The Fourth Book of Moses: Numbers

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- Chapter 23 -

Balaam said to King Balak, “Build here seven altars for me. Then kill seven young bulls and seven rams for a sacrifice.”

So Balak did that. And then he and Balaam each burned a young bull and a ram as a sacrifice on each altar.

Then Balaam said to Balak, “You stand here close to your burned offerings, and I will go and ask Yahweh if he has something else to tell me. Then I will tell you what he says to me.” Then Balaam went by himself to the top of a hill.

While he was on the top of the hill, God appeared to him there. Balaam said to him, “We have built seven altars, and I have killed and burned a young bull and a ram as a sacrifice to you on each altar.”

Then Yahweh gave Balaam a message to give to King Balak. Then he said, “Go back and tell him what I told you.”

When Balaam returned to Balak, Balak was standing with the leaders from Moab beside the offerings he had burned on the altar.

This is the message that Balaam told them, “Balak summoned me to come here from Aram; the king of Moab brought me here from the hills at the eastern side of Aram. He said, ’Come and curse the descendants of Jacob for me! Come and say that bad things will happen to these Israelite people!’

But how can I curse people whom God has not cursed? How can I fight against people against whom Yahweh does not fight?

I have seen them from the tops of the rocky peaks, I have seen them from the hills. I see that they are a group of people who live by themselves. They have separated themselves from other nations.

Who can count the descendants of Jacob, as numerous as particles of dust! Who can count even a fourth of the number of the Israelite people? I wish that I will die like righteous people die. I hope that I will die peacefully like they will die.”

Then Balak said, “What have you done to me? I brought you here to curse my enemies, but instead you have blessed them!”

But Balaam replied, “I can say only what Yahweh tells me to say. I cannot say anything else.”

Balaam’s Second Oracle

Then King Balak told Balaam, “Come with me to another place. There you will see only part of the Israelite people, and you will be able to curse those people for me.”

So Balak took Balaam to a field on the top of Mount Pisgah. There, again he built seven altars and offered a young bull and a ram as a sacrifice on each altar.

Then Balaam said to the king, “Stand here close to your burned offerings, while I go and talk with Yahweh.”

So Balaam did that, and Yahweh appeared to Balaam again and gave him another message. Then he said, “Go back to Balak and tell him that message.”

So Balaam returned to where the king and the leaders from Moab were standing, next to the altar where Balak had burned the sacrifices. Balak asked him, “What did Yahweh say?”

Then Balaam told him this message, “Balak, listen carefully, hear what I have to say, you son of Zippor!

God is not a human being. Humans lie, but God never lies. He never changes his mind, as humans do. Whatever he has said that he will do, he does. Whatever he has promised to do, he has done it.

He commanded me to request him to bless the Israelites, So he has blessed them, and I cannot change that.

Yahweh their God is with them; the people shout that he is their true king. So the descendants of Jacob will not be harmed, they will not endure trouble without God.

God brought them out of slavery in Egypt and has led them through the wilderness with strength like a wild ox.

When people curse the descendants of Jacob, they will not be harmed, when people work sorcery on them, it will have no power. So now people will say about the descendants of Jacob, ‘God has done wonderful things for the Israelites!’

They are very strong, like lionesses that are ready to attack other animals. They stand firm like lions. The lions refuse to rest until they have killed and eaten their prey and drunk the blood of the animals they slaughtered.”

Then Balak said to Balaam, “If you will not curse them, then I certainly do not want you to bless them!”

But Balaam replied, “I told you that I must do only what Yahweh tells me to do!”

Then King Balak said to Balaam, “Come with me; I will take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God to allow you to curse them from that place.”

So Balak took Balaam to the top of Mount Peor where they could look down and see the Israelites in the desert.

Balaam again told Balak, “Build me seven altars again and kill seven young bulls and seven rams for a sacrifice.”

So Balak did what Balaam told him to do. He burned a young bull and a ram on each altar as sacrifices.

Balaam said to Balak, “Build here seven altars for me, and prepare here seven bulls and seven rams for me.”

Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bull and a ram.

Balaam said to Balak, “Stand by your burnt offering, and I will go. Perhaps the LORD will come to meet me. Whatever he shows me I will tell you.” He went to a bare height.

God met Balaam, and he said to him, “I have prepared the seven altars, and I have offered up a bull and a ram on every altar.”

The LORD put a word in Balaam’s mouth, and said, “Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak.”

He returned to him, and behold, he was standing by his burnt offering, he, and all the princes of Moab.

He took up his parable, and said, “From Aram has Balak brought me, the king of Moab from the mountains of the East. Come, curse Jacob for me. Come, defy Israel.

How shall I curse whom God has not cursed? How shall I defy whom the LORD has not defied?

For from the top of the rocks I see him. From the hills I see him. Behold, it is a people that dwells alone, and shall not be listed among the nations.

Who can count the dust of Jacob, or count the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous! Let my last end be like his!”

Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have blessed them altogether.”

He answered and said, “Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD puts in my mouth?”

Balaam’s Second Oracle

Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place, where you may see them. You shall see just part of them, and shall not see them all. Curse them from there for me.”

He took him into the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered up a bull and a ram on every altar.

He said to Balak, “Stand here by your burnt offering, while I meet God over there.”

The LORD met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, “Return to Balak, and say this.”

He came to him, and behold, he was standing by his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. Balak said to him, “What has the LORD spoken?”

He took up his parable, and said, “Rise up, Balak, and hear! Listen to me, you son of Zippor.

God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should repent. Has he said, and he won’t do it? Or has he spoken, and he won’t make it good?

Behold, I have received a command to bless. He has blessed, and I can’t reverse it.

He has not seen iniquity in Jacob. Neither has he seen perverseness in Israel. The LORD his God is with him. The shout of a king is among them.

God brings them out of Egypt. He has as it were the strength of the wild ox.

Surely there is no enchantment with Jacob; neither is there any divination with Israel. Now it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, ‘What has God done!’

Behold, a people rises up as a lioness. As a lion he lifts himself up. He shall not lie down until he eats of the prey, and drinks the blood of the slain.”

Balak said to Balaam, “Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all.”

But Balaam answered Balak, “Didn’t I tell you, saying, ‘All that the LORD speaks, that I must do’?”

Balak said to Balaam, “Come now, I will take you to another place; perhaps it will please God that you may curse them for me from there.”

Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, that looks down on the desert.

Balaam said to Balak, “Build seven altars for me here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me here.”

Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered up a bull and a ram on every altar.