Numbers 23

1 And Balaam said to Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams.

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

2 And Balak did as Balaam had spoken. And Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bullock and a ram.

Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bull and a ram.

3 And Balaam said to Balak, Stand by thy burnt offering, and I will go. Perhaps Jehovah will come to meet me, and whatever he shows me I will tell thee. And he went to a bare height.

Balaam said to Balak, “Stand by your burnt offering, and I will go. Perhaps the LORD will come to meet me. Whatever he shows me I will tell you.” He went to a bare height.

4 And God met Balaam, and he said to him, I have prepared the seven altars, and I have offered up a bullock and a ram on every altar.

God met Balaam, and he said to him, “I have prepared the seven altars, and I have offered up a bull and a ram on every altar.”

5 And Jehovah put a word in Balaam's mouth, and said, Return to Balak, and thus thou shall speak.

The LORD put a word in Balaam’s mouth, and said, “Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak.”

6 And he returned to him. And, lo, he was standing by his burnt offering, he, and all the rulers of Moab.

He returned to him, and behold, he was standing by his burnt offering, he, and all the princes of Moab.

7 And he took up his oracle, and said, From Aram Balak has brought me, the king of Moab from the mountains of the East. Come, curse Jacob for me, and come, defy Israel.

He took up his parable, and said, “From Aram has Balak brought me, the king of Moab from the mountains of the East. Come, curse Jacob for me. Come, defy Israel.

8 How shall I curse, whom God has not cursed? And how shall I defy, whom Jehovah has not defied?

How shall I curse whom God has not cursed? How shall I defy whom the LORD has 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 dwells alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations.

For from the top of the rocks I see him. From the hills I see him. Behold, it is a people that dwells alone, and shall not be listed 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!

Who can count the dust of Jacob, or count the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous! Let my last end be like his!”

11 And Balak said to Balaam, What have thou done to me? I took thee to curse my enemies, and, behold, thou have blessed them altogether.

Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have blessed them altogether.”

12 And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which Jehovah puts in my mouth?

He answered and said, “Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD puts in my mouth?”

13 And Balak said to him, Come, I pray thee, with me to another place, from where thou may see them. Thou shall see but the outmost part of them, and shall not see them all, and curse them for me from there.

Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place, where you may see them. You shall see just part of them, and shall not see them all. Curse them from there for me.”

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.

He took him into the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered up a bull and a ram on every altar.

15 And he said to Balak, Stand here by thy burnt offering, while I meet Jehovah yonder.

He said to Balak, “Stand here by your burnt offering, while I meet God over there.”

16 And Jehovah met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Return to Balak, and thus shall thou speak.

The LORD met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, “Return to Balak, and say this.”

17 And he came to him. And, lo, he was standing by his burnt offering, and the rulers of Moab with him. And Balak said to him, What has Jehovah spoken?

He came to him, and behold, he was standing by his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. Balak said to him, “What has the LORD spoken?”

18 And he took up his oracle, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear. Hearken to me, thou son of Zippor.

He took up his parable, and said, “Rise up, Balak, and hear! Listen to me, you son of Zippor.

19 God is not a man, that he should lie, neither the son of man, that he should repent. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not make it good?

God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should repent. Has he said, and he won’t do it? Or has he spoken, and he won’t make it good?

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

Behold, I have received a command to bless. He has blessed, and I can’t reverse it.

21 He has not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither has he seen perverseness in Israel. Jehovah his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them.

He has not seen iniquity in Jacob. Neither has he seen perverseness in Israel. The LORD his God is with him. The shout of a king is among them.

22 God brings them forth out of Egypt. He has as it were the strength of the wild-ox.

God brings them out of Egypt. He has 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 it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What has God wrought!

Surely there is no enchantment with Jacob; neither is there any divination with Israel. Now it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, ‘What has God done!’

24 Behold, the people rise up as a lioness, and as a lion he lifts himself up. He shall not lie down until he eats of the prey, and drinks the blood of the slain.

Behold, a people rises up as a lioness. As a lion he lifts himself up. He shall not lie down until he eats of the prey, and drinks the blood of the slain.”

25 And Balak said to Balaam, Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all.

Balak said to Balaam, “Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all.”

26 But Balaam answered and said to Balak, Did I not tell thee, saying, All that Jehovah speaks, that I must do?

But Balaam answered Balak, “Didn’t I tell you, saying, ‘All that the LORD speaks, that I must do’?”

27 And Balak said to Balaam, Come now, I will take thee to another place. Perhaps it will please God that thou may curse them for me from there.

Balak said to Balaam, “Come now, I will take you to another place; perhaps it will please God that you may curse them for me from there.”

28 And Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, that looks down upon the desert.

Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, that looks down on the desert.

29 And Balaam said to Balak, Build for me here seven altars, and prepare for me here seven bullocks and seven rams.

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

30 And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered up a bullock and a ram on every altar.

Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered up a bull and a ram on every altar.