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Numbers 23:27-24:14
International Children’s Bible
Numbers 23:27-24:14
International Children’s Bible
Balaam’s Third Message
27 Then Balak said to Balaam, “Come, I will take you to another place. Maybe God will be pleased. He may let you curse them from there.” 28 So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor. This mountain looks over the desert.
29 Balaam told Balak, “Build me seven altars here. Then prepare for me seven bulls and seven male sheep.” 30 Balak did what Balaam asked. He offered a bull and a male sheep on each altar.
24 Balaam saw that the Lord wanted to bless Israel. So Balaam did not try to use any magic. He looked toward the desert. 2 Balaam saw the Israelites camped in their tribes. Then the Spirit of God entered him. 3 And Balaam gave this message:
“This is the message of Balaam son of Beor.
This is the message of a man who sees clearly.
4 This is the message of a man who heard the words of God.
I see a vision from the All-Powerful One.
My eyes are open as I fall before him.
5 Your tents are beautiful, people of Jacob!
So are your homes, Israel!
6 Your tents spread out like valleys.
They are like gardens beside a river.
They are like spices planted by the Lord.
They are like cedar trees growing by the water.
7 Israel’s water buckets will always be full.
Their crops will have plenty of water.
Their king will be greater than Agag.
Their kingdom will be very great.
8 God brought them out of Egypt.
They are as strong as a wild ox.
They will defeat their enemies.
They will break their enemies’ bones.
They will shoot them with arrows.
9 Like a lion, they lie waiting to attack.
No one would wake a sleeping lion.
Anyone who blesses you will be blessed.
And anyone who curses you will be cursed.”
10 Then Balak was angry with Balaam. Balak pounded his fist. He said to Balaam, “I called you here to curse my enemies. But you have blessed them three times. 11 Now go home! I said I would pay you well. But the Lord has made you lose your reward.”
12 Balaam said to Balak, “You sent messengers to me. I told them, 13 ‘Balak could give me his palace filled with silver and gold. But I still cannot go against the Lord’s commands. I could not do anything, good or bad, on my own. I must say what the Lord says.’ 14 Now I am going back to my own people. But I will tell you what these people will do to your people in the future.”
Numbers 23:27-24:14
New International Version
Numbers 23:27-24:14
New International Version
Balaam’s Third Message
27 Then Balak said to Balaam, “Come, let me take you to another place.(A) Perhaps it will please God to let you curse them for me(B) from there.” 28 And Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor,(C) overlooking the wasteland.
29 Balaam said, “Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me.” 30 Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.(D)
24 Now when Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel,(E) he did not resort to divination(F) as at other times, but turned his face toward the wilderness.(G) 2 When Balaam looked out and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of God came on him(H) 3 and he spoke his message:
“The prophecy of Balaam son of Beor,
the prophecy of one whose eye sees clearly,(I)
4 the prophecy of one who hears the words of God,(J)
who sees a vision from the Almighty,[a](K)
who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened:
5 “How beautiful are your tents,(L) Jacob,
your dwelling places, Israel!
6 “Like valleys they spread out,
like gardens beside a river,(M)
like aloes(N) planted by the Lord,
like cedars beside the waters.(O)
7 Water will flow from their buckets;
their seed will have abundant water.
8 “God brought them out of Egypt;
they have the strength of a wild ox.
They devour hostile nations
and break their bones in pieces;(R)
with their arrows they pierce them.(S)
9 Like a lion they crouch and lie down,
like a lioness(T)—who dares to rouse them?
10 Then Balak’s anger burned(W) against Balaam. He struck his hands together(X) and said to him, “I summoned you to curse my enemies,(Y) but you have blessed them(Z) these three times.(AA) 11 Now leave at once and go home!(AB) I said I would reward you handsomely,(AC) but the Lord has kept you from being rewarded.”
12 Balaam answered Balak, “Did I not tell the messengers you sent me,(AD) 13 ‘Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not do anything of my own accord, good or bad, to go beyond the command of the Lord(AE)—and I must say only what the Lord says’?(AF) 14 Now I am going back to my people, but come, let me warn you of what this people will do to your people in days to come.”(AG)
Footnotes
- Numbers 24:4 Hebrew Shaddai; also in verse 16
International Children’s Bible (ICB) 
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.