Open English Translation NUM Chapter 23

23 Then Bileam said to King Balak, “Get them to build seven altars for me here, and prepare me seven bulls and seven rams.”

2 So Balak did what Bileam had instructed, then the two of them offered up a bull and a ram on each altar. 3 Then Bileam told Balak, “You stand here beside your burnt offering, and I’ll move away. Perhaps Yahweh will want to meet me, and then I’ll tell you whatever he shows me.” Then he went to a bare hilltop 4 where God met him, and Bileam told him, “I organised seven altars and offered up a bull and a ram on each altar.”

5 Then Yahweh gave Bileam a message and told him, “Go back to Balak and tell him that.” 6 So he went back to Balak who was still standing by his burnt offering along with all of Moav’s officials.

7 So Bileam gave his pronouncement,

“It’s Balak has brought me here from Aram.

≈ Moav’s king summoned me from the eastern mountains.

‘Go curse Yakov (Jacob) for me,

≈ and go denounce Yisrael.’

8 How can I curse those who God hasn’t cursed?

≈ How can I denounce those who Yahweh hasn’t denounced?

9 Yes, I can see them from the top of those rocks.

≈ I look at them from the hills.

Look, a population that lives by itself.

≈ It doesn’t count itself among the other nations.

10 Who can count the dust that Yakov leaves behind?

≈ Who can even count a quarter of the Israelis?

Let me die like those honourable people,

≈ and let my end be like theirs.”

11 But Balak demanded from Bileam, “What have you done to me? I brought you here to curse my enemies, and blast it all—you’ve actually blessed them!”

12 “Shouldn’t I be careful to only say what Yahweh tells me?” Bileam answered back.

13 Then King Balak told Bileam, “Please come with me to another place that you’ll be able to see them from. You won’t be able to see all of them, only the edge of that large group, but you’ll will curse Yisrael for me from there.” 14 So he took Bileam to a field at the top of Mt. Pisgah, and he built seven altars and offered up a bull and a ram on each altar.

15 Bileam said to the king, “You stand here beside your burnt offering, while I go over there so Yahweh can meet me.”

16 Then Yahweh met with Bileam and gave him a message and told him, “Go back to Balak, and give him that message.” 17 So he returned to him where he was standing with the leaders from Moav beside the altar, and Balak asked him, “What did Yahweh say?”

18 Then Bileam gave his speech,

“Look here, Balak, and listen.

≈ Pay attention to me, son of Tsipor.

19 God doesn’t lie because he’s not a human being,

≈ and he’s not a mortal who might change his mind.

Whatever he’s said, he’ll do it.

≈ Anything he promised, he’ll make it happen.

20 Listen, I’ve received a command to bless.

≈ Yes, he’s decided to bless and I can’t reverse it.

21 Yahweh hasn’t considered hardship for Yakov (Jacob),

≈ and he hasn’t seen trouble for Yisrael (Israel).

His god Yahweh is with that people group,

and the king’s shout is over him.

22 God brought them out of Egypt (Heb. Mitsrayim),

→ giving them strength like a wild bull’s horns.

23 No, there’s no spell against Yakov,

≈ and no divination against Yisrael.

People will talk about Yakov/Yisrael,

→ saying look what God has done.

24 That population stands up like a lioness,

≈ and like a lion, it lifts itself up.

It won’t lie down until it’s devour its prey

and drunk the blood of those it killed.”

25 Then King Balak scolded Bileam, “Even if you won’t curse them, definitely don’t bless them!”

26 “Didn’t I already tell you,” Bileam answered Balak, “that I can only pronounce what Yahweh tells me to.”

27 Then King Balak told Bileam, “Come with me. I’ll take you to another place. Perhaps it will pleased God if you curse them for me from there.” 28 So Balak took him to the top of Mt. Peor that faces down to the wilderness, 29 and again Bileam told him, “Build seven altars and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me here.” 30 So Balak followed those instructions and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.