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NUM B ER S 24
page 145
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:
19
“Rise up, Balak, and listen!
Hear me, son of Zippor.
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?
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.* 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,
2 where he saw the people of Israel camped,
tribe by tribe. Then the Spirit of God came upon
him, 3 and this is the message he delivered:
4
— promises —
from God
“God is not a man, so
he does not lie. He is not
human, so he does not
change his mind.”
5
6
7
N U M B E R S 2 3:1 9
20
21
22
23
24
Listen, I received a command to bless;
God has blessed, and I cannot
reverse it!
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.
God brought them out of Egypt;
for them he is as strong as a wild ox.
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!’
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!”
23:28 Or overlooking Jeshimon. 24:6 Or like a majestic valley.
8
9
“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,*
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