Chapter 23

And Balaam said⁴ unto Balak, Build³ me here seven altars, and prepare⁵⁴ me here seven oxen and seven rams.

And Balak did⁴ as Balaam had spoken;¹⁴ and Balak and Balaam offered⁵⁵ on [every] altar a bullock and a ram.

And Balaam said⁴ unto Balak, Stand¹⁰⁰ by thy burnt offering, and I will go:⁴ peradventure the LORD will come¹¹ to meet² me: and whatsoever he sheweth⁵⁵ me I will tell⁵² thee. And he went⁴ to an high place.

And God met¹¹ Balaam: and he said⁴ unto him, I have prepared¹ seven altars, and I have offered⁵⁵ upon [every] altar a bullock and a ram.

And the LORD put⁴ a word in Balaam's mouth, and said,⁴ Return³ unto Balak, and thus thou shalt speak.¹⁷

And he returned⁴ unto him, and, lo, he stood¹² by his burnt sacrifice, he, and all the princes of Moab.

And he took up⁴ his parable, and said,⁴ Balak the king of Moab hath brought⁵⁵ me from Aram, out of the mountains of the east, [saying], Come,³ curse³ me Jacob, and come,³ defy³ Israel.

How shall I curse,⁴ whom God hath not cursed?¹ or how shall I defy,⁴ [whom] the LORD hath not defied?¹

For from the top of the rocks I see⁴ him, and from the hills I behold⁴ him: lo, the people shall dwell⁴ alone, and shall not be reckoned¹⁰¹ among the nations.

Who can count¹ the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth [part] of Israel? Let me die⁴ the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his!

And Balak said⁴ unto Balaam, What hast thou done¹ unto me? I took¹ thee to curse² mine enemies,⁶ and, behold, thou hast blessed¹⁴ [them] altogether.¹⁵

And he answered⁴ and said,⁴ Must I not take heed⁴ to speak¹⁵ that which the LORD hath put⁴ in my mouth?

And Balak said⁴ unto him, Come,³ I pray thee, with me unto another place, from whence thou mayest see⁴ them: thou shalt see⁴ but the utmost part of them, and shalt not see⁴ them all: and curse³ me them from thence.

And he brought⁴ him into the field of Zophim, ^{6822 6} to the top of Pisgah, and built⁴ seven altars, and offered⁵⁵ a bullock and a ram on [every] altar.

And he said⁴ unto Balak, Stand¹⁰⁰ here by thy burnt offering, while I meet¹¹ [the LORD] yonder.

And the LORD met¹¹ Balaam, and put⁴ a word in his mouth, and said,⁴ Go again³ unto Balak, and say¹⁷ thus.

And when he came⁴ to him, behold, he stood¹² by his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said⁴ unto him, What hath the LORD spoken?¹⁴

And he took up⁴ his parable, and said,⁴ Rise up,³ Balak, and hear;³ hearken⁵⁴ unto me, thou son of Zippor:

God [is] not a man, that he should lie;¹⁷ neither the son of man, that he should repent:¹⁰¹ hath he said,¹ and shall he not do⁴ [it]? or hath he spoken,¹⁴ and shall he not make it good?⁵⁵

Behold, I have received¹ [commandment] to bless:¹⁵ and he hath blessed;¹⁴ and I cannot reverse⁵⁵ it.

He hath not beheld⁵² iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen¹ perverseness in Israel: the LORD his God [is] with him, and the shout of a king [is] among them.

God brought them out⁵⁶ of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn.

Surely [there is] no enchantment against Jacob, neither [is there] any divination against Israel: according to this time it shall be said¹¹ of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought!¹

Behold, the people shall rise up⁴ as a great lion, and lift up¹⁰¹ himself as a young lion: he shall not lie down⁴ until he eat⁴ [of] the prey, and drink⁴ the blood of the slain.

And Balak said⁴ unto Balaam, Neither curse⁴ them at all,² nor bless¹⁷ them at all.¹⁵

But Balaam answered⁴ and said⁴ unto Balak, Told¹⁴ not I thee, saying,² All that the LORD speaketh,¹⁷ that I must do?⁴

And Balak said⁴ unto Balaam, Come,³ I pray thee, I will bring⁴ thee unto another place; peradventure it will please^{4 5869} God that thou mayest curse¹ me them from thence.

And Balak brought⁴ Balaam unto the top of Peor, that looketh¹² toward Jeshimon.

And Balaam said⁴ unto Balak, Build³ me here seven altars, and prepare⁵⁴ me here seven bullocks and seven rams.

And Balak did⁴ as Balaam had said,¹ and offered⁵⁵ a bullock and a ram on [every] altar.