Font Size
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
Numbers 23
New American Standard Bible
Numbers 23
New American Standard Bible
The Prophecies of Balaam
23 Then Balaam said to Balak, “Build seven altars for me here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me here.” 2 Balak did just as Balaam had spoken, and Balak and Balaam offered up a bull and a ram on each altar. 3 Then Balaam said to Balak, “Stand beside your burnt offering, and I will go; perhaps the Lord will come to meet me, and whatever He shows me I will tell you.” So he went to a bare hill.
4 Now God met with Balaam, and he said to Him, “I have set up the seven altars, and I have offered up a bull and a ram on each altar.” 5 Then the Lord (A)put a word in Balaam’s mouth and said, “Return to Balak, and this is what you shall speak.” 6 So he returned to him, and behold, he was standing beside his burnt offering, he and all the leaders of Moab. 7 And he took up his discourse and said,
“From (B)Aram Balak has brought me,
Moab’s king from the mountains of the East, saying,
‘(C)Come, declare Jacob cursed for me,
And come, curse Israel!’
8 (D)How am I to put a curse on him upon whom God has not put a curse?
And how am I to curse him whom the Lord has not cursed?
9 For I see him from the top of the rocks,
And I look at him from the hills;
(E)Behold, a people that lives in isolation,
And does not consider itself to be among the nations.
10 (F)Who has counted the dust of Jacob,
Or the number of the fourth part of Israel?
(G)May [a]I die the death of the upright,
(H)And may my end be like his!”
11 Then Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? (I)I took you to put a curse on my enemies, but behold, you have actually blessed them!” 12 He replied, “Must I not be careful to speak (J)what the Lord puts in my mouth?”
13 Then Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place from where you may see them, although you will only see the extreme end of them and will not see all of them; and put a curse on them for me from there.” 14 So he took him to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and he built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar. 15 Then he said to Balak, “Stand here beside your burnt offering while I myself meet the Lord over there.” 16 Then the Lord met Balaam and (K)put a word in his mouth, and said, “Return to Balak, and this is what you shall speak.” 17 So he came to him, and behold, he was standing beside his burnt offering, and the leaders of Moab with him. And Balak said to him, “What has the Lord spoken?” 18 Then he took up his discourse and said,
“Arise, Balak, and hear;
Listen to me, son of Zippor!
19 (L)God is not a man, that He would lie,
Nor a son of man, that He would change His mind;
(M)Has He said, and will He not do it?
Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?
20 Behold, I have received a command to bless;
(N)When He has blessed, (O)I cannot revoke it.
21 (P)He has not looked at misfortune in Jacob;
(Q)Nor has He seen trouble in Israel;
(R)The Lord his God is with him,
(S)And the joyful shout of a king is among them.
22 (T)God brings them out of Egypt,
He is for them like the (U)horns of the wild ox.
23 (V)For there is no magic curse against Jacob,
Nor is there any divination against Israel;
At the proper time it shall be said to Jacob
And to Israel, what God has done!
24 (W)Behold, a people rises like a lioness,
And like a lion it raises itself;
It will not lie down until it devours the prey,
And drinks the blood of those slain.”
25 Then Balak said to Balaam, “Do not curse them at all nor bless them at all!” 26 But Balaam replied to Balak, “Did I not tell you, ‘[b](X)Whatever the Lord speaks, I must do’?”
27 Then Balak said to Balaam, “Please come, I will take you to another place; perhaps it will be [c]agreeable with God that you curse them for me from there.” 28 So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, which overlooks the [d]desert. 29 And Balaam said to Balak, “Build seven altars for me here and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me here.” 30 Balak did just as Balaam had said, and offered up a bull and a ram on each altar.
Footnotes
- Numbers 23:10 Lit my soul
- Numbers 23:26 Lit saying, Whatever
- Numbers 23:27 Lit right in the sight of God
- Numbers 23:28 Or Jeshimon
Numeri 23
Cornilescu 1924 - Revised 2010, 2014
Numeri 23
Cornilescu 1924 - Revised 2010, 2014
Balaam binecuvântează
23 Balaam a zis lui Balac: „Zideşte-mi(A) aici şapte altare şi pregăteşte-mi aici şapte viţei şi şapte berbeci.” 2 Balac a făcut cum spusese Balaam, şi Balac şi Balaam au adus câte(B) un viţel şi câte un berbec pe fiecare altar. 3 Balaam a zis lui Balac: „Stai lângă(C) arderea ta de tot, şi eu mă voi depărta de ea; poate că Domnul îmi(D) va ieşi înainte şi ce-mi va descoperi îţi voi spune.” Şi s-a dus pe un loc înalt. 4 Dumnezeu a venit înaintea lui Balaam şi Balaam I-a zis: „Am ridicat şapte altare şi, pe fiecare altar, am adus câte un viţel şi câte un berbec.” 5 Domnul a pus(E) cuvinte în gura lui Balaam şi a zis: „Întoarce-te la Balac şi aşa să-i vorbeşti.” 6 Balaam s-a întors la Balac şi iată că Balac stătea lângă arderea lui de tot, el şi toate căpeteniile Moabului.
7 Balaam şi-a(F) rostit prorocia şi a zis:
„Balac m-a adus din Aram (Mesopotamia).
Împăratul Moabului m-a chemat din Munţii Răsăritului, zicând:
‘Vino(G) şi blestemă-mi pe Iacov!
Vino şi defăimează-mi pe Israel!’
8 Cum(H) să blestem eu pe cel ce nu-l blestemă Dumnezeu?
Cum să defăimez eu pe cel pe care nu-l defăimează Domnul?
9 Îl văd din vârful stâncilor,
Îl privesc de pe înălţimea dealurilor:
Este(I) un popor care locuieşte deoparte
Şi nu(J) face parte dintre neamuri.
10 Cine(K) poate să numere pulberea lui Iacov
Şi să spună numărul unui sfert din Israel?
O, de aş muri de moartea(L) celor neprihăniţi
Şi sfârşitul meu să fie ca al lor!”
Balaam binecuvântează a doua oară
11 Balac a zis lui Balaam: „Ce mi-ai făcut? Te-am(M) luat să blestemi pe vrăjmaşul meu, şi iată că tu-l binecuvântezi!” 12 El a răspuns şi a zis: „Nu(N) trebuie oare să spun ce-mi pune Domnul în gură?” 13 Balac i-a zis: „Vino, te rog, cu mine în alt loc, de unde îl poţi vedea, căci aici nu vezi decât o parte din el, nu-l vezi întreg. Şi de acolo să mi-l blestemi.” 14 L-a dus în câmpul Ţofim, spre vârful muntelui Pisga, a zidit(O) şapte altare şi a adus câte un viţel şi un berbec pe fiecare altar. 15 Balaam a zis lui Balac: „Stai aici, lângă arderea ta de tot, şi eu mă voi duce înaintea lui Dumnezeu.” 16 Domnul a venit înaintea lui Balaam, i-a pus(P) cuvinte în gură şi a zis: „Întoarce-te la Balac şi aşa să-i vorbeşti.” 17 Balaam s-a întors la el, şi iată că Balac stătea lângă arderea lui de tot, cu căpeteniile Moabului. Balac i-a zis: „Ce ţi-a spus Domnul?”
18 Balaam şi-a rostit prorocia şi a zis:
„Scoală-te(Q), Balac, şi ascultă!
Ia aminte la mine, fiul lui Ţipor!
19 Dumnezeu(R) nu este un om, ca să mintă,
Nici un fiu al omului, ca să-I pară rău.
Ce a spus, oare nu va face?
Ce a făgăduit, oare nu va împlini?
20 Iată că am primit poruncă să binecuvântez.
Da, El(S) a binecuvântat, şi eu nu pot întoarce.
21 El nu vede nicio fărădelege în Iacov,
Nu vede(T) nicio răutate în Israel.
Domnul(U), Dumnezeul lui, este cu el,
El este Împăratul lui, veselia lui.
22 Dumnezeu(V) i-a scos din Egipt,
Tăria Lui este pentru el(W) ca a bivolului.
23 Descântecul nu poate face nimic împotriva lui Iacov,
Nici vrăjitoria împotriva lui Israel.
Acum se poate spune despre Iacov şi Israel:
‘Ce lucruri(X) mari a făcut Dumnezeu!’
24 Da, poporul acesta se scoală ca o(Y) leoaică
Şi se ridică întocmai ca un leu.
Nu se culcă(Z) până ce n-a mâncat prada
Şi n-a băut sângele celor ucişi.”
Balaam proroceşte iarăşi bine
25 Balac a zis lui Balaam: „Nu-l blestema, dar măcar nici nu-l binecuvânta!” 26 Balaam a răspuns şi a zis lui Balac: „Nu ţi-am spus că voi face tot ce va(AA) spune Domnul?” 27 Balac a zis lui Balaam: „Vino(AB), te rog, te voi duce într-un alt loc; poate că Dumnezeu va găsi cu cale să-mi blestemi de acolo pe poporul acesta!” 28 Balac a dus pe Balaam pe vârful muntelui Peor, care este cu faţa spre pustie(AC). 29 Balaam a zis lui Balac: „Zideşte-mi(AD) aici şapte altare şi pregăteşte-mi aici şapte viţei şi şapte berbeci!” 30 Balac a făcut cum zisese Balaam şi a adus câte un viţel şi câte un berbec pe fiecare altar.
Numbers 23
New King James Version
Numbers 23
New King James Version
The Prophecies of Balaam
23 Then Balaam said to Balak, (A)“Build seven altars for me here, and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams.”
2 And Balak did just as Balaam had spoken, and Balak and Balaam (B)offered a bull and a ram on each altar. 3 Then Balaam said to Balak, (C)“Stand by your burnt offering, and I will go; perhaps the Lord will come (D)to meet me, and whatever He shows me I will tell you.” So he went to a desolate height. 4 (E)And God met Balaam, and he said to Him, “I have prepared the seven altars, and I have offered on each altar a bull and a ram.”
5 Then the Lord (F)put a word in Balaam’s mouth, and said, “Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak.” 6 So he returned to him, and there he was, standing by his burnt offering, he and all the princes of Moab.
7 And he (G)took up his [a]oracle and said:
“Balak the king of Moab has brought me from Aram,
From the mountains of the east.
(H)‘Come, curse Jacob for me,
And come, (I)denounce Israel!’
8 “How(J) shall I curse whom God has not cursed?
And how shall I denounce whom the Lord has not denounced?
9 For from the top of the rocks I see him,
And from the hills I behold him;
There! (K)A people dwelling alone,
(L)Not reckoning itself among the nations.
10 “Who(M) can count the [b]dust of Jacob,
Or number one-fourth of Israel?
Let me die (N)the death of the righteous,
And let my end be like his!”
11 Then Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? (O)I took you to curse my enemies, and look, you have blessed them bountifully!”
12 So he answered and said, (P)“Must I not take heed to speak what the Lord has put in my mouth?”
Balaam’s Second Prophecy
13 Then Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place from which you may see them; you shall see only the outer part of them, and shall not see them all; curse them for me from there.” 14 So he brought him to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, (Q)and built seven altars, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
15 And he said to Balak, “Stand here by your burnt offering while I [c]meet the Lord over there.”
16 Then the Lord met Balaam, and (R)put a word in his mouth, and said, “Go back to Balak, and thus you shall speak.” 17 So he came to him, and there he was, standing by his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab were with him. And Balak said to him, “What has the Lord spoken?”
18 Then he took up his oracle and said:
(S)“Rise up, Balak, and hear!
Listen to me, son of Zippor!
19 “God(T) is not a man, that He should lie,
Nor a son of man, that He should repent.
Has He (U)said, and will He not do?
Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?
20 Behold, I have received a command to bless;
(V)He has blessed, and I cannot reverse it.
21 “He(W) has not observed iniquity in Jacob,
Nor has He seen [d]wickedness in Israel.
The Lord his God is with him,
(X)And the shout of a King is among them.
22 (Y)God brings them out of Egypt;
He has (Z)strength like a wild ox.
23 “For there is no [e]sorcery against Jacob,
Nor any [f]divination against Israel.
It now must be said of Jacob
And of Israel, ‘Oh, (AA)what God has done!’
24 Look, a people rises (AB)like a lioness,
And lifts itself up like a lion;
(AC)It shall not lie down until it devours the prey,
And drinks the blood of the slain.”
25 Then Balak said to Balaam, “Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all!”
26 So Balaam answered and said to Balak, “Did I not tell you, saying, (AD)‘All that the Lord speaks, that I must do’?”
Balaam’s Third Prophecy
27 Then Balak said to Balaam, “Please come, I will take you to another place; perhaps it will please God that you may curse them for me from there.” 28 So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, that (AE)overlooks the [g]wasteland. 29 Then Balaam said to Balak, “Build for me here seven altars, and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams.” 30 And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bull and a ram on every altar.
Footnotes
- Numbers 23:7 prophetic discourse
- Numbers 23:10 Or dust cloud
- Numbers 23:15 So with MT, Tg., Vg.; Syr. call; LXX go and ask God
- Numbers 23:21 trouble
- Numbers 23:23 enchantment
- Numbers 23:23 fortune-telling
- Numbers 23:28 Heb. Jeshimon
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) 
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Cornilescu 1924 - Revised 2010, 2014 (RMNN) 
Copyright of the Cornilescu Bible © 1924 belongs to British and Foreign Bible Society. Copyright © 2010, 2014 of the revised edition in Romanian language belongs to the Interconfessional Bible Society of Romania, with the approval of the British and Foreign Bible Society.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.