Study Desk

The next morning Balak took Balaam up to Bamoth Baal,^(ao) and from there he could see the outskirts of the Israelite camp.^(ap)

Balaam's First Message

Balaam said, "Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams^(a) for me."

Balak did as Balaam said, and the two of them offered a bull and a ram on each altar.^(b)

Then Balaam said to Balak, "Stay here beside your offering while I go aside. Perhaps the Lord will come to meet with me.^(c) Whatever he reveals to me I will tell you." Then he went off to a barren height.

God met with him,^(d) and Balaam said, "I have prepared seven altars, and on each altar I have offered a bull and a ram."

The Lord put a word in Balaam's mouth^(e) and said, "Go back to Balak and give him this word."^(f)

So he went back to him and found him standing beside his offering, with all the Moabite officials.^(g)

Then Balaam^(h) spoke his message:⁽ⁱ⁾ "Balak brought me from Aram,^(j) the king of Moab from the eastern mountains.^(k) ‘Come,' he said, ‘curse Jacob for me; come, denounce Israel.'^(l)

How can I curse those whom God has not cursed?^(m) How can I denounce those whom the Lord has not denounced?⁽ⁿ⁾

From the rocky peaks I see them, from the heights I view them.^(o) I see a people who live apart and do not consider themselves one of the nations.^(p)

Who can count the dust of Jacob^(q) or number even a fourth of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous,^(r) and may my final end be like theirs!^(s)"

Balak said to Balaam, "What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies,^(t) but you have done nothing but bless them!"^(u)

He answered, "Must I not speak what the Lord puts in my mouth?"^(v)

Then Balak said to him, "Come with me to another place^(w) where you can see them; you will not see them all but only the outskirts of their camp.^(x) And from there, curse them for me.^(y)"

So he took him to the field of Zophim on the top of Pisgah,^(z) and there he built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.^(aa)

Balaam said to Balak, "Stay here beside your offering while I meet with him over there."

The Lord met with Balaam and put a word in his mouth^(ab) and said, "Go back to Balak and give him this word."

So he went to him and found him standing beside his offering, with the Moabite officials.^(ac) Balak asked him, "What did the Lord say?"

Then he spoke his message:^(ad) "Arise, Balak, and listen; hear me, son of Zippor.^(ae)

God is not human,^(af) that he should lie,^(ag) not a human being, that he should change his mind.^(ah) Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise^(ai) and not fulfill?

I have received a command to bless;^(aj) he has blessed,^(ak) and I cannot change it.^(al)

"No misfortune is seen in Jacob,^(am) no misery observed^[a] in Israel.^(an) The Lord their God is with them;^(ao) the shout of the King^(ap) is among them.

God brought them out of Egypt;^(aq) they have the strength of a wild ox.^(ar)

There is no divination against^[b] Jacob, no evil omens^(as) against^[c] Israel. It will now be said of Jacob and of Israel, ‘See what God has done!'

The people rise like a lioness;^(at) they rouse themselves like a lion^(au) that does not rest till it devours its prey and drinks the blood^(av) of its victims."

Then Balak said to Balaam, "Neither curse them at all nor bless them at all!"

Balaam answered, "Did I not tell you I must do whatever the Lord says?"^(aw)