Numbers 23:1-10
New Century Version
Balaam’s First Message
23 Balaam said to Balak, “Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven bulls and seven male sheep for me.” 2 Balak did what Balaam asked, and they offered a bull and a male sheep on each of the altars.
3 Then Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here beside your burnt offering and I will go. If the Lord comes to me, I will tell you whatever he shows me.” Then Balaam went to a higher place.
4 God came to Balaam there, and 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 when 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, call down evil on the people of Israel.’
8 But God has not cursed them,
so I cannot curse them.
The Lord has not called down evil on them,
so I cannot call down evil on them.
9 I see them from the top of the mountains;
I see them from the hills.
I see a people who live alone,
who think they are different from other nations.
10 No one can number the many people of Jacob,
and no one can count a fourth of Israel.
Let me die like good men,
and let me end up like them!”
The Holy Bible, New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
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