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Balaam's First Message

23 Balaam said to Balak, “Build seven altars here, then bring seven bulls and seven rams.”

After Balak had done this, they sacrificed a bull and a ram on each altar. Then Balaam said, “Wait here beside your offerings, and I'll go somewhere to be alone. Maybe the Lord will appear to me. If he does, I will tell you everything he says.” And he left.

When God appeared to him, Balaam said, “I have built seven altars and have sacrificed a bull and a ram on each one.”

The Lord gave Balaam a message, then sent him back to tell Balak. When Balaam returned, he found Balak and his officials standing beside the offerings.

Balaam said:

“King Balak of Moab brought me
    from the hills of Syria
to curse Israel
    and announce its doom.
But I can't go against God!
He did not curse
    or condemn Israel.

* “From the mountain peaks,
I look down and see Israel,
    the obedient people of God.
10 They are living alone in peace.
And though they are many,
    they don't bother
    the other nations.

“I hope to obey God
for as long as I live
    and to die in such peace.”

11 Balak said, “What are you doing? I asked you to come and place a curse on my enemies. But you have blessed them instead!”

12 Balaam answered, “I can say only what the Lord tells me.”

Balaam's Second Message

13 Balak said to Balaam, “Let's go somewhere else. Maybe if you see a smaller part of the Israelites, you will be able to curse them for me.” 14 So he took Balaam to a field on top of Mount Pisgah where lookouts were stationed.[a] Then he built seven altars there and sacrificed a bull and a ram on each one.

15 “Wait here beside your offerings,” Balaam said. “The Lord will appear to me over there.”

16 The Lord appeared to Balaam and gave him another message, then he told him to go and tell Balak. 17 Balaam went back and saw him and his officials standing beside the offerings.

Balak asked, “What did the Lord say?”

18 Balaam answered:

“Pay close attention
    to my words—
19 God is no mere human!
He doesn't tell lies
    or change his mind.
God always keeps his promises.

20 “My command from God
    was to bless these people,
and there's nothing I can do
    to change what he has done.
21 Israel's king is the Lord God.
He lives there with them
    and intends them no harm.
22 With the strength of a wild ox,
    God led Israel out of Egypt.
23 No magic charms can work
    against them—
just look what God has done
    for his people.
24 They are like angry lions
    ready to attack;
and they won't rest
until their victim
    is gobbled up.”

25 Balak shouted, “If you're not going to curse Israel, then at least don't bless them.”

26 “I've already told you,” Balaam answered. “I will say only what the Lord tells me.”

Balaam's Third Message

27 Balak said to Balaam, “Come on, let's try another place. Maybe God will let you curse Israel from there.” 28 So he took Balaam to Mount Peor overlooking the desert north of the Dead Sea.

29 Balaam said, “Build seven altars here, then bring me seven bulls and seven rams.”

30 After Balak had done what Balaam asked, he sacrificed a bull and a ram on each altar.

24 Balaam was sure that the Lord would tell him to bless Israel again. So he did not use any magic to find out what the Lord wanted him to do, as he had the first two times. Instead, he looked out toward the desert and saw the tribes of Israel camped below. Just then, God's Spirit took control of him, and Balaam said:

“I am the son of Beor,
and my words are true,[b]
    so listen to my message!
It comes from the Lord,
    the God All-Powerful.
I bowed down to him
    and saw a vision of Israel.

“People of Israel,
    your camp is lovely.
It's like a grove of palm trees[c]
    or a garden beside a river.
You are like tall aloe trees
    that the Lord has planted,
or like cedars
    growing near water.
You and your descendants
will prosper like an orchard
    beside a stream.
Your king will rule with power
and be a greater king
    than Agag the Amalekite.[d]
With the strength of a wild ox,
    God led you out of Egypt.
You will defeat your enemies,
shooting them with arrows[e]
    and crushing their bones.
(A) Like a lion you lie down,
    resting after an attack.
Who would dare disturb you?

“Anyone who blesses you
    will be blessed;
anyone who curses you
    will be cursed.”

10 When Balak heard this, he was so furious that he pounded his fist against his hand and said, “I called you here to place a curse on my enemies, and you've blessed them three times. 11 Leave now and go home! I told you I would pay you well, but since the Lord didn't let you do what I asked, you won't be paid.”

12 Balaam answered, “I told your messengers 13 that even if you offered me a palace full of silver or gold, I would still obey the Lord. And I explained that I would say only what he told me. 14 So I'm going back home, but I'm leaving you with a warning about what the Israelites will someday do to your nation.”

Balaam's Fourth Message

15 Balaam said:

“I am the son of Beor,
and my words are true,[f]
    so listen to my message!
16 My knowledge comes
from God Most High,
    the Lord All-Powerful.
I bowed down to him
    and saw a vision of Israel.

17 “What I saw in my vision
    hasn't happened yet.
But someday, a king of Israel
    will appear like a star.
He will wipe out you Moabites[g]
and destroy[h] those tribes
    who live in the desert.[i]
18 Israel will conquer Edom
and capture the land
    of that enemy nation.
19 The king of Israel will rule
and destroy the survivors
    of every town there.[j]

20 “And I saw this vision
    about the Amalekites:[k]
Their nation is now great,
but it will someday
    disappear forever.[l]

21 “And this is what I saw
    about the Kenites:[m]
They think they're safe,
    living among the rocks,
22 but they will be wiped out
    when Assyria conquers them.[n]

23 “No one can survive
    if God plans destruction.[o]
24 Ships will come from Cyprus,
bringing people who will invade
    the lands of Assyria and Eber.
But finally, Cyprus itself
    will be ruined.”

25 After Balaam finished, he started home, and Balak also left.

Footnotes

  1. 23.14 a field … where lookouts were stationed: Or “Zophim Field on the top of Mount Pisgah.”
  2. 24.3 my words are true: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  3. 24.6 grove of palm trees: Or “green valley.”
  4. 24.7 Agag the Amalekite: The Amalekites were longtime enemies of the Israelites (see Exodus 17.8-16), and Agag was one of their most powerful kings.
  5. 24.8 shooting them with arrows: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  6. 24.15 my words are true: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  7. 24.17 you Moabites: Or “the territories of Moab.”
  8. 24.17 destroy: The Standard Hebrew Text; the Samaritan Hebrew Text “the skulls of.”
  9. 24.17 those tribes … desert: The Hebrew text has “the descendants of Sheth,” which probably refers to the people who lived in the desert areas of Canaan before the Israelites.
  10. 24.19 every town there: Or “Ir in Moab.”
  11. 24.20 the Amalekites: See the note at 24.7.
  12. 24.20 but … forever: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  13. 24.21 the Kenites: A group of people who lived in the desert south of Israel.
  14. 24.22 them: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 22.
  15. 24.23 destruction: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 23.

Balaam’s First Message

23 Balaam said, “Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams(A) for me.” Balak did as Balaam said, and the two of them offered a bull and a ram on each altar.(B)

Then Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here beside your offering while I go aside. Perhaps the Lord will come to meet with me.(C) Whatever he reveals to me I will tell you.” Then he went off to a barren height.

God met with him,(D) and Balaam said, “I have prepared seven altars, and on each altar I have offered a bull and a ram.”

The Lord put a word in Balaam’s mouth(E) and said, “Go back to Balak and give him this word.”(F)

So he went back to him and found him standing beside his offering, with all the Moabite officials.(G) Then Balaam(H) spoke his message:(I)

“Balak brought me from Aram,(J)
    the king of Moab from the eastern mountains.(K)
‘Come,’ he said, ‘curse Jacob for me;
    come, denounce Israel.’(L)
How can I curse
    those whom God has not cursed?(M)
How can I denounce
    those whom the Lord has not denounced?(N)
From the rocky peaks I see them,
    from the heights I view them.(O)
I see a people who live apart
    and do not consider themselves one of the nations.(P)
10 Who can count the dust of Jacob(Q)
    or number even a fourth of Israel?
Let me die the death of the righteous,(R)
    and may my final end be like theirs!(S)

11 Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies,(T) but you have done nothing but bless them!”(U)

12 He answered, “Must I not speak what the Lord puts in my mouth?”(V)

Balaam’s Second Message

13 Then Balak said to him, “Come with me to another place(W) where you can see them; you will not see them all but only the outskirts of their camp.(X) And from there, curse them for me.(Y) 14 So he took him to the field of Zophim on the top of Pisgah,(Z) and there he built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.(AA)

15 Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here beside your offering while I meet with him over there.”

16 The Lord met with Balaam and put a word in his mouth(AB) and said, “Go back to Balak and give him this word.”

17 So he went to him and found him standing beside his offering, with the Moabite officials.(AC) Balak asked him, “What did the Lord say?”

18 Then he spoke his message:(AD)

“Arise, Balak, and listen;
    hear me, son of Zippor.(AE)
19 God is not human,(AF) that he should lie,(AG)
    not a human being, that he should change his mind.(AH)
Does he speak and then not act?
    Does he promise(AI) and not fulfill?
20 I have received a command to bless;(AJ)
    he has blessed,(AK) and I cannot change it.(AL)

21 “No misfortune is seen in Jacob,(AM)
    no misery observed[a] in Israel.(AN)
The Lord their God is with them;(AO)
    the shout of the King(AP) is among them.
22 God brought them out of Egypt;(AQ)
    they have the strength of a wild ox.(AR)
23 There is no divination against[b] Jacob,
    no evil omens(AS) against[c] Israel.
It will now be said of Jacob
    and of Israel, ‘See what God has done!’
24 The people rise like a lioness;(AT)
    they rouse themselves like a lion(AU)
that does not rest till it devours its prey
    and drinks the blood(AV) of its victims.”

25 Then Balak said to Balaam, “Neither curse them at all nor bless them at all!”

26 Balaam answered, “Did I not tell you I must do whatever the Lord says?”(AW)

Balaam’s Third Message

27 Then Balak said to Balaam, “Come, let me take you to another place.(AX) Perhaps it will please God to let you curse them for me(AY) from there.” 28 And Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor,(AZ) overlooking the wasteland.

29 Balaam said, “Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me.” 30 Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.(BA)

24 Now when Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel,(BB) he did not resort to divination(BC) as at other times, but turned his face toward the wilderness.(BD) When Balaam looked out and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of God came on him(BE) and he spoke his message:

“The prophecy of Balaam son of Beor,
    the prophecy of one whose eye sees clearly,(BF)
the prophecy of one who hears the words of God,(BG)
    who sees a vision from the Almighty,[d](BH)
    who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened:

“How beautiful are your tents,(BI) Jacob,
    your dwelling places, Israel!

“Like valleys they spread out,
    like gardens beside a river,(BJ)
like aloes(BK) planted by the Lord,
    like cedars beside the waters.(BL)
Water will flow from their buckets;
    their seed will have abundant water.

“Their king will be greater than Agag;(BM)
    their kingdom will be exalted.(BN)

“God brought them out of Egypt;
    they have the strength of a wild ox.
They devour hostile nations
    and break their bones in pieces;(BO)
    with their arrows they pierce them.(BP)
Like a lion they crouch and lie down,
    like a lioness(BQ)—who dares to rouse them?

“May those who bless you be blessed(BR)
    and those who curse you be cursed!”(BS)

10 Then Balak’s anger burned(BT) against Balaam. He struck his hands together(BU) and said to him, “I summoned you to curse my enemies,(BV) but you have blessed them(BW) these three times.(BX) 11 Now leave at once and go home!(BY) I said I would reward you handsomely,(BZ) but the Lord has kept you from being rewarded.”

12 Balaam answered Balak, “Did I not tell the messengers you sent me,(CA) 13 ‘Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not do anything of my own accord, good or bad, to go beyond the command of the Lord(CB)—and I must say only what the Lord says’?(CC) 14 Now I am going back to my people, but come, let me warn you of what this people will do to your people in days to come.”(CD)

Balaam’s Fourth Message

15 Then he spoke his message:

“The prophecy of Balaam son of Beor,
    the prophecy of one whose eye sees clearly,
16 the prophecy of one who hears the words(CE) of God,
    who has knowledge from the Most High,(CF)
who sees a vision from the Almighty,
    who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened:

17 “I see him, but not now;
    I behold him, but not near.(CG)
A star will come out of Jacob;(CH)
    a scepter will rise out of Israel.(CI)
He will crush the foreheads of Moab,(CJ)
    the skulls[e](CK) of[f] all the people of Sheth.[g]
18 Edom(CL) will be conquered;
    Seir,(CM) his enemy, will be conquered,(CN)
    but Israel(CO) will grow strong.
19 A ruler will come out of Jacob(CP)
    and destroy the survivors of the city.”

Balaam’s Fifth Message

20 Then Balaam saw Amalek(CQ) and spoke his message:

“Amalek was first among the nations,
    but their end will be utter destruction.”(CR)

Balaam’s Sixth Message

21 Then he saw the Kenites(CS) and spoke his message:

“Your dwelling place is secure,(CT)
    your nest is set in a rock;
22 yet you Kenites will be destroyed
    when Ashur(CU) takes you captive.”

Balaam’s Seventh Message

23 Then he spoke his message:

“Alas! Who can live when God does this?[h]
24     Ships will come from the shores of Cyprus;(CV)
they will subdue Ashur(CW) and Eber,(CX)
    but they too will come to ruin.(CY)

25 Then Balaam(CZ) got up and returned home, and Balak went his own way.

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 23:21 Or He has not looked on Jacob’s offenses / or on the wrongs found
  2. Numbers 23:23 Or in
  3. Numbers 23:23 Or in
  4. Numbers 24:4 Hebrew Shaddai; also in verse 16
  5. Numbers 24:17 Samaritan Pentateuch (see also Jer. 48:45); the meaning of the word in the Masoretic Text is uncertain.
  6. Numbers 24:17 Or possibly Moab, / batter
  7. Numbers 24:17 Or all the noisy boasters
  8. Numbers 24:23 Masoretic Text; with a different word division of the Hebrew The people from the islands will gather from the north.