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Numbers 22:36-23:12
English Standard Version Anglicised
Numbers 22:36-23:12
English Standard Version Anglicised
36 When Balak heard that Balaam had come, he went out to meet him at the city of Moab, (A)on the border formed by the Arnon, at the extremity of the border. 37 And Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not send to you to call you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not able to (B)honour you?” 38 Balaam said to Balak, “Behold, I have come to you! Have I now any power of my own to speak anything? (C)The word that God puts in my mouth, that must I speak.” 39 Then Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth. 40 And Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep, and sent for Balaam and for the princes who were with him.
41 And in the morning Balak took Balaam and brought him up to Bamoth-baal, and from there he saw a fraction of the people.
Balaam's First Oracle
23 And Balaam said to Balak, (D)“Build for me here seven altars, and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams.” 2 Balak did as Balaam had said. And Balak and Balaam (E)offered on each altar a bull and a ram. 3 And Balaam said to Balak, (F)“Stand beside your burnt offering, and I will go. Perhaps the Lord will come (G)to meet me, and whatever he shows me I will tell you.” And he went to a bare height, 4 (H)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.” 5 And the Lord (I)put a word in Balaam's mouth and said, “Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak.” 6 And he returned to him, and behold, he and all the princes of Moab were standing beside his burnt offering. 7 And Balaam (J)took up his discourse and said,
“From (K)Aram Balak has brought me,
the king of Moab (L)from the eastern mountains:
‘Come, (M)curse Jacob for me,
and come, denounce Israel!’
8 How can I curse whom God has not cursed?
How can I denounce whom the Lord has not denounced?
9 For from the top of the crags (N)I see him,
from the hills I behold him;
behold, (O)a people dwelling alone,
and (P)not counting itself among the nations!
10 (Q)Who can count the dust of Jacob
or number the fourth part[a] of Israel?
Let me die (R)the death of the upright,
and let my end be like his!”
11 And Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? (S)I took you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have done nothing but bless them.” 12 And he answered and said, (T)“Must I not take care to speak what the Lord puts in my mouth?”
Footnotes
- Numbers 23:10 Or dust clouds
Numbers 22:36-23:12
New International Version
Numbers 22:36-23:12
New International Version
36 When Balak(A) heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the Moabite town on the Arnon(B) border, at the edge of his territory. 37 Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not send you an urgent summons? Why didn’t you come to me? Am I really not able to reward you?”
38 “Well, I have come to you now,” Balaam replied. “But I can’t say whatever I please. I must speak only what God puts in my mouth.”(C)
39 Then Balaam went with Balak to Kiriath Huzoth. 40 Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep,(D) and gave some to Balaam and the officials who were with him. 41 The next morning Balak took Balaam up to Bamoth Baal,(E) and from there he could see the outskirts of the Israelite camp.(F)
Balaam’s First Message
23 Balaam said, “Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams(G) for me.” 2 Balak did as Balaam said, and the two of them offered a bull and a ram on each altar.(H)
3 Then Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here beside your offering while I go aside. Perhaps the Lord will come to meet with me.(I) Whatever he reveals to me I will tell you.” Then he went off to a barren height.
4 God met with him,(J) 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(K) and said, “Go back to Balak and give him this word.”(L)
6 So he went back to him and found him standing beside his offering, with all the Moabite officials.(M) 7 Then Balaam(N) spoke his message:(O)
“Balak brought me from Aram,(P)
the king of Moab from the eastern mountains.(Q)
‘Come,’ he said, ‘curse Jacob for me;
come, denounce Israel.’(R)
8 How can I curse
those whom God has not cursed?(S)
How can I denounce
those whom the Lord has not denounced?(T)
9 From the rocky peaks I see them,
from the heights I view them.(U)
I see a people who live apart
and do not consider themselves one of the nations.(V)
10 Who can count the dust of Jacob(W)
or number even a fourth of Israel?
Let me die the death of the righteous,(X)
and may my final end be like theirs!(Y)”
11 Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies,(Z) but you have done nothing but bless them!”(AA)
12 He answered, “Must I not speak what the Lord puts in my mouth?”(AB)
English Standard Version Anglicised (ESVUK)
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New International Version (NIV) 
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