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The Prophecies of Balaam

23 Then Balaam said to Balak, “Build seven altars for me here, and prepare for me seven bulls and seven rams here.” Balak did just as Balaam had said, and Balak and Balaam offered a bull and a ram on each altar. 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 desolate hill.

Now God met Balaam, who said to Him, “I have prepared seven altars, and I have offered a bull and a ram on each altar.” Then the Lord put a speech in Balaam’s mouth, and said, “Return to Balak, and you shall speak thus.” Balaam returned to Balak, and behold, he was standing by his burnt sacrifice, he and all the leaders of Moab. Balaam took up his [first] discourse (oracle) and said:

“Balak, the king of Moab, has brought me from Aram (Syria),
from the mountains of the east, [saying,]
‘Come, curse [the descendants of] Jacob for me;
And come, [violently] denounce Israel.’

“How shall I curse those whom God has not cursed?
Or how can I [violently] denounce those the Lord has not denounced?

“For from the top of the rocks I see Israel,
And from the hills I look at him.
Behold, the people [of Israel] shall dwell alone
And will not be reckoned among the nations.
10 
“Who can count the dust (the descendants) of Jacob
And the number of even the fourth part of Israel?
Let me die the death of the righteous [those who are upright and in right standing with God],
And let my end be like his!”(A)

11 Then Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies, but here you have [thoroughly] blessed them instead!” 12 Balaam answered, “Must I not be obedient and careful to speak what the Lord has put in my mouth?”

13 Balak said to him, “Come with me, I implore you, to another place from where you can see them, although you will see only the nearest and not all of them; and curse them for me from there.” 14 So he took Balaam to the field of Zophim to the top of [Mount] Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar. 15 Balaam said to Balak, “Stand here beside your burnt offering while I go to meet the Lord over there.” 16 Then the Lord met Balaam and put a speech in his mouth, and said, “Go back to Balak and you shall speak thus.” 17 When Balaam returned to Balak, he was standing beside his burnt offering, and the leaders of Moab were with him. And Balak said to him, “What has the Lord spoken?” 18 Balaam took up his [second] discourse (oracle) and said:

“Rise up, O Balak, and hear;
Listen [closely] to me, son of Zippor.
19 
“God is not a man, that He should lie,
Nor a son of man, that He should repent.
Has He said, and will He not do it?
Or has He spoken and will He not make it good and fulfill it?
20 
“Behold, I have received His command to bless [Israel].
He has blessed, and I cannot reverse it.
21 
“God has not observed wickedness in Jacob [for he is forgiven],
Nor has He seen trouble in Israel.
The Lord their God is with Israel,
And the shout of their King is among the people.(B)
22 
“God brought them out of Egypt;
They have the strength of a wild ox.
23 
“For there is no enchantment or omen against Jacob,
Nor is there any divination against Israel.
At the proper time it shall be said to Jacob
And to Israel, what has God done!
24 
“Behold, a people rises up like a lioness
And lifts itself up like a lion;
He will not lie down until he 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 But Balaam answered Balak, “Did I not say to you, ‘All that the Lord speaks, that I must do?’”

27 Then Balak said to Balaam, “Please come; I will take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God to let you curse them for me from there.” 28 So Balak brought Balaam to the top of [Mount] Peor, that overlooks the wasteland. 29 And Balaam said to Balak, “Build seven altars for me here, and prepare for me seven bulls and seven rams here.” 30 Balak did just as Balaam had said, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

The Prophecy from Peor

24 When Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not go as he had done each time before [superstitiously] to seek omens and signs [in the natural world], but he set his face toward the wilderness (desert). And Balaam raised his eyes and he saw Israel living in their tents tribe by tribe; and the Spirit of God came on him. He took up his [third] discourse (oracle) and said:

“The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor,
And the oracle of the man whose eye is opened [at last, to see clearly the purpose and will of God],

The oracle of one who hears the words of God,
Who sees the vision of the Almighty,
Falling down, but having his eyes open and uncovered,

How fair are your tents, O Jacob,
And your tabernacles, O Israel!

“Like valleys that stretch out,
Like gardens beside the river,
Like aloes planted by the Lord,
Like cedars beside the waters.(C)

“Water [that is, great blessings] will flow from his buckets,
And his offspring will live by many waters,
And his king will be higher than [a]Agag,
And his kingdom shall be exalted.

“God brought Israel out of Egypt;
Israel has [b]strength like the wild ox;
He will devour [Gentile] nations, his adversaries (enemies),
And will crush their bones in pieces,
And shatter them with his arrows.

“He bowed down [to rest], he lies down as a lion;
And as a lioness, who dares to rouse him?
Blessed [of God] is he who blesses you,
And cursed [of God] is he who curses you.”(D)

10 Then Balak’s anger was kindled against Balaam, and he struck his hands together; and Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, but behold, you have done nothing but bless them these three times. 11 Therefore now flee to your place! I had intended to honor you greatly, but behold, the Lord has held you back from honor.” 12 Balaam said to Balak, “Did I not tell your messengers whom you had sent to me, 13 ‘Even if Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the command of the Lord, to do either good or bad of my own accord. What the Lord speaks, that I will speak?’ 14 And now, look, I am going to my people; come, I will advise you as to what this people [Israel] will do to your people [Moab] in the days to come.”

15 He took up his [fourth] discourse (oracle) and said:

“The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor,
The oracle of the man whose eye is opened,
16 
The oracle of him who hears the words of God
And knows the knowledge of the [c]Most High,
Who sees the vision of the [d]Almighty,
Falling down, but having his eyes open and uncovered:
17 
“I see Him, but not now;
I behold Him, but not near.
A star shall come forth from [the descendants of] Jacob,
A scepter shall rise out of [the descendants of] Israel
And shall crush the forehead of Moab
And destroy all the sons of Sheth.(E)
18 
“Edom shall be [taken as] a possession,
[Mount] Seir, Israel’s enemies, also will be a possession,
While Israel performs valiantly.
19 
“One from [the descendants of] Jacob shall have dominion
And will destroy the remnant from the city.”

20 Balaam looked at Amalek and took up his [fifth] discourse (oracle) and said:

“Amalek was the first of the [neighboring] nations [to oppose the Israelites after they left Egypt],
But his end shall be [e]destruction.”

21 And Balaam looked at the Kenites and took up his [sixth] discourse (oracle) and said:

“Strong is your dwelling place,
And you set your nest in the cliff.
22 
“Nevertheless the Kenites will be consumed.
How long will Asshur (Assyria) keep you (Israel) captive?”

23 Then he took up his [seventh] discourse (oracle) and said:

“Alas, who can live unless God has ordained it?
24 
“But ships shall come from the coast of [f]Kittim,
And shall afflict Asshur (Assyria) and [g]Eber;
So they (the victors) also will come to destruction.”

25 Then Balaam arose and departed and returned to his place, and Balak also went on his way.

Notas al pie

  1. Numbers 24:7 “Agag” was the title of the Amalekite kings, and here it represents the kingdom of the Gentiles. The Amalekites at that time were the most powerful of all the desert tribes (Num 24:20).
  2. Numbers 24:8 Lit horns.
  3. Numbers 24:16 Heb Elyon.
  4. Numbers 24:16 Heb Shaddai.
  5. Numbers 24:20 After the time of David, who was forced to rescue two of his wives from Amalekite bandits (1 Sam 30:18), the Amalekites are mentioned again only in Hezekiah’s time (1 Chr 4:43).
  6. Numbers 24:24 Cyprus and the greater part of the Mediterranean’s east coast.
  7. Numbers 24:24 The Hebrews, certain Arabs, and descendants of Nahor.

Balaam Blesses Israel

23 Then Balaam said to King Balak, “Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven young bulls and seven rams for me to sacrifice.” Balak followed his instructions, and the two of them sacrificed a young bull and a ram on each altar.

Then Balaam said to Balak, “Stand here by your burnt offerings, and I will go to see if the Lord will respond to me. Then I will tell you whatever he reveals to me.” So Balaam went alone to the top of a bare hill, and God met him there. Balaam said to him, “I have prepared seven altars and have sacrificed a young bull and a ram on each altar.”

The Lord gave Balaam a message for King Balak. Then he said, “Go back to Balak and give him my message.”

So Balaam returned and found the king standing beside his burnt offerings with all the officials of Moab. This was the message Balaam delivered:

“Balak summoned me to come from Aram;
    the king of Moab brought me from the eastern hills.
‘Come,’ he said, ‘curse Jacob for me!
    Come and announce Israel’s doom.’
But how can I curse those
    whom God has not cursed?
How can I condemn those
    whom the Lord has not condemned?
I see them from the cliff tops;
    I watch them from the hills.
I see a people who live by themselves,
    set apart from other nations.
10 Who can count Jacob’s descendants, as numerous as dust?
    Who can count even a fourth of Israel’s people?
Let me die like the righteous;
    let my life end like theirs.”

11 Then King Balak demanded of Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies. Instead, you have blessed them!”

12 But Balaam replied, “I will speak only the message that the Lord puts in my mouth.”

Balaam’s Second Message

13 Then King Balak told him, “Come with me to another place. There you will see another part of the nation of Israel, but not all of them. Curse at least that many!” 14 So Balak took Balaam to the plateau of Zophim on Pisgah Peak. He built seven altars there and offered a young bull and a ram on each altar.

15 Then Balaam said to the king, “Stand here by your burnt offerings while I go over there to meet the Lord.”

16 And the Lord met Balaam and gave him a message. Then he said, “Go back to Balak and give him my message.”

17 So Balaam returned and found the king standing beside his burnt offerings with all the officials of Moab. “What did the Lord say?” Balak asked eagerly.

18 This was the message Balaam delivered:

“Rise up, Balak, and listen!
    Hear me, son of Zippor.
19 God is not a man, so he does not lie.
    He is not human, so he does not change his mind.
Has he ever spoken and failed to act?
    Has he ever promised and not carried it through?
20 Listen, I received a command to bless;
    God has blessed, and I cannot reverse it!
21 No misfortune is in his plan for Jacob;
    no trouble is in store for Israel.
For the Lord their God is with them;
    he has been proclaimed their king.
22 God brought them out of Egypt;
    for them he is as strong as a wild ox.
23 No curse can touch Jacob;
    no magic has any power against Israel.
For now it will be said of Jacob,
    ‘What wonders God has done for Israel!’
24 These people rise up like a lioness,
    like a majestic lion rousing itself.
They refuse to rest
    until they have feasted on prey,
    drinking the blood of the slaughtered!”

25 Then Balak said to Balaam, “Fine, but if you won’t curse them, at least don’t bless them!”

26 But Balaam replied to Balak, “Didn’t I tell you that I can do only what the Lord tells me?”

Balaam’s Third Message

27 Then King Balak said to Balaam, “Come, I will take you to one more place. Perhaps it will please God to let you curse them from there.”

28 So Balak took Balaam to the top of Mount Peor, overlooking the wasteland.[a] 29 Balaam again told Balak, “Build me seven altars, and prepare seven young bulls and seven rams for me to sacrifice.” 30 So Balak did as Balaam ordered and offered a young bull and a ram on each altar.

24 By now Balaam realized that the Lord was determined to bless Israel, so he did not resort to divination as before. Instead, he turned and looked out toward the wilderness, where he saw the people of Israel camped, tribe by tribe. Then the Spirit of God came upon him, and this is the message he delivered:

“This is the message of Balaam son of Beor,
    the message of the man whose eyes see clearly,
the message of one who hears the words of God,
    who sees a vision from the Almighty,
    who bows down with eyes wide open:
How beautiful are your tents, O Jacob;
    how lovely are your homes, O Israel!
They spread before me like palm groves,[b]
    like gardens by the riverside.
They are like tall trees planted by the Lord,
    like cedars beside the waters.
Water will flow from their buckets;
    their offspring have all they need.
Their king will be greater than Agag;
    their kingdom will be exalted.
God brought them out of Egypt;
    for them he is as strong as a wild ox.
He devours all the nations that oppose him,
    breaking their bones in pieces,
    shooting them with arrows.
Like a lion, Israel crouches and lies down;
    like a lioness, who dares to arouse her?
Blessed is everyone who blesses you, O Israel,
    and cursed is everyone who curses you.”

10 King Balak flew into a rage against Balaam. He angrily clapped his hands and shouted, “I called you to curse my enemies! Instead, you have blessed them three times. 11 Now get out of here! Go back home! I promised to reward you richly, but the Lord has kept you from your reward.”

12 Balaam told Balak, “Don’t you remember what I told your messengers? I said, 13 ‘Even if Balak were to give me his palace filled with silver and gold, I would be powerless to do anything against the will of the Lord.’ I told you that I could say only what the Lord says! 14 Now I am returning to my own people. But first let me tell you what the Israelites will do to your people in the future.”

Balaam’s Final Messages

15 This is the message Balaam delivered:

“This is the message of Balaam son of Beor,
    the message of the man whose eyes see clearly,
16 the message of one who hears the words of God,
    who has knowledge from the Most High,
who sees a vision from the Almighty,
    who bows down with eyes wide open:
17 I see him, but not here and now.
    I perceive him, but far in the distant future.
A star will rise from Jacob;
    a scepter will emerge from Israel.
It will crush the heads of Moab’s people,
    cracking the skulls[c] of the people of Sheth.
18 Edom will be taken over,
    and Seir, its enemy, will be conquered,
    while Israel marches on in triumph.
19 A ruler will rise in Jacob
    who will destroy the survivors of Ir.”

20 Then Balaam looked over toward the people of Amalek and delivered this message:

“Amalek was the greatest of nations,
    but its destiny is destruction!”

21 Then he looked over toward the Kenites and delivered this message:

“Your home is secure;
    your nest is set in the rocks.
22 But the Kenites will be destroyed
    when Assyria[d] takes you captive.”

23 Balaam concluded his messages by saying:

“Alas, who can survive
    unless God has willed it?
24 Ships will come from the coasts of Cyprus[e];
    they will oppress Assyria and afflict Eber,
    but they, too, will be utterly destroyed.”

25 Then Balaam left and returned home, and Balak also went on his way.

Notas al pie

  1. 23:28 Or overlooking Jeshimon.
  2. 24:6 Or like a majestic valley.
  3. 24:17 As in Samaritan Pentateuch; the meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain.
  4. 24:22 Hebrew Asshur; also in 24:24.
  5. 24:24 Hebrew Kittim.

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.

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): 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, 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): Go back to Balak and recite what I’ve told you.

So Balaam walked back down and over to where Balak stood waiting next to the burnt offerings, along with the officials of Moab. 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!”
    But I ask you, how can I curse any whom God has not cursed
        or denounce whomever the Eternal has not denounced?
    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.

24 Meanwhile, it was obvious to Balaam that the Eternal One was quite happy to bless Israel, so he didn’t go through the trouble of looking for omens of God’s intent. Instead, Balaam contemplated the wilderness stretched out before him. Seeing the Israelites camping there, in their orderly arrangement by tribes, he was suddenly overcome by God’s Spirit. He recited God’s words.

Balaam: This is an oracle of Balaam (Beor’s son),
        a man whose eyes have been opened,
    Whose ears hear God-given words,
        and whose eyes see visions from the God of the Mountains.[a]
    I fall down with eyes opened.
    “O, the lovely tents of Jacob,
        even the dwelling places of Israel.
    Like date trees spread out as a garden along the river,
        as aloe trees planted by the Eternal,
    Like cedar trees along the waters.
    I can see overflowing water, its seed in many waters
        and its king lifted higher than Agag,[b]
        even its kingdom lifted up.
    God leads them from Egypt like the splendor of a wild bull.
        He will devour the nations, even his adversaries,
    And he will crush their bones and strike them through with his arrows.
    He lies low and crouches down as a lion or lioness.
        Who would dare rouse him?
    Blessed are those who bless you and cursed those who curse you.”

Balak and his men have been engaged in preparing the altars and making the sacrifices; he doesn’t like the sound of this at all.

10 He was absolutely furious with Balaam, smacking his hands together with anger.

Balak (confronting Balaam): I can’t believe this! I brought you all this way and asked you to curse my enemies, but instead you actually blessed them. And you did that not just once, mind you, or twice, but three times. 11 Now get out of here! Get out of my sight—go back to that miserable place you call home. Yeah, sure, I said I’d greatly honor you, but the Eternal has withheld the honor that I had planned for you.

Balaam (to Balak): 12 Remember the first time that you sent messengers to get me? Even then I told them 13 I don’t care how much silver and gold you have or what all you’d give to me; I cannot alter what God would have me say. Whatever the Eternal One puts into my mouth is what will come out, whether good or evil words. 14 So, yes, I’m heading home. But before I go, I will tell you what those people will do to your nation when your time is up.

15 He recited God’s words.

Balaam: This is an oracle of Balaam (Beor’s son),
        a man whose eye has been opened,
16     Whose ears hear God-given words,
        who understands the very thoughts of the Most High God,
    And whose eyes see visions from the God of the Mountains.
        I fall down with eyes opened.

17     I see him, but at a later time, I’ll recognize him, even though he is far away.
        A star will come out of Jacob,[c]
    A scepter shall rise out of Israel.
        It will break Moab and tear down the people of Seth.[d]
18     Edom will be its possession, even Seir will belong to its enemies,
        but Israel will have power.
19     One from Jacob will rule,
        and he’ll destroy whatever remains of the city.

20 Then Balaam turned toward the land of the Amalekites and spoke his prophecy.

Balaam: Amalek was first among the nations,
        but its end is destruction.

21 Then Balaam turned toward the land of the Kenites and spoke his prophecy.

Balaam: Your dwelling is lasting,
        and your nest is set on a rock;
22     Yet Kain will be burned up.
        “Until when?” When Asshur takes you away as captives.

23 Balaam took up his answers:

Balaam: I ask, “Woe, for who will remain alive when God does this?[e]
        Who will survive?”
24     Ships will come from Kittim[f] and will afflict Asshur and Eber,
        who is also set for destruction.

25 Then Balaam went his way to his country, and Balak went his way toward his country.

Notas al pie

  1. 24:4 Hebrew, Shaddai
  2. 24:7 1 Samuel 15:8
  3. 24:17 Matthew 2:2
  4. 24:17 Meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.
  5. 24:23 Meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.
  6. 24:24 Designation for Cyprus

Balaam’s First Message

23 Balaam said, “Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams(A) for me.” Balak did as Balaam said, and the two of them offered a bull and a ram on each altar.(B)

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.

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.”

The Lord put a word in Balaam’s mouth(E) and said, “Go back to Balak and give him this word.”(F)

So he went back to him and found him standing beside his offering, with all the Moabite officials.(G) 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)
How can I curse
    those whom God has not cursed?(M)
How can I denounce
    those whom the Lord has not denounced?(N)
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)

24 Now when Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel,(BB) he did not resort to divination(BC) as at other times, but turned his face toward the wilderness.(BD) When Balaam looked out and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of God came on him(BE) and he spoke his message:

“The prophecy of Balaam son of Beor,
    the prophecy of one whose eye sees clearly,(BF)
the prophecy of one who hears the words of God,(BG)
    who sees a vision from the Almighty,[d](BH)
    who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened:

“How beautiful are your tents,(BI) Jacob,
    your dwelling places, Israel!

“Like valleys they spread out,
    like gardens beside a river,(BJ)
like aloes(BK) planted by the Lord,
    like cedars beside the waters.(BL)
Water will flow from their buckets;
    their seed will have abundant water.

“Their king will be greater than Agag;(BM)
    their kingdom will be exalted.(BN)

“God brought them out of Egypt;
    they have the strength of a wild ox.
They devour hostile nations
    and break their bones in pieces;(BO)
    with their arrows they pierce them.(BP)
Like a lion they crouch and lie down,
    like a lioness(BQ)—who dares to rouse them?

“May those who bless you be blessed(BR)
    and those who curse you be cursed!”(BS)

10 Then Balak’s anger burned(BT) against Balaam. He struck his hands together(BU) and said to him, “I summoned you to curse my enemies,(BV) but you have blessed them(BW) these three times.(BX) 11 Now leave at once and go home!(BY) I said I would reward you handsomely,(BZ) but the Lord has kept you from being rewarded.”

12 Balaam answered Balak, “Did I not tell the messengers you sent me,(CA) 13 ‘Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not do anything of my own accord, good or bad, to go beyond the command of the Lord(CB)—and I must say only what the Lord says’?(CC) 14 Now I am going back to my people, but come, let me warn you of what this people will do to your people in days to come.”(CD)

Balaam’s Fourth Message

15 Then he spoke his message:

“The prophecy of Balaam son of Beor,
    the prophecy of one whose eye sees clearly,
16 the prophecy of one who hears the words(CE) of God,
    who has knowledge from the Most High,(CF)
who sees a vision from the Almighty,
    who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened:

17 “I see him, but not now;
    I behold him, but not near.(CG)
A star will come out of Jacob;(CH)
    a scepter will rise out of Israel.(CI)
He will crush the foreheads of Moab,(CJ)
    the skulls[e](CK) of[f] all the people of Sheth.[g]
18 Edom(CL) will be conquered;
    Seir,(CM) his enemy, will be conquered,(CN)
    but Israel(CO) will grow strong.
19 A ruler will come out of Jacob(CP)
    and destroy the survivors of the city.”

Balaam’s Fifth Message

20 Then Balaam saw Amalek(CQ) and spoke his message:

“Amalek was first among the nations,
    but their end will be utter destruction.”(CR)

Balaam’s Sixth Message

21 Then he saw the Kenites(CS) and spoke his message:

“Your dwelling place is secure,(CT)
    your nest is set in a rock;
22 yet you Kenites will be destroyed
    when Ashur(CU) takes you captive.”

Balaam’s Seventh Message

23 Then he spoke his message:

“Alas! Who can live when God does this?[h]
24     Ships will come from the shores of Cyprus;(CV)
they will subdue Ashur(CW) and Eber,(CX)
    but they too will come to ruin.(CY)

25 Then Balaam(CZ) got up and returned home, and Balak went his own way.

Notas al pie

  1. Numbers 23:21 Or He has not looked on Jacob’s offenses / or on the wrongs found
  2. Numbers 23:23 Or in
  3. Numbers 23:23 Or in
  4. Numbers 24:4 Hebrew Shaddai; also in verse 16
  5. Numbers 24:17 Samaritan Pentateuch (see also Jer. 48:45); the meaning of the word in the Masoretic Text is uncertain.
  6. Numbers 24:17 Or possibly Moab, / batter
  7. Numbers 24:17 Or all the noisy boasters
  8. Numbers 24:23 Masoretic Text; with a different word division of the Hebrew The people from the islands will gather from the north.