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Balak Summons Balaam to Curse Israel

22 The Israelites set out and camped in the plains of Moab across the Jordan from Jericho.(A) Now Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. Moab was in great dread of the people, because they were so numerous; Moab was overcome with fear of the Israelites.(B) And Moab said to the elders of Midian, “This horde will now lick up all that is around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.” Now Balak son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time.(C) He sent messengers to Balaam son of Beor at Pethor, which is on the Euphrates,[a] in the land of Amaw,[b] to summon him, saying, “A people has come out of Egypt; they have spread over the face of the earth, and they have settled next to me.(D) Come now, curse this people for me, since they are stronger than I; perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them from the land, for I know that whomever you bless is blessed, and whomever you curse is cursed.”(E)

So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the fees for divination in their hand, and they came to Balaam and gave him Balak’s message.(F) He said to them, “Stay here tonight, and I will bring back word to you, just as the Lord speaks to me”; so the officials of Moab stayed with Balaam.(G) God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?” 10 Balaam said to God, “King Balak son of Zippor of Moab has sent me this message: 11 ‘Look, a people has come[c] out of Egypt and has spread over the face of the earth; now come, curse them for me; perhaps I shall be able to fight against them and drive them out.’ ” 12 God said to Balaam, “You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.”(H) 13 So Balaam rose in the morning and said to the officials of Balak, “Go to your own land, for the Lord has refused to let me go with you.” 14 So the officials of Moab rose and went to Balak and said, “Balaam refuses to come with us.”

15 Once again Balak sent officials, more numerous and more distinguished than these. 16 They came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak son of Zippor: Do not let anything hinder you from coming to me, 17 for I will surely do you great honor, and whatever you say to me I will do; come, curse this people for me.”(I) 18 But Balaam replied to the servants of Balak, “Although Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the command of the Lord my God, to do less or more.(J) 19 You also stay here overnight, so that I may learn what more the Lord may say to me.” 20 That night God came to Balaam and said to him, “If the men have come to summon you, get up and go with them, but do only what I tell you to do.”(K) 21 So Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the officials of Moab.(L)

Balaam, the Donkey, and the Angel

22 God’s anger was kindled because he was going, and the angel of the Lord took his stand in the road as his adversary. Now he was riding on the donkey, and his two servants were with him. 23 The donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road, with a drawn sword in his hand, so the donkey turned off the road and went into the field, and Balaam struck the donkey, to turn it back onto the road.(M) 24 Then the angel of the Lord stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with a wall on either side.(N) 25 When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, it scraped against the wall and scraped Balaam’s foot against the wall, so he struck it again. 26 Then the angel of the Lord went ahead and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right or to the left. 27 When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, it lay down under Balaam, and Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he struck the donkey with his staff. 28 Then the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and it said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?”(O) 29 Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have made a fool of me! I wish I had a sword in my hand! I would kill you right now!”(P) 30 But the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey, which you have ridden all your life to this day? Have I been in the habit of treating you this way?” And he said, “No.”(Q)

31 Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road, with his drawn sword in his hand, and he bowed down, falling on his face.(R) 32 The angel of the Lord said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? I have come out as an adversary because your way is perverse[d] before me. 33 The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If it had not turned away from me, surely just now I would have killed you and let it live.” 34 Then Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned, for I did not know that you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now therefore, if it is displeasing to you, I will return home.”(S) 35 The angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but speak only what I tell you to speak.” So Balaam went on with the officials of Balak.(T)

36 When Balak heard that Balaam had come, he went out to meet him at Ir-moab, on the boundary formed by the Arnon, at the farthest point of the boundary. 37 Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not send to summon you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not able to honor you?”(U) 38 Balaam said to Balak, “I have come to you now, but do I have power to say just anything? The word God puts in my mouth, that is what I must say.”(V) 39 Then Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth. 40 Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep and sent them to Balaam and to the officials who were with him.

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.[e](W) 23 Then Balaam said to Balak, “Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me.”(X) Balak did as Balaam had said and offered[f] a bull and a ram on each altar.(Y) Then Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here beside your burnt offerings while I go aside. Perhaps the Lord will come to meet me. Whatever he shows me I will tell you.” And he went to a bare height.(Z)

Then God met Balaam, and Balaam[g] said to him, “I have arranged the seven altars and have offered a bull and a ram on each altar.”(AA) The Lord put a word in Balaam’s mouth and said, “Return to Balak, and this is what you must say.”(AB) So he returned to Balak,[h] who was standing beside his burnt offerings with all the officials of Moab. Then Balaam[i] 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!’(AC)
How can I curse whom God has not cursed?
    How can I denounce those whom the Lord has not denounced?(AD)
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!(AE)
10 Who can count the dust of Jacob
    or number the dust cloud[j] of Israel?
Let me die the death of the upright,
    and let my end be like his!”(AF)

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.”(AG) 12 He answered, “Must I not take care to say what the Lord puts into my mouth?”(AH)

Balaam’s Second Oracle

13 So Balak said to him, “Come with me to another place from which you may see them; you shall see only part of them and shall not see them all; then curse them for me from there.” 14 So he took him to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah. He built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.(AI) 15 Balaam[k] said to Balak, “Stand here beside your burnt offerings, while I meet the Lord over there.” 16 The Lord met Balaam, put a word into his mouth, and said, “Return to Balak, and this is what you shall say.”(AJ) 17 When he came to him, he was standing beside his burnt offerings with the officials of Moab. Balak said to him, “What has the Lord said?” 18 Then Balaam[l] uttered his oracle, saying,

“Rise, Balak, and hear;
    listen to me, O son of Zippor:
19 God is not a human being, that he should lie,
    or a mortal, that he should change his mind.
Has he promised, and will he not do it?
    Has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?(AK)
20 See, I received a command to bless;
    he has blessed, and I cannot revoke it.(AL)
21 He has not beheld misfortune in Jacob,
    nor has he seen trouble in Israel.
The Lord their God is with them,
    acclaimed as a king among them.(AM)
22 God, who brings them out of Egypt,
    is like the horns of a wild ox for them.(AN)
23 Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob,
    no divination against Israel;
now it shall be said of Jacob and Israel,
    ‘See what God has done!’
24 Look, a people rising up like a lioness
    and rousing itself like a lion!
It does not lie down until it has eaten the prey
    and drunk the blood of the slain.”(AO)

25 Then 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 speak to you, saying, ‘Whatever the Lord says, that is what I must do’?”(AP)

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

Balaam’s Third Oracle

24 Now Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, so he did not go, as at other times, to look for omens but set his face toward the wilderness.(AS) Balaam looked up and saw Israel camping tribe by tribe. Then the spirit of God came upon him,(AT) and he uttered his oracle, saying,

“The oracle of Balaam son of Beor,
    the oracle of the man whose eye is clear,[n](AU)
the oracle of one who hears the words of God,
    who sees the vision of the Almighty,[o]
    who falls down but with eyes uncovered:(AV)
How fair are your tents, O Jacob,
    your encampments, O Israel!
Like palm groves that stretch far away,
    like gardens beside a river,
like aloes that the Lord has planted,
    like cedar trees beside the waters.(AW)
Water shall flow from his buckets,
    and his seed shall have abundant water;
his king shall be higher than Agag,
    and his kingdom shall be exalted.(AX)
God, who brings him out of Egypt,
    is like the horns of a wild ox for him;
he shall devour the nations that are his foes
    and break their bones.
    He shall strike with his arrows.[p](AY)
He crouched; he lay down like a lion
    and like a lioness; who will rouse him up?
Blessed is everyone who blesses you,
    and cursed is everyone who curses you.”(AZ)

10 Then Balak’s anger was kindled against Balaam, and he struck his hands together. Balak said to Balaam, “I summoned you to curse my enemies, but instead you have blessed them these three times. 11 Now be off with you! Go home! I said, ‘I will reward you richly,’ but the Lord has denied you any reward.”(BA) 12 And Balaam said to Balak, “Did I not speak to your messengers whom you sent to me, saying, 13 ‘If Balak should give me his house full of silver and gold, I would not be able to go beyond the word of the Lord, to do either good or bad of my own will; what the Lord says, that is what I will say’?(BB) 14 So now, I am going to my people; let me advise you what this people will do to your people in days to come.”(BC)

Balaam’s Fourth Oracle

15 So he uttered his oracle, saying,

“The oracle of Balaam son of Beor,
    the oracle of the man whose eye is clear,[q]
16 the oracle of one who hears the words of God
    and knows the knowledge of the Most High,[r]
who sees the vision of the Almighty,[s]
    who falls down but with eyes uncovered:
17 I see him but not now;
    I behold him but not near—
a star shall come out of Jacob,
    and a scepter shall rise out of Israel;
it shall crush the foreheads[t] of Moab
    and the heads[u] of all the Shethites.(BD)
18 Edom will become a possession,
    Seir a possession of its enemies,
    while Israel does valiantly.(BE)
19 One out of Jacob shall rule
    and destroy the survivors of Ir.”(BF)

20 Then he looked on Amalek and uttered his oracle, saying,

“First among the nations was Amalek,
but its end is to perish forever.”(BG)

21 Then he looked on the Kenite and uttered his oracle, saying,

“Enduring is your dwelling place,
    and your nest is set in the rock,
22 yet Kain is destined for burning.
    How long shall Asshur take you away captive?”

23 Again he uttered his oracle, saying,

“Alas, who shall live when God does this?[v]
24     But ships shall come from Kittim
and shall afflict Asshur and Eber,
    and he also shall perish forever.”(BH)

25 Then Balaam got up and went back to his place, and Balak also went his way.(BI)

Footnotes

  1. 22.5 Heb the river
  2. 22.5 Or land of his kinsfolk
  3. 22.11 Heb ms Sam Q ms Gk: MT The people that is coming
  4. 22.32 Meaning of Heb uncertain
  5. 22.41 Heb lacks of Israel
  6. 23.2 Heb mss Gk: MT reads Balak and Balaam offered
  7. 23.4 Heb he
  8. 23.6 Heb him
  9. 23.7 Heb he
  10. 23.10 Or fourth part
  11. 23.15 Heb he
  12. 23.18 Heb he
  13. 23.28 Or overlooks Jeshimon
  14. 24.3 Or closed or open
  15. 24.4 Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai
  16. 24.8 Meaning of Heb uncertain
  17. 24.15 Or closed or open
  18. 24.16 Or of Elyon
  19. 24.16 Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai
  20. 24.17 Or borderlands
  21. 24.17 Or territory
  22. 24.23 Meaning of Heb uncertain

Balak Summons Balaam

22 Then the Israelites traveled to the plains of Moab(A) and camped along the Jordan(B) across from Jericho.(C)

Now Balak son of Zippor(D) saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites, and Moab was terrified because there were so many people. Indeed, Moab was filled with dread(E) because of the Israelites.

The Moabites(F) said to the elders of Midian,(G) “This horde is going to lick up everything(H) around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.(I)

So Balak son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time, sent messengers to summon Balaam son of Beor,(J) who was at Pethor, near the Euphrates River,(K) in his native land. Balak said:

“A people has come out of Egypt;(L) they cover the face of the land and have settled next to me. Now come and put a curse(M) on these people, because they are too powerful for me. Perhaps then I will be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land.(N) For I know that whoever you bless is blessed, and whoever you curse is cursed.”

The elders of Moab and Midian left, taking with them the fee for divination.(O) When they came to Balaam, they told him what Balak had said.

“Spend the night here,” Balaam said to them, “and I will report back to you with the answer the Lord gives me.(P)” So the Moabite officials stayed with him.

God came to Balaam(Q) and asked,(R) “Who are these men with you?”

10 Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent me this message: 11 ‘A people that has come out of Egypt covers the face of the land. Now come and put a curse on them for me. Perhaps then I will be able to fight them and drive them away.’”

12 But God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them. You must not put a curse on those people, because they are blessed.(S)

13 The next morning Balaam got up and said to Balak’s officials, “Go back to your own country, for the Lord has refused to let me go with you.”

14 So the Moabite officials returned to Balak and said, “Balaam refused to come with us.”

15 Then Balak sent other officials, more numerous and more distinguished than the first. 16 They came to Balaam and said:

“This is what Balak son of Zippor says: Do not let anything keep you from coming to me, 17 because I will reward you handsomely(T) and do whatever you say. Come and put a curse(U) on these people for me.”

18 But Balaam answered them, “Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not do anything great or small to go beyond the command of the Lord my God.(V) 19 Now spend the night here so that I can find out what else the Lord will tell me.(W)

20 That night God came to Balaam(X) and said, “Since these men have come to summon you, go with them, but do only what I tell you.”(Y)

Balaam’s Donkey

21 Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with the Moabite officials. 22 But God was very angry(Z) when he went, and the angel of the Lord(AA) stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him. 23 When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with a drawn sword(AB) in his hand, it turned off the road into a field. Balaam beat it(AC) to get it back on the road.

24 Then the angel of the Lord stood in a narrow path through the vineyards, with walls on both sides. 25 When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, it pressed close to the wall, crushing Balaam’s foot against it. So he beat the donkey again.

26 Then the angel of the Lord moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn, either to the right or to the left. 27 When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, it lay down under Balaam, and he was angry(AD) and beat it with his staff. 28 Then the Lord opened the donkey’s mouth,(AE) and it said to Balaam, “What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?(AF)

29 Balaam answered the donkey, “You have made a fool of me! If only I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now.(AG)

30 The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?”

“No,” he said.

31 Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes,(AH) and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown.

32 The angel of the Lord asked him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? I have come here to oppose you because your path is a reckless one before me.[a] 33 The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If it had not turned away, I would certainly have killed you by now,(AI) but I would have spared it.”

34 Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned.(AJ) I did not realize you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now if you are displeased, I will go back.”

35 The angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but speak only what I tell you.” So Balaam went with Balak’s officials.

36 When Balak(AK) heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the Moabite town on the Arnon(AL) 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.”(AM)

39 Then Balaam went with Balak to Kiriath Huzoth. 40 Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep,(AN) and gave some to Balaam and the officials who were with him. 41 The next morning Balak took Balaam up to Bamoth Baal,(AO) and from there he could see the outskirts of the Israelite camp.(AP)

Balaam’s First Message

23 Balaam said, “Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams(AQ) for me.” Balak did as Balaam said, and the two of them offered a bull and a ram on each altar.(AR)

Then Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here beside your offering while I go aside. Perhaps the Lord will come to meet with me.(AS) Whatever he reveals to me I will tell you.” Then he went off to a barren height.

God met with him,(AT) 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(AU) and said, “Go back to Balak and give him this word.”(AV)

So he went back to him and found him standing beside his offering, with all the Moabite officials.(AW) Then Balaam(AX) spoke his message:(AY)

“Balak brought me from Aram,(AZ)
    the king of Moab from the eastern mountains.(BA)
‘Come,’ he said, ‘curse Jacob for me;
    come, denounce Israel.’(BB)
How can I curse
    those whom God has not cursed?(BC)
How can I denounce
    those whom the Lord has not denounced?(BD)
From the rocky peaks I see them,
    from the heights I view them.(BE)
I see a people who live apart
    and do not consider themselves one of the nations.(BF)
10 Who can count the dust of Jacob(BG)
    or number even a fourth of Israel?
Let me die the death of the righteous,(BH)
    and may my final end be like theirs!(BI)

11 Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies,(BJ) but you have done nothing but bless them!”(BK)

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

Balaam’s Second Message

13 Then Balak said to him, “Come with me to another place(BM) where you can see them; you will not see them all but only the outskirts of their camp.(BN) And from there, curse them for me.(BO) 14 So he took him to the field of Zophim on the top of Pisgah,(BP) and there he built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.(BQ)

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(BR) 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.(BS) Balak asked him, “What did the Lord say?”

18 Then he spoke his message:(BT)

“Arise, Balak, and listen;
    hear me, son of Zippor.(BU)
19 God is not human,(BV) that he should lie,(BW)
    not a human being, that he should change his mind.(BX)
Does he speak and then not act?
    Does he promise(BY) and not fulfill?
20 I have received a command to bless;(BZ)
    he has blessed,(CA) and I cannot change it.(CB)

21 “No misfortune is seen in Jacob,(CC)
    no misery observed[b] in Israel.(CD)
The Lord their God is with them;(CE)
    the shout of the King(CF) is among them.
22 God brought them out of Egypt;(CG)
    they have the strength of a wild ox.(CH)
23 There is no divination against[c] Jacob,
    no evil omens(CI) against[d] Israel.
It will now be said of Jacob
    and of Israel, ‘See what God has done!’
24 The people rise like a lioness;(CJ)
    they rouse themselves like a lion(CK)
that does not rest till it devours its prey
    and drinks the blood(CL) 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?”(CM)

Balaam’s Third Message

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

24 Now when Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel,(CR) he did not resort to divination(CS) as at other times, but turned his face toward the wilderness.(CT) When Balaam looked out and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of God came on him(CU) and he spoke his message:

“The prophecy of Balaam son of Beor,
    the prophecy of one whose eye sees clearly,(CV)
the prophecy of one who hears the words of God,(CW)
    who sees a vision from the Almighty,[e](CX)
    who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened:

“How beautiful are your tents,(CY) Jacob,
    your dwelling places, Israel!

“Like valleys they spread out,
    like gardens beside a river,(CZ)
like aloes(DA) planted by the Lord,
    like cedars beside the waters.(DB)
Water will flow from their buckets;
    their seed will have abundant water.

“Their king will be greater than Agag;(DC)
    their kingdom will be exalted.(DD)

“God brought them out of Egypt;
    they have the strength of a wild ox.
They devour hostile nations
    and break their bones in pieces;(DE)
    with their arrows they pierce them.(DF)
Like a lion they crouch and lie down,
    like a lioness(DG)—who dares to rouse them?

“May those who bless you be blessed(DH)
    and those who curse you be cursed!”(DI)

10 Then Balak’s anger burned(DJ) against Balaam. He struck his hands together(DK) and said to him, “I summoned you to curse my enemies,(DL) but you have blessed them(DM) these three times.(DN) 11 Now leave at once and go home!(DO) I said I would reward you handsomely,(DP) but the Lord has kept you from being rewarded.”

12 Balaam answered Balak, “Did I not tell the messengers you sent me,(DQ) 13 ‘Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not do anything of my own accord, good or bad, to go beyond the command of the Lord(DR)—and I must say only what the Lord says’?(DS) 14 Now I am going back to my people, but come, let me warn you of what this people will do to your people in days to come.”(DT)

Balaam’s Fourth Message

15 Then he spoke his message:

“The prophecy of Balaam son of Beor,
    the prophecy of one whose eye sees clearly,
16 the prophecy of one who hears the words(DU) of God,
    who has knowledge from the Most High,(DV)
who sees a vision from the Almighty,
    who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened:

17 “I see him, but not now;
    I behold him, but not near.(DW)
A star will come out of Jacob;(DX)
    a scepter will rise out of Israel.(DY)
He will crush the foreheads of Moab,(DZ)
    the skulls[f](EA) of[g] all the people of Sheth.[h]
18 Edom(EB) will be conquered;
    Seir,(EC) his enemy, will be conquered,(ED)
    but Israel(EE) will grow strong.
19 A ruler will come out of Jacob(EF)
    and destroy the survivors of the city.”

Balaam’s Fifth Message

20 Then Balaam saw Amalek(EG) and spoke his message:

“Amalek was first among the nations,
    but their end will be utter destruction.”(EH)

Balaam’s Sixth Message

21 Then he saw the Kenites(EI) and spoke his message:

“Your dwelling place is secure,(EJ)
    your nest is set in a rock;
22 yet you Kenites will be destroyed
    when Ashur(EK) takes you captive.”

Balaam’s Seventh Message

23 Then he spoke his message:

“Alas! Who can live when God does this?[i]
24     Ships will come from the shores of Cyprus;(EL)
they will subdue Ashur(EM) and Eber,(EN)
    but they too will come to ruin.(EO)

25 Then Balaam(EP) got up and returned home, and Balak went his own way.

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 22:32 The meaning of the Hebrew for this clause is uncertain.
  2. Numbers 23:21 Or He has not looked on Jacob’s offenses / or on the wrongs found
  3. Numbers 23:23 Or in
  4. Numbers 23:23 Or in
  5. Numbers 24:4 Hebrew Shaddai; also in verse 16
  6. Numbers 24:17 Samaritan Pentateuch (see also Jer. 48:45); the meaning of the word in the Masoretic Text is uncertain.
  7. Numbers 24:17 Or possibly Moab, / batter
  8. Numbers 24:17 Or all the noisy boasters
  9. Numbers 24:23 Masoretic Text; with a different word division of the Hebrew The people from the islands will gather from the north.