Numbers 23:1-27 in English

¹ And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams.

² And Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bullock and a ram.

³ And Balaam said unto Balak, Stand by thy burnt-offering, and I will go: peradventure Jehovah will come to meet me; and whatsoever he showeth me I will tell thee. And he went to a bare height.

⁴ And God met Balaam: and he said unto him, I have prepared the seven altars, and I have offered up a bullock and a ram on every altar.

⁵ And Jehovah put a word in Balaam’s mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus thou shalt speak.

⁶ And he returned unto him, and, lo, he was standing by his burnt-offering, he, and all the princes of Moab.

⁷ And he took up his parable, and said, From Aram hath Balak brought me, The king of Moab from the mountains of the East: Come, curse me Jacob, And come, defy Israel.

⁸ How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? And how shall I defy, whom Jehovah hath not defied?

⁹ For from the top of the rocks I see him, And from the hills I behold him: Lo, it is a people that dwelleth 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, And let my last end be like his!

¹¹ And Balak said unto Balaam, What hast thou done unto me? I took thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast blessed them altogether.

¹² And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which Jehovah putteth in my mouth?

¹³ And 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.

¹⁴ And he took him into the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered up a bullock and a ram on every altar.

¹⁵ And he said unto Balak, Stand here by thy burnt-offering, while I meet Jehovah yonder.

¹⁶ And Jehovah met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus shalt thou speak.

¹⁷ And he came to him, and, lo, he was standing by his burnt-offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said unto him, What hath Jehovah spoken?

¹⁸ And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; Hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor:

¹⁹ God is not a man, that he should lie, Neither the son of man, that he should repent: Hath he said, and will he not do it? Or hath he spoken, and will he not make it good?

²⁰ Behold, I have received commandment to bless: And he hath blessed, and I cannot reverse it.

²¹ He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob; Neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: Jehovah his God is with him, And the shout of a king is among them.

²² God bringeth them forth out of Egypt; He hath 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 shall it be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought!

²⁴ Behold, the people riseth up as a lioness, And as a lion doth he lift himself up: He shall not lie down until he eat of the prey, And drink the blood of the slain.

²⁵ And Balak said unto Balaam, Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all.

²⁶ But Balaam answered and said unto Balak, Told not I thee, saying, All that Jehovah speaketh, that I must do?

²⁷ And Balak said unto Balaam, Come now, I will take thee unto another place; peradventure it will please God that thou mayest curse me them from thence.

¹ And Balaam said to Balac, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven calves, and seven rams.

² And Balac did as Balaam told him; and he offered up a calf and a ram on every altar.

³ And Balaam said to Balac, Stand by thy sacrifice, and I will go and see if God will appear to me and meet me, and the word which he shall shew me, I will report to thee. And Balac stood by his sacrifice.

⁴ And Balaam went to enquire of God; and he went straight forward, and God appeared to Balaam; and Balaam said to him, I have prepared the seven altars, and have offered a calf and a ram on every altar.

⁵ And God put a word into the mouth of Balaam, and said, Thou shalt return to Balac, and thus shalt thou speak.

⁶ And he returned to him, and moreover he stood over his whole-burnt-offerings, and all the princes of Moab with him; and the Spirit of God came upon him.

⁷ And he took up his parable, and said, Balac king of Moab sent for me out of Mesopotamia, out of the mountains of the east, saying, Come, curse me Jacob, and Come, call for a curse for me upon Israel.

⁸ How can I curse whom the Lord curses not? or how can I devote whom God devotes not?

⁹ For from the top of the mountains I shall see him, and from the hills I shall observe him: behold, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations.

¹⁰ Who has exactly calculated the seed of Jacob, and who shall number the families of Israel? let my soul die with the souls of the righteous, and let my seed be as their seed.

¹¹ And Balac said to Balaam, What hast thou done to me? I called thee to curse my enemies, and behold thou hast greatly blessed them.

¹² And Balaam said to Balac, Whatsoever the Lord shall put into my mouth, shall I not take heed to speak this?

¹³ And Balac said to him, Come yet with me to another place where thou shalt not see the people, but only thou shalt see a part of them, and shalt not see them all; and curse me them from thence.

¹⁴ And he took him to a high place of the field to the top of the quarried rock, and he built there seven altars, and offered a calf and a ram on every altar.

¹⁵ And Balaam said to Balac, Stand by thy sacrifice, and I will go to enquire of God.

¹⁶ And God met Balaam, and put a word into his mouth, and said, Return to Balac, and thus shalt thou speak.

¹⁷ And he returned to him: and he also was standing by his whole-burnt-sacrifice, and all the princes of Moab with him; and Balac said to him, What has the Lord spoken?

¹⁸ And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balac, and hear; hearken as a witness, thou son of Sepphor.

¹⁹ God is not as man to waver, nor as the son of man to be threatened; shall he say and not perform? shall he speak and not keep to his word?

²⁰ Behold, I have received commandment to bless: I will bless, and not turn back.

²¹ There shall not be trouble in Jacob, neither shall sorrow be seen in Israel: the Lord his God is with him, the glories of rulers are in him.

²² It was God who brought him out of Egypt; he has as it were the glory of a unicorn.

²³ For there is no divination in Jacob, nor enchantment in Israel; in season it shall be told to Jacob and Israel what God shall perform.

²⁴ Behold, the people shall rise up as a lion's whelp, and shall exalt himself as a lion; he shall not lie down till he have eaten the prey, and he shall drink the blood of the slain.

²⁵ And Balac said to Balaam, Neither curse the people at all for me, nor bless them at all.

²⁶ And Balaam answered and said to Balac, Spoke I not to thee, saying, Whatsoever thing God shall speak to me, that will I do?

²⁷ And Balac said to Balaam, Come and I will remove thee to another place, if it shall please God, and curse me them from thence.

¹ And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams.

² And Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bullock and a ram.

³ And 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.

⁴ And 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.

⁵ And the LORD put a word in Balaam’s mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus thou shalt speak.

⁶ And he returned unto him, and, lo, he stood by his burnt sacrifice, he, and all the princes of Moab.

⁷ And 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.

⁸ How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the LORD hath not defied?

⁹ For 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.

¹⁰ Who 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!

¹¹ And Balak said unto Balaam, What hast thou done unto me? I took thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast blessed them altogether.

¹² And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD hath put in my mouth?

¹³ And 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.

¹⁴ And 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.

¹⁵ And he said unto Balak, Stand here by thy burnt offering, while I meet the Lord yonder.

¹⁶ And the LORD met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Go again unto Balak, and say thus.

¹⁷ And 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?

¹⁸ And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor:

¹⁹ God 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?

²⁰ Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.

²¹ He 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.

²² God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn.

²³ Surely 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!

²⁴ Behold, 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.

²⁵ And Balak said unto Balaam, Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all.

²⁶ But Balaam answered and said unto Balak, Told not I thee, saying, All that the LORD speaketh, that I must do?

²⁷ And 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.

¹ And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams.

² And Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bullock and a ram.

³ And 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.

⁴ And 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.

⁵ And the LORD put a word in Balaam’s mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus thou shalt speak.

⁶ And he returned unto him, and, lo, he stood by his burnt sacrifice, he, and all the princes of Moab.

⁷ And 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.

⁸ How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the LORD hath not defied?

⁹ For 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.

¹⁰ Who 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!

¹¹ And Balak said unto Balaam, What hast thou done unto me? I took thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast blessed them altogether.

¹² And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD hath put in my mouth?

¹³ And 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.

¹⁴ And 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.

¹⁵ And he said unto Balak, Stand here by thy burnt offering, while I meet the Lord yonder.

¹⁶ And the LORD met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Go again unto Balak, and say thus.

¹⁷ And 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?

¹⁸ And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor:

¹⁹ God 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?

²⁰ Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.

²¹ He 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.

²² God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn.

²³ Surely 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!

²⁴ Behold, 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.

²⁵ And Balak said unto Balaam, Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all.

²⁶ But Balaam answered and said unto Balak, Told not I thee, saying, All that the LORD speaketh, that I must do?

²⁷ And 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.

¹ And Balaam said to Balac, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven calves, and seven rams.

² And Balac did as Balaam told him; and he offered up a calf and a ram on every altar.

³ And Balaam said to Balac, Stand by your sacrifice, and I will go and see if God will appear to me and meet me, and the word which he shall show me, I will report to you. And Balac stood by his sacrifice.

⁴ And Balaam went to enquire of God; and he went straight forward, and God appeared to Balaam; and Balaam said to him, I have prepared the seven altars, and have offered a calf and a ram on every altar.

⁵ And God put a word into the mouth of Balaam, and said, you shall return to Balac, and thus shall you speak.

⁶ And he returned to him, and moreover he stood over his whole burnt offerings, and all the princes of Moab with him; and the Spirit of God came upon him.

⁷ And he took up his parable, and said, Balac king of Moab sent for me out of Mesopotamia, out of the mountains of the east, saying, Come, curse me Jacob, and Come, call for a curse for me upon Israel.

⁸ How can I curse whom the Lord curses not? or how can I devote whom God devotes not?

⁹ For from the top of the mountains I shall see him, and from the hills I shall observe him: behold, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations.

¹⁰ Who has exactly calculated the seed of Jacob, and who shall number the families of Israel? let my soul die with the souls of the righteous, and let my seed be as their seed.

¹¹ And Balac said to Balaam, What have you done to me? I called you to curse my enemies, and behold you have greatly blessed them.

¹² And Balaam said to Balac, Whatsoever the Lord shall put into my mouth, shall I not take heed to speak this?

¹³ And Balac said to him, Come yet with me to another place where you shall not see the people, but only you shall see a part of them, and shall not see them all; and curse me them from thence.

¹⁴ And he took him to a high place of the field to the top of the quarried rock, and he built there seven altars, and offered a calf and a ram on every altar.

¹⁵ And Balaam said to Balac, Stand by your sacrifice, and I will go to enquire of God.

¹⁶ And God met Balaam, and put a word into his mouth, and said, return to Balac, and thus shall you speak.

¹⁷ And he returned to him: and he also was standing by his whole burnt sacrifice, and all the princes of Moab with him; and Balac said to him, What has the Lord spoken?

¹⁸ And he took up his parable, and said, rise up, Balac, and hear; listen as a witness, you son of Sepphor.

¹⁹ God is not as man to waver, nor as the son of man to be threatened; shall he say and not perform? shall he speak and not keep to his word?

²⁰ Behold, I have received commandment to bless: I will bless, and not turn back.

²¹ There shall not be trouble in Jacob, neither shall sorrow be seen in Israel: the Lord his God is with him, the glories of rulers are in him.

²² It was God who brought him out of Egypt; he has as it were the glory of a unicorn.

²³ For there is no divination in Jacob, nor enchantment in Israel; in season it shall be told to Jacob and Israel what God shall perform.

²⁴ Behold, the people shall rise up as a lion's whelp, and shall exalt himself as a lion; he shall not lie down till he have eaten the prey, and he shall drink the blood of the slain.

²⁵ And Balac said to Balaam, Neither curse the people at all for me, nor bless them at all.

²⁶ And Balaam answered and said to Balac, Spoke I not to you, saying, Whatsoever thing God shall speak to me, that will I do?

²⁷ And Balac said to Balaam, Come and I will remove you to another place, if it shall please God, and curse me them from thence.

¹ And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams.

² And Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bullock and a ram.

³ And 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 a bare height.

⁴ And God met Balaam: and he said unto him, I have prepared the seven altars, and I have offered up a bullock and a ram on every altar.

⁵ And the LORD put a word in Balaam’s mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus thou shalt speak.

⁶ And he returned unto him, and, lo, he stood by his burnt offering, he, and all the princes of Moab.

⁷ And he took up his parable, and said, From Aram hath Balak brought me, The king of Moab from the mountains of the East: Come, curse me Jacob, And come, defy Israel.

⁸ How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? And how shall I defy, whom the LORD hath not defied?

⁹ For from the top of the rocks I see him, And from the hills I behold him: Lo, it is a people that dwell 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, And let my last end be like his!

¹¹ And Balak said unto Balaam, What hast thou done unto me? I took thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast blessed them altogether.

¹² And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD putteth in my mouth?

¹³ And 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.

¹⁴ And he took him into the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered up a bullock and a ram on every altar.

¹⁵ And he said unto Balak, Stand here by thy burnt offering, while I meet the LORD yonder.

¹⁶ And the LORD met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus shalt thou speak.

¹⁷ And he came to him, and, lo, he stood by his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said unto him, What hath the LORD spoken?

¹⁸ And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; Hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor:

¹⁹ God 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?

²⁰ Behold, I have received commandment to bless: And he hath blessed, and I cannot reverse it.

²¹ He 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.

²² God bringeth them forth out of Egypt; He hath 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 shall it be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought!

²⁴ Behold, the people riseth up as a lioness, And as a lion doth he lift himself up: He shall not lie down until he eat of the prey, And drink the blood of the slain.

²⁵ And Balak said unto Balaam, Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all.

²⁶ But Balaam answered and said unto Balak, Told not I thee, saying, All that the LORD speaketh, that I must do?

²⁷ And Balak said unto Balaam, Come now, I will take thee unto another place; peradventure it will please God that thou mayest curse me them from thence.

¹ Balaam said to King Balak, “Build seven altars for me here. Then kill seven young bulls and seven rams for a sacrifice.”

² So Balak did that. And then he and Balaam each burned a young bull and a ram as a sacrifice on each altar.

³ Then Balaam said to Balak, “You stand here close to your burned offerings, and I will go and ask Yahweh if he has something else to tell me. Then I will tell you what he says to me.” Then Balaam went by himself to the top of a hill,

⁴ and God appeared to him there. Balaam said to him, “We have built seven altars, and I have killed and burned a young bull and a ram as a sacrifice to you on each altar.”

⁵ Then Yahweh gave Balaam a message to give to King Balak. Then he said, “Go back and tell him what I told you.”

⁶ When Balaam returned to Balak, Balak was standing with the leaders from Moab beside the offerings he had burned on the altar.

⁷ This is the message that Balaam told them: “Balak, the King of Moab, summoned me to come here from Syria; he brought me here from the hills at the eastern side of Syria. He said, ‘Come and curse the descendants of Jacob for me, saying that bad things will happen to these Israeli people!’

⁸ But ◄how can I curse people whom God has not cursed?/I certainly cannot curse people whom God has not cursed!► RHQ ◄How can I condemn people whom Yahweh has not condemned?/I cannot condemn people whom Yahweh has not condemned!► RHQ

⁹ I have seen them from the tops of the rocky peaks, . I see that they are a group of people who live by themselves; they have separated themselves from other nations.

¹⁰ ◄Who can count the descendants of Jacob; they are as numerous as particles of ‘dust/dirt’?/No one can count the descendants of Jacob; they are as numerous as particles of ‘dust/dirt’!► RHQ ◄Who can count even a quarter of the Israeli people?/No one can count even a quarter of the Israeli people!► RHQ I wish/hope that I will die like righteous people die; I hope that I will die peacefully like they will die.”

¹¹ Then Balak said, “What have you done to me RHQ? I brought you here to curse my enemies, but instead you have ◄blessed them/asked Yahweh to bless them►!”

¹² But Balaam replied, “I can RHQ say only what Yahweh tells me to say. I cannot say anything else.”

¹³ Then King Balak told Balaam, “Come with me to another place. There you will see only part of the Israeli people, and you will be able to curse those people for me.”

¹⁴ So Balak took Balaam to a field on the top of Pisgah Mountain. There, again he built seven altars and offered a young bull and a ram as a sacrifice on each altar.

¹⁵ Then Balaam said to the king, “Stand here close to your burned offerings, while I go and talk with Yahweh.”

¹⁶ So Balaam did that, and Yahweh appeared to Balaam again and gave him another message. Then he said, “Go back to Balak and tell him that message.”

¹⁷ So Balaam returned to where the king and the leaders from Moab were standing, next to the altar where Balak had burned the sacrifices. Balak asked him, “What did Yahweh say?”

¹⁸ Then Balaam told him this message: “Balak, listen carefully; hear what I have to say, you son of Zippor DOU!

¹⁹ God is not a human being. Humans lie, but God never lies. He never changes his mind/thoughts, as humans do. Whatever he has said that he will do, he does.

²⁰ He commanded me to request him to bless the Israelis, So he has blessed them, and I cannot change that.

²¹ Yahweh their God is with/helping them; they have declared that he is their true king. So the descendants of Jacob will not be harmed; they will not have any troubles DOU.

²² God brought them out of Egypt where they were slaves; he is as strong as a wild ox.

²³ When people curse PRS the descendants of Jacob, they will not be harmed; when people work sorcery on them, it will have no power. So now people will say about the descendants of Jacob, ‘God has done wonderful things for the Israelis!’

²⁴ They are very strong, like lionesses that are ready to attack other animals; they stand firm like lions. The lions refuse to rest until they have killed and eaten their prey, and drunk the blood of the animals they slaughtered.”

²⁵ Then Balak said to Balaam, “If you will not curse them, then I certainly do not want you to bless them!”

²⁶ But Balaam replied, “I told you that I must do only what Yahweh tells me to do!”

²⁷ Then King Balak said to Balaam, “Come with me; I will take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God to allow you to curse them from that place.”

¹ And Balaam said to Balac, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven calves, and seven rams.

² And Balac did as Balaam told him; and he offered up a calf and a ram on every altar.

³ And Balaam said to Balac, Stand by your sacrifice, and I will go and see if God will appear to me and meet me, and the word which he shall show me, I will report to you. And Balac stood by his sacrifice.

⁴ And Balaam went to enquire of God; and he went straight forward, and God appeared to Balaam; and Balaam said to him, I have prepared the seven altars, and have offered a calf and a ram on every altar.

⁵ And God put a word into the mouth of Balaam, and said, you shall return to Balac, and thus shall you speak.

⁶ And he returned to him, and moreover he stood over his whole burnt offerings, and all the princes of Moab with him; and the Spirit of God came upon him.

⁷ And he took up his parable, and said, Balac king of Moab sent for me out of Mesopotamia, out of the mountains of the east, saying, Come, curse me Jacob, and Come, call for a curse for me upon Israel.

⁸ How can I curse whom the Lord curses not? or how can I devote whom God devotes not?

⁹ For from the top of the mountains I shall see him, and from the hills I shall observe him: behold, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned amongst the nations.

¹⁰ Who has exactly calculated the seed of Jacob, and who shall number the families of Israel? let my soul die with the souls of the righteous, and let my seed be as their seed.

¹¹ And Balac said to Balaam, What have you done to me? I called you to curse my enemies, and behold you have greatly blessed them.

¹² And Balaam said to Balac, Whatsoever the Lord shall put into my mouth, shall I not take heed to speak this?

¹³ And Balac said to him, Come yet with me to another place where you shall not see the people, but only you shall see a part of them, and shall not see them all; and curse me them from thence.

¹⁴ And he took him to a high place of the field to the top of the quarried rock, and he built there seven altars, and offered a calf and a ram on every altar.

¹⁵ And Balaam said to Balac, Stand by your sacrifice, and I will go to enquire of God.

¹⁶ And God met Balaam, and put a word into his mouth, and said, return to Balac, and thus shall you speak.

¹⁷ And he returned to him: and he also was standing by his whole burnt sacrifice, and all the princes of Moab with him; and Balac said to him, What has the Lord spoken?

¹⁸ And he took up his parable, and said, rise up, Balac, and hear; listen as a witness, you son of Sepphor.

¹⁹ God is not as man to waver, nor as the son of man to be threatened; shall he say and not perform? shall he speak and not keep to his word?

²⁰ Behold, I have received commandment to bless: I will bless, and not turn back.

²¹ There shall not be trouble in Jacob, neither shall sorrow be seen in Israel: the Lord his God is with him, the glories of rulers are in him.

²² It was God who brought him out of Egypt; he has as it were the glory of a unicorn.

²³ For there is no divination in Jacob, nor enchantment in Israel; in season it shall be told to Jacob and Israel what God shall perform.

²⁴ Behold, the people shall rise up as a lion's whelp, and shall exalt himself as a lion; he shall not lie down till he have eaten the prey, and he shall drink the blood of the slain.

²⁵ And Balac said to Balaam, Neither curse the people at all for me, nor bless them at all.

²⁶ And Balaam answered and said to Balac, Spoke I not to you, saying, Whatsoever thing God shall speak to me, that will I do?

²⁷ And Balac said to Balaam, Come and I will remove you to another place, if it shall please God, and curse me them from thence.

¹ Balaam said to Balak, “Build here seven altars for me, and prepare here seven bulls and seven rams for me.”

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. 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 listed among the nations.

¹⁰ Who can count the dust of Jacob, or count 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?”

¹³ Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place, where you may see them. You shall see just part of them, and shall not see them all. Curse them from there for me.”

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 God 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 a son of man, that he should repent. Has he said, and he won’t do it? Or has he spoken, and he won’t 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, a people rises up as a lioness. As a lion he lifts himself up. He shall not lie down until he eats 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 them for me from there.”

¹ Balaam said to Balak, “Build here seven altars for me, and prepare here seven bulls and seven rams for me.”

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. 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 listed among the nations.

¹⁰ Who can count the dust of Jacob, or count 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?”

¹³ Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place, where you may see them. You shall see just part of them, and shall not see them all. Curse them from there for me.”

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 God 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 a son of man, that he should repent. Has he said, and he won’t do it? Or has he spoken, and he won’t 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, a people rises up as a lioness. As a lion he lifts himself up. He shall not lie down until he eats 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 them for me from there.”

¹ Balaam said to Balak, “Build here seven altars for me, and prepare here seven bulls and seven rams for me.”

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 the LORD will come to meet me. 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 The LORD 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 the LORD 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 listed amongst the nations.

¹⁰ Who can count the dust of Jacob, or count 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 the LORD puts in my mouth?”

¹³ Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place, where you may see them. You shall see just part of them, and shall not see them all. Curse them from there for me.”

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 God over there.”

¹⁶ The LORD 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 the LORD 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 a son of man, that he should repent. Has he said, and he won’t do it? Or has he spoken, and he won’t 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. The LORD his God is with him. The shout of a king is amongst 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, a people rises up as a lioness. As a lion he lifts himself up. He shall not lie down until he eats 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 the LORD 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 them for me from there.”

¹ And Balaam said to Balak, Make me here seven altars and get ready seven oxen and seven male sheep.

² And Balak did as Balaam had said; and Balak and Balaam made an offering on every altar of an ox and a male sheep.

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.

⁴ And God came to Balaam, and Balaam said to him, I have made ready seven altars, offering an ox and a male sheep on every altar.

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?

¹³ And Balak said to him, Come with me now into another place from which you will not be able to see them all, but only the outskirts of them; and you will send curses on them from there.

¹⁴ So he took him into the country of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and there they made seven altars, offering an ox and a male sheep on every altar.

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

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?

²⁷ Then Balak said to Balaam, Come now, I will take you to another place; it may be that God will let you put a curse on them from there.

¹ And Balaam said to Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams.

² And Balak did as Balaam had said; and Balak and Balaam offered up a bullock and a ram on each altar.

³ And Balaam said to Balak, Stand by thy burnt-offering, and I will go; perhaps Jehovah will come to meet me; and whatever he shews me I will tell thee. And he went to a hill.

⁴ And God met Balaam; and Balaam said to him, I have disposed seven altars, and have offered up a bullock and a ram upon each altar.

⁵ And Jehovah put a word in Balaam's mouth, and said, Return to Balak, and thus shalt thou speak.

⁶ And he returned to him, and behold, he was standing by his burnt-offering, he, and all the princes of Moab.

⁷ And he took up his parable, and said, Balak the king of Moab hath brought me from Aram, from the mountains of the east: Come, curse me Jacob, and come, denounce Israel!

⁸ How shall I curse whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I denounce whom Jehovah doth not denounce?

⁹ For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him: Lo, it is a people that shall dwell alone and shall not be reckoned among the nations.

¹⁰ Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel? Let my soul die the death of the righteous, and let my end be like his!

¹¹ And Balak said to Balaam, What hast thou done to me? I took thee to curse mine enemies, and behold, thou hast blessed them altogether.

¹² And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which Jehovah puts in my mouth?

¹³ And Balak said to him, Come, I pray thee, with me to another place, from whence thou wilt see them; thou shalt see only the extremity of them and shalt not see them all, and curse me them from thence.

¹⁴ And he took him to the watchmen's field, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered up a bullock and a ram on each altar.

¹⁵ And Balaam said to Balak, Stand here by thy burnt-offering, and I will go to meet yonder.

¹⁶ And Jehovah met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Return to Balak, and thus shalt thou speak.

¹⁷ And he came to him, and behold, he was standing by his burnt-offering, and the princes of Moab with him; and Balak said to him, What has Jehovah spoken?

¹⁸ Then he took up his parable and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear! hearken unto me, son of Zippor!

¹⁹ God is not a man, that he should lie; neither a son of man, that he should repent. Shall he say and not do? and shall he speak and not make it good?

²⁰ Behold, I have received mission to bless; and he hath blessed, and I cannot reverse it.

²¹ He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen wrong in Israel; Jehovah his God is with him, and the shout of a king is in his midst.

²² God brought him out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of a buffalo.

²³ For there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel. At this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought!

²⁴ Lo, the people will rise up as a lioness, and lift himself up as a lion. He shall not lie down until he have eaten the prey and drunk the blood of the slain.

²⁵ And Balak said to Balaam, Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all.

²⁶ And Balaam answered and said to Balak, Did I not tell thee, saying, All that Jehovah shall speak, that will I do?

²⁷ And Balak said to Balaam, Come, I pray thee, I will bring thee to another place; perhaps it will be right in the sight of God that thou curse me them from thence.

¹ And Balaam said to Balac: Build me here seven altars, and prepare as many calves, and the same number of rams.

² And when he had done according to the word of Balaam, they laid together a calf and a ram upon every altar.

³ And Balaam said to Balac: Stand a while by thy burnt offering, until I go, to see if perhaps the Lord will meet me, and whatsoever he shall command, I will speak to thee.

⁴ And when he was gone with speed, God met him. And Balaam speaking to him, said: I have erected seven altars, and have laid on everyone a calf and a ram.

⁵ And the Lord put the word in his mouth, and said: Return to Balac, and thus shalt thou speak.

⁶ Returning he found Balac standing by his burnt offering, with all the princes of the Moabites:

⁷ And taking up his parable, he said: Balac king of the Moabites hath brought me from Aram, from the mountains of the east: Come, said he, and curse Jacob: make haste and detest Israel.

⁸ How shall I curse him, whom God hath not cursed? By what means should I detest him, whom the Lord detesteth not?

⁹ I shall see him from the tops of the rocks, and shall consider him from the hills. This people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations.

¹⁰ Who can count the dust of Jacob, and know the number of the stock of Israel? Let my soul die the death of the just, and my last end be like to them.

¹¹ And Balac said to Balaam: What is this that thou dost? I sent for thee to curse my enemies: and thou contrariwise blessest them.

¹² He answered him: Call I speak any thing else but what the Lord commandeth?

¹³ Balac therefore said: Come with me to another place from whence thou mayest see part of Israel, and canst not see them all: curse them from thence.

¹⁴ And when he had brought him to a high place, upon the top of mount Phasga, Balaam built seven altars, and laying on every one a calf and a ram,

¹⁵ He said to Balac: Stand here by thy burnt offering while I go to meet him.

¹⁶ And when the Lord had met him, and had put the word in his mouth, he said: Return to Balac, and thus shalt thou say to him.

¹⁷ Returning he found him standing by his burnt sacrifice, and the princes of the Moabites with him. And Balac said to him: What hath the Lord spoken?

¹⁸ But he taking up his parable, said: Stand, O Balac, and give ear: hear, thou son of Sephor:

¹⁹ God is not a man, that he should lie, nor as the son of man, that he should be changed. Hath he said then, and will he not do? hath he spoken, and will he not fulfill?

²⁰ I was brought to bless, the blessing I am not able to hinder.

²¹ There is no idol in Jacob, neither is there an image god to be seen in Israel. The Lord his God is with him, and the sound of the victory of the king in him.

²² God hath brought him out of Egypt, whose strength is like to the rhinoceros.

²³ There is no soothsaying in Jacob, nor divination in Israel. In their times it shall be told to Jacob and to Israel what God hath wrought.

²⁴ Behold the people shall rise up as a lioness, and shall lift itself up as a lion: it shall not lie down till it devour the prey, and drink the blood of the slain.

²⁵ And Balac said to Balaam: Neither curse, nor bless him.

²⁶ And he said: Did I not tell thee, that whatsoever God should command me, that I would do?

²⁷ And Balac said to him: Come and I will bring thee to another place; if peradventure it please God that thou mayest curse them from thence.

¹ Then Balaam told Balak, “Build seven altars for me here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me to sacrifice.”

² Balak did as Balaam had said, and together they offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

³ Balaam said to Balak, “Wait here beside your burnt offering while I go and see if perhaps the Lord will come and meet with me. Whatever he reveals to me, I'll share with you.” Then Balaam left to climb up a rocky crag.

⁴ God met with him there, and Balaam said. “I have built seven altars and on each altar I have offered a bull and a ram.”

⁵ The Lord gave Balaam a message to share. He told him, “Go back to Balak and this is what you are to say to him.”

⁶ So he went back to Balak, who was waiting there beside his burnt offering, along with all the Moabite leaders.

⁷ This is the declaration that Balaam gave: “Balak brought me from Aram; the king of Moab brought me from the mountains of the east. He said, ‘Come and curse Jacob for me! Come and condemn Israel!’

⁸ But how can I curse what God has not cursed? How can I condemn what the Lord has not condemned?

⁹ For I'm looking down on them from the top of rocky crags; I'm watching them from the hills. I see a people who live on their own, different from the other nations.

¹⁰ Who can count Jacob's descendants? They are so many they're like dust! Who can count even a quarter of the Israelites? I would like to die as a good person dies! Let the end of my life be like their end!”

¹¹ Then Balak complained to Balaam, “What on earth have you done to me? I brought you here to curse my enemies, and now look! All you have done is bless them!”

¹² But Balaam replied, “Don't you think I should I say precisely what the Lord tells me?”

¹³ Then Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place where you can see them. But you'll only see a part of their camp—you won't see all of them. You can curse them for me from there.”

¹⁴ He took him to the field of Zophim at the top of Mount Pisgah. There he built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

¹⁵ Balaam told Balak, “Wait here beside your burnt offering while I meet the Lord over there.”

¹⁶ The Lord met Balaam and gave him a message to share. He told him, “Go back to Balak and this is what you are to say to him.”

¹⁷ So he went back to Balak, who was waiting there beside his burnt offering, along with all the Moabite leaders. “What did the Lord say?” Balak asked.

¹⁸ This is the prophecy that Balaam delivered: “Stand up, Balak, and pay attention! Listen to me, son of Zippor!

¹⁹ God isn't a human being who would lie. He's not a mere mortal who changes his mind. Does he say he's going to do something but doesn't? Does he make promises he doesn't carry out?

²⁰ Look, I have been ordered to give a blessing. God has blessed, and I can't change that.

²¹ He's not expecting anything bad will happen to Jacob; he doesn't foresee any trouble for Israel. The Lord their God is with them; they celebrate him as their king.

²² God led them out of Egypt with great power, as strong as an ox.

²³ No spell can be cast against Jacob; no magic can be used against Israel. People will talk about Jacob and Israel, saying, ‘What amazing things God has done for them!’

²⁴ Look! The Israelites go out hunting like a lioness; they chase like a lion. They don't rest until they eat their prey, and drink the blood of their dead victim.”

²⁵ Then Balak said to Balaam, “If you can't give them any curses then at least don't give them any blessings!”

²⁶ But Balaam replied, “Didn't I explain to you that I have to do whatever the Lord tells me?”

²⁷ “Please come with me and I will take you somewhere else,” Balak said. “Maybe God would let you curse them for me from there.”

¹ And Balaam sayd vnto Balak, Builde me here seuen altars, and prepare me here seuen bullockes, and seuen rammes.

² And Balak did as Balaam sayd, and Balak and Balaam offred on euery altar a bullocke and a ramme.

³ Then Balaam sayde vnto Balak, Stande by the burnt offring, and I will goe, if so be that the Lord will come and meete me: and whatsoeuer he sheweth me, I will tell thee: so he went forth alone.

⁴ And God met Balaam, and Balaam sayd vnto him, I haue prepared seuen altars, and haue offred vpon euery altar a bullocke and a ramme.

⁵ And the Lord put an answere in Balaams mouth, and sayde, Go againe to Balak, and say on this wise.

⁶ So when he returned vnto him, loe, hee stoode by his burnt offering, he, and all the princes of Moab.

⁷ Then he vttered his parable, and sayde, Balak the king of Moab hath brought mee from Aram out of the mountaines of the East, saying, Come, curse Iaakob for my sake: come, and detest Israel.

⁸ How shall I curse, where God hath not cursed? or howe shall I detest, where the Lord hath not detested?

⁹ For from the top of the rocks I did see him, and from the hils I did beholde him: lo, the people shall dwell by themselues, and shall not be reckened among the nations.

¹⁰ Who can tell the dust of Iaakob, and the nomber of the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last ende be like his.

¹¹ Then Balak saide vnto Balaam, What hast thou done vnto mee? I tooke thee to curse mine enemies, and beholde, thou hast blessed them altogether.

¹² And he answered, and said, Must I not take heede to speake that, which the Lord hath put in my mouth?

¹³ And Balak sayde vnto him, Come, I pray thee, with mee vnto another place, whence thou mayest see them, and thou shalt see but the vtmost part of them, and shalt not see them all: therefore curse them out of that place for my sake.

¹⁴ And he brought him into Sede-sophim to the top of Pisgah, and built seuen altars, and offred a bullocke, and a ramme on euery altar.

¹⁵ After, he sayde vnto Balak, Stande here by thy burnt offring, and I wil meete the Lord yonder.

¹⁶ And the Lord mette Balaam, and put an answere in his mouth, and sayd, Goe againe vnto Balak, and say thus.

¹⁷ And when he came to him, beholde, hee stoode by his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him: so Balak sayde vnto him, What hath the Lord sayd?

¹⁸ And he vttered his parable, and sayde, Rise vp, Balak, and heare: hearken vnto me, thou sonne of Zippor.

¹⁹ God is not as man, that he should lie, neither as the sonne of man that he shoulde repent: hath he sayde and shall he not do it? and hath he spoken, and shall he not accomplish it?

²⁰ Behold, I haue receiued commandement to blesse: for he hath blessed, and I cannot alter it.

²¹ Hee seeth none iniquitie in Iaakob, nor seeth no transgression in Israel: the Lord his God is with him, and the ioyfull shoute of a king is among them.

²² God brought them out of Egypt: their strength is as an vnicorne.

²³ For there is no sorcerie in Iaakob, nor soothsaying in Israel: according to this time it shalbe sayde of Iaakob and of Israel, What hath God wrought?

²⁴ Behold, the people shall rise vp as a lyon, and lift vp himselfe as a yong lyon: hee shall not lye downe, till he eate of the pray, and till he drinke the blood of the slayne.

²⁵ Then Balak sayde vnto Balaam, Neither curse, nor blesse them at all.

²⁶ But Balaam answered, and saide vnto Balak, Tolde not I thee, saying, All that the Lord speaketh, that must I do?

²⁷ Againe Balak sayd vnto Balaam, Come, I pray thee, I wil bring thee vnto another place, if so be it wil please God, that thou mayest thence curse them for my sake.

¹ And Balaam said unto Balak: 'Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams.'

² And Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bullock and a ram.

³ And Balaam said unto Balak: 'Stand by thy burnt-offering, and I will go; peradventure the LORD will come to meet me; and whatsoever He showeth me I will tell thee.' And he went to a bare height.

⁴ And God met Balaam; and he said unto Him: 'I have prepared the seven altars, and I have offered up a bullock and a ram on every altar.'

⁵ And the LORD put a word in Balaam's mouth, and said: 'Return unto Balak, and thus thou shalt speak.'

⁶ And he returned unto him, and, lo, he stood by his burnt-offering, he, and all the princes of Moab.

⁷ And he took up his parable, and said: From Aram Balak bringeth me, the king of Moab from the mountains of the East: 'Come, curse me Jacob, and come, execrate Israel.'

⁸ How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? And how shall I execrate, whom the LORD hath not execrated?

⁹ For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him: lo, it is a people that shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations.

¹⁰ Who hath counted the dust of Jacob, or numbered the stock of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let mine end be like his!

¹¹ And Balak said unto Balaam: 'What hast thou done unto me? I took thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast blessed them altogether.'

¹² And he answered and said: 'Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD putteth in my mouth?'

¹³ And 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.'

¹⁴ And he took him into the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered up a bullock and a ram on every altar.

¹⁵ And he said unto Balak: 'Stand here by thy burnt-offering, while I go toward a meeting yonder.'

¹⁶ And the LORD met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said: 'Return unto Balak, and thus shalt thou speak.'

¹⁷ And he came to him, and, lo, he stood by his burnt-offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said unto him: 'What hath the LORD spoken?'

¹⁸ And he took up his parable, and said: Arise, Balak, and hear; give ear unto me, thou son of Zippor:

¹⁹ God is not a man, that He should lie; neither the son of man, that He should repent: when He hath said, will He not do it? or when He hath spoken, will He not make it good?

²⁰ Behold, I am bidden to bless; and when He hath blessed, I cannot call it back.

²¹ None hath beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath one seen perverseness in Israel; the LORD his God is with him, and the shouting for the King is among them.

²² God who brought them forth out of Egypt is for them like the lofty horns of the wild-ox.

²³ For there is no enchantment with Jacob, neither is there any divination with Israel; now is it said of Jacob and of Israel: 'What hath God wrought!'

²⁴ Behold a people that riseth up as a lioness, and as a lion doth he lift himself up; he shall not lie down until he eat of the prey, and drink the blood of the slain.

²⁵ And Balak said unto Balaam: 'Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all.'

²⁶ But Balaam answered and said unto Balak: 'Told not I thee, saying: All that the LORD speaketh, that I must do?'

²⁷ And Balak said unto Balaam: 'Come now, I will take thee unto another place; peradventure it will please God that thou mayest curse me them from thence.'

¹ And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams.

² And Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bullock and a ram.

³ And 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 a high place.

⁴ And 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.

⁵ And the Lord put a word in Balaam’s mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus thou shalt speak.

⁶ And he returned unto him, and lo, he stood by his burnt sacrifice, he, and all the princes of Moab.

⁷ And 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.

⁸ How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? Or how shall I defy, whom the Lord hath not defied?

⁹ For 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.

¹⁰ Who 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!

¹¹ And Balak said unto Balaam, What hast thou done unto me? I took thee to curse mine enemies, and behold, thou hast blessed them altogether.

¹² And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the Lord hath put in my mouth?

¹³ And 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.

¹⁴ And 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.

¹⁵ And he said unto Balak, Stand here by thy burnt offering, while I meet the Lord yonder.

¹⁶ And the Lord met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Go again unto Balak, and say thus.

¹⁷ And 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?

¹⁸ And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; Hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor:

¹⁹ God 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?

²⁰ Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; And I cannot reverse it.

²¹ He 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.

²² God brought them out of Egypt; He hath as it were the strength of an unicorn.

²³ Surely 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!

²⁴ Behold, 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.

²⁵ And Balak said unto Balaam, Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all.

²⁶ But Balaam answered and said unto Balak, Told not I thee, saying, All that the Lord speaketh, that I must do?

²⁷ And 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.

¹ And Bil'am said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams.

² And Balak did as Bil'am had spoken; and Balak and Bil'am offered a bullock and a ram on every altar.

³ And Bil'am said unto Balak, Place thyself by thy burnt-offering; and I will go, peradventure the Lord will come to meet me, and whatsoever he may show me I will tell thee: and he went thoughtfully alone.

⁴ And God met Bil'am: and he said unto him, The seven altars have I made ready, and I have offered a bullock and a ram upon every altar.

⁵ And the Lord put a word in Bil'am's mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus shalt thou speak.

⁶ And he returned unto him, and, lo, he was standing by his burnt-offering, he, and all the princes of Moab.

⁷ And he took up his parable, and said, From Aram did Balak send for me, the king of Moab, out of the mountains of the east, Come, curse me Jacob, and come, defy Israel.

⁸ How shall I denounce, whom God hath not denounced? and how shall I defy, whom the Lord hath not defied?

⁹ For from the top of rocks I see him, and from hills I behold him: lo, it is a people that shall dwell alone, and among the nations it shall not be reckoned.

¹⁰ Who can count the dust of Jacob, and number the fourth part of Israel? May my soul die the death of the righteous, and may my last end be like his!

¹¹ And Balak said unto Bil'am, What hast thou done unto me? to denounce my enemies did I take thee, and, behold, thou hast even blessed them.

¹² And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that only which the Lord may put in my mouth?

¹³ And Balak said unto him, Come, I pray thee, with me unto another place, from where thou canst see them; nevertheless a portion of them only wilt thou see, but the whole of them thou wilt not see: and denounce them for me from there.

¹⁴ And he brought him to the field of the watchmen, on the top of Pisgah, and he built seven altars, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar.

¹⁵ And he said unto Balak, Place thyself here by thy burnt-offering, while I will repair to yonder place.

¹⁶ And the Lord met Bil'am, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus shalt thou speak.

¹⁷ And he came to him, and, behold, he was standing by his burnt-offering, and the princes of Moab with him; and Balak said unto him: What hath the Lord spoken?

¹⁸ And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; bend hither thy ear unto me, son of Zippor!

¹⁹ God is not a man, that he should lie; nor a son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? and hath he spoken, and shall he not fulfill it?

²⁰ Behold, to bless I have received the word; and he hath blessed, and I cannot reverse it.

²¹ He hath not beheld any wrong in Jacob, nor hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the Lord his God is with him, and the glory of the king dwelleth among him.

²² God, who brought them out of Egypt, is to them like the heights of the reem.

²³ For there is no enchantment in Jacob, nor is there any divination in Israel: at the proper time shall it be said to Jacob and to Israel, what God doth work.

²⁴ Behold, it is a people, that shall rise up as a lioness, and as a lion shall it raise itself: it will not lie down until it have eaten the prey, and have drunk the blood of the slain.

²⁵ And Balak said unto Bil'am, Neither shalt thou denounce them, nor shalt thou any wise bless them.

²⁶ But Bil'am answered and said unto Balak, Have I not spoken unto thee, saying, all that the Lord will speak, that must I do.

²⁷ And Balak said unto Bil'am, Come, I pray thee, I will take thee unto another place, peradventure it may be pleasing in the eyes of God that thou mayest denounce them for me from there.

¹ And Balaam said to Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven calves, and seven rams.

² And Balak did as Balaam told him; and he offered up a calf and a ram on every altar.

³ And Balaam said to Balak, Stand by thy sacrifice, and I will go and see if God will appear to me and meet me, and the word which he shall show me, I will report to thee. And Balak stood by his sacrifice.

⁴ And Balaam went to inquire of God; and he went straight forward, and God appeared to Balaam; and Balaam said to him, I have prepared the seven altars, and have offered a calf and a ram on every altar.

⁵ And God put a word into the mouth of Balaam, and said, Thou shalt return to Balak, and thus shalt thou speak.

⁶ And he returned to him, and moreover he stood over his whole burnt offerings, and all the princes of Moab with him; and the Spirit of God came upon him.

⁷ And he took up his parable, and said, Balak king of Moab sent for me out of Mesopotamia, Out of the mountains of the east, saying, Come, curse me Jacob, And Come, call for a curse for me upon Israel.

⁸ How can I curse whom the Lord curses not? Or how can I devote whom God devotes not?

⁹ For from the top of the mountains I shall see him, And from the hills I shall observe him: Behold, the people shall dwell alone, And shall not be reckoned among the nations.

¹⁰ Who has exactly calculated the seed of Jacob, And who shall number the families of Israel? Let my soul die with the souls of the righteous, And let my seed be as their seed.

¹¹ And Balak said to Balaam, What hast thou done to me? I called thee to curse my enemies, and behold thou hast greatly blessed them.

¹² And Balaam said to Balak, Whatsoever the Lord shall put into my mouth, shall I not take heed to speak this?

¹³ And Balak said to him, Come yet with me to another place where thou shalt not see the people, but only thou shalt see a part of them, and shalt not see them all; and curse me them from thence.

¹⁴ And he took him to a high place of the field to the top of the quarried rock, and he built there seven altars, and offered a calf and a ram on every altar.

¹⁵ And Balaam said to Balak, Stand by thy sacrifice, and I will go to inquire of God.

¹⁶ And God met Balaam, and put a word into his mouth, and said, Return to Balak, and thus shalt thou speak.

¹⁷ And he returned to him: and he also was standing by his whole burnt sacrifice, and all the princes of Moab with him; and Balak said to him, What has the Lord spoken?

¹⁸ And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; Hearken as a witness, thou son of Zippor.

¹⁹ God is not as man to waver, Nor as the son of man to be threatened; Shall he say and not perform? Shall he speak and not keep to his word?

²⁰ Behold, I have received commandment to bless: I will bless, and not turn back.

²¹ There shall not be trouble in Jacob, Neither shall sorrow be seen in Israel: The Lord his God is with him, The glories of rulers are in him.

²² It was God who brought him out of Egypt; He has as it were the glory of a unicorn.

²³ For there is no divination in Jacob, Nor enchantment in Israel; In season it shall be told to Jacob and Israel What God shall perform.

²⁴ Behold, the people shall rise up as a lion’s whelp, And shall exalt himself as a lion; He shall not lie down till he have eaten the prey, And he shall drink the blood of the slain.

²⁵ And Balak said to Balaam, Neither curse the people at all for me, nor bless them at all.

²⁶ And Balaam answered and said to Balak, Spoke I not to thee, saying, Whatsoever thing God shall speak to me, that will I do?

²⁷ And Balak said to Balaam, Come and I will remove thee to another place, if it shall please God, and curse me them from thence.

¹ And Bileam said to Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams.

² And Balak did as Bileam had spoken, and Balak and Bileam offered up a bullock and a ram upon every altar.

³ And Bileam said to Balak, Remain by thy burnt offering; and I will go, if perhaps the Word may meet me from before the Lord; and the word that He showeth me I will disclose unto thee. And he went solitary.

⁴ And the Word from before the Lord met Bileam; and he said to Him; The seven altars have I set in order, and have offered a bullock and a ram upon every altar.

⁵ And the Lord put a word upon Bileam’s mouth, and said to him: Return unto Balak, and thus shalt thou speak.

⁶ And he returned to him, and, behold, he was standing by his burnt sacrifice, he and all the nobles of Moab.

⁷ And he took up his parable, and said: Balak, king of Moab, hath brought me from Aram, From the mountains of the east: Come, curse me, Jakob, Come, hunt down Israel for me.

⁸ How shall I curse whom God hath not cursed? How shall I persecute whom God hath not?

⁹ For from the top of the mountain I discern him, And look upon him from the heights; Lo, the people by themselves are to possess the world, And among the nations they shall not be judged with consumption.

¹⁰ Who can number the dust of the house of Jakob, Of whom it is said, They shall increase as the dust of the earth, Or of one of the four camps of Israel? Let mine be the death of his truthful ones, And let my end be as theirs!

¹¹ And Balak said to Bileam, What hast thou done to me? I brought thee to curse my enemies, and, behold, blessing hast thou blessed them.

¹² But he said, That which the Lord hath put in my mouth must I not observe to speak?

¹³ And Balak said to him, Come now with me to another place, from whence thou mayest see him, where thou canst see only the outer side, but not the whole, and curse him for me from thence.

¹⁴ And he brought him to the field of the watch-tower on the top of the hill; and builded seven altars, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar.

¹⁵ And he said to Balak, Stand here by thy burnt offering, and I will go yonder.

¹⁶ And the Word from before the Lord met Bileam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Return to Balak, and thus speak.

¹⁷ And he came to him, and he was standing by his burnt offering, and the nobles of Moab with him. And Balak said to him, What hath the Lord spoken?

¹⁸ And he took up his parable, and said: Arise, Balak, and hear, Listen to my words, Bar Zippor:

¹⁹ The word of Eloha is not as the words of men; The sons of men speak, but lie; Nor is it as the works of the children of flesh, Who decree to do, but repent, and change their counsels. What He hath said He will perform, And His every word is steadfast.

²⁰ Behold, I have received benedictions to bless Israel, And I may not turn my blessing from him.

²¹ I have seen that in the house of Jakob The worshippers of idols are not, Nor in Israel the workers of the work of lies. The Word of the Lord their God is their helper, And the Shekinah of their King is among them.

²² God, who brought them out from Mizraim, Becomes his strength and exaltation.

²³ For no divinations can prosper against the house of Jakob, Nor enchantments against the myriads of Israel. According to the time it shall be said of Jakob and of Israel, What hath Eloah wrought!

²⁴ Behold, the people shall dwell as a lioness, And as a lion shall he lift himself up; Until he hath slain with slaughter, He will not rest in his land, And inherit the treasures of the nations.

²⁵ And Balak said to Bileam, Neither cursing curse them, nor blessing bless them.

²⁶ But Bileam answered and said to Balak, Did I not tell thee, saying, All that the Lord speaketh, that I must do?

²⁷ And Balak said to Bileam, Come now, I will take thee to another place; perhaps it may be pleasing before the Lord, that thou mayest curse them for me from thence.

¹ Balaam Not people, Destroyer of people said to Balak, “Build here seven altars for me, and prepare here seven bulls and seven rams for me.”

² Balak did as Balaam Not people, Destroyer of people had spoken; and Balak and Balaam Not people, Destroyer of people offered on every altar a bull and a ram.

³ Balaam Not people, Destroyer of people said to Balak, “Stand by your burnt offering, and I will go. Perhaps Adonai will come to meet me. Whatever he shows me I will tell you.” He went to a bare height.

⁴ God met Balaam Not people, Destroyer of people, 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 Adonai put a word in Balaam Not people, Destroyer of people’s mouth, and said, “Teshuvah ·Completely 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 From father.

⁷ He took up his parable, and said, “From Aram Elevated has Balak brought me, the king of Moab From father from the mountains of the East. Come, curse Jacob Supplanter for me. Come, defy Israel God prevails.

⁸ How shall I curse whom God has not cursed? How shall I defy whom Adonai 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 listed among the nations.

¹⁰ Who can count the dust of Jacob Supplanter, or count the fourth part of Israel God prevails? Let me die the death of the upright! Let my last end be like his!”

¹¹ Balak said to Balaam Not people, Destroyer of people, “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 Adonai puts in my mouth?” (LY:5)

¹³ Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place, where you may see them. You shall see just part of them, and shall not see them all. Curse them from there for me.”

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 Adonai met Balaam Not people, Destroyer of people, and put a word in his mouth, and said, “Teshuvah ·Completely 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 From father with him. Balak said to him, “What has Adonai spoken?”

¹⁸ He took up his parable, and said, “Rise up, Balak, and sh'ma ·hear obey·! 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 change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not make it good?

²⁰ Behold, I am ordered to bless. When he blesses, and I can’t reverse it.

²¹ He has not seen iniquity in Jacob Supplanter. Neither has he seen perverseness in Israel God prevails. Adonai his God is with him. The shout of a king is among them.

²² God brings them out of Egypt Abode of slavery. He has as it were the strength of the wild ox.

²³ Surely there is no enchantment with Jacob Supplanter; Neither is there any divination with Israel God prevails. Now it shall be said of Jacob Supplanter and of Israel God prevails, ‘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 eats of the prey, and drinks the blood of the slain.”

²⁵ Balak said to Balaam Not people, Destroyer of people, “Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all.”

²⁶ But Balaam Not people, Destroyer of people answered Balak, “Didn’t I tell you, saying, ‘All that Adonai speaks, that I must do?’” (RY:7, LY:6)

²⁷ Balak said to Balaam Not people, Destroyer of people, “Come now, I will take you to another place; perhaps it will please God that you may curse them for me from there.”

¹ Balaam said to Balak, “Build seven altars here for me and prepare seven bulls and seven rams.”

² So Balak did as Balaam requested. Then Balak and Balaam offered a bull and a ram on every altar.

³ Then Balaam said to Balak, “Stand at your burnt offering and I will go. Perhaps Yahweh will come to meet me. Whatever he shows me I will tell you.” So he went away to a hilltop with no trees.

⁴ While he was on the hilltop, God met him, and Balaam said to him, “I have built seven altars, and I have offered up a bull and a ram on each one.”

⁵ Yahweh put a message in Balaam's mouth and said, “Return to Balak and speak to him.”

⁶ So Balaam returned to Balak, who was standing by his burnt offering, and all the leaders of Moab were with him.

⁷ Then Balaam began to speak his prophecy and said, “Balak has brought me from Aram, the king of Moab from the eastern mountains. 'Come, curse Jacob for me,' he said. 'Come, defy Israel.'

⁸ How can I curse those whom God has not cursed? How can I oppose those whom Yahweh does not oppose?

⁹ For from the top of the rocks I see him; from the hills I look at him. See, there is a people who live alone and do not consider themselves as just an ordinary nation.

¹⁰ Who can count the dust of Jacob or number even only one-fourth of Israel? Let me die the death of a righteous person, and let my life's end be like his!”

¹¹ Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies, but look, you have blessed them.”

¹² Balaam answered and said, “Should I not be careful to say only what Yahweh puts in my mouth?”

¹³ So Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place where you can see them. You will only see the nearest of them, not all of them. There you will curse them for me.”

¹⁴ So he took Balaam into the field of Zophim, to the top of Mount Pisgah, and built seven more altars. He offered up a bull and a ram on each altar.

¹⁵ Then Balaam said to Balak, “Stand here by your burnt offering, while I meet with Yahweh over there.”

¹⁶ So Yahweh met Balaam and put a message in his mouth. He said, “Return to Balak and give him my message.”

¹⁷ Balaam returned to him, and look, he was standing by his burnt offering, and the leaders of Moab were with him. Then Balak said to him, “What has Yahweh said?”

¹⁸ Balaam began his prophecy. He said, “Rise up, Balak, and hear. Listen to me, you son of Zippor.

¹⁹ God is not a man, that he should lie, Or a human being, that he should change his mind. Has he promised anything without doing it? Has he said he would do something without carrying it out?

²⁰ Look, I have been commanded to bless. God has given a blessing, and I cannot reverse it.

²¹ He has seen no hardship in Jacob or trouble in Israel. Yahweh their God is with them, and shouts for their king are among them.

²² God brought them out of Egypt with strength like that of a wild ox.

²³ There is no sorcery that works against Jacob, and no fortune-telling harms Israel. Instead, it must be said about Jacob and Israel, 'Look what God has done!'

²⁴ Look, the people rise like a lioness, as a lion emerges and attacks. He does not lie down until he eats his victim and drinks the blood of what he has killed.”

²⁵ Then Balak said to Balaam, “Do not curse them or bless them at all.”

²⁶ But Balaam answered and said to Balak, “Did I not tell you that I must say all that Yahweh tells me to say?”

²⁷ So Balak replied to Balaam, “Come now, I will take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God for you to curse them there for me.”

¹ Balaam said to Balak, “Build here seven altars for me, and prepare here seven bulls and seven rams for me.”

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. 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 listed among the nations.

¹⁰ Who can count the dust of Jacob, or count 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?”

¹³ Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place, where you may see them. You shall see just part of them, and shall not see them all. Curse them from there for me.”

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 God 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 a son of man, that he should repent. Has he said, and he won’t do it? Or has he spoken, and he won’t 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, a people rises up as a lioness. As a lion he lifts himself up. He shall not lie down until he eats 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 them for me from there.”

¹ Balaam said to Balak, “Build here seven altars for me, and prepare here seven bulls and seven rams for me.”

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 the LORD will come to meet me. 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 The LORD 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 the LORD 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 listed amongst the nations.

¹⁰ Who can count the dust of Jacob, or count 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 the LORD puts in my mouth?”

¹³ Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place, where you may see them. You shall see just part of them, and shall not see them all. Curse them from there for me.”

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 God over there.”

¹⁶ The LORD 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 the LORD 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 a son of man, that he should repent. Has he said, and he won’t do it? Or has he spoken, and he won’t 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. The LORD his God is with him. The shout of a king is amongst 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, a people rises up as a lioness. As a lion he lifts himself up. He shall not lie down until he eats 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 the LORD 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 them for me from there.”

¹ And Balaam said to Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams.

² And Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bullock and a ram.

³ And Balaam said to Balak, Stand by thy burnt-offering, and I will go: it may be the LORD will come to meet me: and whatever he showeth me I will tell thee. And he went to a high place.

⁴ And God met Balaam: and he said to him, I have prepared seven altars, and I have offered upon every altar a bullock and a ram.

⁵ And the LORD put a word in Balaam's mouth, and said, Return to Balak, and thus thou shalt speak.

⁶ And he returned to him and lo, he stood by his burnt-sacrifice, he, and all the princes of Moab.

⁷ And 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 Jacob for me, and come, defy Israel.

⁸ How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the LORD hath not defied?

⁹ For 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.

¹⁰ Who 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!

¹¹ And Balak said to Balaam, What hast thou done to me? I took thee to curse my enemies, and behold, thou hast blessed them altogether.

¹² And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD hath put in my mouth?

¹³ And Balak said to him, Come, I pray thee, with me to another place, from whence thou mayest see them: thou shalt see but the utmost part of them, and shalt not see them all: and from thence curse them for me.

¹⁴ And 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.

¹⁵ And he said to Balak, Stand here by thy burnt-offering, while I meet the LORD yonder.

¹⁶ And the LORD met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Go again to Balak, and say thus.

¹⁷ And when he came to him, behold, he stood by his burnt-offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said to him, What hath the LORD spoken?

¹⁸ And he took up his parable, and said, Rise, Balak, and hear; hearken to me, thou son of Zippor:

¹⁹ God 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 spoke, and shall he not make it good?

²⁰ Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed, and I cannot reverse it.

²¹ He 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.

²² God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of a unicorn.

²³ Surely 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!

²⁴ Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion, and lift up himself as a young lion: he shall not lie down until he shall eat of the prey, and drink the blood of the slain.

²⁵ And Balak said to Balaam, Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all.

²⁶ But Balaam answered and said to Balak, Did I not tell thee, saying, All that the LORD speaketh, that I must do?

²⁷ And Balak said to Balaam, Come, I pray thee, I will bring thee to another place; perhaps it will please God that thou mayest from thence curse them for me.

¹ Balaam said to Balak, “Build here seven altars for me, and prepare here seven bulls and seven rams for me.”

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 the LORD will come to meet me. 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 The LORD 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 the LORD 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 listed among the nations.

¹⁰ Who can count the dust of Jacob, or count 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 the LORD puts in my mouth?”

¹³ Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place, where you may see them. You shall see just part of them, and shall not see them all. Curse them from there for me.”

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 God over there.”

¹⁶ The LORD 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 the LORD 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 a son of man, that he should repent. Has he said, and he won’t do it? Or has he spoken, and he won’t 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. The LORD 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, a people rises up as a lioness. As a lion he lifts himself up. He shall not lie down until he eats 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 the LORD 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 them for me from there.”

¹ Balaam said to Balak, “Build here seven altars for me, and prepare here seven bulls and seven rams for me.”

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 the LORD will come to meet me. 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 The LORD 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 the LORD 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 listed amongst the nations.

¹⁰ Who can count the dust of Jacob, or count 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 the LORD puts in my mouth?”

¹³ Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place, where you may see them. You shall see just part of them, and shall not see them all. Curse them from there for me.”

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 God over there.”

¹⁶ The LORD 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 the LORD 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 a son of man, that he should repent. Has he said, and he won’t do it? Or has he spoken, and he won’t 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. The LORD his God is with him. The shout of a king is amongst 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, a people rises up as a lioness. As a lion he lifts himself up. He shall not lie down until he eats 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 the LORD 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 them for me from there.”

¹ And Balaam said to Balak, Build thou here to me seven altars, and make thou ready so many calves, and rams of the same number.

² And when Balak had done by the word of Balaam, they putted a calf and a ram together on the altar.

³ And Balaam said to Balak, Stand thou a little while beside thy burnt sacrifice, while I go, if in hap the Lord meet me; and I shall tell thee what-ever thing he shall command. And when he had gone away swiftly,

⁴ God came to him; and Balaam spake to him, and said, I have raised up seven altars, and I have put a calf and a ram above each of them.

⁵ Forsooth the Lord putted a word in his mouth, and said, Turn again to Balak, and thou shalt speak these things.

⁶ He turned again, and found Balak standing beside his burnt sacrifice, and all the princes of Moabites.

⁷ And when his parable was taken, he said, Balak, the king of Moabites, brought me from Aram, from the hills of the east; and he said, Come thou, and curse Jacob; haste thou, and curse Israel.

⁸ How shall I curse, whom God hath cursed not? by what reason shall I loathe, whom God loatheth not?

⁹ From the highest flints I shall see him, and from the little hills I shall behold him; the people shall dwell alone, and it shall not be reckoned among heathen men.

¹⁰ Who may number the dust, that is, the kindred, of Jacob, and who may know the number of the generation of Israel? My life die in the death of just or rightwise men, and my last things be made like them!

¹¹ And Balak said to Balaam, What is this that thou doest? I called thee, that thou shouldest curse mine enemies, and on the contrary, thou blessest them.

¹² To whom Balaam answered, Whether I may speak other thing, no but that that the Lord commandeth?

¹³ Therefore Balak said to Balaam, Come with me into another place, from whence thou mayest see a part of Israel, and thou mayest not see all; from thence curse thou him.

¹⁴ And when he had led Balaam into an high place, on the top of the hill of Pisgah, he builded there seven altars to Balaam, and when calves and rams were put above them,

¹⁵ Balaam said to Balak, Stand here beside thy burnt sacrifice, while I go to meet with the Lord.

¹⁶ And when the Lord had met with Balaam, and had put a word in his mouth, he said, Turn again to Balak, and thou shalt say these things to him.

¹⁷ He turned again, and found Balak standing beside his burnt sacrifice, and the princes of Moabites with him. To whom Balak said, What hath spoken the Lord?

¹⁸ And when his parable was taken, he said, Stand thou, Balak, and hearken; hear, thou son of Zippor.

¹⁹ God is not a man, that he lie, neither he is as the son of a man, that he be changed; therefore he hath said, and shall he not do it? he hath spoken, and shall he not fulfill it?

²⁰ I am brought hither by the Lord to bless; I may not forbid, or hinder, blessing.

²¹ None idol is in Jacob, neither simulacrum is seen in Israel; his Lord God is with him, and the sound of the victory of a king is in him.

²² The Lord God led him out of Egypt, whose strength is like an unicorn;

²³ false divining by chittering of birds is not in Jacob, neither false divining is in Israel. In his times, when, where, and how God will, it shall be said to Jacob and to Israel, What the Lord hath wrought!

²⁴ Lo! the people shall rise together as a lioness, and it shall be raised as a lion; the lion shall not rest, till he devour the prey, and drink the blood of them that be slain.

²⁵ And Balak said to Balaam, Neither curse thou, neither bless thou him.

²⁶ And Balaam said, Whether I said not to thee, that whatever thing God commanded to me, I would do that?

²⁷ And Balak said to him, Come, and I shall lead thee to another place, if in hap it pleaseth God that from thence thou curse him.

¹ And Balaam said to Balak, Build thou here to me seven altars, and make thou ready so many calves, and rams of the same number. (And Balaam said to Balak, Build thou here seven altars for me, and prepare seven calves, and the same number of rams.)

² And when Balak had done by the word of Balaam, they putted a calf and a ram together on the altar. (And when Balak had done what Balaam had asked, they offered a calf and a ram on each altar.)

³ And (then) Balaam said to Balak, Stand thou (here) a little while beside thy burnt sacrifice, while I go, if in hap the Lord (shall) meet (with) me; and I shall tell thee whatever thing he shall command. And when he had gone away swiftly (or And when he had quickly gone away by himself),

⁴ God came to him; and Balaam spake to him, and said, I have raised up seven altars, and I have put a calf and a ram above each of them (or and I have put a calf and a ram on each of them).

⁵ Forsooth the Lord putted a word in his mouth, and said, Turn again to Balak, and thou shalt speak these things. (And the Lord put a word in his mouth, and said, Return to Balak, and thou shalt say these things to him.)

⁶ He turned again, and found Balak standing beside his burnt sacrifice, and all the princes of Moabites. (And he returned, and found Balak standing beside his burnt sacrifice, he and all the leaders of the Moabites.)

⁷ And when his parable was taken, he said, Balak, the king of Moabites, brought me from Aram, from the hills of the east; and he said, Come thou, and curse Jacob; haste thou, and curse Israel. (And when he had received his prophecy, he said, Balak, the king of the Moabites, brought me from Syria, yea, from the hills of the east; and he said, Come thou, and curse Jacob; hurry thou, and curse Israel.)

⁸ How shall I curse, whom God hath cursed not? (or But how can I curse, whom God hath not cursed?) by what reason shall I loathe, whom God loatheth not?

⁹ From the highest flints I shall see him, and from the little hills I shall behold him; the people shall dwell alone, and it shall not be reckoned among heathen men. (From the highest rocks I shall see them, and from the little hills I shall behold them; these people shall live alone, and they shall not be counted among the heathen.)

¹⁰ Who may number the dust, that is, the kindred, of Jacob, and who may know the number of the generation of Israel? My life die in the death of just men, and my last things be made like them! (or O let me die like the righteous die, and let my ending be made like theirs!)

¹¹ And Balak said to Balaam, What is this that thou doest? I called thee, that thou shouldest curse mine enemies, and on the contrary, thou blessest them.

¹² To whom Balaam answered, Whether I may speak (any) other thing, no but that that the Lord commandeth?

¹³ Therefore Balak said to Balaam, Come with me into another place, from whence thou mayest see a part of Israel, and thou mayest not see all; from thence curse thou him. (And so Balak said to Balaam, Come with me to another place, from where thou can see a part of the Israelites, but thou cannot see all of them; and curse thou them from there.)

¹⁴ And when he had led Balaam into an high place, on the top of the hill of Pisgah, he builded there seven altars to Balaam, and when calves and rams were put above them, (And so when he had led Balaam to the Field of Zophim, that is, to the Field of the Watchers, on top of Mount Pisgah, he built seven altars for Balaam, and when a calf and a ram were offered on each altar,)

¹⁵ Balaam said to Balak, Stand here beside thy burnt sacrifice, while I go to meet with the Lord.

¹⁶ And when the Lord had met with Balaam, and had put a word in his mouth, he said, Turn again to Balak (or Return to Balak), and thou shalt say these things to him.

¹⁷ He turned again, and found Balak standing beside his burnt sacrifice, and the princes of Moabites with him. To whom Balak said, What hath spoken the Lord? (And he returned, and found Balak standing beside his burnt sacrifice, and the leaders of the Moabites with him. And Balak said to him, What hath the Lord said?)

¹⁸ And when his parable was taken (or And when he had received his prophecy), he said, Stand thou (up), Balak, and harken; hear, thou son of Zippor.

¹⁹ God is not a man, that he (can) lie, neither he is as the son of a man, that he (can) be changed; therefore he hath said, and shall he not do it? he hath spoken, and shall he not fulfill it?

²⁰ I am brought hither by the Lord to bless; (and) I may not forbid, or hinder, (the) blessing.

²¹ None idol is in Jacob, neither simulacrum is seen in Israel; his Lord God is with him, and the sound of the victory of a king is in him. (There is no idolatry in Jacob, no false god is seen in Israel; the Lord their God is with them, and they hear the shout of the victory of their King.)

²² The Lord God led him out of Egypt, whose strength is like an unicorn; (The Lord God led them out of Egypt, whose strength is like a wild ox;)

²³ false divining by (the) chittering of birds is not in Jacob, neither false divining is in Israel. In his times, (that is), when, where, and how God will, it shall be said to Jacob and to Israel, What the Lord hath wrought! (false divining by the twittering of birds is not in Jacob, yea, false divining is not in Israel. In his own timing, that is, when, where, and how God desireth it, it shall be said of Jacob, and of Israel, What the Lord hath wrought! or Yea, at this time, it can be said of Jacob, and of Israel, What the Lord hath wrought!)

²⁴ Lo! the people shall rise together as a lioness, and it shall be raised as a lion, (or Behold! the people shall rise up like a lioness, and they shall be raised up like a lion); the lion shall not rest, till he devour the prey, and drink the blood of them that be slain.

²⁵ And Balak said to Balaam, Neither curse thou, neither bless thou him. (And Balak said to Balaam, If thou wilt not curse them, at least do not thou bless them!)

²⁶ And Balaam said, Whether I said not to thee, that whatever thing God commanded to me, I would do that?

²⁷ And Balak said to him, Come, and I shall lead thee to another place, if in hap it pleaseth God that from thence thou curse him (or perhaps it shall please God that thou curse them from there).

¹ And Balaam seide to Balaach, Bilde thou here to me seuene auteris, and make redi so many caluys, and rammes of the same noumbre.

² And whanne he hadde do bi the word of Balaam, thei puttiden a calf and a ram to gidere on the auter.

³ And Balaam seide to Balaach, Stond thou a litil while bisidis thi brent sacrifice, while Y go, if in hap the Lord meete me; and Y schal `speke to thee what euer thing he schal comaunde.

⁴ And whanne he hadde go swiftli, God cam to hym; and Balaam spak to hym, and seide, Y reiside seuene auteris, and Y puttide a calf and a ram aboue.

⁵ Forsothe the Lord `puttide a word in his mouth, and seide, Turne ayen to Balaach, and thou schalt speke these thingis.

⁶ He turnede ayen, and fond Balach stondynge bisidis his brent sacrifice, and alle the princes of Moabitis.

⁷ And whanne his parable `was takun, he seide, Balaach, the kyng of Moabitis, brouyte me fro Aran, fro the `hillis of the eest; and he seide, Come thou and curse Jacob; haaste thou, and greetli curse thou Israel.

⁸ How schal Y curse whom God cursid not? bi what resoun schal Y `haue abhomynable whom God `hath not abhomynable?

⁹ Fro the hiyeste flyntis Y schal se hym, and fro litle hillis Y schal biholde hym; the puple schal dwelle aloone, and it schal not be arettid among hethene men.

¹⁰ Who may noumbre the dust, that is, kynrede, of Jacob, and knowe the noumbre of the generacioun of Israel? My lijf die in the deeth of iust men, and my laste thingis be maad lijk hem!

¹¹ And Balaach seide to Balaam, What is this that thou doist? Y clepide thee, that thou schuldist curse myn enemyes, and ayenward thou blessist hem.

¹² To whom Balaam answeride, Whether Y may speke othir thing no but that that the Lord comaundith?

¹³ Therfor Balaach seide to Balaam, Come with me in to anothir place, fro whennus thou se a part of Israel, and mayst not se al; fro thennus curse thou hym.

¹⁴ And whanne he hadde led Balaam in to an hiy place, on the cop of the hil of Phasga, he bildide seuene auteris to Balaam, and whanne calues and rammes weren put aboue,

¹⁵ he seide to Balaach, Stonde here bisidis thi brent sacrifice, while Y go.

¹⁶ And whanne the Lord hadde `come to him, and hadde put `a word in his mouth, he seide, Turne ayen to Balach, and thou schalt seie these thingis to hym.

¹⁷ He turnyde ayen, and foond Balach stondynge bisidis his brent sacrifice, and the princis of Moabitis with hym. To whom Balach seide, What spak the Lord?

¹⁸ And whanne his parable `was takun, he seide, Stonde, Balach, and herkene; here, thou sone of Sephor. God is not `as a man,

¹⁹ that he lye, nethir he is as the sone of a man, that he be chaungid; therfor he seide, and schal he not do? he spak, and schal he not fulfille?

²⁰ Y am brouyt to blesse, Y may not forbede blessyng.

²¹ Noon idol is in Jacob, nethir symylacre is seyn in Israel; his Lord God is with hym, and the sown of victorie of kyng is in hym.

²² The Lord God ledde hym out of Egipt, whos strengthe is lijk an vnicorn;

²³ fals tellyng bi chiteryng of bryddis, `ethir idolatrie, is not in Jacob, nethir fals dyuynyng is in Israel. In his tymes it schal be seide to Jacob and Israel, What the Lord hath wrought!

²⁴ Lo! the puple schal rise to gidere as a lionesse, and schal be reisid as a lioun; the lioun schal not reste, til he deuoure prey, and drynke the blood of hem that ben slayn.

²⁵ And Balach seide to Balaam, Nether curse thou, nether blesse thou hym.

²⁶ And he seide, Whether Y seide not to thee, that what euer thing that God comaundide to me, Y wolde do this?

²⁷ And Balach seide to hym, Come, and Y schal lede thee to an other place, if in hap it plesith God that fro thennus thou curse hym.

¹ And 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.'

² And Balak doth as Balaam hath spoken, and Balak — Balaam also — offereth a bullock and a ram on the altar,

³ and 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.

⁴ And 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;'

⁵ and Jehovah putteth a word in the mouth of Balaam, and saith, 'Turn back unto Balak, and thus thou dost speak.'

⁶ And he turneth back unto him, and lo, he is standing by his burnt-offering, he and all the princes of Moab.

⁷ And 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.

⁸ What — do I pierce? — God hath not pierced! And what — am I indignant? — Jehovah hath not been indignant!

⁹ For 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.

¹⁰ Who 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!'

¹¹ And Balak saith unto Balaam, 'What hast thou done to me? to pierce mine enemies I have taken thee — and lo, thou hast certainly blessed;'

¹² and he answereth and saith, 'That which Jehovah doth put in my mouth — it do I not take heed to speak?'

¹³ And 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;'

¹⁴ and 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.

¹⁵ And he saith unto Balak, 'Station thyself here by thy burnt-offering, and I — I meet Him there;'

¹⁶ and Jehovah cometh unto Balaam, and setteth a word in his mouth, and saith, 'Turn back unto Balak, and thus thou dost speak.'

¹⁷ And 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?'

¹⁸ And he taketh up his simile, and saith: 'Rise, Balak, and hear; Give ear unto me, son of Zippor!

¹⁹ God 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?

²⁰ Lo, to bless I have received: Yea, He blesseth, and I can not reverse it.

²¹ He 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.

²² God is bringing them out from Egypt, As the swiftness of a Reem is to him;

²³ For no enchantment is against Jacob, Nor divination against Israel, At the time it is said of Jacob and Israel, What hath God wrought!

²⁴ Lo, 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.'

²⁵ And Balak saith unto Balaam, 'Neither pierce it at all, nor bless it at all;'

²⁶ and Balaam answereth and saith unto Balak, 'Have I not spoken unto thee, saying, All that Jehovah speaketh — it I do?'

²⁷ And 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.'