Balaam blessed the Israelite people

23 Then Balaam told King Balak, “Have people construct seven altars for me here. Then have people get seven bulls and seven rams ready for me here to sacrifice.” 2 So Balak did exactly what Balaam told him to do. Then the two of them offered one bull and one ram on each altar.

3 Then Balaam told Balak, “You stand here close to your wholly burned sacrifice. I will walk somewhere else. Hopefully Yahweh will make himself present to me. I will tell you whatever he shows me.” Then Balaam walked to a hill with nothing on it.

4 Then God made himself present to Balaam. Balaam told him, “I had people prepare seven altars. Then, I offered one bull and one ram on each altar.” 5 Then Yahweh told Balaam what to say. Then Yahweh said, “Go back to Balak. Tell him that message.”

6 So Balaam went back to Balak. He found Balak standing close to his wholly burned sacrifice. All the Moabite officials were with him.

7 Then Balaam began to speak his prophetic message:

“King Balak, who rules Moab, brought me here

from the hills to the east in the region of Aram.

He had me travel here to call upon God

to do bad things to the Israelite people.

8 I cannot call upon God to do bad things to these people!

That is because Yahweh does not intend to do bad things to them.

9 I can see them from here,

from the top of this hilly and rocky area.

I see that they separate themselves

from all other people groups.

10 There are too many Israelites to count,

even if someone tried to count just one quarter of them!

I wish that, when I die, I will be like

one of these people who have done what is right.”

11 Then Balak told Balaam, “You have acted against me! I had you come here to call on God to do bad things to those who oppose me. Instead, you have called on God to do good things to them!”

12 Balaam replied, “I must be careful to say only what Yahweh tells me to say!”