⁵ But the Lord your God would not give ear to Balaam, but let the curse be changed into a blessing to you, because of his love for you.

⁷ The Lord did not give you his love or take you for himself because you were more in number than any other people; for you were the smallest of the nations:

⁸ But because of his love for you, and in order to keep his oath to your fathers, the Lord took you out with the strength of his hand, making you free from the prison-house and from the hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt.

³¹ What may we say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us?

⁴ But God, being full of mercy, through the great love which he had for us,

⁵ Even when we were dead through our sins, gave us life together with Christ (by grace you have salvation),

¹⁷ For our present trouble, which is only for a short time, is working out for us a much greater weight of glory;

²⁸ As far as the good news is in question, they are cut off from God on account of you, but as far as the selection is in question, they are loved on account of the fathers.

⁹ He took his sleep stretched out like a lion, and like a she-lion: by whom will his rest be broken? May a blessing be on everyone who gives you blessing, and a curse on everyone by whom you are cursed.

⁵ 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 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 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 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 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 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 And in answer he said, Am I not ordered to say only what the Lord puts into my mouth?

⁵ O my people, keep in mind now what was designed by Balak, king of Moab, and the answer which Balaam, son of Beor, gave him; the events, from Shittim to Gilgal, so that you may be certain of the upright acts of the Lord.

⁸ Now when I went past you, looking at you, I saw that your time was the time of love; and I put my skirts over you, covering your unclothed body: and I gave you my oath and made an agreement with you, says the Lord, and you became mine.

³ From far away he saw the Lord: my love for you is an eternal love: so with mercy I have made you come with me.

² As the sparrow in her wandering and the swallow in her flight, so the curse does not come without a cause.

¹ Truly, God is good to Israel, even to such as are clean in heart.

³ All his holy ones are at his hand; they go at his feet; they are lifted up on his wings.

¹⁶ 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 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 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 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 See, I have had orders to give blessing: and he has given a blessing which I have no power to take away.

²¹ 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 It is God who has taken them out of Egypt; his horns are like those of the mountain ox.

²³ 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 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 Then Balak said to Balaam, If you will not put a curse on them, at all events do not give them a blessing.

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

³⁵ And the angel of the Lord said to Balaam, Go with the men; but say only what I give you to say. Then Balaam went on with the chiefs of Balak.

¹³ Even as it is said, I had love for Jacob, but for Esau I had hate.

² You have been loved by me, says the Lord. But you say, Where was your love for us? Was not Esau Jacob's brother? says the Lord: but Jacob was loved by me,