^{1 Ref} And Balaam said to Balak, Make me here seven altars and get ready seven oxen and seven male sheep.

^{2 Ref} And Balak did as Balaam had said; and Balak and Balaam made an offering on every altar of an ox and a male sheep.

^{3 Ref} Then Balaam said to Balak, Take your place by your burned offering, and I will go and see if the Lord comes to me: and I will give you word of whatever he says to me. And he went to an open place on a hill.

^{4 Ref} And God came to Balaam, and Balaam said to him, I have made ready seven altars, offering an ox and a male sheep on every altar.

^{5 Ref} And the Lord put words in Balaam's mouth, and said, Go back to Balak, and this is what you are to say.

⁶ So he went back to him where he was waiting by his burned offering with all the chiefs of Moab.

^{7 Ref} And in the words which the Lord had given him he said, From Aram Balak has sent for me, the king of Moab from the mountains of the East: come, put curses on Jacob for me and be angry with Israel.

^{8 Ref} How may I put curses on him who is not cursed by God? how may I be angry with him with whom the Lord is not angry?

^{9 Ref} From the top of the rocks I see him, looking down on him from the hills: it is a people made separate, not to be numbered among the nations.

^{10 Ref} Who is able to take the measure of the dust of Jacob or the number of the thousands of Israel? May my death be the death of the upright and my last end like his!

^{11 Ref} Then Balak said to Balaam, What have you done to me? I sent for you so that my haters might be cursed, and see, you have given them a blessing.

^{12 Ref} And in answer he said, Am I not ordered to say only what the Lord puts into my mouth?

^{13 Ref} And Balak said to him, Come with me now into another place from which you will not be able to see them all, but only the outskirts of them; and you will send curses on them from there.

^{14 Ref} So he took him into the country of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and there they made seven altars, offering an ox and a male sheep on every altar.

^{15 Ref} Then he said to Balak, Take your place here by your burned offering, while I go over there to the Lord.

^{16 Ref} And the Lord came to Balaam, and put words in his mouth, and said, Go back to Balak, and this is what you are to say.

^{17 Ref} So he came to him where he was waiting by his burned offering with the chiefs of Moab by his side. And Balak said to him, What has the Lord said?

^{18 Ref} And in the words which the Lord had given him he said, Up! Balak, and give ear; give attention to me, O son of Zippor:

^{19 Ref} God is not a man, to say what is false; or the son of man, that his purpose may be changed: what he has said, will he not do? and will he not give effect to the words of his mouth?

^{20 Ref} See, I have had orders to give blessing: and he has given a blessing which I have no power to take away.

^{21 Ref} He has seen no evil in Jacob or wrongdoing in Israel: the Lord his God is with him, and the glad cry of a king is among them.

^{22 Ref} It is God who has taken them out of Egypt; his horns are like those of the mountain ox.

^{23 Ref} No evil power has effect against Jacob, no secret arts against Israel; at the right time it will be said of Jacob and of Israel, See what God has done!

^{24 Ref} See, Israel comes up like a she-lion, lifting himself up like a lion: he will take no rest till he has made a meal of those he has overcome, drinking the blood of those he has put to death.

^{25 Ref} Then Balak said to Balaam, If you will not put a curse on them, at all events do not give them a blessing.

^{26 Ref} But Balaam in answer said to Balak, Did I not say to you, I may only do what the Lord says?

^{27 Ref} Then Balak said to Balaam, Come now, I will take you to another place; it may be that God will let you put a curse on them from there.

^{28 Ref} So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, looking down over the waste land.

^{29 Ref} And Balaam said to Balak, Make me seven altars here and get seven oxen and seven male sheep ready for me.

³⁰ And Balak did as Balaam said, offering an ox and a male sheep on every altar.

^{1 Ref} And Balaam saith unto Balak, `Build for me in this `place' seven altars, and make ready for me in this `place' seven bullocks and seven rams.'

^{2 Ref} And Balak doth as Balaam hath spoken, and Balak -- Balaam also -- offereth a bullock and a ram on the altar,

^{3 Ref} and Balaam saith to Balak, `Station thyself by thy burnt-offering and I go on, it may be Jehovah doth come to meet me, and the thing which He sheweth me -- I have declared to thee;' and he goeth `to' a high place.

^{4 Ref} And God cometh unto Balaam, and he saith unto Him, `The seven altars I have arranged, and I offer a bullock and a ram on the altar;'

^{5 Ref} and Jehovah putteth a word in the mouth of Balaam, and saith, `Turn back unto Balak, and thus thou dost speak.'

⁶ And he turneth back unto him, and lo, he is standing by his burnt-offering, he and all the princes of Moab.

^{7 Ref} And he taketh up his simile, and saith: `From Aram he doth lead me -- Balak king of Moab; From mountains of the east: Come -- curse for me Jacob, And come -- be indignant `with' Israel.

^{8 Ref} What -- do I pierce? -- God hath not pierced! And what -- am I indignant? -- Jehovah hath not been indignant!

^{9 Ref} For from the top of rocks I see it, And from heights I behold it; Lo a people! alone it doth tabernacle, And among nations doth not reckon itself.

^{10 Ref} Who hath counted the dust of Jacob, And the number of the fourth of Israel? Let me die the death of upright ones, And let my last end be like his!'

^{11 Ref} And Balak saith unto Balaam, `What hast thou done to me? to pierce mine enemies I have taken thee -- and lo, thou hast certainly blessed;'

^{12 Ref} and he answereth and saith, `That which Jehovah doth put in my mouth -- it do I not take heed to speak?'

^{13 Ref} And Balak saith unto him, `Come, I pray thee, with me unto another place, whence thou dost see it, only its extremity thou dost see, and all of it thou dost not see, and pierce it for me thence;'

^{14 Ref} and he taketh him `to' the field of Zophim, unto the top of Pisgah, and buildeth seven altars, and offereth a bullock and a ram on the altar.

^{15 Ref} And he saith unto Balak, `Station thyself here by thy burnt-offering, and I -- I meet `Him' there;'

^{16 Ref} and Jehovah cometh unto Balaam, and setteth a word in his mouth, and saith, `Turn back unto Balak, and thus thou dost speak.'

^{17 Ref} And he cometh unto him, and lo, he is standing by his burnt-offering, and the princes of Moab with him, and Balak saith to him: `What hath Jehovah spoken?'

^{18 Ref} And he taketh up his simile, and saith: `Rise, Balak, and hear; Give ear unto me, son of Zippor!

^{19 Ref} God `is' not a man -- and lieth, And a son of man -- and repenteth! Hath He said -- and doth He not do `it'? And spoken -- and doth He not confirm it?

^{20 Ref} Lo, to bless I have received: Yea, He blesseth, and I `can'not reverse it.

^{21 Ref} He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, Nor hath He seen perverseness in Israel; Jehovah his God `is' with him, And a shout of a king `is' in him.

^{22 Ref} God is bringing them out from Egypt, As the swiftness of a Reem is to him;

^{23 Ref} For no enchantment `is' against Jacob, Nor divination against Israel, At the time it is said of Jacob and Israel, What hath God wrought!

^{24 Ref} Lo, the people as a lioness riseth, And as a lion he lifteth himself up, He lieth not down till he eateth prey, And blood of pierced ones doth drink.'

^{25 Ref} And Balak saith unto Balaam, `Neither pierce it at all, nor bless it at all;'

^{26 Ref} and Balaam answereth and saith unto Balak, `Have I not spoken unto thee, saying, All that Jehovah speaketh -- it I do?'

^{27 Ref} And Balak saith unto Balaam, `Come, I pray thee, I take thee unto another place; it may be it is right in the eyes of God -- to pierce it for me from thence.'

^{28 Ref} And Balak taketh Balaam to the top of Peor, which is looking on the front of the wilderness,

^{29 Ref} and Balaam saith unto Balak, `Build for me in this `place' seven altars, and make ready for me in this `place' seven bullocks and seven rams;'

³⁰ and Balak doth as Balaam said, and he offereth a bullock and a ram on an altar.

^{1 Ref} And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams.

^{2 Ref} And Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bullock and a ram.

^{3 Ref} And Balaam said unto Balak, Stand by thy burnt-offering, and I will go: peradventure Jehovah will come to meet me; and whatsoever he showeth me I will tell thee. And he went to a bare height.

^{4 Ref} And God met Balaam: and he said unto him, I have prepared the seven altars, and I have offered up a bullock and a ram on every altar.

^{5 Ref} And Jehovah put a word in Balaam's mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus thou shalt speak.

⁶ And he returned unto him, and, lo, he was standing by his burnt-offering, he, and all the princes of Moab.

^{7 Ref} And he took up his parable, and said, From Aram hath Balak brought me, The king of Moab from the mountains of the East: Come, curse me Jacob, And come, defy Israel.

^{8 Ref} How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? And how shall I defy, whom Jehovah hath not defied?

^{9 Ref} For from the top of the rocks I see him, And from the hills I behold him: lo, it is a people that dwelleth alone, And shall not be reckoned among the nations.

^{10 Ref} Who can count the dust of Jacob, Or number the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, And let my last end be like his!

^{11 Ref} And Balak said unto Balaam, What hast thou done unto me? I took thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast blessed them altogether.

^{12 Ref} And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which Jehovah putteth in my mouth?

^{13 Ref} And Balak said unto him, Come, I pray thee, with me unto another place, from whence thou mayest see them; thou shalt see but the utmost part of them, and shalt not see them all: and curse me them from thence.

^{14 Ref} And he took him into the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered up a bullock and a ram on every altar.

^{15 Ref} And he said unto Balak, Stand here by thy burnt-offering, while I meet `Jehovah' yonder.

^{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?

^{27 Ref} And Balak said unto Balaam, Come now, I will take thee unto another place; peradventure it will please God that thou mayest curse me them from thence.

^{28 Ref} And Balak took Balaam unto the top of Peor, that looketh down upon the desert.

^{29 Ref} And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams.

³⁰ And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered up a bullock and a ram on every altar.