Berean Standard Bible

Numbers 23

1Then BalaamH1109 saidH559 toH413 BalakH1111, “BuildH1129 for me sevenH7651 altarsH4196 hereH2088, and prepareH3559 for meH2088 sevenH7651 bullsH6499 and sevenH7651 ramsH352.”

2So BalakH1111 didH6213 asH834 BalaamH1109 had instructedH1696, and BalakH1111 and BalaamH1109 offeredH5927 a bullH6499 and a ramH352 on each altarH4196.

3“StayH3320 here byH5921 your burnt offeringH5930 while I am goneH1980,” BalaamH1109 saidH559 to BalakH1111. “PerhapsH194 H7136 the LORDH3068 will meet with meH7122 H1697. And whateverH4100 He reveals to meH7200, I will tellH5046 you.”

So Balaam went offH1980 to a barren heightH8205, 4and GodH430 metH7136 withH413 himH1109. “I have set upH6186 sevenH7651 altarsH4196,” Balaam saidH559 , “and on each altarH4196 I have offeredH5927 a bullH6499 and a ramH352.”

5Then the LORDH3068 putH7760 a messageH1697 in Balaam’sH1109 mouthH6310, sayingH559, “ReturnH7725 toH413 BalakH1111 andH3541 give him this messageH1696.”

6So he returnedH7725 to BalakH413, whoH1931 was standingH5324 thereH2009 besideH5921 his burnt offeringH5930, with allH3605 the princesH8269 of MoabH4124.

7And Balaam lifted upH5375 an oracleH4912, sayingH559:

“BalakH1111 brought meH5148 fromH4480 AramH758,the kingH4428 of MoabH4124 from the mountainsH2042 of the eastH6924.‘Come,’ he saidH1980, ‘put a curseH779 on JacobH3290 for me;comeH1980 and denounceH2194 IsraelH3478!’8HowH4100 can I curseH6895 those whom GodH410 has notH3808 cursedH6895?HowH4100 can I denounceH2194 those whom the LORDH3068 has notH3808 denouncedH2194?9ForH3588 I see themH7200 from atopH7218 the rocky cliffsH6697,and I watch themH7789 from the hillsH1389.BeholdH2005, a peopleH5971 dwellingH7931 apartH910,notH3808 reckoning themselvesH2803 among the nationsH1471.10WhoH4310 can countH4487 the dustH6083 of JacobH3290or numberH4557 even a fourthH7255 of IsraelH3478?Let meH5315 dieH4191 the deathH4194 of the righteousH3477;let my endH319 beH1961 like theirsH3644!”

11Then BalakH1111 saidH559 toH413 BalaamH1109, “WhatH4100 have you doneH6213 to me? I brought youH3947 here to curseH6895 my enemiesH341, and beholdH2009, you have only blessed themH1288!”

12But Balaam repliedH6030 H559, “Should I notH3808 speakH1696 exactly whatH834 the LORDH3068 putsH7760 in my mouthH6310 ?”

Balaam’s Second Oracle

13Then BalakH1111 saidH559 to himH413, “Please comeH1980 H4994 with meH854 toH413 anotherH312 placeH4725 whereH834 you can see themH7200. You will onlyH657 seeH7200 the outskirts of their campH7097—notH3808 all of themH3605. And from thereH8033, curse themH6895 for me.”

14So Balak took himH3947 to the fieldH7704 of ZophimH6839, to theH413 topH7218 of PisgahH6449, where he builtH1129 sevenH7651 altarsH4196 and offeredH5927 a bullH6499 and a ramH352 on each altarH4196.

15Balaam saidH559 toH413 BalakH1111, “StayH3320 hereH3541 besideH5921 your burnt offeringH5930 while IH595 meetH7136 the LORD over thereH3541.”

16And the LORDH3068 metH7136 withH413 BalaamH1109 and putH7760 a messageH1697 in his mouthH6310, sayingH559, “ReturnH7725 toH413 BalakH1111 and speakH1696 what I tell youH3541.”

17So he returnedH935 to BalakH413, who was standingH5324 thereH2009 byH5921 his burnt offeringH5930 withH854 the princesH8269 of MoabH4124.

“WhatH4100 did the LORDH3068 sayH1696?” BalakH1111 askedH559.

18Then Balaam lifted upH5375 an oracleH4912, sayingH559:

“AriseH6965, O BalakH1111, and listenH8085;giveH238 ear to meH5704, O sonH1121 of ZipporH6834.19GodH410 is notH3808 a manH376, that He should lieH3576,or a sonH1121 of manH120, that He should change His mindH5162.Does HeH1931 speakH559 and notH3808 actH6213?Does He promiseH1696 and notH3808 fulfillH6965?20I have indeedH2009 receivedH3947 a command to blessH1288;He has blessedH1288, and I cannotH3808 change itH7725.21He considersH5027 noH3808 disasterH205 for JacobH3290;He seesH7200 noH3808 troubleH5999 for IsraelH3478.The LORDH3068 their GodH430 is with themH5973,and the shoutH8643 of the KingH4428 is among them.22GodH410 brought them outH3318 of EgyptH4714with strengthH8443 like a wild oxH7214.23ForH3588 there is noH3808 spellH5173 against JacobH3290and noH3808 divinationH7081 against IsraelH3478.It will nowH6256 be saidH559 of JacobH3290 and IsraelH3478,‘WhatH4100 great things GodH410 has doneH6466!’24BeholdH2005, the peopleH5971 riseH6965 like a lionessH3833;they rouse themselvesH5375 like a lionH738,notH3808 restingH7901 untilH5704 they devourH398 their preyH2964and drinkH8354 the bloodH1818 of the slainH2491.”

25Now BalakH1111 saidH559 toH413 BalaamH1109, “ThenH1571 neitherH3808 curse themH6895 at allH6895 H1571 norH3808 bless themH1288 at allH1288!”

26But BalaamH1109 H559 H413 repliedH6030 , “Did I notH3808 tell you thatH1696 H413 H559 whateverH3605 the LORDH3068 saysH1696, I must doH6213?”

27“PleaseH4994 comeH1980,” saidH559 BalakH1111 , “I will takeH3947 you toH413 anotherH312 placeH4725. PerhapsH194 it will pleaseH3474 H5869 GodH430 that you curse themH6895 for me from thereH8033.”

28And BalakH1111 tookH3947 BalaamH1109 to the topH7218 of PeorH6465, which overlooksH8259 H5921 H6440 the wastelandH3452.1

29Then BalaamH1109 H413 saidH559 , “BuildH1129 for me sevenH7651 altarsH4196 hereH2088, and prepareH3559 for meH2088 sevenH7651 bullsH6499 and sevenH7651 ramsH352.”

30So BalakH1111 didH6213 asH834 BalaamH1109 had instructedH559, and he offeredH5927 a bullH6499 and a ramH352 on each altarH4196.