1Then Balaamsaidto Balak,"Buildsevenaltarsfor me here,and preparesevenbullsand sevenramsfor me here."2Balakdidjustas Balaamhad spoken,and Balakand Balaamofferedup a bulland a ramon each altar.3Then Balaamsaidto Balak,"Standbesideyour burntoffering,and I will go;perhapsthe LORDwill cometo meetme, and whateverHe showsme I will tellyou." So he wentto a barehill.
4Now GodmetBalaam,and he saidto Him, "I have setup the sevenaltars,and I have offeredup a bulland a ramon each altar."5Then the LORDputa wordin Balaam'smouthand said,"Returnto Balak,and you shall speakthus."6So he returnedto him, and behold,he was standingbesidehis burntoffering,he and allthe leadersof Moab.
7He tookup his discourseand said,"From AramBalakhas broughtme, Moab'skingfrom the mountainsof the East,ComecurseJacobfor me, And come,denounceIsrael!'
8"Howshall I cursewhom Godhas not cursed?And howcan I denouncewhom the LORDhas not denounced?
9"As I seehim from the topof the rocks,And I lookat him from the hills;Behold,a people[who] dwellsapart,And will not be reckonedamong the nations.
10"Whocan countthe dustof Jacob,Or numberthe fourthpartof Israel?Let me diethe deathof the upright,And let my endbe likehis!"
11Then Balaksaidto Balaam,"Whathave you doneto me? I tookyou to cursemy enemies,but behold,you have actuallyblessedthem!"12He replied,"Must I not be carefulto speakwhatthe LORDputsin my mouth?"
13Then Balaksaidto him, "Pleasecomewith me to anotherplacefrom whereyou may seethem, although you will onlyseethe extremeendof them and will not seeallof them; and cursethem for me from there."14So he tookhim to the fieldof Zophim,to the topof Pisgah,and builtsevenaltarsand offereda bulland a ramon [each] altar.15And he saidto Balak,"Standherebesideyour burntofferingwhile I myselfmeet[the LORD] overthere."16Then the LORDmetBalaamand puta wordin his mouthand said,"Returnto Balak,and thusyou shall speak."17He cameto him, and behold,he was standingbesidehis burntoffering,and the leadersof Moabwith him. And Balaksaidto him, "Whathas the LORDspoken?"
18Then he tookup his discourseand said,"Arise,O Balak,and hear;Giveearto me, O sonof Zippor!
19"Godis not a man,that He should lie,Nora sonof man,that He should repent;Has He said,and will He not doit? Or has He spoken,and will He not makeit good?
20"Behold,I have received[a command] to bless;When He has blessed,then I cannotrevokeit.
21"He has not observedmisfortunein Jacob;Norhas He seentroublein Israel;The LORDhis Godis with him, And the shoutof a kingis among them.
22"Godbringsthem out of Egypt,He is for them like the hornsof the wildox.
23"For there is noomenagainst Jacob,Noris there any divinationagainst Israel;At the proper timeit shall be saidto JacobAnd to Israel,whatGodhas done!
24"Behold,a peopleriseslike a lioness,And as a lionit liftsitself; It will not liedownuntilit devoursthe prey,And drinksthe bloodof the slain."
25Then Balaksaidto Balaam,"Do not cursethem at allnorblessthem at all!"26But Balaamrepliedto Balak,"Did I not tellyou, 'Whateverthe LORDspeaks,that I must do'?"
27Then Balaksaidto Balaam,"Pleasecome,I will takeyou to anotherplace;perhapsit will be agreeablewith Godthat you cursethem for me from there."28So BalaktookBalaamto the topof Peorwhich overlooksthe wasteland.29Balaamsaidto Balak,"Buildsevenaltarsfor me hereand preparesevenbullsand sevenramsfor me here."30Balakdidjustas Balaamhad said,and offeredup a bulland a ramon [each] altar.
