Numbers 23:16-24

Good News Translation

¹⁶The Lord met Balaam, told him what to say, and sent him back to Balak to give him his message. ¹⁷So he went back and found Balak still standing by his burnt offering, with the leaders of Moab. Balak asked what the Lord had said, ¹⁸and Balaam uttered this prophecy:

“Come, Balak son of Zippor,
And listen to what I have to say.
¹⁹God is not like people, who lie;
He is not a human who changes his mind.
Whatever he promises, he does;
He speaks, and it is done.
²⁰I have been instructed to bless,
And when God blesses, I cannot call it back.
²¹I foresee that Israel's future
Will bring her no misfortune or trouble.
The Lord their God is with them;
They proclaim that he is their king.
²²God has brought them out of Egypt;
He fights for them like a wild ox.
²³There is no magic charm, no witchcraft,
That can be used against the nation of Israel.^[a]
Now people will say about Israel,
‘Look what God has done!’
²⁴The nation of Israel is like a mighty lion:
It doesn't rest until it has torn and devoured,
Until it has drunk the blood of those it has killed.”