NET Bible

New American Standard Bible 1995

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

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

2So Balak did just as Balaam had said. Balak and Balaam then offered on each altar a bull and a ram.

2Balak did just as Balaam had spoken, and Balak and Balaam offered up a bull and a ram on each altar.

3Balaam said to Balak, "Station yourself by your burnt offering, and I will go off; perhaps the LORD will come to meet me, and whatever he reveals to me I will tell you." Then he went to a deserted height.

3Then Balaam said to Balak, "Stand beside your burnt offering, and I will go; perhaps the LORD will come to meet me, and whatever He shows me I will tell you." So he went to a bare hill.

4Then God met Balaam, who said to him, "I have prepared seven altars, and I have offered on each altar a bull and a ram."

4Now God met Balaam, and he said to Him, "I have set up the seven altars, and I have offered up a bull and a ram on each altar."

5Then the LORD put a message in Balaam's mouth and said, "Return to Balak, and speak what I tell you."

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

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

6So he returned to him, and behold, he was standing beside his burnt offering, he and all the leaders of Moab.

7Then Balaam uttered his oracle, saying, "Balak, the king of Moab, brought me from Aram, out of the mountains of the east, saying, 'Come, pronounce a curse on Jacob for me; come, denounce Israel.'

7He took up his discourse and said, "From Aram Balak has brought me, Moab's king from the mountains of the East, 'Come curse Jacob for me, And come, denounce Israel!'

8How can I curse one whom God has not cursed, or how can I denounce one whom the LORD has not denounced?

8"How shall I curse whom God has not cursed? And how can I denounce whom the LORD has not denounced?

9For from the top of the rocks I see them; from the hills I watch them. Indeed, a nation that lives alone, and it will not be reckoned among the nations.

9"As I see him from the top of the rocks, And I look at him from the hills; Behold, a people who dwells apart, And will not be reckoned among the nations.

10Who can count the dust of Jacob, Or number the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the upright, and let the end of my life be like theirs."

10"Who can count the dust of Jacob, Or number the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the upright, And let my end be like his!"

11Then Balak said to Balaam, "What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies, but on the contrary you have only blessed them!"

11Then Balak said to Balaam, "What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, but behold, you have actually blessed them!"

12Balaam replied, "Must I not be careful to speak what the LORD has put in my mouth?"

12He replied, "Must I not be careful to speak what the LORD puts in my mouth?"

13Balak said to him, "Please come with me to another place from which you can observe them. You will see only a part of them, but you will not see all of them. Curse them for me from there."

13Then Balak said to him, "Please come with me to another place from where you may see them, although you will only see the extreme end of them and will not see all of them; and curse them for me from there."

14So Balak brought Balaam 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 he took him to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

15And Balaam said to Balak, "Station yourself here by your burnt offering, while I meet the LORD there.

15And he said to Balak, "Stand here beside your burnt offering while I myself meet the LORD over there."

16Then the LORD met Balaam and put a message in his mouth and said, "Return to Balak, and speak what I tell you."

16Then the LORD met Balaam and put a word in his mouth and said, "Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak."

17When Balaam came to him, he was still standing by his burnt offering, along with the princes of Moab. And Balak said to him, "What has the LORD spoken?"

17He came to him, and behold, he was standing beside his burnt offering, and the leaders of Moab with him. And Balak said to him, "What has the LORD spoken?"

18Balaam uttered his oracle, and said, "Rise up, Balak, and hear; Listen to me, son of Zippor:

18Then he took up his discourse and said, "Arise, O Balak, and hear; Give ear to me, O son of Zippor!

19God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a human being, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not make it happen?

19"God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a 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?

20Indeed, I have received a command to bless; he has blessed, and I cannot reverse it.

20"Behold, I have received a command to bless; When He has blessed, then I cannot revoke it.

21He has not looked on iniquity in Jacob, nor has he seen trouble in Israel. The LORD their God is with them; his acclamation as king is among them.

21"He has not observed misfortune in Jacob; Nor has He seen trouble in Israel; The LORD his God is with him, And the shout of a king is among them.

22God brought them out of Egypt. They have, as it were, the strength of a wild bull.

22"God brings them out of Egypt, He is for them like the horns of the wild ox.

23For there is no spell against Jacob, nor is there any divination against Israel. At this time it must be said of Jacob and of Israel, 'Look at what God has done!'

23"For there is no omen against Jacob, Nor is there any divination against Israel; At the proper time it shall be said to Jacob And to Israel, what God has done!

24Indeed, the people will rise up like a lioness, and like a lion raises himself up; they will not lie down until they eat their prey, and drink the blood of the slain."

24"Behold, a people rises like a lioness, And as a lion it lifts itself; It will not lie down until it devours the prey, And drinks the blood of the slain."

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

25Then Balak said to Balaam, "Do not curse them at all nor bless them at all!"

26But Balaam replied to Balak, "Did I not tell you, 'All that the LORD speaks, I must do'?"

26But Balaam replied to Balak, "Did I not tell you, 'Whatever the LORD speaks, that I must do '?"

27Balak said to Balaam, "Come, please; I will take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God to let you curse them for me from there."

27Then Balak said to Balaam, "Please come, I will take you to another place; perhaps it will be agreeable with God that you curse them for me from there."

28So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, that looks toward the wilderness.

28So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor which overlooks the wasteland.

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

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

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

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

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