Numbers 23:7–24:9

⁷Then Balaam spoke the message he had received from God. He said,

“Balak brought me from the land of Aram.

The king of Moab sent for me from the mountains in the east.

‘Come,’ he said. ‘Put a curse on Jacob’s people for me.

Come. Speak against Israel.’

⁸But how can I put a curse on

people God hasn’t cursed?

How can I speak against

people the Lord hasn’t spoken against?

⁹I see them from the rocky peaks.

I view them from the hills.

I see a group of people who live by themselves.

They don’t consider themselves to be one of the nations.

¹⁰Jacob’s people are like the dust of the earth.

Can dust be counted?

Who can count even a fourth of the people of Israel?

Let me die as godly people die.

Let my death be like theirs!”

¹¹Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you here to put a curse on my enemies! But all you have done is give them a blessing!”

¹²He answered, “I have to speak only the words the Lord puts in my mouth.”

Balaam’s Second Message From God

¹³Then Balak said to Balaam, “Come with me to another place. You can see the people of Israel from there. You will see only some of them. You won’t see all of them. From there, put a curse on them for me.”

¹⁴So Balak took Balaam to the field of Zophim. It was on the highest slopes of Pisgah. There he built seven altars. He offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

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

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

¹⁷So 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?”

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

“Balak, rise up and listen.

Son of Zippor, hear me.

¹⁹God 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.

²⁰He 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.

²²God brought them out of Egypt.

They are as strong as a wild ox.

²³There 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!’

²⁴The 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.”

²⁵Then Balak said to Balaam, “Don’t put a curse on them at all! And don’t give them a blessing at all!”

²⁶Balaam answered, “Didn’t I tell you that I have to do only what the Lord says?”

Balaam’s Third Message From God

²⁷Then Balak said to Balaam, “Come. Let me take you to another place. Perhaps God will be pleased to let you put a curse on them for me from there.” ²⁸Balak took Balaam to the top of Mount Peor. It looks out over a dry and empty land.

²⁹Balaam said, “Build me seven altars here. Prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me to sacrifice.” ³⁰Balak did just as Balaam said. He offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

24Balaam saw that the Lord was pleased to give his blessing to Israel. So he didn’t try to use evil magic as he had done at other times. Instead, he turned and looked toward the desert. ²He looked out and saw Israel. They had set up their camps tribe by tribe. The Spirit of God came on him.

³Balaam spoke the message he had received from God. He said,

“Here is the message God gave Balaam, the son of Beor.

It’s the message God gave to the one who sees clearly.

⁴It’s the message God gave to the one who hears the words of God.

He sees a vision from the Mighty One.

He falls down flat with his face toward the ground.

His eyes have been opened by the Lord.

⁵“People of Jacob, your tents are very beautiful.

Israel, the places where you live are very beautiful.

⁶“They spread out like valleys.

They are like gardens beside a river.

They are like aloes the Lord has planted.

They are like cedar trees beside a stream.

⁷Their water buckets will run over.

Their seeds will have plenty of water.

“Their king will be greater than King Agag.

Their kingdom will be honored.

⁸“God brought them out of Egypt.

They are as strong as a wild ox.

They eat up nations that are at war with them.

They break their bones in pieces.

They wound them with their arrows.

⁹Like a male lion they lie down and sleep.

They are like a female lion.

Who dares to wake them up?

May those who bless you be blessed!

May those who call down a curse on you be cursed!”