The Fourth Book of Moses: Numbers

⭑ Geneva Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 23 -

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

Balaam’s Second Oracle

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.

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.

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

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

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?

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

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?

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

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.

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

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?

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.

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

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

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.

So Balak brought Balaam vnto the top of Peor, that looketh toward Ieshmon.

Then Balaam sayde vnto Balak, Make me here seuen altars, and prepare me here seuen bullocks, and seuen rammes.

And Balak did as Balaam had sayd, and offred a bullocke and a ram on euery altar.

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

Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bull and a ram.

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.

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.”

The LORD put a word in Balaam’s mouth, and said, “Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak.”

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

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.

How shall I curse whom God has not cursed? How shall I defy whom the LORD has not defied?

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.

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!”

Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have blessed them altogether.”

He answered and said, “Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD puts in my mouth?”

Balaam’s Second Oracle

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.”

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.

He said to Balak, “Stand here by your burnt offering, while I meet God over there.”

The LORD met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, “Return to Balak, and say this.”

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?”

He took up his parable, and said, “Rise up, Balak, and hear! Listen to me, you son of Zippor.

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?

Behold, I have received a command to bless. He has blessed, and I can’t reverse it.

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.

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

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!’

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.”

Balak said to Balaam, “Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all.”

But Balaam answered Balak, “Didn’t I tell you, saying, ‘All that the LORD speaks, that I must do’?”

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.”

Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, that looks down on the desert.

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

Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered up a bull and a ram on every altar.