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.

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. Perhaps 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.