18 Then he spoke his message:

“Arise, Balak, and listen;

hear me, son of Zippor.

19 God 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?

20 I have received a command to bless;

he has blessed, and I cannot change it.

21 “No misfortune is seen in Jacob,

no misery observed in Israel.

The Lord their God is with them;

the shout of the King is among them.

22 God brought them out of Egypt;

they have the strength of a wild ox.

23 There is no divination against Jacob,

no evil omens against Israel.

It will now be said of Jacob

and of Israel, ‘See what God has done!’

24 The 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.”

18 And Balaam took up his discourse and said,

“Rise, Balak, and hear;

give ear to me, O son of Zippor:

19 God is not man, that he should lie,

or a son of man, that he should change his mind.

Has he said, and will he not do it?

Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?

20 Behold, I received a command to bless:

he has blessed, and I cannot revoke it.

21 He has not beheld misfortune in Jacob,

nor has he seen trouble in Israel.

The Lord their God is with them,

and the shout of a king is among them.

22 God brings them out of Egypt

and is for them like the horns of the wild ox.

23 For there is no enchantment against Jacob,

no divination against Israel;

now it shall be said of Jacob and Israel,

‘What has God wrought!’

24 Behold, a people! As a lioness it rises up

and as a lion it lifts itself;

it does not lie down until it has devoured the prey

and drunk the blood of the slain.”

18 And he took up his parable, and said,

Rise up, Balak, and hear;

Hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor:

19 God is not a man, that he should lie;

Neither the son of man, that he should repent:

Hath he said, and shall he not do it?

Or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?

20 Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed;

And I cannot reverse it.

21 He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob,

Neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel:

The Lord his God is with him,

And the shout of a king is among them.

22 God brought them out of Egypt;

He hath as it were the strength of an unicorn.

23 Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob,

Neither is there any divination against Israel:

According to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel,

What hath God wrought!

24 Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion,

And lift up himself as a young lion:

He shall not lie down until he eat of the prey,

And drink the blood of the slain.

18 This was the message Balaam delivered:

“Rise up, Balak, and listen!

Hear me, son of Zippor.

19 God is not a man, so he does not lie.

He is not human, so he does not change his mind.

Has he ever spoken and failed to act?

Has he ever promised and not carried it through?

20 Listen, I received a command to bless;

God has blessed, and I cannot reverse it!

21 No misfortune is in his plan for Jacob;

no trouble is in store for Israel.

For the Lord their God is with them;

he has been proclaimed their king.

22 God brought them out of Egypt;

for them he is as strong as a wild ox.

23 No curse can touch Jacob;

no magic has any power against Israel.

For now it will be said of Jacob,

‘What wonders God has done for Israel!’

24 These people rise up like a lioness,

like a majestic lion rousing itself.

They refuse to rest

until they have feasted on prey,

drinking the blood of the slaughtered!”

18 Then he took up his oracle and said:

“Rise up, Balak, and hear!

Listen to me, son of Zippor!

19 “God is not a man, that He should lie,

Nor a son of man, that He should repent.

Has He said, and will He not do?

Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?

20 Behold, I have received a command to bless;

He has blessed, and I cannot reverse it.

21 “He has not observed iniquity in Jacob,

Nor has He seen wickedness in Israel.

The Lord his God is with him,

And the shout of a King is among them.

22 God brings them out of Egypt;

He has strength like a wild ox.

23 “For there is no sorcery against Jacob,

Nor any divination against Israel.

It now must be said of Jacob

And of Israel, ‘Oh, what God has done!’

24 Look, a people rises like a lioness,

And lifts itself up like a lion;

It shall not lie down until it devours the prey,

And drinks the blood of the slain.”

18 Then Balaam gave this message:

“Stand up, Balak, and listen.

Hear me, son of Zippor.

19 God is not a human being, and he will not lie.

He is not a human, and he does not change his mind.

What he says he will do, he does.

What he promises, he makes come true.

20 He told me to bless them,

so I cannot change the blessing.

21 He has found no wrong in the people of Jacob;

he saw no fault in Israel.

The Lord their God is with them,

and they praise their King.

22 God brought them out of Egypt;

they are as strong as a wild ox.

23 No tricks will work on the people of Jacob,

and no magic will work against Israel.

People now say about them,

‘Look what God has done for Israel!’

24 The people rise up like a lioness;

they get up like a lion.

Lions don’t rest until they have eaten,

until they have drunk their enemies’ blood.”

18 And he took up his parable, and said,

Rise up, Balak, and hear;

Hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor:

19 God is not a man, that he should lie,

Neither the son of man, that he should repent:

Hath he said, and will he not do it?

Or hath he spoken, and will he not make it good?

20 Behold, I have received commandment to bless:

And he hath blessed, and I cannot reverse it.

21 He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob;

Neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel:

Jehovah his God is with him,

And the shout of a king is among them.

22 God bringeth them forth out of Egypt;

He hath as it were the strength of the wild-ox.

23 Surely there is no enchantment with Jacob;

Neither is there any divination with Israel:

Now shall it be said of Jacob and of Israel,

What hath God wrought!

24 Behold, the people riseth up as a lioness,

And as a lion doth he lift himself up:

He shall not lie down until he eat of the prey,

And drink the blood of the slain.

18 Then Balaam delivered this message: 

“Stand up, Balak, and listen! 

Hear me, son of Zippor! 

19 God 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. 

20 I have received a command to bless. 

He has blessed, and I can’t change it. 

21 He 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. 

22 The God who brought them out of Egypt 

has the strength of a wild bull. 

23 No 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!’ 

24 Here is a nation that attacks like a lioness 

and is as ferocious as a lion. 

It doesn’t lie down until it eats its prey 

and drinks the blood of its victim.” 

18 Balaam proclaimed his poem:

Balak, get up and listen;

son of Zippor, pay attention to what I say!

19 God is not a man who lies,

or a son of man who changes His mind.

Does He speak and not act,

or promise and not fulfill?

20 I have indeed received a command to bless;

since He has blessed, I cannot change it.

21 He considers no disaster for Jacob;

He sees no trouble for Israel.

The Lord their God is with them,

and there is rejoicing over the King among them.

22 God brought them out of Egypt;

He is like the horns of a wild ox for them.

23 There is no magic curse against Jacob

and no divination against Israel.

It will now be said about Jacob and Israel,

“What great things God has done!”

24 A people rise up like a lioness;

They rouse themselves like a lion.

They will not lie down until they devour the prey

and drink the blood of the slain.

18 Then Balaam uttered his oracle, saying:

“Rise, Balak, and hear;

listen to me, O son of Zippor:

19 God is not a human being, that he should lie,

or a mortal, that he should change his mind.

Has he promised, and will he not do it?

Has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?

20 See, I received a command to bless;

he has blessed, and I cannot revoke it.

21 He has not beheld misfortune in Jacob;

nor has he seen trouble in Israel.

The Lord their God is with them,

acclaimed as a king among them.

22 God, who brings them out of Egypt,

is like the horns of a wild ox for them.

23 Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob,

no divination against Israel;

now it shall be said of Jacob and Israel,

‘See what God has done!’

24 Look, a people rising up like a lioness,

and rousing itself like a lion!

It does not lie down until it has eaten the prey

and drunk the blood of the slain.”

18 Then he uttered his oracle, and said,

“Stand up, Balak, and hear;

listen to me, son of Zippor!

19 God is not a man, that he should lie,

nor a son of humankind,

that he should change his mind.

Has he said, and will he not do it?

And has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?

20 Behold, I have received a command to bless;

when he has blessed, I cannot cause it to return.

21 He has no regard for evil in Jacob,

and he does not see trouble in Israel;

Yahweh his God is with him,

and a shout of a king is among them.

22 God, who brings them out from Egypt,

is like the strength of a wild ox for them.

23 Because there is no sorcery against Jacob,

and there is no divination against Israel.

Now it will be said to Jacob and Israel,

what God has done!

24 Look! the people will rise like the lion;

he raises himself and will not lie down

until he eats the prey

and drinks the blood of the slain.”

18 Then Balaam spoke the message he had received from God. He said,

“Balak, rise up and listen.

Son of Zippor, hear me.

19 God isn’t a mere man. He can’t lie.

He isn’t a human being. He doesn’t change his mind.

He speaks, and then he acts.

He makes a promise, and then he keeps it.

20 He has commanded me to bless Israel.

He has given them his blessing. And I can’t change it.

21 “I don’t see any trouble coming on the people of Jacob.

I don’t see any suffering in Israel.

The Lord their God is with them.

The shout of the King is among them.

22 God brought them out of Egypt.

They are as strong as a wild ox.

23 There isn’t any magic that can hurt the people of Jacob.

No one can use magic words to harm Israel.

Here is what will be said about the people of Jacob.

Here is what will be said about Israel.

People will say, ‘See what God has done!’

24 The people of Israel are going to wake up like a female lion.

They are going to get up like a male lion.

They are like a lion that won’t rest

until it eats what it has caught.

They are like a lion that won’t rest

until it drinks the blood of what it has killed.”

18 Then he took up his discourse and said,

“Arise, O Balak, and hear;

Give ear to me, O son of Zippor!

19 “God is not a man, that He should lie,

Nor a son of man, that He should repent;

Has He said, and will He not do it?

Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?

20 “Behold, I have received a command to bless;

When He has blessed, then I cannot revoke it.

21 “He has not observed misfortune in Jacob;

Nor has He seen trouble in Israel;

The Lord his God is with him,

And the shout of a king is among them.

22 “God brings them out of Egypt,

He is for them like the horns of the wild ox.

23 “For there is no omen against Jacob,

Nor is there any divination against Israel;

At the proper time it shall be said to Jacob

And to Israel, what God has done!

24 “Behold, a people rises like a lioness,

And as a lion it lifts itself;

It will not lie down until it devours the prey,

And drinks the blood of the slain.”