Numbers 22:41–23:12

41 In the morning, Balak took Balaam and brought him to Bamoth-baal.C From there he saw the outskirts of the people’s camp.

BALAAM’S ORACLES

23 Then Balaam said to Balak, “Build me seven altars here and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me.”a 2 So Balak did as Balaam directed, and they offered a bull and a ram on each altar. 3 Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here by your burnt offering while I am gone. Maybe the Lord will meet with me. I will tell you whatever he reveals to me.” So he went to a barren hill.

4 God met with him and Balaam said to him, “I have arranged seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.” 5 Then the Lord put a message in Balaam’s mouth and said, “Return to Balak and say what I tell you.”

6 So he returned to Balak, who was standing there by his burnt offering with all the officials of Moab.

BALAAM’S FIRST ORACLE

7 Balaam proclaimed his poem:

Balak brought me from Aram;b

the king of Moab, from the eastern mountains:

“Come, put a curse on Jacob for me;

come, denounce Israel!”c

8 How can I curse someone God has not cursed?

How can I denounce someone the Lord has not denounced?

9 I see them from the top of rocky cliffs,

and I watch them from the hills.

There is a people living alone;d

it does not consider itself among the nations.

10 Who has counted the dust of Jacobe

or numbered even one-fourth of Israel?

Let me die the death of the upright;

let the end of my life be like theirs.

11 “What have you done to me?” Balak asked Balaam. “I brought you to curse my enemies, but look, you have only blessed them!”

12 He answered, “Shouldn’t I say exactly what the Lord puts in my mouth?”f