Numbers 22:36-23:12

English Standard Version

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)honor 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,

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?”