巴蘭的預言

23 巴蘭對巴勒說:「你在這裡為我築七座祭壇,預備七頭公牛和七隻公綿羊。」 巴勒就照巴蘭的話做了。他們二人在每座壇上獻上一頭公牛和一隻公綿羊, 巴蘭對巴勒說:「你留在燔祭旁邊,我到前面去,也許耶和華會來見我。無論祂有什麼指示,我必告訴你。」 上帝果然向巴蘭顯現。巴蘭對上帝說:「我已經預備了七座祭壇,每座祭壇上獻了一頭公牛和一隻公綿羊。」 耶和華告訴他當說的話,命他回去轉告巴勒。 巴蘭就回到巴勒那裡,看見他和摩押的臣僕們都站在燔祭旁邊。 巴蘭吟詩預言說:

「巴勒引我出亞蘭,
摩押王請我出東山,
說,『來為我咒詛雅各,
來斥責以色列!』
上帝沒有咒詛的,
我怎能咒詛?
耶和華沒有斥責的,
我怎能斥責?
我從峰頂觀看他們,
從高崗眺望他們,
這獨居一方之民,
不與萬國同列。
10 雅各的子孫多如塵土,
誰能數得清?
誰能數清以色列人的四分之一?
我願像義人一樣死去,
如義人般終此一生。」

11 巴勒對巴蘭說:「你這是做什麽?我請你來咒詛我的仇敵,你竟祝福他們!」 12 巴蘭說:「耶和華讓我說的話,我豈能不說?」

巴蘭第二次預言

13 巴勒說:「請你跟我去另一個地方,那裡看不見全部以色列人,只能看見一部分,你要在那裡為我咒詛他們。」 14 他領巴蘭上到毗斯迦山頂的瑣腓田,在那裡築了七座祭壇,每座壇上都獻了一頭公牛和一隻公綿羊。 15 巴蘭對巴勒說:「你留在這些燔祭旁邊,我到那邊去見耶和華。」 16 耶和華向巴蘭顯現,告訴他當說的話,讓他轉告巴勒。 17 巴蘭回到巴勒那裡,看見他和摩押的臣僕們都站在燔祭旁邊。巴勒問道:「耶和華說了什麼?」 18 巴蘭吟詩預言說:

「巴勒啊,要留心聽!
西撥的兒子啊,請聽我言。
19 上帝並非世人,祂不撒謊;
上帝不是凡人,祂不反悔。
祂言出必行,信守承諾。
20 我奉命祝福,祂已賜福,
我不能改變。
21 雅各的子孫中未見有罪惡,
以色列人中看不見有禍患。
他們的上帝耶和華與他們同在,
他們向自己的君王歡呼。
22 上帝把他們帶出埃及,
[a]的力量如野牛之角。
23 沒有邪術能害雅各,
沒有咒語可傷以色列。
時候一到,人們必談論雅各,
談論以色列,說,『看啊,
上帝的作為何等偉大!』
24 看啊,這民族挺身如母獅,
又像雄獅一躍而起,
不吞掉獵物不甘休,
不喝飽獵物的血不躺臥。」

25 巴勒對巴蘭說:「你可以不咒詛他們,但也不該為他們祝福啊!」 26 巴蘭回答說:「我不是說過,我必須按耶和華的指示做嗎?」

27 巴勒說:「來吧,我帶你去另一個地方,也許上帝會同意你在那裡為我咒詛他們。」 28 他領著巴蘭登上俯瞰曠野的毗珥山頂。 29 巴蘭對巴勒說:「你在這裡為我築七座祭壇,預備七頭公牛和七隻公綿羊。」 30 巴勒就照巴蘭的話在每座祭壇上獻了一頭公牛和一隻公綿羊。

Footnotes

  1. 23·22 」或譯「他們」。

巴兰的预言

23 巴兰对巴勒说:“你在这里为我筑七座祭坛,预备七头公牛和七只公绵羊。” 巴勒就照巴兰的话做了。他们二人在每座坛上献上一头公牛和一只公绵羊, 巴兰对巴勒说:“你留在燔祭旁边,我到前面去,也许耶和华会来见我。无论祂有什么指示,我必告诉你。” 上帝果然向巴兰显现。巴兰对上帝说:“我已经预备了七座祭坛,每座祭坛上献了一头公牛和一只公绵羊。” 耶和华告诉他当说的话,命他回去转告巴勒。 巴兰就回到巴勒那里,看见他和摩押的臣仆们都站在燔祭旁边。 巴兰吟诗预言说:

“巴勒引我出亚兰,
摩押王请我出东山,
说,‘来为我咒诅雅各,
来斥责以色列!’
上帝没有咒诅的,
我怎能咒诅?
耶和华没有斥责的,
我怎能斥责?
我从峰顶观看他们,
从高岗眺望他们,
这独居一方之民,
不与万国同列。
10 雅各的子孙多如尘土,
谁能数得清?
谁能数清以色列人的四分之一?
我愿像义人一样死去,
如义人般终此一生。”

11 巴勒对巴兰说:“你这是做什么?我请你来咒诅我的仇敌,你竟祝福他们!” 12 巴兰说:“耶和华让我说的话,我岂能不说?”

巴兰第二次预言

13 巴勒说:“请你跟我去另一个地方,那里看不见全部以色列人,只能看见一部分,你要在那里为我咒诅他们。” 14 他领巴兰上到毗斯迦山顶的琐腓田,在那里筑了七座祭坛,每座坛上都献了一头公牛和一只公绵羊。 15 巴兰对巴勒说:“你留在这些燔祭旁边,我到那边去见耶和华。” 16 耶和华向巴兰显现,告诉他当说的话,让他转告巴勒。 17 巴兰回到巴勒那里,看见他和摩押的臣仆们都站在燔祭旁边。巴勒问道:“耶和华说了什么?” 18 巴兰吟诗预言说:

“巴勒啊,要留心听!
西拨的儿子啊,请听我言。
19 上帝并非世人,祂不撒谎;
上帝不是凡人,祂不反悔。
祂言出必行,信守承诺。
20 我奉命祝福,祂已赐福,
我不能改变。
21 雅各的子孙中未见有罪恶,
以色列人中看不见有祸患。
他们的上帝耶和华与他们同在,
他们向自己的君王欢呼。
22 上帝把他们带出埃及,
[a]的力量如野牛之角。
23 没有邪术能害雅各,
没有咒语可伤以色列。
时候一到,人们必谈论雅各,
谈论以色列,说,‘看啊,
上帝的作为何等伟大!’
24 看啊,这民族挺身如母狮,
又像雄狮一跃而起,
不吞掉猎物不罢休,
不喝饱猎物的血不躺卧。”

25 巴勒对巴兰说:“你可以不咒诅他们,但也不该为他们祝福啊!” 26 巴兰回答说:“我不是说过,我必须按耶和华的指示做吗?”

27 巴勒说:“来吧,我带你去另一个地方,也许上帝会同意你在那里为我咒诅他们。” 28 他领着巴兰登上俯瞰旷野的毗珥山顶。 29 巴兰对巴勒说:“你在这里为我筑七座祭坛,预备七头公牛和七只公绵羊。” 30 巴勒就照巴兰的话在每座祭坛上献了一头公牛和一只公绵羊。

Footnotes

  1. 23:22 ”有古卷作“他们”。

Balaam’s Oracles

23 Then Balaam said to Balak, “Build me seven altars here and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me.” So Balak did as Balaam directed, and they offered a bull and a ram on each altar. Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here by your burnt offering while I am gone. Maybe the Lord[a] will meet with me. I will tell you whatever He reveals to me.” So he went to a barren hill.

God[b] met with him and Balaam said to Him, “I have arranged seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.” Then the Lord put a message in Balaam’s mouth and said, “Return to Balak and say what I tell you.”

So he returned to Balak, who was standing there by his burnt offering with all the officials of Moab.

Balaam’s First Oracle

Balaam proclaimed his poem:

Balak brought me from Aram;(A)
the king of Moab, from the eastern mountains:
“Come, put a curse on Jacob for me;
come, denounce Israel!”(B)
How can I curse someone God has not cursed?
How can I denounce someone the Lord has not denounced?
I see them from the top of rocky cliffs,
and I watch them from the hills.
There is a people living alone;(C)
it does not consider itself among the nations.
10 Who has counted the dust of Jacob
or numbered the dust clouds[c] of Israel?
Let me die the death of the upright;
let the end of my life be like theirs.

11 “What have you done to me?” Balak asked Balaam. “I brought you to curse my enemies, but look, you have only blessed them!”

12 He answered, “Shouldn’t I say exactly what the Lord puts in my mouth?”(D)

Balaam’s Second Oracle

13 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; you won’t see all of them. From there, put a curse on them for me.” 14 So Balak took him to Lookout Field[d] on top of Pisgah, built seven altars, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

15 Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here by your burnt offering while I seek the Lord over there.”

16 The Lord met with Balaam and put a message in his mouth. Then He said, “Return to Balak and say what I tell you.”

17 So he returned to Balak, who was standing there by his burnt offering with the officials of Moab. Balak asked him, “What did the Lord say?”

18 Balaam proclaimed his poem:

Balak, get up and listen;
son of Zippor, pay attention to what I say!
19 God is not a man who lies,
or a son of man who changes His mind.
Does He speak and not act,
or promise and not fulfill?(E)
20 I have indeed received a command to bless;
since He has blessed,[e] I cannot change it.
21 He considers no disaster for Jacob;
He sees no trouble for Israel.[f]
The Lord their God is with them,(F)
and there is rejoicing over the King among them.
22 God brought them out of Egypt;
He is like the horns of a wild ox for them.[g](G)
23 There is no magic curse against Jacob
and no divination against Israel.
It will now be said about Jacob and Israel,
“What great things God has done!”
24 A people rise up like a lioness;
They rouse themselves like a lion.(H)
They will not lie down until they devour the prey
and drink the blood of the slain.

25 Then Balak told Balaam, “Don’t curse them and don’t bless them!”

26 But Balaam answered him, “Didn’t I tell you: Whatever the Lord says, I must do?”(I)

Balaam’s Third Oracle

27 Again Balak said to Balaam, “Please come. I will take you to another place. Maybe it will be agreeable to God that you can put a curse on them for me there.” 28 So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, which overlooks the wasteland.[h](J)

29 Balaam told Balak, “Build me seven altars here and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me.”(K) 30 So Balak did as Balaam said and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 23:3 DSS, LXX, Sam read Maybe God
  2. Numbers 23:4 DSS, Sam read The Angel of God
  3. Numbers 23:10 Or numbered a fourth
  4. Numbers 23:14 Or to the field of Zophim
  5. Numbers 23:20 Sam, LXX read since I will bless
  6. Numbers 23:21 Or not observe sin in Jacob; not see wrongdoing
  7. Numbers 23:22 Or Egypt; they have the horns of a wild ox
  8. Numbers 23:28 Or overlooks Jeshimon