Study Desk

But God said to Balaam, "Do not go with them. You are not to curse this people, for they are blessed."

for I will honor you richly and do whatever you say. So please come and put a curse on these people for me!'"

"I have sinned," Balaam said to the Angel of the LORD, "for I did not realize that you were standing in the road to confront me. And now, if this is displeasing in Your sight, I will go back home."

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

And Balaam lifted up an oracle, saying: "Balak brought me from Aram, the king of Moab from the mountains of the east. 'Come,' he said, 'put a curse on Jacob for me; come and denounce Israel!'

For I see them from atop the rocky cliffs, and I watch them from the hills. Behold, a people dwelling apart, who will not reckon themselves among the nations.

Then Balak said to him, "Please come with me to another place where you can see them. You will only see the outskirts of their camp-not all of them. And from there, curse them for me."

He considers no disaster for Jacob; He sees no trouble for Israel. The LORD their God is with them, and the shout of the King is among them.

For there is no spell against Jacob and no divination against Israel. It will now be said of Jacob and Israel, 'What great things God has done!'

"Please come," said Balak, "I will take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God that you curse them for me from there."

"Build me seven altars here," Balaam said, "and prepare for me seven bulls and seven rams."

who also invited them to the sacrifices for their gods. And the people ate and bowed down to these gods.

"Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned My wrath away from the Israelites; for he was zealous for My sake among them, so that I did not consume the Israelites in My zeal.

It will be a covenant of permanent priesthood for him and his descendants, because he was zealous for his God and made atonement for the Israelites."

For they assailed you deceitfully when they seduced you in the matter of Peor and their sister Cozbi, the daughter of the Midianite leader, the woman who was killed on the day the plague came because of Peor."

Increase the inheritance for a large tribe and decrease it for a small one; each is to receive its inheritance according to the number of those registered.

For the LORD had told them that they would surely die in the wilderness. Not one was left except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.

And if his father has no brothers, give his inheritance to the next of kin from his clan, that he may take possession of it. This is to be a statutory ordinance for the Israelites, as the LORD has commanded Moses.'"

for when the congregation contended in the Wilderness of Zin, both of you rebelled against My command to show My holiness in their sight regarding the waters." Those were the waters of Meribah in Kadesh, in the Wilderness of Zin.

He shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who will seek counsel for him before the LORD by the judgment of the Urim. At his command he and all the Israelites with him, the entire congregation, will go out and come in."