Numbers 23
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1Then Balaam said to Balak, “Build for me seven altars here, and prepare for me seven bulls and seven rams.”1Balaam told Balak, "Build for me here seven altars and prepare here for me seven bulls and seven rams."
2So Balak did as Balaam had instructed, and Balak and Balaam offered a bull and a ram on each altar.2So Balak did just as Balaam instructed. Balak and Balaam offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
3“Stay here by your burnt offering while I am gone,” Balaam said to Balak. “Perhaps the LORD will meet with me. And whatever He reveals to me, I will tell you.” So Balaam went off to a barren height,3Then Balaam instructed Balak, "Stand by your offering and leave me alone by myself. Perhaps the LORD will come to meet me. I'll tell you whatever he reveals to me." And so he went to a high place,
4and God met with him. “I have set up seven altars,” Balaam said, “and on each altar I have offered a bull and a ram.”4where the LORD met with Balaam, who told him, "I've prepared seven altars and offered bulls and rams on an altar."
5Then the LORD put a message in Balaam’s mouth, saying, “Return to Balak and give him this message.”5Then the LORD gave Balaam this message. "Return to Balak and speak to him."
6So he returned to Balak, who was standing there beside his burnt offering, with all the princes of Moab.6So Balaam returned to where Balak had been standing, that is, next to his offerings, accompanied by all the Moabite officials.
7And Balaam lifted up an oracle, saying: “Balak brought me from Aram, the king of Moab from the mountains of the east. ‘Come,’ he said, ‘put a curse on Jacob for me; come and denounce Israel!’7Then Balaam uttered this prophetic statement: "King Balak of Moab brought me from Aram, from the eastern mountains, and told me, 'Come and curse Jacob for me. Come and curse Israel.'
8How can I curse what God has not cursed? How can I denounce what the LORD has not denounced?8But how can I curse those whom God hasn't cursed? How can I denounce those whom the LORD hasn't denounced?
9For I see them from atop the rocky cliffs, and I watch them from the hills. Behold, a people dwelling apart, not reckoning themselves among the nations.9I saw them from the top of the rocks. I watched them from the hills. Truly this is a people that lives by itself and doesn't matter among the nations.
10Who can count the dust of Jacob or number even a fourth of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous; let my end be like theirs!”10Who can count the dust of Jacob? Who can number the dust of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and may I end up like him."
11Then Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you here to curse my enemies, and behold, you have only blessed them!”11"What are you doing to me?" Balak asked Balaam. "I brought you to curse my enemies, not pronounce a blessing!"
12But Balaam replied, “Should I not speak exactly what the LORD puts in my mouth?”12But in response, Balaam asked, "Shouldn't I be careful to communicate only what the LORD puts in my mouth?"
13Then Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place where you can see them. You will only see the outskirts of their camp—not all of them. And from there, curse them for me.”13"Come with me to another place where you can see them," Balak replied. "You'll only see a portion of them, because you won't be able to see them completely. Come and curse them from there for me."
14So Balak took him 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.14So Balak took him to the field of Zophim, and from there to the top of Mount Pisgah, where he built seven altars and then offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
15Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here beside your burnt offering while I meet the LORD over there.”15Then he told Balak, "Stand by your offering while I go alone to meet the LORD."
16And the LORD met with Balaam and put a message in his mouth, saying, “Return to Balak and speak what I tell you.”16Then the LORD met with Balaam and gave a message to him. "Now go back to Balak and speak to him."
17So he returned to Balak, who was standing there by his burnt offering with the princes of Moab. “What did the LORD say?” Balak asked.17So Balaam returned to where Balak had been standing, that is, next to his offerings, accompanied by the Moabite officials. "What did the LORD say?" Balak asked him.
18Then Balaam lifted up an oracle, saying: “Arise, O Balak, and listen; give ear to me, O son of Zippor.18In response, Balaam uttered this prophetic statement: "Stand up, Balak, and pay attention! Listen to me, you son of Zippor!
19God is not a man, that He should lie, or a son of man, that He should change His mind. Does He speak and not act? Does He promise and not fulfill?19God is not a human male— he doesn't lie, nor is he a human being— he never vacillates. Once he speaks up, he's going to act, isn't he? Once he makes a promise, he'll fulfill it, won't he?
20I have indeed received a command to bless; He has blessed, and I cannot change it.20Look! I've received a blessing, and so I will bless. I won't withdraw it.
21He considers no disaster for Jacob; He sees no trouble for Israel. The LORD their God is with them, and the shout of the King is among them.21He has not responded to iniquity in Jacob or gazed at mischief in Israel. The LORD his God is with them, and the triumphant cry of a king is among them.
22God brought them out of Egypt with strength like a wild ox.22From Egypt God brought them— his strength was like a wild ox!
23For there is no spell against Jacob and no divination against Israel. It will now be said of Jacob and Israel, ‘What great things God has done!’23No Satanic plan against Jacob nor divination against Israel can ever prevail. When the time is right, it is to be asked about Jacob and Israel, 'What has God accomplished?'
24Behold, the people rise like a lioness; they rouse themselves like a lion, not resting until they devour their prey and drink the blood of the slain.”24Look! The people are like lions. Like the lion, he rises up! He does not lie down again until he has consumed his prey and drunk the blood of the slain."
25Now Balak said to Balaam, “Then neither curse them at all nor bless them at all!”25Then Balak told Balaam, "Don't curse them or bless them!"
26But Balaam replied, “Did I not tell you that whatever the LORD says, I must do?”26"Didn't I tell you," Balaam responded to Balak, "that I'll say whatever the LORD tells me to say?"
27“Please come,” said Balak, “I will take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God that you curse them for me from there.”27So Balak exhorted Balaam, "Let's go right now! I'll take you to another place. Maybe God will agree to have you curse them for me from there."
28And Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, which overlooks the wasteland.28So Balak took Balaam to the top of Mount Peor, which overlooks the open wilderness.
29Then Balaam said, “Build for me seven altars here, and prepare for me seven bulls and seven rams.”29Balaam told Balak, "Build seven altars for me right here. Then prepare seven bulls and seven rams."
30So Balak did as Balaam had instructed, and he offered a bull and a ram on each altar.30Balak did just what Balaam had instructed—he offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
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Numbers 22
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