Numbers 23:7-23

7Then Balaam delivered this message: “Balak brought me from Aram. The king of Moab summoned me from the eastern mountains. ‘Come, curse Jacob for me,’ he said. ‘Come, condemn Israel.’

8How can I curse those whom God hasn’t cursed? How can I condemn those whom the Lord hasn’t condemned?

9I see them from the top of rocky cliffs, I look at them from the hills. I see a nation that lives by itself, people who do not consider themselves to be like other nations.

10The descendants of Jacob are like specks of dust. Who can count them or number even one-fourth of the people of Israel? Let me die the death of innocent people. Let my end be like theirs.”

11Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you here to curse my enemies, but all you’ve done is bless them!”

12Balaam answered, “I must say what the Lord tells me to say.”

13Then Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place, where you can see the Israelites. You will see only some of them, not all of them. Curse them for me from there.”

14So he took him to the Field of Zophim  on top of Mount Pisgah, where he built seven altars. He offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

15Then Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here beside your burnt offering while I meet with God over there.”

16The Lord came to Balaam and told him, “Go back to Balak, and give him my message.”

17He came to Balak and found him standing beside his burnt offering with the princes of Moab. Balak asked him, “What did the Lord say?”

18Then Balaam delivered this message: “Stand up, Balak, and listen! Hear me, son of Zippor!

19God is not like people. He tells no lies. He is not like humans. He doesn’t change his mind. When he says something, he does it. When he makes a promise, he keeps it.

20I have received a command to bless. He has blessed, and I can’t change it.

21He doesn’t want any trouble for the descendants of Jacob. He sees no misfortune for the people of Israel. The Lord their God is with them, praised as their king.

22The God who brought them out of Egypt has the strength of a wild bull.

23No spell can curse the descendants of Jacob. No magic can harm the people of Israel. Now it will be said of Jacob and Israel: ‘See what God has done!’