Balaam’s First Message

23 Balaam said, “Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams^(A) for me.” ² Balak did as Balaam said, and the two of them offered a bull and a ram on each altar.^(B)

³ 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.

⁴ 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.”

⁵ The Lord put a word in Balaam’s mouth^(E) and said, “Go back to Balak and give him this word.”^(F)

⁶ So he went back to him and found him standing beside his offering, with all the Moabite officials.^{(G) 7} Then Balaam^(H) spoke his message:^(I)

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^(A) 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.^(B) Balak asked him, “What did the Lord say?”

¹⁸ Then he spoke his message:^(C)

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.^(A)