Balaam's First Oracle
1And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams. 2And Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bullock and a ram. 3And Balaam said unto Balak, Stand by thy burnt offering, and I will go: peradventure the LORD will come to meet me: and whatsoever he sheweth me I will tell thee. And he went to an high place.
4And God met Balaam: and he said unto him, I have prepared seven altars, and I have offered upon every altar a bullock and a ram. 5And the LORD put a word in Balaam's mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus thou shalt speak. 6And he returned unto him, and, lo, he stood by his burnt sacrifice, he, and all the princes of Moab.
7And he took up his parable, and said, Balak the king of Moab hath brought me from Aram, out of the mountains of the east, saying, Come, curse me Jacob, and come, defy Israel.
8How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the LORD hath not defied?
9For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him: lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations.
10Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his!
11And Balak said unto Balaam, What hast thou done unto me? I took thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast blessed them altogether. 12And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD hath put in my mouth?
Balaam's Second Oracle
13And 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. 14And he brought him into the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar. 15And he said unto Balak, Stand here by thy burnt offering, while I meet the LORD yonder. 16And the LORD met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Go again unto Balak, and say thus. 17And when he came to him, behold, he stood by his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said unto him, What hath the LORD spoken?
18And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor:
19God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?
20Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.
21He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the LORD his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them.
22God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn.
23Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel: according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought!
24Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion, and lift up himself as a young lion: he shall not lie down until he eat of the prey, and drink the blood of the slain.
25And Balak said unto Balaam, Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all. 26But Balaam answered and said unto Balak, Told not I thee, saying, All that the LORD speaketh, that I must do?
27And Balak said unto Balaam, Come, I pray thee, I will bring thee unto another place; peradventure it will please God that thou mayest curse me them from thence. 28And Balak brought Balaam unto the top of Peor, that looketh toward Jeshimon. 29And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams. 30And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar.
King James Bible
Text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.
Balaam’s First Oracle
1 Balaam said to Balak, “Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bulls and seven rams.” 2 Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bull and a ram. 3 Balaam said to Balak, “Stand by your burnt offering, and I will go: perhaps Yahweh will come to meet me; and whatever he shows me I will tell you.” He went to a bare height.
4 God met Balaam: and he said to him, “I have prepared the seven altars, and I have offered up a bull and a ram on every altar.” 5 Yahweh put a word in Balaam’s mouth, and said, “Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak.” 6 He returned to him, and behold, he was standing by his burnt offering, he, and all the princes of Moab.
7 He took up his parable, and said, “From Aram has Balak brought me, the king of Moab from the mountains of the East. Come, curse Jacob for me. Come, defy Israel.
8 How shall I curse whom God has not cursed? How shall I defy whom Yahweh has not defied?
9 For from the top of the rocks I see him. From the hills I see him. Behold, it is a people that dwells alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations.
10 Who can count the dust of Jacob, or number the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous! Let my last end be like his!”
11 Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have blessed them altogether.” 12 He answered and said, “Must I not take heed to speak that which Yahweh puts in my mouth?”
Balaam’s Second Oracle
13 Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place, where you may see them; you shall see but the utmost part of them, and shall not see them all: and curse me them from there.” 14 He took him into the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered up a bull and a ram on every altar. 15 He said to Balak, “Stand here by your burnt offering, while I meet over there.” 16 Yahweh met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, “Return to Balak, and say this.” 17 He came to him, and behold, he was standing by his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. Balak said to him, “What has Yahweh spoken?”
18 He took up his parable, and said, “Rise up, Balak, and hear! Listen to me, you son of Zippor.
19 God is not a man, that he should lie, nor the son of man, that he should repent. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not make it good?
20 Behold, I have received a command to bless. He has blessed, and I can’t reverse it.
21 He has not seen iniquity in Jacob. Neither has he seen perverseness in Israel. Yahweh his God is with him. The shout of a king is among them.
22 God brings them out of Egypt. He has as it were the strength of the wild ox.
23 Surely there is no enchantment with Jacob; Neither is there any divination with Israel. Now it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What has God done!
24 Behold, the people rises up as a lioness, As a lion he lifts himself up. He shall not lie down until he eat of the prey, and drinks the blood of the slain.”
25 Balak said to Balaam, “Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all.” 26 But Balaam answered Balak, “Didn’t I tell you, saying, ‘All that Yahweh speaks, that I must do?’”
27 Balak said to Balaam, “Come now, I will take you to another place; perhaps it will please God that you may curse me them from there.” 28 Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, that looks down on the desert. 29 Balaam said to Balak, “Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bulls and seven rams.” 30 Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered up a bull and a ram on every altar.
Balaam’s First Oracle
1 Then Balaam said to Balak, “Build for me seven altars here, and prepare for me seven bulls and seven rams.”
2 So Balak did as Balaam had instructed, and Balak and Balaam offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
3 “Stay here by your burnt offering while I am gone,” Balaam said to Balak. “Perhaps the LORD will meet with me. And whatever He reveals to me, I will tell you.”
So Balaam went off to a barren height, 4 and God met with him. “I have set up seven altars,” Balaam said, “and on each altar I have offered a bull and a ram.”
5 Then the LORD put a message in Balaam’s mouth, saying, “Return to Balak and give him this message.”
6 So he returned to Balak, who was standing there beside his burnt offering, with all the princes of Moab.
7 And Balaam lifted up an oracle, saying:
“Balak brought me from Aram,
the king of Moab from the mountains of the east.
‘Come,’ he said, ‘put a curse on Jacob for me;
come and denounce Israel!’
8 How can I curse what God has not cursed?
How can I denounce what the LORD has not denounced?
9 For I see them from atop the rocky cliffs,
and I watch them from the hills.
Behold, a people dwelling apart,
not reckoning themselves among the nations.
10 Who can count the dust of Jacob
or number even a fourth of Israel?
Let me die the death of the righteous;
let my end be like theirs!”
11 Then Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you here to curse my enemies, and behold, you have only blessed them!”
12 But Balaam replied, “Should I not speak exactly what the LORD puts in my mouth?”
Balaam’s Second Oracle
13 Then Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place where you can see them. You will only see the outskirts of their camp—not all of them. And from there, curse them for me.”
14 So Balak took him to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, where he built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
15 Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here beside your burnt offering while I meet the LORD over there.”
16 And the LORD met with Balaam and put a message in his mouth, saying, “Return to Balak and speak what I tell you.”
17 So he returned to Balak, who was standing there by his burnt offering with the princes of Moab.
“What did the LORD say?” Balak asked.
18 Then Balaam lifted up an oracle, saying:
“Arise, O Balak, and listen;
give ear to me, O son of Zippor.
19 God is not a man, that He should lie,
or a son of man, that He should change His mind.
Does He speak and not act?
Does He promise and not fulfill?
20 I have indeed received a command to bless;
He has blessed, and I cannot change it.
21 He considers no disaster for Jacob;
He sees no trouble for Israel.
The LORD their God is with them,
and the shout of the King is among them.
22 God brought them out of Egypt
with strength like a wild ox.
23 For there is no spell against Jacob
and no divination against Israel.
It will now be said of Jacob and Israel,
‘What great things God has done!’
24 Behold, the people rise like a lioness;
they rouse themselves like a lion,
not resting until they devour their prey
and drink the blood of the slain.”
25 Now Balak said to Balaam, “Then neither curse them at all nor bless them at all!”
26 But Balaam replied, “Did I not tell you that whatever the LORD says, I must do?”
27 “Please come,” said Balak, “I will take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God that you curse them for me from there.”
28 And Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, which overlooks the wasteland. a
29 Then Balaam said, “Build for me seven altars here, and prepare for me seven bulls and seven rams.”
30 So Balak did as Balaam had instructed, and he offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
Footnotes:
28 a Or Jeshimon
Balaam's First Oracle
1And 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.' 2And Balak doth as Balaam hath spoken, and Balak -- Balaam also -- offereth a bullock and a ram on the altar, 3and 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.
4And 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;' 5and Jehovah putteth a word in the mouth of Balaam, and saith, 'Turn back unto Balak, and thus thou dost speak.' 6And he turneth back unto him, and lo, he is standing by his burnt-offering, he and all the princes of Moab.
7And 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.
8What -- do I pierce? -- God hath not pierced! And what -- am I indignant? -- Jehovah hath not been indignant!
9For 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.
10Who 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!'
11And Balak saith unto Balaam, 'What hast thou done to me? to pierce mine enemies I have taken thee -- and lo, thou hast certainly blessed;' 12and he answereth and saith, 'That which Jehovah doth put in my mouth -- it do I not take heed to speak?'
Balaam's Second Oracle
13And 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;' 14and 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. 15And he saith unto Balak, 'Station thyself here by thy burnt-offering, and I -- I meet Him there;' 16and Jehovah cometh unto Balaam, and setteth a word in his mouth, and saith, 'Turn back unto Balak, and thus thou dost speak.' 17And 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?'
18And he taketh up his simile, and saith: 'Rise, Balak, and hear; Give ear unto me, son of Zippor!
19God 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?
20Lo, to bless I have received: Yea, He blesseth, and I can not reverse it.
21He 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.
22God is bringing them out from Egypt, As the swiftness of a Reem is to him;
23For no enchantment is against Jacob, Nor divination against Israel, At the time it is said of Jacob and Israel, What hath God wrought!
24Lo, 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.'
25And Balak saith unto Balaam, 'Neither pierce it at all, nor bless it at all;' 26and Balaam answereth and saith unto Balak, 'Have I not spoken unto thee, saying, All that Jehovah speaketh -- it I do?'
27And 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.' 28And Balak taketh Balaam to the top of Peor, which is looking on the front of the wilderness, 29and 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;' 30and Balak doth as Balaam said, and he offereth a bullock and a ram on an altar.
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