| Holman Christian Standard Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1Then Balaam said to Balak, "Build me seven altars here and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me." | 1Balaam told Balak, "Build for me here seven altars and prepare here for me seven bulls and seven rams." |
| 2So Balak did as Balaam directed, and they 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. |
| 3Balaam said to Balak, "Stay here by your burnt offering while I am gone. Maybe the LORD will meet with me. I will tell you whatever He reveals to me." So he went to a barren hill. | 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, |
| 4God met with him and Balaam said to Him, "I have arranged seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar." | 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 and said, "Return to Balak and say what I tell you." | 5Then the LORD gave Balaam this message. "Return to Balak and speak to him." |
| 6So he returned to Balak, who was standing there by his burnt offering with all the officials of Moab. | 6So Balaam returned to where Balak had been standing, that is, next to his offerings, accompanied by all the Moabite officials. |
| 7Balaam proclaimed his poem: Balak brought me from Aram; the king of Moab, from the eastern mountains:" Come, put a curse on Jacob for me; come, 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 someone God has not cursed? How can I denounce someone 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? |
| 9I see them from the top of rocky cliffs, and I watch them from the hills. There is a people living alone; it does not consider itself 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 has counted the dust of Jacob or numbered the dust clouds of Israel? Let me die the death of the upright; let the end of my life 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." |
| 11What have you done to me?" Balak asked Balaam. "I brought you to curse my enemies, but look, 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!" |
| 12He answered, "Shouldn't I say 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; you won't see all of them. From there, put a curse on 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 Lookout Field on top of Pisgah, 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 by your burnt offering while I seek the LORD over there." | 15Then he told Balak, "Stand by your offering while I go alone to meet the LORD." |
| 16The LORD met with Balaam and put a message in his mouth. Then He said, "Return to Balak and say 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 officials of Moab. Balak asked him, "What did the LORD say?" | 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. |
| 18Balaam proclaimed his poem: Balak, get up and listen; son of Zippor, pay attention to what I say! | 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 who lies, or a son of man who changes His mind. Does He speak and not act, or 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; since He has blessed, 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 there is rejoicing over the King 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; He is like the horns of a wild ox for them. | 22From Egypt God brought them— his strength was like a wild ox! |
| 23There is no magic curse against Jacob and no divination against Israel. It will now be said about 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?' |
| 24A people rise up like a lioness; They rouse themselves like a lion. They will not lie down until they devour the 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." |
| 25Then Balak told Balaam, "Don't curse them and don't bless them!" | 25Then Balak told Balaam, "Don't curse them or bless them!" |
| 26But Balaam answered him, "Didn't I tell you: 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?" |
| 27Again Balak said to Balaam, "Please come. I will take you to another place. Maybe it will be agreeable to God that you can put a curse on them for me 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." |
| 28So 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. |
| 29Balaam told Balak, "Build me seven altars here and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me." | 29Balaam told Balak, "Build seven altars for me right here. Then prepare seven bulls and seven rams." |
| 30So Balak did as Balaam said and 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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