Psalm 148

Creation’s Praise of the Lord

Persecutions Predicted

¹⁶ “Look, I’m sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as serpents and as innocent as doves.^{(A) 17} Beware of them, because they will hand you over to local courts^[a] and flog you in their synagogues.^{(B) 18} You will even be brought before governors and kings because of me, to bear witness to them and to the Gentiles.^{(C) 19} But when they hand you over, don’t worry about how or what you are to speak.^(D) For you will be given what to say at that hour, ²⁰ because it isn’t you speaking, but the Spirit^(E) of your Father is speaking through you.^(F)

²¹ “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rise up against parents and have them put to death.^{(G) 22} You will be hated by everyone because of my name.^(H) But the one who endures to the end will be saved.^{(I) 23} When they persecute you in one town, flee to another.^(J) For truly I tell you, you will not have gone through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. ²⁴ A disciple^[b] is not above his teacher, or a slave above his master.^{(K) 25} It is enough for a disciple to become like his teacher and a slave like his master. If they called the head of the house ‘Beelzebul,’ how much more the members of his household!^(L)

Balak Hires Balaam

22 The Israelites traveled on and camped in the plains of Moab near the Jordan across from Jericho. ² Now Balak^(A) son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.^{(B) 3} Moab was terrified of the people because they were numerous,^(C) and Moab dreaded the Israelites. ⁴ So the Moabites said to the elders of Midian, “This horde will devour everything around us like an ox eats up the green plants in the field.”

Since Balak son of Zippor was Moab’s king at that time, ⁵ he sent messengers to Balaam^(D) son of Beor at Pethor, which is by the Euphrates in the land of his people.^[a][b] Balak said to him, “Look, a people has come out of Egypt; they cover the surface of the land^(E) and are living right across from me. ⁶ Please come and put a curse on these people for me because they are more powerful than I am. I may be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land, for I know that those you bless are blessed and those you curse are cursed.”^(F)

⁷ The elders of Moab and Midian departed with fees for divination^(G) in hand.^(H) They came to Balaam and reported Balak’s words to him. ⁸ He said to them, “Spend the night here, and I will give you the answer the Lord tells me.” So the officials of Moab stayed with Balaam.

⁹ Then God came to Balaam and asked, “Who are these men with you?”

¹⁰ Balaam replied to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent this message to me: ¹¹ ‘Look, a people has come out of Egypt, and they cover the surface of the land. Now come and put a curse on them for me. I may be able to fight against them and drive them away.’”

¹² Then God said to Balaam, “You are not to go with them. You are not to curse this people, for they are blessed.”

¹³ So Balaam got up the next morning and said to Balak’s officials, “Go back to your land, because the Lord has refused to let me go with you.”

¹⁴ The officials of Moab arose, returned to Balak, and reported, “Balaam refused to come with us.”

¹⁵ Balak sent officials again who were more numerous and higher in rank than the others. ¹⁶ They came to Balaam and said to him, “This is what Balak son of Zippor says: ‘Let nothing keep you from coming to me, ¹⁷ for I will greatly honor you and do whatever you ask me. So please come and put a curse on these people for me!’”

¹⁸ But Balaam responded to the servants of Balak, “If Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go against the command of the Lord my God to do anything small or great. ¹⁹ Please stay here overnight as the others did, so that I may find out what else the Lord has to tell me.”

²⁰ God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “Since these men have come to summon you, get up and go with them, but you must only do what I tell you.” ²¹ When he got up in the morning, Balaam saddled his donkey and went with the officials of Moab.

Balaam’s Donkey and the Angel

²² But God was incensed that Balaam was going, and the angel of the Lord^(I) took his stand on the path to oppose him. Balaam was riding his donkey, and his two servants were with him. ²³ When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing on the path with a drawn sword in his hand, she turned off the path and went into the field. So Balaam hit her to return her to the path. ²⁴ Then the angel of the Lord stood in a narrow passage between the vineyards, with a stone wall on either side. ²⁵ The donkey saw the angel of the Lord and pressed herself against the wall, squeezing Balaam’s foot against it. So he hit her once again. ²⁶ The angel of the Lord went ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn to the right or the left. ²⁷ When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, she crouched down under Balaam. So he became furious and beat the donkey with his stick.

²⁸ Then the Lord opened the donkey’s mouth, and she asked Balaam, “What have I done to you that you have beaten me these three times?” ^(J)

²⁹ Balaam answered the donkey, “You made me look like a fool. If I had a sword in my hand, I’d kill you now!”

³⁰ But the donkey said, “Am I not the donkey you’ve ridden all your life until today? Have I ever treated you this way before?”

“No,” he replied.

³¹ Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the path with a drawn sword in his hand. Balaam knelt low and bowed in worship on his face. ³² The angel of the Lord asked him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? Look, I came out to oppose you, because I consider what you are doing to be evil.^{[c] 33} The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she had not turned away from me, I would have killed you by now and let her live.”

³⁴ Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned, for I did not know that you were standing in the path to confront me. And now, if it is evil in your sight, I will go back.”

³⁵ Then the angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but you are to say only what I tell you.” So Balaam went with Balak’s officials.

³⁶ When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the Moabite city^[d] on the Arnon border at the edge of his territory. ³⁷ Balak asked Balaam, “Did I not send you an urgent summons? Why didn’t you come to me? Am I really not able to reward you?”

³⁸ Balaam said to him, “Look, I have come to you, but can I say anything I want? I must speak only the message God puts in my mouth.” ³⁹ So Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth.^{[e] 40} Balak sacrificed cattle, sheep, and goats and sent for Balaam and the officials who were with him.

⁴¹ In the morning, Balak took Balaam and brought him to Bamoth-baal.^[f] From there he saw the outskirts of the people’s camp.

Balaam’s Oracles

23 Then Balaam said to Balak, “Build me seven altars here and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me.”^{(K) 2} So Balak did as Balaam directed, and they offered a bull and a ram on each altar. ³ Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here by your burnt offering while I am gone. Maybe the Lord will meet with me. I will tell you whatever he reveals to me.” So he went to a barren hill.

⁴ God met with him and Balaam said to him, “I have arranged seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.” ⁵ Then the Lord put a message in Balaam’s mouth and said, “Return to Balak and say what I tell you.”

⁶ So he returned to Balak, who was standing there by his burnt offering with all the officials of Moab.

Balaam’s First Oracle

⁷ Balaam proclaimed his poem:

¹¹ “What have you done to me?” Balak asked Balaam. “I brought you to curse my enemies, but look, you have only blessed them!”

¹² He answered, “Shouldn’t I say exactly what the Lord puts in my mouth?” ^(P)

Balaam’s Second Oracle

¹³ Then Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place^(Q) where you can see them. You will only see the outskirts of their camp; you won’t see all of them. From there, put a curse on them for me.” ¹⁴ So Balak took him to Lookout Field^[g] on top of Pisgah,^(R) built seven altars, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

¹⁵ Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here by your burnt offering while I seek the Lord over there.”

¹⁶ The Lord met with Balaam and put a message in his mouth. Then he said, “Return to Balak and say what I tell you.”

¹⁷ So he returned to Balak, who was standing there by his burnt offering with the officials of Moab. Balak asked him, “What did the Lord say?”

¹⁸ Balaam proclaimed his poem:

²⁵ Then Balak told Balaam, “Don’t curse them and don’t bless them!”

²⁶ But Balaam answered him, “Didn’t I tell you: Whatever the Lord says, I must do?” ^(X)

Balaam’s Third Oracle

²⁷ Again Balak said to Balaam, “Please come. I will take you to another place. Maybe it will be agreeable to God that you can put a curse on them for me there.” ²⁸ So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, which overlooks the wasteland.^[k](Y)

²⁹ Balaam told Balak, “Build me seven altars here and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me.”^{(Z) 30} So Balak did as Balaam said and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.