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巴勒和巴蘭獻祭

23 巴蘭對巴勒說:“你要在這裡給我築七座祭壇,給我預備七頭公牛,七隻公綿羊。” 巴勒照著巴蘭吩咐的行了;巴勒和巴蘭在每座祭壇上獻一頭公牛和一隻公綿羊。 巴蘭對巴勒說:“你要站在你的燔祭旁邊,我要往前去,或者耶和華會來迎見我;他指示我甚麼,我必告訴你。”於是巴蘭上了一塊高地。  神迎見巴蘭;巴蘭對 神說:“我已經預備了七座祭壇,在各座祭壇上獻了一頭公牛和一隻公綿羊。” 耶和華把話傳給巴蘭,又說:“你要回到巴勒那裡去,要這樣這樣說。” 他就回到巴勒那裡,見他和摩押所有的領袖都站在燔祭旁邊。

巴蘭第一次預言

巴蘭就作歌,說:

“巴勒把我從亞蘭領出來,

摩押王引我出東山,說:

‘來吧,為我咒罵雅各,

來啊,咒罵以色列。’

 神沒有咒詛的,我怎能咒詛呢?

耶和華沒有咒罵的,我怎能咒罵呢?

我從高峰觀看他們,

從山上眺望他們;

這是獨居的民族,

不列在萬國之中。

10 誰能數算雅各的灰塵?

誰能計算以色列的四分之一呢?

願我的死像正直人的死,

願我之終如正直人之終。”

11 巴勒對巴蘭說:“你向我作的是甚麼事呢?我領你來咒詛我的仇敵,你反倒給他們祝福。” 12 巴蘭回答,說:“耶和華傳給我的話,我怎能不謹慎說呢?”

13 巴勒對巴蘭說:“請你與我到另一個地方去,從那裡你可以看見他們;不過你不能看見他們全部,只能看見他們邊界的一部分;在那裡你要為我咒詛他們。” 14 於是巴勒帶巴蘭到了瑣腓田,上了毘斯迦山頂,築了七座祭壇,在每座祭壇上獻了一頭公牛和一隻公綿羊。 15 巴蘭對巴勒說:“你要在這裡站在你的燔祭旁邊,等我到那邊去迎見耶和華。” 16 耶和華見了巴蘭,把話傳給他,說:“你回到巴勒那裡去,要這樣這樣說。” 17 巴蘭回到巴勒那裡,見他站在自己的燔祭旁邊,摩押的領袖也與他在那裡。巴勒問巴蘭:“耶和華說了甚麼話呢?”

巴蘭第二次預言

18 巴蘭作歌,說:

“巴勒啊,要起來聽;

西撥的兒子啊,側耳聽我。

19  神不是人,必不致說謊,

也不是人子,必不致後悔。

他說話,怎能不作?

他發言,怎能不作成?

20 我奉命來祝福;

 神要賜福,我不能改變。

21 在雅各中不見罪孽,

在以色列中也不見患難;

耶和華他們的 神與他們同在,

有君王歡呼的聲音在他們中間。

22 領他們出埃及的 神,

對他們有如野牛的角。

23 在雅各中沒有觀兆的,

在以色列中也沒有占卜;

到了適當的時候,必有話對雅各和以色列說:

‘ 神為他們行了何等的大事!’

24 這民族起來有如母獅,

挺身好像公獅;

不吃下獵物,不喝被殺的人的血,

決不臥下。”

25 巴勒對巴蘭說:“你一點不要咒詛他們,也不要祝福他們。” 26 巴蘭回答巴勒說:“我不是告訴過你說:‘耶和華吩咐我的,我都必要遵行’嗎?”

27 巴勒對巴蘭說:“你來,我領你到另一個地方去,或者 神喜歡你,你就可以在那裡為我咒詛他們。” 28 於是,巴勒領巴蘭到了俯視曠野的毘珥山頂去。 29 巴蘭對巴勒說:“你要在這裡給我築七座祭壇,也要為我預備七頭公牛和七隻公綿羊。” 30 巴勒就照著巴蘭所說的行了,在每座祭壇上,獻上一頭公牛和一隻公綿羊。

Balaam’s First Message

23 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)
10 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)

11 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)

12 He answered, “Must I not speak what the Lord puts in my mouth?”(V)

Balaam’s Second Message

13 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) 14 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)

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

16 The Lord met with Balaam and put a word in his mouth(AB) and said, “Go back to Balak and give him this word.”

17 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?”

18 Then he spoke his message:(AD)

“Arise, Balak, and listen;
    hear me, son of Zippor.(AE)
19 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?
20 I have received a command to bless;(AJ)
    he has blessed,(AK) and I cannot change it.(AL)

21 “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.
22 God brought them out of Egypt;(AQ)
    they have the strength of a wild ox.(AR)
23 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!’
24 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.”

25 Then Balak said to Balaam, “Neither curse them at all nor bless them at all!”

26 Balaam answered, “Did I not tell you I must do whatever the Lord says?”(AW)

Balaam’s Third Message

27 Then Balak said to Balaam, “Come, let me take you to another place.(AX) Perhaps it will please God to let you curse them for me(AY) from there.” 28 And Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor,(AZ) 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.(BA)

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 23:21 Or He has not looked on Jacob’s offenses / or on the wrongs found
  2. Numbers 23:23 Or in
  3. Numbers 23:23 Or in

Balaam's First Oracle

23 And Balaam said to Balak, (A)“Build for me here seven altars, and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams.” Balak did as Balaam had said. And Balak and Balaam (B)offered on each altar a bull and a ram. And Balaam said to Balak, (C)“Stand beside your burnt offering, and I will go. Perhaps the Lord will come (D)to meet me, and whatever he shows me I will tell you.” And he went to a bare height, (E)and God met Balaam. And Balaam said to him, “I have arranged the seven altars and I have offered on each altar a bull and a ram.” And the Lord (F)put a word in Balaam's mouth and said, “Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak.” And he returned to him, and behold, he and all the princes of Moab were standing beside his burnt offering. And Balaam (G)took up his discourse and said,

“From (H)Aram Balak has brought me,
    the king of Moab (I)from the eastern mountains:
‘Come, (J)curse Jacob for me,
    and come, denounce Israel!’
How can I curse whom God has not cursed?
    How can I denounce whom the Lord has not denounced?
For from the top of the crags (K)I see him,
    from the hills I behold him;
behold, (L)a people dwelling alone,
    and (M)not counting itself among the nations!
10 (N)Who can count the dust of Jacob
    or number the fourth part[a] of Israel?
Let me die (O)the death of the upright,
    and let my end be like his!”

11 And Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? (P)I took you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have done nothing but bless them.” 12 And he answered and said, (Q)“Must I not take care to speak what the Lord puts in my mouth?”

Balaam's Second Oracle

13 And Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place, from which you may see them. You shall see only a fraction of them and shall not see them all. Then curse them for me from there.” 14 And he took him to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, (R)and built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar. 15 Balaam said to Balak, (S)“Stand here beside your burnt offering, while I meet the Lord over there.” 16 And the Lord met Balaam and (T)put a word in his mouth and said, “Return to Balak, and thus shall you speak.” 17 And he came to him, and behold, he was standing beside his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said to him, “What has the Lord spoken?” 18 And Balaam took up his discourse and said,

“Rise, Balak, and hear;
    give ear to me, O son of Zippor:
19 (U)God is not man, that he should lie,
    or a son of man, that he should change his mind.
Has he said, and will he not do it?
    Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?
20 Behold, I received a command to bless:
    (V)he has blessed, and (W)I cannot revoke it.
21 (X)He has not beheld misfortune in Jacob,
    nor has he seen trouble in Israel.
The Lord their God is with them,
    and the shout of a king is among them.
22 (Y)God brings them out of Egypt
    and is for them like (Z)the horns of the wild ox.
23 For there is no enchantment against Jacob,
    no (AA)divination against Israel;
now it shall be said of Jacob and Israel,
    (AB)‘What has God wrought!’
24 Behold, a people! (AC)As a lioness it rises up
    and as a lion it lifts itself;
(AD)it does not lie down until it has devoured the prey
    and drunk the blood of the slain.”

25 And Balak said to Balaam, “Do not curse them at all, and do not bless them at all.” 26 But Balaam answered Balak, “Did I not tell you, (AE)‘All that the Lord says, that I must do’?” 27 And Balak said to Balaam, (AF)“Come now, I will take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God that you may curse them for me from there.” 28 So Balak took Balaam to the top of (AG)Peor, which overlooks (AH)the desert.[b] 29 And Balaam said to Balak, (AI)“Build for me here seven altars and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams.” 30 (AJ)And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 23:10 Or dust clouds
  2. Numbers 23:28 Or Jeshimon

The Prophecies of Balaam

23 Then Balaam said to Balak, (A)“Build seven altars for me here, and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams.”

And Balak did just as Balaam had spoken, and Balak and Balaam (B)offered a bull and a ram on each altar. Then Balaam said to Balak, (C)“Stand by your burnt offering, and I will go; perhaps the Lord will come (D)to meet me, and whatever He shows me I will tell you.” So he went to a desolate height. (E)And God met Balaam, and he said to Him, “I have prepared the seven altars, and I have offered on each altar a bull and a ram.”

Then the Lord (F)put a word in Balaam’s mouth, and said, “Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak.” So he returned to him, and there he was, standing by his burnt offering, he and all the princes of Moab.

And he (G)took up his [a]oracle and said:

“Balak the king of Moab has brought me from Aram,
From the mountains of the east.
(H)‘Come, curse Jacob for me,
And come, (I)denounce Israel!’

“How(J) shall I curse whom God has not cursed?
And how shall I denounce whom the Lord has not denounced?
For from the top of the rocks I see him,
And from the hills I behold him;
There! (K)A people dwelling alone,
(L)Not reckoning itself among the nations.

10 “Who(M) can count the [b]dust of Jacob,
Or number one-fourth of Israel?
Let me die (N)the death of the righteous,
And let my end be like his!”

11 Then Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? (O)I took you to curse my enemies, and look, you have blessed them bountifully!”

12 So he answered and said, (P)“Must I not take heed to speak what the Lord has put in my mouth?”

Balaam’s Second Prophecy

13 Then Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place from which you may see them; you shall see only the outer part of them, and shall not see them all; curse them for me from there.” 14 So he brought him to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, (Q)and built seven altars, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

15 And he said to Balak, “Stand here by your burnt offering while I [c]meet the Lord over there.”

16 Then the Lord met Balaam, and (R)put a word in his mouth, and said, “Go back to Balak, and thus you shall speak.” 17 So he came to him, and there he was, standing by his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab were with him. And Balak said to him, “What has the Lord spoken?”

18 Then he took up his oracle and said:

(S)“Rise up, Balak, and hear!
Listen to me, son of Zippor!

19 “God(T) is not a man, that He should lie,
Nor a son of man, that He should repent.
Has He (U)said, and will He not do?
Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?
20 Behold, I have received a command to bless;
(V)He has blessed, and I cannot reverse it.

21 “He(W) has not observed iniquity in Jacob,
Nor has He seen [d]wickedness in Israel.
The Lord his God is with him,
(X)And the shout of a King is among them.
22 (Y)God brings them out of Egypt;
He has (Z)strength like a wild ox.

23 “For there is no [e]sorcery against Jacob,
Nor any [f]divination against Israel.
It now must be said of Jacob
And of Israel, ‘Oh, (AA)what God has done!’
24 Look, a people rises (AB)like a lioness,
And lifts itself up like a lion;
(AC)It shall not lie down until it devours the prey,
And drinks the blood of the slain.”

25 Then Balak said to Balaam, “Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all!”

26 So Balaam answered and said to Balak, “Did I not tell you, saying, (AD)‘All that the Lord speaks, that I must do’?”

Balaam’s Third Prophecy

27 Then Balak said to Balaam, “Please come, I will take you to another place; perhaps it will please God that you may curse them for me from there.” 28 So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, that (AE)overlooks the [g]wasteland. 29 Then Balaam said to Balak, “Build for me here seven altars, and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams.” 30 And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bull and a ram on every altar.

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 23:7 prophetic discourse
  2. Numbers 23:10 Or dust cloud
  3. Numbers 23:15 So with MT, Tg., Vg.; Syr. call; LXX go and ask God
  4. Numbers 23:21 trouble
  5. Numbers 23:23 enchantment
  6. Numbers 23:23 fortune-telling
  7. Numbers 23:28 Heb. Jeshimon