Numbers 23:1-30 - Balaam's Oracles
1 Then Balaam said to Balak, “Build me seven altars here and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me.” 2 So Balak did as Balaam directed, and they offered a bull and a ram on each altar. 3 Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here by your burnt offering while I am gone. Maybe the Lord
4 God
6 So he returned to Balak, who was standing there by his burnt offering with all the officials of Moab.
7 Balaam proclaimed his poem:
the king of Moab, from the eastern mountains:
“Come, put a curse on Jacob for me;
come, denounce Israel!”
How can I denounce someone the Lord has not denounced?
and I watch them from the hills.
There is a people living alone;
it does not consider itself among the nations.
or numbered the dust clouds
Let me die the death of the upright;
let the end of my life be like theirs.
11 “What have you done to me?” Balak asked Balaam. “I brought you to curse my enemies, but look, you have only blessed them!”
12 He answered, “Shouldn’t I say exactly what the Lord puts in my mouth?”
13 Then Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place where you can see them. You will only see the outskirts of their camp; you won’t see all of them. From there, put a curse on them for me.” 14 So Balak took him to Lookout Field
15 Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here by your burnt offering while I seek the Lord over there.”
16 The Lord met with Balaam and put a message in his mouth. Then He said, “Return to Balak and say what I tell you.”
17 So he returned to Balak, who was standing there by his burnt offering with the officials of Moab. Balak asked him, “What did the Lord say?”
18 Balaam proclaimed his poem:
son of Zippor, pay attention to what I say!
or a son of man who changes His mind.
Does He speak and not act,
or promise and not fulfill?
since He has blessed,
He sees no trouble for Israel.
The Lord their God is with them,
and there is rejoicing over the King among them.
He is like the horns of a wild ox for them.
and no divination against Israel.
It will now be said about Jacob and Israel,
“What great things God has done!”
They rouse themselves like a lion.
They will not lie down until they devour the prey
and drink the blood of the slain.
25 Then Balak told Balaam, “Don’t curse them and don’t bless them!”
26 But Balaam answered him, “Didn’t I tell you: Whatever the Lord says, I must do?”
27 Again Balak said to Balaam, “Please come. I will take you to another place. Maybe it will be agreeable to God that you can put a curse on them for me there.” 28 So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, which overlooks the wasteland.
29 Balaam told Balak, “Build me seven altars here and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me.”
30 So Balak did as Balaam said and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.