Numbers 23:13-30

Balaam’s Second Message 13Then Balak said to him, “Come with me to another place where you can see them; you will not see them all but only the outskirts of their camp. And from there, curse them for me.”

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

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

16The LORD met with Balaam and put a word in his mouth and said, “Go back to Balak and give him this word.”

17So he went to him and found him standing beside his offering, with the Moabite officials. Balak asked him, “What did the LORD say?”

18Then he spoke his message: “Arise, Balak, and listen; hear me, son of Zippor.

19God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?

20I have received a command to bless; he has blessed, and I cannot change it.

21“No misfortune is seen in Jacob, no misery observed Or He has not looked on Jacob’s offenses / or on the wrongs found in Israel. The LORD their God is with them; the shout of the King is among them.

22God brought them out of Egypt; they have the strength of a wild ox.

23There is no divination against Or in Jacob, no evil omens against Or in Israel. It will now be said of Jacob and of Israel, ‘See what God has done!’

24The people rise like a lioness; they rouse themselves like a lion that does not rest till it devours its prey and drinks the blood of its victims.”

25Then Balak said to Balaam, “Neither curse them at all nor bless them at all!”

26Balaam answered, “Did I not tell you I must do whatever the LORD says?”

Balaam’s Third Message 27Then Balak said to Balaam, “Come, let me take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God to let you curse them for me from there.”

28And Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, overlooking the wasteland. 29Balaam said, “Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me.” 30Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.