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Numbers 22:41-23:12
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
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)
Numbers 22:41-23:12
New International Version
Numbers 22:41-23:12
New International Version
41 The next morning Balak took Balaam up to Bamoth Baal,(A) and from there he could see the outskirts of the Israelite camp.(B)
Balaam’s First Message
23 Balaam said, “Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams(C) for me.” 2 Balak did as Balaam said, and the two of them offered a bull and a ram on each altar.(D)
3 Then Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here beside your offering while I go aside. Perhaps the Lord will come to meet with me.(E) Whatever he reveals to me I will tell you.” Then he went off to a barren height.
4 God met with him,(F) and Balaam said, “I have prepared seven altars, and on each altar I have offered a bull and a ram.”
5 The Lord put a word in Balaam’s mouth(G) and said, “Go back to Balak and give him this word.”(H)
6 So he went back to him and found him standing beside his offering, with all the Moabite officials.(I) 7 Then Balaam(J) spoke his message:(K)
“Balak brought me from Aram,(L)
the king of Moab from the eastern mountains.(M)
‘Come,’ he said, ‘curse Jacob for me;
come, denounce Israel.’(N)
8 How can I curse
those whom God has not cursed?(O)
How can I denounce
those whom the Lord has not denounced?(P)
9 From the rocky peaks I see them,
from the heights I view them.(Q)
I see a people who live apart
and do not consider themselves one of the nations.(R)
10 Who can count the dust of Jacob(S)
or number even a fourth of Israel?
Let me die the death of the righteous,(T)
and may my final end be like theirs!(U)”
11 Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies,(V) but you have done nothing but bless them!”(W)
12 He answered, “Must I not speak what the Lord puts in my mouth?”(X)
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVUE)
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.
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.