Numbers 23

1 Balaam said to Balak, "Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bulls and seven rams."

And Balaam saith unto Balak, 'Build for me in this [place] seven altars, and make ready for me in this [place] seven bullocks and seven rams.'

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

And Balak doth as Balaam hath spoken, and Balak — Balaam also — offereth a bullock and a ram on the altar,

3 Balaam said to Balak, "Station yourself by your burnt offering, and I will go. Perhaps God will come to meet me, and whatever he shows me I will tell you." And Balak went off and stationed himself by his offering, and Balaam called to God and went off to a barren height.

and Balaam saith to Balak, 'Station thyself by thy burnt-offering and I go on, it may be Jehovah doth come to meet me, and the thing which He sheweth me — I have declared to thee;' and he goeth [to] a high place.

4 And 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."

And God cometh unto Balaam, and he saith unto Him, 'The seven altars I have arranged, and I offer a bullock and a ram on the altar;'

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

and Jehovah putteth a word in the mouth of Balaam, and saith, 'Turn back unto Balak, and thus thou dost speak.'

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

And he turneth back unto him, and lo, he is standing by his burnt-offering, he and all the princes of Moab.

7 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.'

And he taketh up his simile, and saith: 'From Aram he doth lead me — Balak king of Moab; From mountains of the east: Come — curse for me Jacob, And come — be indignant [with] Israel.

8 How shall I curse whom YHWH has not cursed? How shall I defy whom God has not defied?

What — do I pierce? — God hath not pierced! And what — am I indignant? — Jehovah hath not been indignant!

9 For from the top of the rocks I see him. From the hills I see him. Look, it is a people that dwells alone, and not counting itself among the nations.

For from the top of rocks I see it, And from heights I behold it; Lo a people! alone it doth tabernacle, And among nations doth not reckon itself.

10 Who can count the dust of Jacob, and who has numbered the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous. Let my last end be like his."

Who hath counted the dust of Jacob, And the number of the fourth of Israel? Let me die the death of upright ones, And let my last end be like his!'

11 Balak said to Balaam, "What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, and look, you have blessed them altogether."

And Balak saith unto Balaam, 'What hast thou done to me? to pierce mine enemies I have taken thee — and lo, thou hast certainly blessed;'

12 He answered and said, "Must I not be careful to speak that which God puts in my mouth?"

and he answereth and saith, 'That which Jehovah doth put in my mouth — it do I not take heed to speak?'

13 Balak said to him, "Please come with me to another place, where you may see them; you shall see but the utmost part of them, and shall not see them all; and curse them for me from there."

And Balak saith unto him, 'Come, I pray thee, with me unto another place, whence thou dost see it, only its extremity thou dost see, and all of it thou dost not see, and pierce it for me thence;'

14 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.

and he taketh him [to] the field of Zophim, unto the top of Pisgah, and buildeth seven altars, and offereth a bullock and a ram on the altar.

15 He said to Balak, "Station yourself here by your burnt offering, while I meet over there."

And he saith unto Balak, 'Station thyself here by thy burnt-offering, and I — I meet [Him] there;'

16 And God met Balaam and put a word in his mouth, and said, "Return to Balak, and say this."

and Jehovah cometh unto Balaam, and setteth a word in his mouth, and saith, 'Turn back unto Balak, and thus thou dost speak.'

17 He came to him, and look, he was standing by his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. Balak said to him, "What has YHWH spoken?"

And he cometh unto him, and lo, he is standing by his burnt-offering, and the princes of Moab with him, and Balak saith to him: 'What hath Jehovah spoken?'

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

And he taketh up his simile, and saith: 'Rise, Balak, and hear; Give ear unto me, son of Zippor!

19 God is not a man, that he should lie, nor 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 — and lieth, And a son of man — and repenteth! Hath He said — and doth He not do [it]? And spoken — and doth He not confirm it?

20 Look, I have received a command to bless. He has blessed, and I can't reverse it.

Lo, to bless I have received: Yea, He blesseth, and I [can] not reverse it.

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

He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, Nor hath He seen perverseness in Israel; Jehovah his God [is] with him, And a shout of a king [is] in him.

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

God is bringing them out from Egypt, As the swiftness of a Reem is to him;

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 done.

For no enchantment [is] against Jacob, Nor divination against Israel, At the time it is said of Jacob and Israel, What hath God wrought!

24 Look, the people rises up as a lioness, as a lion he lifts himself up. He shall not lie down until he eat of the prey, and drinks the blood of the slain."

Lo, the people as a lioness riseth, And as a lion he lifteth himself up, He lieth not down till he eateth prey, And blood of pierced ones doth drink.'

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

And Balak saith unto Balaam, 'Neither pierce it at all, nor bless it at all;'

26 But Balaam answered Balak, "Did I not tell you, saying, 'All that God speaks, that I must do?'"

and Balaam answereth and saith unto Balak, 'Have I not spoken unto thee, saying, All that Jehovah speaketh — it I do?'

27 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."

And Balak saith unto Balaam, 'Come, I pray thee, I take thee unto another place; it may be it is right in the eyes of God — to pierce it for me from thence.'

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

And Balak taketh Balaam to the top of Peor, which is looking on the front of the wilderness,

29 Balaam said to Balak, "Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bulls and seven rams."

and Balaam saith unto Balak, 'Build for me in this [place] seven altars, and make ready for me in this [place] seven bullocks and seven rams;'

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

and Balak doth as Balaam said, and he offereth a bullock and a ram on an altar.