^{16 Ref} And Jehovah met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus shalt thou speak.

^{17 Ref} And he came to him, and, lo, he was standing by his burnt-offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said unto him, What hath Jehovah spoken?

^{18 Ref} And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; Hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor:

^{19 Ref} God is not a man, that he should lie, Neither the son of man, that he should repent: Hath he said, and will he not do it? Or hath he spoken, and will he not make it good?

^{20 Ref} Behold, I have received `commandment' to bless: And he hath blessed, and I cannot reverse it.

^{21 Ref} He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob; Neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: Jehovah his God is with him, And the shout of a king is among them.

^{22 Ref} God bringeth them forth out of Egypt; He hath as it were the strength of the wild-ox.

^{23 Ref} Surely there is no enchantment with Jacob; Neither is there any divination with Israel: Now shalt it be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought!

^{24 Ref} Behold, the people riseth up as a lioness, And as a lion doth he lift himself up: He shall not lie down until he eat of the prey, And drink the blood of the slain.

^{25 Ref} And Balak said unto Balaam, Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all.

^{26 Ref} But Balaam answered and said unto Balak, Told not I thee, saying, All that Jehovah speaketh, that I must do?