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Numbers 23
Contemporary English Version
Numbers 23
Contemporary English Version
Balaam's First Message
23 Balaam said to Balak, “Build seven altars here, then bring seven bulls and seven rams.”
2 After Balak had done this, they sacrificed a bull and a ram on each altar. 3 Then Balaam said, “Wait here beside your offerings, and I'll go somewhere to be alone. Maybe the Lord will appear to me. If he does, I will tell you everything he says.” And he left.
4 When God appeared to him, Balaam said, “I have built seven altars and have sacrificed a bull and a ram on each one.”
5 The Lord gave Balaam a message, then sent him back to tell Balak. 6 When Balaam returned, he found Balak and his officials standing beside the offerings.
7 Balaam said:
“King Balak of Moab brought me
from the hills of Syria
to curse Israel
and announce its doom.
8 But I can't go against God!
He did not curse
or condemn Israel.
* 9 “From the mountain peaks,
I look down and see Israel,
the obedient people of God.
10 They are living alone in peace.
And though they are many,
they don't bother
the other nations.
“I hope to obey God
for as long as I live
and to die in such peace.”
11 Balak said, “What are you doing? I asked you to come and place a curse on my enemies. But you have blessed them instead!”
12 Balaam answered, “I can say only what the Lord tells me.”
Balaam's Second Message
13 Balak said to Balaam, “Let's go somewhere else. Maybe if you see a smaller part of the Israelites, you will be able to curse them for me.” 14 So he took Balaam to a field on top of Mount Pisgah where lookouts were stationed.[a] Then he built seven altars there and sacrificed a bull and a ram on each one.
15 “Wait here beside your offerings,” Balaam said. “The Lord will appear to me over there.”
16 The Lord appeared to Balaam and gave him another message, then he told him to go and tell Balak. 17 Balaam went back and saw him and his officials standing beside the offerings.
Balak asked, “What did the Lord say?”
18 Balaam answered:
“Pay close attention
to my words—
19 God is no mere human!
He doesn't tell lies
or change his mind.
God always keeps his promises.
20 “My command from God
was to bless these people,
and there's nothing I can do
to change what he has done.
21 Israel's king is the Lord God.
He lives there with them
and intends them no harm.
22 With the strength of a wild ox,
God led Israel out of Egypt.
23 No magic charms can work
against them—
just look what God has done
for his people.
24 They are like angry lions
ready to attack;
and they won't rest
until their victim
is gobbled up.”
25 Balak shouted, “If you're not going to curse Israel, then at least don't bless them.”
26 “I've already told you,” Balaam answered. “I will say only what the Lord tells me.”
Balaam's Third Message
27 Balak said to Balaam, “Come on, let's try another place. Maybe God will let you curse Israel from there.” 28 So he took Balaam to Mount Peor overlooking the desert north of the Dead Sea.
29 Balaam said, “Build seven altars here, then bring me seven bulls and seven rams.”
30 After Balak had done what Balaam asked, he sacrificed a bull and a ram on each altar.
Footnotes
- 23.14 a field … where lookouts were stationed: Or “Zophim Field on the top of Mount Pisgah.”
民數記 23
Chinese Union Version Modern Punctuation (Traditional)
民數記 23
Chinese Union Version Modern Punctuation (Traditional)
巴蘭歌詩
23 巴蘭對巴勒說：「你在這裡給我築七座壇，為我預備七隻公牛、七隻公羊。」 2 巴勒照巴蘭的話行了。巴勒和巴蘭在每座壇上獻一隻公牛、一隻公羊。 3 巴蘭對巴勒說：「你站在你的燔祭旁邊，我且往前去，或者耶和華來迎見我。他指示我什麼，我必告訴你。」於是巴蘭上一淨光的高處。 4 神迎見巴蘭。巴蘭說：「我預備了七座壇，在每座壇上獻了一隻公牛、一隻公羊。」 5 耶和華將話傳給巴蘭，又說：「你回到巴勒那裡，要如此如此說。」 6 他就回到巴勒那裡，見他同摩押的使臣都站在燔祭旁邊。 7 巴蘭便題起詩歌說：「巴勒引我出亞蘭，摩押王引我出東山，說：『來啊，為我咒詛雅各！來啊，怒罵以色列！』 8 神沒有咒詛的，我焉能咒詛？耶和華沒有怒罵的，我焉能怒罵？ 9 我從高峰看他，從小山望他，這是獨居的民，不列在萬民中。 10 誰能數點雅各的塵土？誰能計算以色列的四分之一？我願如義人之死而死，我願如義人之終而終。」 11 巴勒對巴蘭說：「你向我做的是什麼事呢？我領你來咒詛我的仇敵，不料，你竟為他們祝福！」 12 他回答說：「耶和華傳給我的話，我能不謹慎傳說嗎？」
復歌詩
13 巴勒說：「求你同我往別處去，在那裡可以看見他們。你不能全看見，只能看見他們邊界上的人。在那裡要為我咒詛他們。」 14 於是領巴蘭到了瑣腓田，上了毗斯迦山頂，築了七座壇，每座壇上獻一隻公牛、一隻公羊。 15 巴蘭對巴勒說：「你站在這燔祭旁邊，等我往那邊去迎見耶和華。」 16 耶和華臨到巴蘭那裡，將話傳給他，又說：「你回到巴勒那裡，要如此如此說。」 17 他就回到巴勒那裡，見他站在燔祭旁邊，摩押的使臣也和他在一處。巴勒問他說：「耶和華說了什麼話呢？」 18 巴蘭就題詩歌說：「巴勒，你起來聽；西撥的兒子，你聽我言。 19 神非人，必不至說謊；也非人子，必不至後悔。他說話豈不照著行呢？他發言豈不要成就呢？ 20 我奉命祝福，神也曾賜福，此事我不能翻轉。 21 他未見雅各中有罪孽，也未見以色列中有奸惡。耶和華他的神和他同在，有歡呼王的聲音在他們中間。 22 神領他們出埃及，他們似乎有野牛之力。 23 斷沒有法術可以害雅各，也沒有占卜可以害以色列。現在必有人論及雅各，就是論及以色列說：『神為他行了何等的大事！』 24 這民起來彷彿母獅，挺身好像公獅，未曾吃野食，未曾喝被傷者之血，決不躺臥。」 25 巴勒對巴蘭說：「你一點不要咒詛他們，也不要為他們祝福。」 26 巴蘭回答巴勒說：「我豈不是告訴你說，凡耶和華所說的，我必須遵行嗎？」
27 巴勒對巴蘭說：「來吧，我領你往別處去，或者神喜歡你在那裡為我咒詛他們。」 28 巴勒就領巴蘭到那下望曠野的毗珥山頂上。 29 巴蘭對巴勒說：「你在這裡為我築七座壇，又在這裡為我預備七隻公牛、七隻公羊。」 30 巴勒就照巴蘭的話行，在每座壇上獻一隻公牛、一隻公羊。
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
Contemporary English Version (CEV) 
Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society For more information about CEV, visit www.bibles.com and www.cev.bible.
Chinese Union Version Modern Punctuation (Traditional) (CUVMPT)
Copyright © 2011 by Global Bible Initiative
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.