Numbers 23:15–19

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

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

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

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?

15 And he said unto Balak, Stand here by thy burnt offering, while I meet the Lord yonder. 16 And the Lord met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Go again unto Balak, and say thus. 17 And when he came to him, behold, he stood by his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said unto him, What hath the Lord spoken? 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?

15 Then Balaam said to the king, “Stand here by your burnt offerings while I go over there to meet the Lord.”

16 And the Lord met Balaam and gave him a message. Then he said, “Go back to Balak and give him my message.”

17 So Balaam returned and found the king standing beside his burnt offerings with all the officials of Moab. “What did the Lord say?” Balak asked eagerly.

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?

15 And he said to Balak, “Stand here by your burnt offering while I meet the Lord over there.”

16 Then the Lord met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, “Go back to Balak, and thus you shall speak.” 17 So he came to him, and there he was, standing by his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab were with him. And Balak said to him, “What has the Lord spoken?”

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?

15 So Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here by your burnt offering, and I will meet with God over there.”

16 So the Lord came to Balaam and told him what to say. Then he said, “Go back to Balak and say such and such.”

17 So Balaam went to Balak, where he and the leaders of Moab were standing beside his burnt offering. Balak asked him, “What did the Lord say?”

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.

15 And he said unto Balak, Stand here by thy burnt-offering, while I meet Jehovah yonder. 16 And Jehovah met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus shalt thou speak. 17 And he came to him, and, lo, he was standing by his burnt-offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said unto him, What hath Jehovah spoken? 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?

15 And Balaam said to Balak, Stand here by thy burnt-offering, and I will go to meet yonder. 16 And Jehovah met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Return to Balak, and thus shalt thou speak. 17 And he came to him, and behold, he was standing by his burnt-offering, and the princes of Moab with him; and Balak said to him, What has Jehovah spoken? 18 Then he took up his parable and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear! hearken unto me, son of Zippor! 19 •God is not a man, that he should lie; neither a son of man, that he should repent. Shall he say and not do? and shall he speak and not make it good?

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

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

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

15 Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here by your burnt offering while I seek the Lord over there.”

16 The Lord met with Balaam and put a message in his mouth. Then He said, “Return to Balak and say what I tell you.”

17 So he returned to Balak, who was standing there by his burnt offering with the officials of Moab. Balak asked him, “What did the Lord say?”

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?

15 Balaam said to Balak, “Stand here beside your burnt offerings, while I meet the Lord over there.” 16 The Lord met Balaam, put a word into his mouth, and said, “Return to Balak, and this is what you shall say.” 17 When he came to him, he was standing beside his burnt offerings with the officials of Moab. Balak said to him, “What has the Lord said?” 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?

15 Balaam said to Balak, “Station yourself here at the burnt offering while I myself meet with Yahweh there.” 16 Then Yahweh met with Balaam, and he put a word in his mouth, and he said, “Return to Balak, and you must speak thus.” 17 He came to him, and behold, he was standing at his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said to him, “What has Yahweh spoken?” 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?

15 Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here beside your offering. I’ll meet with the Lord over there.”

16 The Lord met with Balaam. He put a message in Balaam’s mouth. The Lord said, “Go back to Balak. Give him my message.”

17 So he went to him. He found him standing beside his offering. The princes of Moab were with him. Balak asked him, “What did the Lord say?”

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.

15 And he said to Balak, “Stand here beside your burnt offering while I myself meet the Lord over there.”

16 Then the Lord met Balaam and put a word in his mouth and said, “Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak.”

17 He came to him, and behold, he was standing beside his burnt offering, and the leaders of Moab with him. And Balak said to him, “What has the Lord spoken?”

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?