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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 GNT</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="../">GNT</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">Good News Translation</div><div class="chap"><p class="nb"><span class="v4_23_1"><span class="reftext" id="Num.23.1" class="v4_23_1">1</span>He said to Balak, “Build seven altars here for me, and bring me 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>Balak did as he was told, and he and Balaam offered 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 to Balak, “Stand here by your burnt offering, while I go to see whether or not the <span class="nd">Lord</span> will meet me. I will tell you whatever he reveals to me.” So he went alone to the top of a hill, </span><span class="v4_23_4"><span class="reftext" id="Num.23.4" class="v4_23_4">4</span>and God met him. Balaam said to him, “I have built the seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each.”</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> told Balaam what to say and sent him back to Balak to give him his message. </span><span class="v4_23_6"><span class="reftext" id="Num.23.6" class="v4_23_6">6</span>So he went back and found Balak still standing by his burnt offering with all the leaders of Moab.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v4_23_7"><span class="reftext" id="Num.23.7" class="v4_23_7">7</span>Balaam uttered this prophecy:</span></p><p class="b"></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_23_7">“Balak king of Moab has brought me</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_23_7">From Syria, from the eastern mountains.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_23_7">‘Come speak for me,’ he said.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_23_7">‘Put a curse on the people of Israel.’</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_23_8"><span class="reftext" id="Num.23.8" class="v4_23_8">8</span>How can I curse what God has not cursed,</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_23_8">Or speak of doom when the <span class="nd">Lord</span> has not?</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_23_9"><span class="reftext" id="Num.23.9" class="v4_23_9">9</span>From the high rocks I can see them;</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_23_9">I can watch them from the hills.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_23_9">They are a nation that lives alone;</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_23_9">They know they are blessed more than other nations.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_23_10"><span class="reftext" id="Num.23.10" class="v4_23_10">10</span>The descendants of Israel are like the dust—</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_23_10">There are too many of them to be counted.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_23_10">Let me end my days like one of God's people;</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_23_10">Let me die in peace like the righteous.”</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>Then Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you here to curse my enemies, but all you have done is bless them.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v4_23_12"><span class="reftext" id="Num.23.12" class="v4_23_12">12</span>He answered, “I can say only what the <span class="nd">Lord</span> tells me to say.”</span></p><h3 class="s">Balaam's Second Prophecy</h3><p class="par"><span class="v4_23_13"><span class="reftext" id="Num.23.13" class="v4_23_13">13</span>Then Balak said to Balaam, “Come with me to another place from which you can see only some of the Israelites. Curse them for me from there.” </span><span class="v4_23_14"><span class="reftext" id="Num.23.14" class="v4_23_14">14</span>He took him to the field of Zophim on the top of Mount Pisgah. There also he built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each of them.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v4_23_15"><span class="reftext" id="Num.23.15" class="v4_23_15">15</span>Balaam said to Balak, “Stand here by your burnt offering, and I will meet God 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> met Balaam, told him what to say, and sent him back to Balak to give him his message. </span><span class="v4_23_17"><span class="reftext" id="Num.23.17" class="v4_23_17">17</span>So he went back and found Balak still standing by his burnt offering, with the leaders of Moab. Balak asked what the <span class="nd">Lord</span> had said, </span><span class="v4_23_18"><span class="reftext" id="Num.23.18" class="v4_23_18">18</span>and Balaam uttered this prophecy:</span></p><p class="b"></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_23_18">“Come, Balak son of Zippor,</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_23_18">And listen to what I have to say.</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 not like people, who lie;</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_23_19">He is not a human who changes his mind.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_23_19">Whatever he promises, he does;</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_23_19">He speaks, and it is done.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_23_20"><span class="reftext" id="Num.23.20" class="v4_23_20">20</span>I have been instructed to bless,</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_23_20">And when God blesses, I cannot call it back.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_23_21"><span class="reftext" id="Num.23.21" class="v4_23_21">21</span>I foresee that Israel's future</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_23_21">Will bring her no misfortune or trouble.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_23_21">The <span class="nd">Lord</span> their God is with them;</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_23_21">They proclaim that he is their king.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_23_22"><span class="reftext" id="Num.23.22" class="v4_23_22">22</span>God has brought them out of Egypt;</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_23_22">He fights for them like a wild ox.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_23_23"><span class="reftext" id="Num.23.23" class="v4_23_23">23</span>There is no magic charm, no witchcraft,</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_23_23">That can be used against the nation of Israel.<a href="#fn" id="link_Num.23.23!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> </span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_23_23">Now people will say about Israel,</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_23_23">‘Look what God has done!’</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_23_24"><span class="reftext" id="Num.23.24" class="v4_23_24">24</span>The nation of Israel is like a mighty lion:</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_23_24">It doesn't rest until it has torn and devoured,</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_23_24">Until it has drunk the blood of those it has killed.”</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>Then Balak said to Balaam, “You refuse to curse the people of Israel, but 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>Balaam answered, “Didn't I tell you that I had to do everything that the <span class="nd">Lord</span> told me?”</span></p><h3 class="s">Balaam's Third Prophecy</h3><p class="par"><span class="v4_23_27"><span class="reftext" id="Num.23.27" class="v4_23_27">27</span>Balak said, “Come with me, and I will take you to another place. Perhaps God will be willing to let you curse them for me 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 the top of Mount Peor overlooking the desert. </span><span class="v4_23_29"><span class="reftext" id="Num.23.29" class="v4_23_29">29</span>Balaam said to him, “Build seven altars for me here and bring me seven bulls and seven rams.” </span><span class="v4_23_30"><span class="reftext" id="Num.23.30" class="v4_23_30">30</span>Balak did as he was told, and offered 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">23.23: </char><char style="fq" closed="false">There … Israel; </char><char style="ft" closed="false">or </char><char style="fq" closed="false">No magic charms are used in Israel, no witchcraft is practiced there.</char></note></div></div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div align="center"><p><span style="font-size:11pt;">Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition)</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt;">© 1992 American Bible Society. 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