Numbers 22:41-23:12
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Balaam’s First Oracle
41 On the next day Balak took Balaam and brought him up to Bamoth-baal, and from there he could see part of the people of Israel.[a](A) 23 1
4 Then God met Balaam, and Balaam[c] said to him, “I have arranged the seven altars and have offered a bull and a ram on each altar.”(E) 5 The Lord put a word in Balaam’s mouth and said, “Return to Balak, and this is what you must say.”(F) 6 So he returned to Balak,[d] who was standing beside his burnt offerings with all the officials of Moab. 7 Then Balaam[e] uttered his oracle, saying,
“Balak has brought me from Aram,
the king of Moab from the eastern mountains:
‘Come, curse Jacob for me.
Come, denounce Israel!’(G)
8 How can I curse whom God has not cursed?
How can I denounce those whom the Lord has not denounced?(H)
9 For from the top of the crags I see him;
from the hills I behold him.
Here is a people living alone
and not reckoning itself among the nations!(I)
10 Who can count the dust of Jacob
or number the dust cloud[f] of Israel?
Let me die the death of the upright,
and let my end be like his!”(J)
11 Then Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies, but now you have done nothing but bless them.”(K) 12 He answered, “Must I not take care to say what the Lord puts into my mouth?”(L)
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.