CINXE.COM

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"><title>Numbers 23</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/bsb/spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/numbers/23.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="/bmc//numbers/23-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="/numbers/">Numbers</a> > Numbers 23</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../numbers/22.htm" title="Numbers 22">◄</a> Numbers 23 <a href="../numbers/24.htm" title="Numbers 24">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div align="center" id="jump2"><a href="/niv/numbers/23.htm">NIV</a> • <a href="/nlt/numbers/23.htm">NLT</a> • <a href="/esv/numbers/23.htm">ESV</a> • <a href="/kjv/numbers/23.htm">KJV</a> • <a href="/nkjv/numbers/23.htm">NKJ</a> • <a href="/nasb/numbers/23.htm">NAS</a></div><br /><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="1%" valign="top">BSB</td><td width="99%" valign="top" align="right"><a href="/parallel/numbers/23.htm" style="font-weight:normal" title="Parallel Chapters">Parallel Chapters ▾ </a></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><A name="2"></a><p class="hdg">Balaam’s First Oracle<p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/numbers/23-1.htm"><b>1</b></a></span>Then Balaam said to Balak, “Build for me seven altars here, and prepare for me seven bulls and seven rams.” <A name="3"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/numbers/23-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span>So Balak did as Balaam had instructed, and Balak and Balaam offered a bull and a ram on each altar. <A name="4"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/numbers/23-3.htm"><b>3</b></a></span>“Stay here by your burnt offering while I am gone,” Balaam said to Balak. “Perhaps the LORD will meet with me. And whatever He reveals to me, I will tell you.” <p class="reg"> So Balaam went off to a barren height, <A name="5"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/numbers/23-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span>and God met with him. “I have set up seven altars,” Balaam said, “and on each altar I have offered a bull and a ram.” <A name="6"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/numbers/23-5.htm"><b>5</b></a></span>Then the LORD put a message in Balaam’s mouth, saying, “Return to Balak and give him this message.” <A name="7"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/numbers/23-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span>So he returned to Balak, who was standing there beside his burnt offering, with all the princes of Moab. <A name="8"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/numbers/23-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span>And Balaam lifted up an oracle, saying: <p class="indent1stline">“Balak brought me from Aram, <p class="indent2"> the king of Moab from the mountains of the east. <p class="indent1">‘Come,’ he said, ‘put a curse on Jacob for me; <p class="indent2"> come and denounce Israel!’ <A name="9"></a><p class="indent1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/numbers/23-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span>How can I curse what God has not cursed? <p class="indent2"> How can I denounce what the LORD has not denounced? <A name="10"></a><p class="indent1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/numbers/23-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span>For I see them from atop the rocky cliffs, <p class="indent2"> and I watch them from the hills. <p class="indent1"> Behold, a people dwelling apart, <p class="indent2"> not reckoning themselves among the nations. <A name="11"></a><p class="indent1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/numbers/23-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span>Who can count the dust of Jacob <p class="indent2"> or number even a fourth of Israel? <p class="indent1"> Let me die the death of the righteous; <p class="indent2"> let my end be like theirs!” <A name="12"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/numbers/23-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span>Then Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you here to curse my enemies, and behold, you have only blessed them!” <A name="13"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/numbers/23-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span>But Balaam replied, “Should I not speak exactly what the LORD puts in my mouth?” <A name="14"></a><p class="hdg">Balaam’s Second Oracle<p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/numbers/23-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span>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.” <A name="15"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/numbers/23-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span>So Balak took him to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, where he built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar. <A name="16"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/numbers/23-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span>Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here beside your burnt offering while I meet the LORD over there.” <A name="17"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/numbers/23-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span>And the LORD met with Balaam and put a message in his mouth, saying, “Return to Balak and speak what I tell you.” <A name="18"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/numbers/23-17.htm"><b>17</b></a></span>So he returned to Balak, who was standing there by his burnt offering with the princes of Moab. <p class="reg">“What did the LORD say?” Balak asked. <A name="19"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/numbers/23-18.htm"><b>18</b></a></span>Then Balaam lifted up an oracle, saying: <p class="indent1stline">“Arise, O Balak, and listen; <p class="indent2"> give ear to me, O son of Zippor. <A name="20"></a><p class="indent1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/numbers/23-19.htm"><b>19</b></a></span>God is not a man, that He should lie, <p class="indent2"> or a son of man, that He should change His mind. <p class="indent1"> Does He speak and not act? <p class="indent2"> Does He promise and not fulfill? <A name="21"></a><p class="indent1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/numbers/23-20.htm"><b>20</b></a></span>I have indeed received a command to bless; <p class="indent2"> He has blessed, and I cannot change it. <A name="22"></a><p class="indent1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/numbers/23-21.htm"><b>21</b></a></span>He considers no disaster for Jacob; <p class="indent2"> He sees no trouble for Israel. <p class="indent1"> The LORD their God is with them, <p class="indent2"> and the shout of the King is among them. <A name="23"></a><p class="indent1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/numbers/23-22.htm"><b>22</b></a></span>God brought them out of Egypt <p class="indent2"> with strength like a wild ox. <A name="24"></a><p class="indent1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/numbers/23-23.htm"><b>23</b></a></span>For there is no spell against Jacob <p class="indent2"> and no divination against Israel. <p class="indent1"> It will now be said of Jacob and Israel, <p class="indent2">‘What great things God has done!’ <A name="25"></a><p class="indent1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/numbers/23-24.htm"><b>24</b></a></span>Behold, the people rise like a lioness; <p class="indent2"> they rouse themselves like a lion, <p class="indent1"> not resting until they devour their prey <p class="indent2"> and drink the blood of the slain.” <A name="26"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/numbers/23-25.htm"><b>25</b></a></span>Now Balak said to Balaam, “Then neither curse them at all nor bless them at all!” <A name="27"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/numbers/23-26.htm"><b>26</b></a></span>But Balaam replied, “Did I not tell you that whatever the LORD says, I must do?” <A name="28"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/numbers/23-27.htm"><b>27</b></a></span>“Please come,” said Balak, “I will take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God that you curse them for me from there.” <A name="29"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/numbers/23-28.htm"><b>28</b></a></span>And Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, which overlooks the wasteland.<span class="fn"><a href="#fn">a</a></span> <A name="30"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/numbers/23-29.htm"><b>29</b></a></span>Then Balaam said, “Build for me seven altars here, and prepare for me seven bulls and seven rams.” <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/numbers/23-30.htm"><b>30</b></a></span>So Balak did as Balaam had instructed, and he offered a bull and a ram on each altar.</p><A name="fn"></a><div id="fnlink"><br /><br /><b>Footnotes:</b><br><br><span class="fnverse">28</span> <span class="footnotesbot">a</span> Or <i>Jeshimon</i><span class="thin"> </span><br><br /></div><br /></div></div><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">The Berean Bible (<a href=http://berean.bible>www.Berean.Bible</a>) <a href=http://bereanbible.com>Berean Study Bible (BSB)</a> © 2016, 2020 by <a href=http://biblehub.com>Bible Hub</a> and <a href=http://berean.bible>Berean.Bible</a>. Used by Permission. All rights Reserved. Free <a href=http://berean.bible/downloads.htm>downloads</a> and <a href=http://berean.bible/licensing.htm>licensing</a> available. See also the <a href=http://literalbible.com>Berean Literal Bible</a> and <a href=http://interlinearbible.com>Berean Interlinear Bible</a>.<span class=p><br /><br /></span><a href=/>Bible Hub</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span></div></div></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="../numbers/22.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Numbers 22"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Numbers 22" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="../numbers/24.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Numbers 24"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Numbers 24" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhchapnoad.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>