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Numbers 23
The Voice
Numbers 23
The Voice
23 Balaam (to Balak): This is what I need from you. Build seven altars here, and then get seven bulls and seven rams ready to sacrifice.
2 Balak did just as Balaam had asked him to do. Then together they offered a bull and a ram on each of the seven altars.
Balaam (to Balak): 3 You stay here, close to these burnt offerings. I’m going to go a little ways away, in case the Eternal wants to meet just with me. Whatever He lets me know, I’ll be sure to pass on to you.
So Balaam went over to an exposed area on the heights, 4 and God met Balaam there.
Balaam (to the Lord): I made seven altars and set an offering of a bull and a ram on each one.
Eternal One (giving Balaam the right words to say): 5 Go back to Balak and recite what I’ve told you.
6 So Balaam walked back down and over to where Balak stood waiting next to the burnt offerings, along with the officials of Moab. 7 Balaam recited His words.
Balaam: The king of Moab got me to come here, all the way from my home in Aram.
Balak summoned me from the eastern mountains.
“Come, curse Jacob for me!”
“Come, denounce Israel!”
8 But I ask you, how can I curse any whom God has not cursed
or denounce whomever the Eternal has not denounced?
9 Here on the heights, from the rocky places where I stand,
I can see them; from these hills I observe them below.
And what do I see but a unique and solitary people
who do not have a place among the nations.
10 Who can count the dust of Jacob
or even a fourth of their number?
It’s impossible to count even one quarter of Israel.
Let me die as one who has done what is right.
Let my end be like his!
Balak (to Balaam): 11 What are you doing to me? I brought you all the way out here to curse these people—my enemies—yet what have you done? You’ve blessed them!
Balaam: 12 But don’t you agree that I have to be very careful to make sure I say only and exactly what the Eternal has given me to say?
Balak: 13 Well, come over here. Admittedly, from the place where I’m bringing you, you can only see a small part of that whole congregation. But I am commanding you: from this new place, curse them!
14 So Balak brought Balaam to the fields of Zophim, on the top of Pisgah’s peak. As before, he built there seven altars on which he sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams.
Pisgah dominates the Abarim Mountains and is thus used as a lookout to warn of possible attack.
Balaam (to Balak): 15 You stand here, by the altars with their burnt offerings, while I go just over there to talk with the Eternal One.
16 And once again, the Eternal met Balaam and gave him the words to say.
Eternal One: Go back to Balak, and recite what I’ve told you.
17 So Balaam returned to where Balak stood waiting next to the burnt offerings along with the Moabite officials.
Balak (to Balaam): What did the Eternal say?
18 And Balaam recited His words.
Balaam: Listen up, Balak, and attend to these words:
Hear, son of Zippor, what God has to say to you.
19 God is not a man—He doesn’t lie.
God isn’t the son of a man to want to take back what He’s said,
Or say something and not follow through,
or speak and not act on it.
20 Look here, I received a word of blessing,
and He has spoken a blessing.
I cannot take it back.
21 There is no vision of wrongdoing by Jacob;
God has seen no trouble for Israel.
The Eternal One abides among them;
and the shout of a king is among them.
22 God, who leads them out of Egypt,
His splendor is like the wild bull:
23 There is no divination against Jacob
or enchantment against Israel.
Soon, people will say of Jacob and Israel,
“Look at what God has accomplished!”
24 Look at this people rise up like a lion,
like a lion who gets up and does not lie down
until it devours its prey,
even drinking the blood of the slain.
Balak (to Balaam): 25 Don’t curse them, but don’t bless them either!
Balaam: 26 Haven’t you been listening? Whatever the Eternal tells me, I must do.
Balak: 27 I think we should try a different spot. Come on and maybe God will be happy to let you curse them for me from over there.
28 So off they went again. This time, Balak took the prophet to the top of Peor, from where they could look down over the whole broad spread of Jeshimon, which some call simply “the wasteland.”
Balaam (to Balak): 29-30 You know what to do: get the seven altars ready and burn the offerings, just as you did before.
And so Balak did—he built seven altars, on each of which were sacrificed a bull and a ram.
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 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
The Voice (VOICE)
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
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