Numbers 23 NLT NIV Parallel

◄ Numbers 23 ►

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1Then Balaam said to King Balak, “Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven young bulls and seven rams for me to sacrifice.”

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

2Balak followed his instructions, and the two of them sacrificed a young bull and a ram on each altar.

2Balak did as Balaam said, and the two of them offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

3Then Balaam said to Balak, “Stand here by your burnt offerings, and I will go to see if the LORD will respond to me. Then I will tell you whatever he reveals to me.” So Balaam went alone to the top of a bare hill,

3Then Balaam said to Balak, "Stay here beside your offering while I go aside. Perhaps the LORD will come to meet with me. Whatever he reveals to me I will tell you." Then he went off to a barren height.

4and God met him there. Balaam said to him, “I have prepared seven altars and have sacrificed a young bull and a ram on each altar.”

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

5The LORD gave Balaam a message for King Balak. Then he said, “Go back to Balak and give him my message.”

5The LORD put a word in Balaam's mouth and said, "Go back to Balak and give him this word."

6So Balaam returned and found the king standing beside his burnt offerings with all the officials of Moab.

6So he went back to him and found him standing beside his offering, with all the Moabite officials.

7This was the message Balaam delivered: “Balak summoned me to come from Aram; the king of Moab brought me from the eastern hills. ‘Come,’ he said, ‘curse Jacob for me! Come and announce Israel’s doom.’

7Then Balaam spoke his message: "Balak brought me from Aram, the king of Moab from the eastern mountains. 'Come,' he said, 'curse Jacob for me; come, denounce Israel.'

8But how can I curse those whom God has not cursed? How can I condemn those whom the LORD has not condemned?

8How can I curse those whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce those whom the LORD has not denounced?

9I see them from the cliff tops; I watch them from the hills. I see a people who live by themselves, set apart from other nations.

9From the rocky peaks I see them, from the heights I view them. I see a people who live apart and do not consider themselves one of the nations.

10Who can count Jacob’s descendants, as numerous as dust? Who can count even a fourth of Israel’s people? Let me die like the righteous; let my life end like theirs.”

10Who can count the dust of Jacob or number even a fourth of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and may my final end be like theirs!"

11Then King Balak demanded of Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies. Instead, you have blessed them!”

11Balak said to Balaam, "What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies, but you have done nothing but bless them!"

12But Balaam replied, “I will speak only the message that the LORD puts in my mouth.” Balaam’s Second Message

12He answered, "Must I not speak what the LORD puts in my mouth?"

13Then King Balak told him, “Come with me to another place. There you will see another part of the nation of Israel, but not all of them. Curse at least that many!”

13Then Balak said to him, "Come with me to another place where you can see them; you will not see them all but only the outskirts of their camp. And from there, curse them for me."

14So Balak took Balaam to the plateau of Zophim on Pisgah Peak. He built seven altars there and offered a young bull and a ram on each altar.

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

15Then Balaam said to the king, “Stand here by your burnt offerings while I go over there to meet the LORD.”

15Balaam said to Balak, "Stay here beside your offering while I meet with him over there."

16And the LORD met Balaam and gave him a message. Then he said, “Go back to Balak and give him my message.”

16The LORD met with Balaam and put a word in his mouth and said, "Go back to Balak and give him this word."

17So Balaam returned and found the king standing beside his burnt offerings with all the officials of Moab. “What did the LORD say?” Balak asked eagerly.

17So he went to him and found him standing beside his offering, with the Moabite officials. Balak asked him, "What did the LORD say?"

18This was the message Balaam delivered: “Rise up, Balak, and listen! Hear me, son of Zippor.

18Then he spoke his message: "Arise, Balak, and listen; hear me, son of Zippor.

19God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?

19God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?

20Listen, I received a command to bless; God has blessed, and I cannot reverse it!

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

21No misfortune is in his plan for Jacob; no trouble is in store for Israel. For the LORD their God is with them; he has been proclaimed their king.

21"No misfortune is seen in Jacob, no misery observed in Israel. The LORD their God is with them; the shout of the King is among them.

22God brought them out of Egypt; for them he is as strong as a wild ox.

22God brought them out of Egypt; they have the strength of a wild ox.

23No curse can touch Jacob; no magic has any power against Israel. For now it will be said of Jacob, ‘What wonders God has done for Israel!’

23There is no divination against Jacob, no evil omens against Israel. It will now be said of Jacob and of Israel, 'See what God has done!'

24These people rise up like a lioness, like a majestic lion rousing itself. They refuse to rest until they have feasted on prey, drinking the blood of the slaughtered!”

24The people rise like a lioness; they rouse themselves like a lion that does not rest till it devours its prey and drinks the blood of its victims."

25Then Balak said to Balaam, “Fine, but if you won’t curse them, at least don’t bless them!”

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

26But Balaam replied to Balak, “Didn’t I tell you that I can do only what the LORD tells me?” Balaam’s Third Message

26Balaam answered, "Did I not tell you I must do whatever the LORD says?"

27Then King Balak said to Balaam, “Come, I will take you to one more place. Perhaps it will please God to let you curse them from there.”

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

28So Balak took Balaam to the top of Mount Peor, overlooking the wasteland.

28And Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, overlooking the wasteland.

29Balaam again told Balak, “Build me seven altars, and prepare seven young bulls and seven rams for me to sacrifice.”

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

30So Balak did as Balaam ordered and offered a young bull and a ram on each altar.

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

New International Version (NIV)

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