Numbers 23:1–8

Balaam’s First Message

23 Balaam said, “Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven bulls and seven ramse for me.” 2 Balak did as Balaam said, and the two of them offered a bull and a ram on each altar.f

3 Then Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here beside your offering while I go aside. Perhaps the Lord will come to meet with me.g Whatever he reveals to me I will tell you.” Then he went off to a barren height.

4 God met with him,h and Balaam said, “I have prepared seven altars, and on each altar I have offered a bull and a ram.”

5 The Lord put a word in Balaam’s mouthi and said, “Go back to Balak and give him this word.”j

6 So he went back to him and found him standing beside his offering, with all the Moabite officials.k 7 Then Balaaml spoke his message:m

“Balak brought me from Aram,n

the king of Moab from the eastern mountains.o

‘Come,’ he said, ‘curse Jacob for me;

come, denounce Israel.’p

8 How can I curse

those whom God has not cursed?q

How can I denounce

those whom the Lord has not denounced?r