¹ Now when Balaam saw that it was the Lord's pleasure to give his blessing to Israel, he did not, as at other times, make use of secret arts, but turning his face to the waste land,

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!

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

³ 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.

¹⁴ But I have some things against you, because you have with you those who keep the teaching of Balaam, by whose suggestion Balak made the children of Israel go out of the right way, taking food which was offered to false gods, and going after the desires of the flesh.

²⁵ Then Saul said to David, May a blessing be on you, David, my son; you will do great things and without doubt you will overcome. Then David went on his way, and Saul went back to his place.

² Then Saul went down to the waste land of Ziph, taking with him three thousand of the best men of Israel, to make search for David in the waste land of Ziph.

²⁰ If a man comes across his hater, will he let him get away safe? so may you be rewarded by the Lord for what you have done for me today.

¹⁶ It was these who, moved by Balaam, were the cause of Israel's sin against the Lord in the question of Peor, because of which disease came on the people of the Lord.

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

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

¹³ In the morning Balaam got up and said to the chiefs of Balak, Go back to your land, for the Lord will not let me go with you.