built seven altars and have sacrificed a bull and a ram on each one.”
5 The [Lord] gave Balaam a message, then sent him back to tell Balak.

6 When Balaam returned, he found Balak and his officials standing beside the offerings.

7 Balaam said:
“King Balak of Moab brought me
from the hills of Syria
to curse Israel
and announce its doom.

8 But I can't go against God!
He did not curse
or condemn Israel.
*

9 “From the mountain peaks,
I look down and see Israel,
the obedient people of God.

10 They are living alone in peace.
And though they are many,
they don't bother
the other nations.
“I hope to obey God
for as long as I live
and to die in such peace.”

11 Balak said, “What are you doing? I asked you to come and place a curse on my enemies. But you have blessed them instead!”

12 Balaam answered, “I can say only what the [Lord] tells me.”

Balaam's Second Message

14 So he took Balaam to a field on top of Mount Pisgah where lookouts were stationed.t Then he built seven altars there and sacrificed a bull and a ram on each one.

15 “Wait here beside your offerings,” Balaam said. “The [Lord] will appear to me over there.”
16 The [Lord] appeared to Balaam and gave him another message, then he told him to go and tell Balak.

17 Balaam went back and saw him and his officials standing beside the offerings.
Balak asked, “What did the [Lord] say?”

18 Balaam answered:
“Pay close attention
to my words—

19 God is no mere human!
He doesn't tell lies
or change his mind.
God always keeps his promises.

20 “My command from God
was to bless these people,
and there's nothing I can do
to change what he has done.

21 Israel's king is the [Lord] God.
He lives there with them
and intends them no harm.

22 With the strength of a wild ox,
God led Israel out of Egypt.

23 No magic charms can work
against them—
just look what God has done
for his people.

24 They are like angry lions
ready to attack;
and they won't rest
until their victim
is gobbled up.”

25 Balak shouted, “If you're not going to curse Israel, then at least don't bless them.”

26 “I've already told you,” Balaam answered. “I will say only what the [Lord] tells me.”

Balaam's Third Message

28 So he took Balaam to Mount Peor overlooking the desert north of the Dead Sea.

29 Balaam said, “Build seven altars here, then bring me seven bulls and seven rams.”
30 After Balak had done what Balaam asked, he sacrificed a bull and a ram on each altar.