‏ Numbers 23

CHAPTER 23

Balaam's Parable

1And Balaam said   to Balak, Build for me here seven shrines, and prepare for me here seven calves, and seven rams! 2And Balak did in which manner [²said ³to him ¹Balaam]. And he offered a calf and ram upon the shrine. 3And Balaam said to Balak, You stand beside   your sacrifice! and I shall go and see if [⁵me ²shall appear   ¹God ³to ⁴meet with]. And the saying which ever he shall show to me I shall announce to you. And he went straight. 4And God appeared   to Balaam. And [²said ³to ⁴him ¹Balaam], The seven shrines I prepared, and I brought a calf and ram unto the shrine. 5And God put a word into the mouth of Balaam, and he said, Turning towards Balak thus you shall speak. 6And he returned to him, and thus he stood over   his whole burnt-offerings, and all the rulers of Moab with him. 7And taking up   his parable, he said, From out of Mesopotamia [⁴fetched ⁵me ¹Balak ²king ³of Moab], out of the mountains of the east, saying, Come curse for me   Jacob! and, Come accurse to me   Israel! 8How shall I curse whom [²does not ³curse ¹the lord]? And how shall I imprecate maledictions upon whom [²does not ³imprecate maledictions upon   ¹God]? 9For from the top of mountains I shall see him; and from hills I shall pay attention to him. Behold, a people [²alone ¹shall dwell], and among nations they shall not be reckoned together. 10Who determined exactly the seed of Jacob, and who shall count out peoples of Israel? May [²die   ¹my soul] among souls of the just, and may [²become   ¹my seed] as the seed of this. 11And Balak said to Balaam, What have you done to me? For a curse for my enemies I have called you, and behold, you have blessed a blessing. 12And Balaam said to Balak, Is it not as many things  as God should put in   my mouth this I will guard to speak? 13And [²said ³to ⁴him ¹Balak], Come yet with me to [²place ¹another] of which you shall not see it from there, but only a certain part of it shall you see, [⁴all ¹but ²in no way ³should you see], and you curse it for me from there! 14And he took him into a field -- a height upon the top of a place for dressing stone; and he built there seven shrines, and brought a calf and ram unto the shrine. 15And Balaam said to Balak, Stand beside   your sacrifice! and I shall go to ask   God. 16And God met with   Balaam, and he put a word into   his mouth. And said, Return to Balak! and thus you shall speak. 17And he returned to him. And thus he was standing beside   his whole burnt-offering, and the rulers of Moab with him. And [²said ³to him ¹Balak], What said the lord? 18And taking up   his parable, he said, Rise up, O Balak, and hear! Give ear, O witness son of Zippor! 19[²is not ³as ⁴a man   ¹God] to waver, nor as a son of man to be threatened. He in speaking, shall he not do? Shall he speak, and not adhere to? 20Behold, [²to bless ¹I have taken to myself]. I will bless and in no way shall I turn back. 21There shall not be trouble in Jacob, nor shall [²appear ¹misery] in Israel. The lord    his God is with him, the honorable ones of the rulers are with him. 22God was the one leading him out of Egypt; as the glory of his unicorn. 23[³no ¹For ²there is] omen in Jacob, nor divination in Israel. In time it shall be told to Jacob and to  Israel what [²shall complete   ¹God]. 24Behold, the people as a cub shall raise up, and as a lion it shall prance; It shall not go to sleep until it shall eat game, and the blood of the slain it shall drink. 25And Balak said to Balaam, Neither in curses shall you curse him, nor blessings shall you bless him. 26And Balaam answering said   to Balak, Did I not speak to you, saying, The word which ever God should speak, this I will do? 27And Balak said to Balaam, Come, I should take you unto [²place ¹another], if it should please   God, and curse him for me from there! 28And Balak took   Balaam upon the top   of Peor, the part extending into the wilderness. 29And Balaam said to Balak, Build for me here seven shrines, and prepare for me here seven calves, and seven rams! 30And Balak did just as [²said ³to him ¹Balaam], and he bore a calf and a ram unto the shrine.