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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "//www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="//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 CEV</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /></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="../topmenuchap/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="//biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">CEV</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 class="vheading">Contemporary English Version</div><div class="chap"><h3 class="s1">Balaam's First Message</h3><p class="par"><span class="v4_23_1"><span class="reftext" id="Num.23.1" class="v4_23_1">1</span>Balaam said to Balak, “Build seven altars here, then bring seven bulls and seven rams.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v4_23_2"><span class="reftext" id="Num.23.2" class="v4_23_2">2</span>After Balak had done this, they sacrificed a bull and a ram on each altar. </span><span class="v4_23_3"><span class="reftext" id="Num.23.3" class="v4_23_3">3</span>Then Balaam said, “Wait here beside your offerings, and I'll go somewhere to be alone. Maybe the <span class="nd">Lord</span> will appear to me. If he does, I will tell you everything he says.” And he left.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v4_23_4"><span class="reftext" id="Num.23.4" class="v4_23_4">4</span>When God appeared to him, Balaam said, “I have built seven altars and have sacrificed a bull and a ram on each one.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v4_23_5"><span class="reftext" id="Num.23.5" class="v4_23_5">5</span>The <span class="nd">Lord</span> gave Balaam a message, then sent him back to tell Balak. </span><span class="v4_23_6"><span class="reftext" id="Num.23.6" class="v4_23_6">6</span>When Balaam returned, he found Balak and his officials standing beside the offerings.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v4_23_7"><span class="reftext" id="Num.23.7" class="v4_23_7">7</span>Balaam said:</span></p><p class="b"></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_23_7">“King Balak of Moab brought me</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v4_23_7">from the hills of Syria</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_23_7">to curse Israel</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v4_23_7">and announce its doom.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_23_8"><span class="reftext" id="Num.23.8" class="v4_23_8">8</span>But I can't go against God!</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_23_8">He did not curse</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v4_23_8">or condemn Israel.</span></p><p class="b"></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_23_8">* </span><span class="v4_23_9"><span class="reftext" id="Num.23.9" class="v4_23_9">9</span>“From the mountain peaks,</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_23_9">I look down and see Israel,</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v4_23_9">the obedient people of God.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_23_10"><span class="reftext" id="Num.23.10" class="v4_23_10">10</span>They are living alone in peace.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_23_10">And though they are many,</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v4_23_10">they don't bother</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v4_23_10">the other nations.</span></p><p class="b"></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_23_10">“I hope to obey God</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_23_10">for as long as I live</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v4_23_10">and to die in such peace.”</span></p><p class="b"></p><p class="par"><span class="v4_23_11"><span class="reftext" id="Num.23.11" class="v4_23_11">11</span>Balak said, “What are you doing? I asked you to come and place a curse on my enemies. But you have blessed them instead!”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v4_23_12"><span class="reftext" id="Num.23.12" class="v4_23_12">12</span>Balaam answered, “I can say only what the <span class="nd">Lord</span> tells me.”</span></p><h3 class="s1">Balaam's Second Message</h3><p class="par"><span class="v4_23_13"><span class="reftext" id="Num.23.13" class="v4_23_13">13</span>Balak said to Balaam, “Let's go somewhere else. Maybe if you see a smaller part of the Israelites, you will be able to curse them for me.” </span><span class="v4_23_14"><span class="reftext" id="Num.23.14" class="v4_23_14">14</span>So he took Balaam to a field on top of Mount Pisgah where lookouts were stationed.<a href="#fn" id="link_Num.23.14!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> Then he built seven altars there and sacrificed a bull and a ram on each one.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v4_23_15"><span class="reftext" id="Num.23.15" class="v4_23_15">15</span>“Wait here beside your offerings,” Balaam said. “The <span class="nd">Lord</span> will appear to me over there.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v4_23_16"><span class="reftext" id="Num.23.16" class="v4_23_16">16</span>The <span class="nd">Lord</span> appeared to Balaam and gave him another message, then he told him to go and tell Balak. </span><span class="v4_23_17"><span class="reftext" id="Num.23.17" class="v4_23_17">17</span>Balaam went back and saw him and his officials standing beside the offerings.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v4_23_17">Balak asked, “What did the <span class="nd">Lord</span> say?”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v4_23_18"><span class="reftext" id="Num.23.18" class="v4_23_18">18</span>Balaam answered:</span></p><p class="b"></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_23_18">“Pay close attention</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v4_23_18">to my words—</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_23_19"><span class="reftext" id="Num.23.19" class="v4_23_19">19</span>God is no mere human!</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_23_19">He doesn't tell lies</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v4_23_19">or change his mind.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_23_19">God always keeps his promises.</span></p><p class="b"></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_23_20"><span class="reftext" id="Num.23.20" class="v4_23_20">20</span>“My command from God</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v4_23_20">was to bless these people,</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_23_20">and there's nothing I can do</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v4_23_20">to change what he has done.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_23_21"><span class="reftext" id="Num.23.21" class="v4_23_21">21</span>Israel's king is the <span class="nd">Lord</span> God.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_23_21">He lives there with them</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v4_23_21">and intends them no harm.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_23_22"><span class="reftext" id="Num.23.22" class="v4_23_22">22</span>With the strength of a wild ox,</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v4_23_22">God led Israel out of Egypt.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_23_23"><span class="reftext" id="Num.23.23" class="v4_23_23">23</span>No magic charms can work</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v4_23_23">against them—</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_23_23">just look what God has done</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v4_23_23">for his people.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_23_24"><span class="reftext" id="Num.23.24" class="v4_23_24">24</span>They are like angry lions</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v4_23_24">ready to attack;</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_23_24">and they won't rest</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_23_24">until their victim</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v4_23_24">is gobbled up.”</span></p><p class="b"></p><p class="par"><span class="v4_23_25"><span class="reftext" id="Num.23.25" class="v4_23_25">25</span>Balak shouted, “If you're not going to curse Israel, then at least don't bless them.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v4_23_26"><span class="reftext" id="Num.23.26" class="v4_23_26">26</span>“I've already told you,” Balaam answered. “I will say only what the <span class="nd">Lord</span> tells me.”</span></p><h3 class="s1">Balaam's Third Message</h3><p class="par"><span class="v4_23_27"><span class="reftext" id="Num.23.27" class="v4_23_27">27</span>Balak said to Balaam, “Come on, let's try another place. Maybe God will let you curse Israel from there.” </span><span class="v4_23_28"><span class="reftext" id="Num.23.28" class="v4_23_28">28</span>So he took Balaam to Mount Peor overlooking the desert north of the Dead Sea.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v4_23_29"><span class="reftext" id="Num.23.29" class="v4_23_29">29</span>Balaam said, “Build seven altars here, then bring me seven bulls and seven rams.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v4_23_30"><span class="reftext" id="Num.23.30" class="v4_23_30">30</span>After Balak had done what Balaam asked, he sacrificed a bull and a ram on each altar.</span></p> <a name="fn"></a><br /><br /><br /><b>Footnotes:<br /><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">23.14 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">a field … where lookouts were stationed: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">Or “Zophim Field on the top of Mount Pisgah.”</char></note></div></div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div align="center"><p><span style="font-size:11pt;">Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt;">© 2006 American Bible Society. 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