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民數記 23
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Traditional)
民數記 23
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Traditional)
巴蘭的預言
23 巴蘭對巴勒說：「你在這裡為我築七座祭壇，預備七頭公牛和七隻公綿羊。」 2 巴勒就照巴蘭的話做了。他們二人在每座壇上獻上一頭公牛和一隻公綿羊， 3 巴蘭對巴勒說：「你留在燔祭旁邊，我到前面去，也許耶和華會來見我。無論祂有什麼指示，我必告訴你。」 4 上帝果然向巴蘭顯現。巴蘭對上帝說：「我已經預備了七座祭壇，每座祭壇上獻了一頭公牛和一隻公綿羊。」 5 耶和華告訴他當說的話，命他回去轉告巴勒。 6 巴蘭就回到巴勒那裡，看見他和摩押的臣僕們都站在燔祭旁邊。 7 巴蘭吟詩預言說：
「巴勒引我出亞蘭，
摩押王請我出東山，
說，『來為我咒詛雅各，
來斥責以色列！』
8 上帝沒有咒詛的，
我怎能咒詛？
耶和華沒有斥責的，
我怎能斥責？
9 我從峰頂觀看他們，
從高崗眺望他們，
這獨居一方之民，
不與萬國同列。
10 雅各的子孫多如塵土，
誰能數得清？
誰能數清以色列人的四分之一？
我願像義人一樣死去，
如義人般終此一生。」
11 巴勒對巴蘭說：「你這是做什麽？我請你來咒詛我的仇敵，你竟祝福他們！」 12 巴蘭說：「耶和華讓我說的話，我豈能不說？」
巴蘭第二次預言
13 巴勒說：「請你跟我去另一個地方，那裡看不見全部以色列人，只能看見一部分，你要在那裡為我咒詛他們。」 14 他領巴蘭上到毗斯迦山頂的瑣腓田，在那裡築了七座祭壇，每座壇上都獻了一頭公牛和一隻公綿羊。 15 巴蘭對巴勒說：「你留在這些燔祭旁邊，我到那邊去見耶和華。」 16 耶和華向巴蘭顯現，告訴他當說的話，讓他轉告巴勒。 17 巴蘭回到巴勒那裡，看見他和摩押的臣僕們都站在燔祭旁邊。巴勒問道：「耶和華說了什麼？」 18 巴蘭吟詩預言說：
「巴勒啊，要留心聽！
西撥的兒子啊，請聽我言。
19 上帝並非世人，祂不撒謊；
上帝不是凡人，祂不反悔。
祂言出必行，信守承諾。
20 我奉命祝福，祂已賜福，
我不能改變。
21 雅各的子孫中未見有罪惡，
以色列人中看不見有禍患。
他們的上帝耶和華與他們同在，
他們向自己的君王歡呼。
22 上帝把他們帶出埃及，
祂[a]的力量如野牛之角。
23 沒有邪術能害雅各，
沒有咒語可傷以色列。
時候一到，人們必談論雅各，
談論以色列，說，『看啊，
上帝的作為何等偉大！』
24 看啊，這民族挺身如母獅，
又像雄獅一躍而起，
不吞掉獵物不甘休，
不喝飽獵物的血不躺臥。」
25 巴勒對巴蘭說：「你可以不咒詛他們，但也不該為他們祝福啊！」 26 巴蘭回答說：「我不是說過，我必須按耶和華的指示做嗎？」
27 巴勒說：「來吧，我帶你去另一個地方，也許上帝會同意你在那裡為我咒詛他們。」 28 他領著巴蘭登上俯瞰曠野的毗珥山頂。 29 巴蘭對巴勒說：「你在這裡為我築七座祭壇，預備七頭公牛和七隻公綿羊。」 30 巴勒就照巴蘭的話在每座祭壇上獻了一頭公牛和一隻公綿羊。
Footnotes
- 23·22 「祂」或譯「他們」。
Numbers 23
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Numbers 23
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 23
1 Then Balaam said to Balak, “Build me seven altars here, and here prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me.” 2 So Balak did as Balaam had ordered, and Balak and Balaam offered a bull and a ram on each altar. 3 Balaam said to Balak, “Stand here by your burnt offering while I go over there. Perhaps the Lord will meet me, and then I will tell you whatever he lets me see.” And so he went out on the barren height. 4 Then God met Balaam, and Balak said to him: “I have erected the seven altars, and have offered a bull and a ram on each altar.” 5 The Lord put an utterance in Balaam’s mouth, and said: Go back to Balak, and speak accordingly. 6 So he went back to Balak, who was still standing by his burnt offering together with all the princes of Moab. 7 Then Balaam recited his poem:
From Aram[a] Balak has led me here,
Moab’s king, from the mountains of Qedem:(A)
“Come, curse for me Jacob,
come, denounce Israel.”
8 How can I lay a curse on the one whom God has not cursed?
How denounce the one whom the Lord has not denounced?
9 For from the top of the crags I see him,
from the heights I behold him.
Here is a people that lives apart[b]
and does not reckon itself among the nations.
10 Who has ever counted the dust of Jacob,
who numbered Israel’s dust-cloud?[c]
May I die the death of the just,
may my end be like theirs!
11 “What have you done to me?” cried Balak to Balaam. “It was to lay a curse on my foes that I brought you here; but instead, you have blessed them!” 12 Balaam replied, “Is it not what the Lord puts in my mouth that I take care to repeat?”
The Second Oracle. 13 Then Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place[d] from which you can see them; but you will see only some, not all of them, and from there lay a curse on them for me.” 14 So he brought him to a lookout post on the top of Pisgah, where he built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each of them. 15 Balaam then said to Balak, “Stand here by your burnt offering, while I seek a meeting over there.” 16 Then the Lord met Balaam, and, having put an utterance in his mouth, said to him: Return to Balak, and speak accordingly. 17 So he went to Balak, who was still standing by his burnt offering together with the princes of Moab. When Balak asked him, “What did the Lord say?” 18 Balaam recited his poem:
Rise, Balak, and listen;
give ear to my testimony, son of Zippor!
19 God is not a human being who speaks falsely,
nor a mortal, who feels regret.
Is God one to speak and not act,
to decree and not bring it to pass?
20 I was summoned to bless;
I will bless; I cannot revoke it!
21 Misfortune I do not see in Jacob,
nor do I see misery[e] in Israel.
The Lord, their God, is with them;
among them is the war-cry of their King.
22 They have the like of a wild ox’s horns:[f]
God who brought them out of Egypt.(B)
23 No, there is no augury against Jacob,
nor divination against Israel.
Now it is said of Jacob,
of Israel, “Look what God has done!”
24 Here is a people that rises up like a lioness,
and gets up like a lion;
It does not rest till it has devoured its prey
and has drunk the blood of the slain.(C)
25 “Neither lay a curse on them nor bless them,” said Balak to Balaam. 26 But Balaam answered Balak, “Did I not tell you, ‘Everything the Lord tells me I must do’?”
The Third Oracle. 27 Then Balak said to Balaam, “Come, let me bring you to another place; perhaps God will approve of your laying a curse on them for me from there.” 28 So he took Balaam to the top of Peor, that overlooks Jeshimon. 29 Balaam then said to Balak, “Build me seven altars here; and here prepare for me seven bulls and seven rams.” 30 And Balak did as Balaam had ordered, offering a bull and a ram on each altar.
Footnotes
- 23:7 Aram: the ancient name of the region later known as Syria. The mountains of Qedem: Qedem is the name for a region in northern Syria. Qedem also means “eastern.” Perhaps this designates the low ranges in the Syrian desert. The “mountains of old” is also a possible translation.
- 23:9 A people that lives apart: that is, “securely”; cf. Dt 33:28.
- 23:10 The dust of Jacob…Israel’s dust-cloud: the Israelites will be as numerous as the dust kicked up by Israel in its march through the wilderness.
- 23:13 To another place: Balak thought that if Balaam would view Israel from a different site, he could deliver a different kind of omen.
- 23:21 Misfortune…misery: Balaam states that he is unable to see any evils for Israel.
- 23:22 A wild ox’s horns: Israel possesses the strength of a wild ox because of God’s presence among them. Compare the claim by the psalmist, the Lord is “my rock…my saving horn” (Ps 18:3).
Numbers 23
International Children’s Bible
Numbers 23
International Children’s Bible
Balaam’s First Message
23 Balaam said, “Build me seven altars here. And prepare seven bulls and seven male sheep for me.” 2 Balak did what Balaam asked. Then they offered a male sheep and a bull on each of the altars.
3 Then Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here beside your burnt offering. I will go. Maybe the Lord will come to me. I will tell you whatever he shows me.” Then Balaam went to a higher place.
4 God came to Balaam there. Balaam said to him, “I have prepared seven altars. And I have offered a bull and a male sheep on each altar.”
5 The Lord told Balaam what he should say. Then the Lord said, “Go back to Balak and give him this message.”
6 So Balaam went back to Balak. Balak and all the leaders of Moab were still standing beside his burnt offering. 7 Then Balaam gave them this message:
“Balak brought me here from Aram.
The king of Moab brought me from the eastern mountains.
Balak said, ‘Come, put a curse on the people of Jacob for me.
Come, wish evil on the people of Israel.’
8 But God has not cursed them.
So I cannot curse them.
The Lord has not wished evil on them.
So I cannot wish evil on them.
9 I see them from the mountains.
I see them from the hills.
I see a people who live alone.
They think they are different from other nations.
10 No one can number the people of Jacob.
No one can count a fourth of Israel.
Let me die like good men.
Let me end up like them!”
11 Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you here to curse my enemies. But you have only blessed them!”
12 But Balaam answered, “I must say what the Lord tells me to say.”
Balaam’s Second Message
13 Then Balak said to him, “Come with me to another place. There you can also see the people. But you can only see part of them, not all of them. Curse them for me from there.” 14 So Balak took Balaam to the field of Zophim. This was on top of Mount Pisgah. There Balak built seven altars. And he offered a bull and a male sheep on each altar.
15 So Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here by your burnt offering. I will meet with God over there.”
16 So the Lord came to Balaam. He told Balaam what to say. Then he said, “Go back to Balak and say such and such.”
17 So Balaam went to Balak. Balak and the leaders of Moab were standing beside his burnt offering. Balak asked him, “What did the Lord say?”
18 Then Balaam gave this message:
“Stand up, Balak, and listen.
Hear me, son of Zippor.
19 God is not a man. He will not lie.
God is not a human being. He does not change his mind.
What he says he will do, he does.
What he promises, he keeps.
20 He told me to bless them.
So I cannot change the blessing.
21 He has found no wrong in the people of Jacob.
He saw no fault in Israel.
The Lord their God is with them.
They praise their King.
22 God brought them out of Egypt.
They are as strong as a wild ox.
23 No tricks will work on the people of Jacob.
No magic works against Israel.
People now say this about them,
‘Look what God has done!’
24 The people are strong like a lioness.
They get up like a lion.
Lions don’t rest until they have eaten.
They drink their enemies’ blood.”
25 Then Balak said to Balaam, “You haven’t cursed these people. So at least don’t bless them!”
26 Balaam answered Balak, “I told you before. I can only do what the Lord tells me.”
Balaam’s Third Message
27 Then Balak said to Balaam, “Come, I will take you to another place. Maybe God will be pleased. He may let you curse them from there.” 28 So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor. This mountain looks over the desert.
29 Balaam told Balak, “Build me seven altars here. Then prepare for me seven bulls and seven male sheep.” 30 Balak did what Balaam asked. He offered a bull and a male sheep on each altar.
Numbers 23
New International Version
Numbers 23
New International Version
Balaam’s First Message
23 Balaam said, “Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams(A) for me.” 2 Balak did as Balaam said, and the two of them offered a bull and a ram on each altar.(B)
3 Then Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here beside your offering while I go aside. Perhaps the Lord will come to meet with me.(C) Whatever he reveals to me I will tell you.” Then he went off to a barren height.
4 God met with him,(D) 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(E) and said, “Go back to Balak and give him this word.”(F)
6 So he went back to him and found him standing beside his offering, with all the Moabite officials.(G) 7 Then Balaam(H) spoke his message:(I)
“Balak brought me from Aram,(J)
the king of Moab from the eastern mountains.(K)
‘Come,’ he said, ‘curse Jacob for me;
come, denounce Israel.’(L)
8 How can I curse
those whom God has not cursed?(M)
How can I denounce
those whom the Lord has not denounced?(N)
9 From the rocky peaks I see them,
from the heights I view them.(O)
I see a people who live apart
and do not consider themselves one of the nations.(P)
10 Who can count the dust of Jacob(Q)
or number even a fourth of Israel?
Let me die the death of the righteous,(R)
and may my final end be like theirs!(S)”
11 Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies,(T) but you have done nothing but bless them!”(U)
12 He answered, “Must I not speak what the Lord puts in my mouth?”(V)
Balaam’s Second Message
13 Then Balak said to him, “Come with me to another place(W) where you can see them; you will not see them all but only the outskirts of their camp.(X) And from there, curse them for me.(Y)” 14 So he took him to the field of Zophim on the top of Pisgah,(Z) and there he built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.(AA)
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(AB) 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.(AC) Balak asked him, “What did the Lord say?”
18 Then he spoke his message:(AD)
“Arise, Balak, and listen;
hear me, son of Zippor.(AE)
19 God is not human,(AF) that he should lie,(AG)
not a human being, that he should change his mind.(AH)
Does he speak and then not act?
Does he promise(AI) and not fulfill?
20 I have received a command to bless;(AJ)
he has blessed,(AK) and I cannot change it.(AL)
21 “No misfortune is seen in Jacob,(AM)
no misery observed[a] in Israel.(AN)
The Lord their God is with them;(AO)
the shout of the King(AP) is among them.
22 God brought them out of Egypt;(AQ)
they have the strength of a wild ox.(AR)
23 There is no divination against[b] Jacob,
no evil omens(AS) against[c] Israel.
It will now be said of Jacob
and of Israel, ‘See what God has done!’
24 The people rise like a lioness;(AT)
they rouse themselves like a lion(AU)
that does not rest till it devours its prey
and drinks the blood(AV) 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?”(AW)
Balaam’s Third Message
27 Then Balak said to Balaam, “Come, let me take you to another place.(AX) Perhaps it will please God to let you curse them for me(AY) from there.” 28 And Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor,(AZ) 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.(BA)
Footnotes
- Numbers 23:21 Or He has not looked on Jacob’s offenses / or on the wrongs found
- Numbers 23:23 Or in
- Numbers 23:23 Or in
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