Numbers

The fourth book of Moses, called Numbers, chapter 23, New English Translation and King James Version

Chapter 23 New English Translation

Balaam Blesses Israel

   1 Balaam said to Balak, "Build me seven altars here, and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams." 2 So Balak did just as Balaam had said. Balak and Balaam then offered on each altar a bull and a ram. 3 Balaam said to Balak, "Station yourself by your burnt offering, and I will go off; perhaps the LORD will come to meet me, and whatever he reveals to me I will tell you." Then he went to a deserted height.
   4 Then God met Balaam, who said to him, "I have prepared seven altars, and I have offered on each altar a bull and a ram." 5 Then the LORD put a message in Balaam's mouth and said, "Return to Balak, and speak what I tell you."
   6 So he returned to him, and he was still standing by his burnt offering, he and all the princes of Moab. 7 Then Balaam uttered his oracle, saying, "Balak, the king of Moab, brought me from Aram, out of the mountains of the east, saying, 'Come, pronounce a curse on Jacob for me; come, denounce Israel.'
   8 How can I curse one whom God has not cursed, or how can I denounce one whom the LORD has not denounced?
   9 For from the top of the rocks I see them; from the hills I watch them. Indeed, a nation that lives alone, and it will 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 upright, and let the end of my life be like theirs."

Balaam Relocates

   11 Then Balak said to Balaam, "What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies, but on the contrary you have only blessed them!" 12 Balaam replied, "Must I not be careful to speak what the LORD has put in my mouth?" 13 Balak said to him, "Please come with me to another place from which you can observe them. You will see only a part of them, but you will not see all of them. Curse them for me from there."
   14 So Balak brought Balaam to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, where he built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar. 15 And Balaam said to Balak, "Station yourself here by your burnt offering, while I meet the LORD there. 16 Then the LORD met Balaam and put a message in his mouth and said, "Return to Balak, and speak what I tell you." 17 When Balaam came to him, he was still standing by his burnt offering, along with the princes of Moab. And Balak said to him, "What has the LORD spoken?"

Balaam Prophesies Again

   18 Balaam uttered 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 human being, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not make it happen?
   20 Indeed, I have received a command to bless; he has blessed, and I cannot reverse it.
   21 He has not looked on iniquity in Jacob, nor has he seen trouble in Israel. The LORD their God is with them; his acclamation as king is among them.
   22 God brought them out of Egypt. They have, as it were, the strength of a wild bull.
   23 For there is no spell against Jacob, nor is there any divination against Israel. At this time it must be said of Jacob and of Israel, 'Look at what God has done!'
   24 Indeed, the people will rise up like a lioness, and like a lion raises himself up; they will not lie down until they eat their prey, and drink the blood of the slain."

Balaam Relocates Yet Again

   25 Balak said to Balaam, "Neither curse them at all nor bless them at all!" 26 But Balaam replied to Balak, "Did I not tell you, 'All that the LORD speaks, I must do'?"
   27 Balak said to Balaam, "Come, please; I will take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God to let you curse them for me from there." 28 So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, that looks toward the wilderness. 29 Then Balaam said to Balak, "Build seven altars here for me, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams." 30 So Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

King James Version

   1 And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen 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 the LORD will come to meet me: and whatsoever he sheweth me I will tell thee. And he went to an high place.
   4 And God met Balaam: and he said unto him, I have prepared seven altars, and I have offered upon every altar a bullock and a ram.
   5 And the LORD 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 stood by his burnt sacrifice, he, and all the princes of Moab.
   7 And he took up his parable, and said, Balak the king of Moab hath brought me from Aram, out of the mountains of the east, saying, Come, curse me Jacob, and come, defy Israel.
   8 How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the LORD hath not defied?
   9 For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him: lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations.
   10 Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of 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 the LORD hath put 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 brought him into the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar.
   15 And he said unto Balak, Stand here by thy burnt offering, while I meet the LORD yonder.
   16 And the LORD met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Go again unto Balak, and say thus.
   17 And when he came to him, behold, he stood by his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said unto him, What hath the LORD 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 shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall 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: the LORD his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them.
   22 God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn.
   23 Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel: according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought!
   24 Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion, and lift up himself as a young lion: 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 the LORD speaketh, that I must do?
   27 ¶ And Balak said unto Balaam, Come, I pray thee, I will bring thee unto another place; peradventure it will please God that thou mayest curse me them from thence.
   28 And Balak brought Balaam unto the top of Peor, that looketh toward Jeshimon.
   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 a bullock and a ram on every altar.