Numbers 23

1 And Balaam said to Balak, Make me here seven altars and get ready seven oxen and seven male sheep.

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

2 And Balak did as Balaam had said; and Balak and Balaam made an offering on every altar of an ox and a male sheep.

Balak did as Balaam had said, and together they offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

3 Then Balaam said to Balak, Take your place by your burned offering, and I will go and see if the Lord comes to me: and I will give you word of whatever he says to me. And he went to an open place on a hill.

Balaam said to Balak, “Wait here beside your burnt offering while I go and see if perhaps the Lord will come and meet with me. Whatever he reveals to me, I'll share with you.” Then Balaam left to climb up a rocky crag.

4 And God came to Balaam, and Balaam said to him, I have made ready seven altars, offering an ox and a male sheep on every altar.

God met with him there, and Balaam said. “I have built seven altars and on each altar I have offered a bull and a ram.”

5 And the Lord put words in Balaam's mouth, and said, Go back to Balak, and this is what you are to say.

The Lord gave Balaam a message to share. He told him, “Go back to Balak and this is what you are to say to him.”

6 So he went back to him where he was waiting by his burned offering with all the chiefs of Moab.

So he went back to Balak, who was waiting there beside his burnt offering, along with all the Moabite leaders.

7 And in the words which the Lord had given him he said, From Aram Balak has sent for me, the king of Moab from the mountains of the East: come, put curses on Jacob for me and be angry with Israel.

This is the declaration that Balaam gave: “Balak brought me from Aram; the king of Moab brought me from the mountains of the east. He said, ‘Come and curse Jacob for me! Come and condemn Israel!’

8 How may I put curses on him who is not cursed by God? how may I be angry with him with whom the Lord is not angry?

But how can I curse what God has not cursed? How can I condemn what the Lord has not condemned?

9 From the top of the rocks I see him, looking down on him from the hills: it is a people made separate, not to be numbered among the nations.

For I'm looking down on them from the top of rocky crags; I'm watching them from the hills. I see a people who live on their own, different from the other nations.

10 Who is able to take the measure of the dust of Jacob or the number of the thousands of Israel? May my death be the death of the upright and my last end like his!

Who can count Jacob's descendants? They are so many they're like dust! Who can count even a quarter of the Israelites? I would like to die as a good person dies! Let the end of my life be like their end!”

11 Then Balak said to Balaam, What have you done to me? I sent for you so that my haters might be cursed, and see, you have given them a blessing.

Then Balak complained to Balaam, “What on earth have you done to me? I brought you here to curse my enemies, and now look! All you have done is bless them!”

12 And in answer he said, Am I not ordered to say only what the Lord puts into my mouth?

But Balaam replied, “Don't you think I should I say precisely what the Lord tells me?”

13 And Balak said to him, Come with me now into another place from which you will not be able to see them all, but only the outskirts of them; and you will send curses on them from there.

Then Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place where you can see them. But you'll only see a part of their camp—you won't see all of them. You can curse them for me from there.”

14 So he took him into the country of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and there they made seven altars, offering an ox and a male sheep on every altar.

He took him to the field of Zophim at the top of Mount Pisgah. There he built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

15 Then he said to Balak, Take your place here by your burned offering, while I go over there to the Lord.

Balaam told Balak, “Wait here beside your burnt offering while I meet the Lord over there.”

16 And the Lord came to Balaam, and put words in his mouth, and said, Go back to Balak, and this is what you are to say.

The Lord met Balaam and gave him a message to share. He told him, “Go back to Balak and this is what you are to say to him.”

17 So he came to him where he was waiting by his burned offering with the chiefs of Moab by his side. And Balak said to him, What has the Lord said?

So he went back to Balak, who was waiting there beside his burnt offering, along with all the Moabite leaders. “What did the Lord say?” Balak asked.

18 And in the words which the Lord had given him he said, Up! Balak, and give ear; give attention to me, O son of Zippor:

This is the prophecy that Balaam delivered: “Stand up, Balak, and pay attention! Listen to me, son of Zippor!

19 God is not a man, to say what is false; or the son of man, that his purpose may be changed: what he has said, will he not do? and will he not give effect to the words of his mouth?

God isn't a human being who would lie. He's not a mere mortal who changes his mind. Does he say he's going to do something but doesn't? Does he make promises he doesn't carry out?

20 See, I have had orders to give blessing: and he has given a blessing which I have no power to take away.

Look, I have been ordered to give a blessing. God has blessed, and I can't change that.

21 He has seen no evil in Jacob or wrongdoing in Israel: the Lord his God is with him, and the glad cry of a king is among them.

He's not expecting anything bad will happen to Jacob; he doesn't foresee any trouble for Israel. The Lord their God is with them; they celebrate him as their king.

22 It is God who has taken them out of Egypt; his horns are like those of the mountain ox.

God led them out of Egypt with great power, as strong as an ox.

23 No evil power has effect against Jacob, no secret arts against Israel; at the right time it will be said of Jacob and of Israel, See what God has done!

No spell can be cast against Jacob; no magic can be used against Israel. People will talk about Jacob and Israel, saying, ‘What amazing things God has done for them!’

24 See, Israel comes up like a she-lion, lifting himself up like a lion: he will take no rest till he has made a meal of those he has overcome, drinking the blood of those he has put to death.

Look! The Israelites go out hunting like a lioness; they chase like a lion. They don't rest until they eat their prey, and drink the blood of their dead victim.”

25 Then Balak said to Balaam, If you will not put a curse on them, at all events do not give them a blessing.

Then Balak said to Balaam, “If you can't give them any curses then at least don't give them any blessings!”

26 But Balaam in answer said to Balak, Did I not say to you, I may only do what the Lord says?

But Balaam replied, “Didn't I explain to you that I have to do whatever the Lord tells me?”

27 Then Balak said to Balaam, Come now, I will take you to another place; it may be that God will let you put a curse on them from there.

“Please come with me and I will take you somewhere else,” Balak said. “Maybe God would let you curse them for me from there.”

28 So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, looking down over the waste land.

Balak took Balaam to the top of Mount Peor, which looks down on the wastelands.

29 And Balaam said to Balak, Make me seven altars here and get seven oxen and seven male sheep ready for me.

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

30 And Balak did as Balaam said, offering an ox and a male sheep on every altar.

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