Numbers chapter 23
English Standard Version
1And Balaam said to Balak, "Build for me here seven altars, and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams." 2Balak did as Balaam had said. And Balak and Balaam offered on each altar a bull and a ram. 3And 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." And he went to a bare height, 4and God met Balaam. And Balaam said to him, "I have arranged the seven altars and I have offered on each altar a bull and a ram." 5And the Lord put a word in Balaam 's mouth and said, "Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak." 6And he returned to him, and behold, he and all the princes of Moab were standing beside his burnt offering. 7And Balaam took up his discourse and said, "From Aram Balak has brought me, the king of Moab from the eastern mountains: ‘Come, curse Jacob for me, and come, denounce Israel!’
8How can I curse whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce whom the Lord has not denounced? 9For from the top of the crags I see him, from the hills I behold him; behold, a people dwelling alone, and not counting itself among the nations! 10 Who can count the dust of Jacob or number the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the upright, and let my end be like his!" 11And Balak said to Balaam, "What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have done nothing but bless them." 12And he answered and said, "Must I not take care to speak what the Lord puts in my mouth?"
13And Balak said to him, "Please come with me to another place, from which you may see them. You shall see only a fraction of them and shall not see them all. Then curse them for me from there." 14And he took him to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar. 15Balaam said to Balak, "Stand here beside your burnt offering, while I meet the Lord over there." 16And the Lord met Balaam and put a word in his mouth and said, "Return to Balak, and thus shall you speak." 17And he came to him, and behold, he was standing beside his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said to him, "What has the Lord spoken?" 18And Balaam took up his discourse and said, "Rise, Balak, and hear; give ear to me, O son of Zippor:
19 God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it? 20Behold, I received a command to bless: he has blessed, and I cannot revoke it. 21 He has not beheld misfortune in Jacob, nor has he seen trouble in Israel. The Lord their God is with them, and the shout of a king is among them. 22 God brings them out of Egypt and is for them like the horns of the wild ox. 23For there is no enchantment against Jacob, no divination against Israel; now it shall be said of Jacob and Israel, ‘What has God wrought!’ 24Behold, a people! As a lioness it rises up and as a lion it lifts itself; it does not lie down until it has devoured the prey and drunk the blood of the slain." 25And Balak said to Balaam, "Do not curse them at all, and do not bless them at all." 26But Balaam answered Balak, "Did I not tell you, ‘All that the Lord says, that I must do’?" 27And Balak said to Balaam, "Come now, I will take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God that you may curse them for me from there." 28So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, which overlooks the desert. 29And Balaam said to Balak, "Build for me here seven altars and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams." 30And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
New International Version
1Balaam said, "Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me." 2Balak did as Balaam said, and the two of them offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
7Then Balaam spoke his message: "Balak brought me from Aram, the king of Moab from the eastern mountains. ‘Come,’ he said, ‘curse Jacob for me; come, denounce Israel.’ 8How can I curse those whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce those whom the Lord has not denounced? 9From the rocky peaks I see them, from the heights I view them. I see a people who live apart and do not consider themselves one of the nations. 10Who can count the dust of Jacob or number even a fourth of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and may my final end be like theirs!"
13Then Balak said to him, "Come with me to another place where you can see them; you will not see them all but only the outskirts of their camp. And from there, curse them for me." 14So he took him to the field of Zophim on the top of Pisgah, and there he built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
18Then he spoke his message: "Arise, Balak, and listen; hear me, son of Zippor. 19God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?
20I have received a command to bless; he has blessed, and I cannot change it. 21"No misfortune is seen in Jacob, no misery observed in Israel. The Lord their God is with them; the shout of the King is among them. 22God brought them out of Egypt; they have the strength of a wild ox. 23There is no divination against Jacob, no evil omens against Israel. It will now be said of Jacob and of Israel, ‘See what God has done!’ 24The people rise like a lioness; they rouse themselves like a lion that does not rest till it devours its prey and drinks the blood of its victims."
New American Standard Bible
1Then Balaam said to Balak, 'Build seven altars for me here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me here.' 2Balak did just as Balaam had spoken, and Balak and Balaam offered up a bull and a ram on each altar. 3Then 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 bare hill.
4Now God met with Balaam, and he said to Him, 'I have set up the seven altars, and I have offered up a bull and a ram on each altar.' 5Then the Lord put a word in Balaam’s mouth and said, 'Return to Balak, and this is what you shall speak.' 6So he returned to him, and behold, he was standing beside his burnt offering, he and all the leaders of Moab.
7And he took up his discourse and said, 'From Aram Balak has brought me, Moab’s king from the mountains of the East, saying, ‘Come, declare Jacob cursed for me, And come, curse Israel!’ 8How am I to put a curse on him upon whom God has not put a curse? And how am I to curse him whom the Lord has not cursed? 9For I see him from the top of the rocks, And I look at him from the hills; Behold, a people that lives in isolation, And does not consider itself to be among the nations.
11Then Balak said to Balaam, 'What have you done to me? I took you to put a curse on my enemies, but behold, you have actually blessed them!' 12He replied, 'Must I not be careful to speak what the Lord puts in my mouth?'
13Then Balak said to him, 'Please come with me to another place from where you may see them, although you will only see the extreme end of them and will not see all of them; and put a curse on them for me from there.' 14So he took him to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and he built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar. 15Then he said to Balak, 'Stand here beside your burnt offering while I myself meet the Lord over there.' 16Then the Lord met Balaam and put a word in his mouth, and said, 'Return to Balak, and this is what you shall speak.' 17So he came to him, and behold, he was standing beside his burnt offering, and the leaders of Moab with him. And Balak said to him, 'What has the Lord spoken?'
18Then he took up his discourse and said, 'Arise, Balak, and hear; Listen to me, son of Zippor! 19God is not a man, that He would lie, Nor a son of man, that He would change His mind; Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good? 20Behold, I have received a command to bless; When He has blessed, I cannot revoke it. 21He has not looked at misfortune in Jacob; Nor has He seen trouble in Israel; The Lord his God is with him, And the joyful shout of a king is among them. 22God brings them out of Egypt, He is for them like the horns of the wild ox. 23For there is no magic curse against Jacob, Nor is there any divination against Israel; At the proper time it shall be said to Jacob And to Israel, what God has done!
25Then Balak said to Balaam, 'Do not curse them at all nor bless them at all!' 26But Balaam replied to Balak, 'Did I not tell you, ‘ Whatever the Lord speaks, I must do’?'
27Then Balak said to Balaam, 'Please come, I will take you to another place; perhaps it will be agreeable with God that you curse them for me from there.' 28So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, which overlooks the desert. 29And Balaam said to Balak, 'Build seven altars for me here and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me here.' 30Balak did just as Balaam had said, and offered up a bull and a ram on each altar.
Christian Standard Bible
1Then Balaam said to Balak, "Build me seven altars here and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me." 2So Balak did as Balaam directed, and they offered a bull and a ram on each altar. 3Balaam 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.
4God met with him and Balaam said to him, "I have arranged seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar." 5Then the Lord put a message in Balaam’s mouth and said, "Return to Balak and say what I tell you."
7Balaam proclaimed his poem: Balak brought me from Aram; the king of Moab, from the eastern mountains: "Come, put a curse on Jacob for me; come, denounce Israel!" 8How can I curse someone God has not cursed? How can I denounce someone the Lord has not denounced? 9I see them from the top of rocky cliffs, and I watch them from the hills. There is a people living alone; it does not consider itself among the nations. 10Who has counted the dust of Jacob or numbered even one-fourth of Israel? Let me die the death of the upright; let the end of my life be like theirs.
13Then Balak said to him, "Please come with me to another place 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." 14So Balak took him to Lookout Field on top of Pisgah, built seven altars, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
18Balaam proclaimed his poem: Balak, get up and listen; son of Zippor, pay attention to what I say! 19God is not a man, that he might lie, or a son of man, that he might change his mind. Does he speak and not act, or promise and not fulfill? 20I have indeed received a command to bless; since he has blessed, I cannot change it. 21He considers no disaster for Jacob; he sees no trouble for Israel. The Lord their God is with them, and there is rejoicing over the King among them. 22God brought them out of Egypt; he is like the horns of a wild ox for them. 23There is no magic curse against Jacob and no divination against Israel. It will now be said about Jacob and Israel, "What great things God has done!" 24A people rise up like a lioness; they rouse themselves like a lion. They will not lie down until they devour the prey and drink the blood of the slain.
New Living Translation
1Then Balaam said to King Balak, 'Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven young bulls and seven rams for me to sacrifice.' 2Balak followed his instructions, and the two of them sacrificed a young bull and a ram on each altar.
3Then 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, 4and 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.'
7This 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.’ 8But how can I curse those whom God has not cursed? How can I condemn those whom the Lord has not condemned? 9I 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. 10Who 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.'
13Then 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!' 14So 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.
18This was the message Balaam delivered: 'Rise up, Balak, and listen! Hear me, son of Zippor. 19God 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? 20Listen, I received a command to bless; God has blessed, and I cannot reverse it! 21No 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. 22God brought them out of Egypt; for them he is as strong as a wild ox. 23No 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!’ 24These 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!'
King James Version
1And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams. 2And Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bullock and a ram. 3And Balaam said unto Balak, Stand by thy burnt offering, and I will go: peradventure the Lord will come to meet me: and whatsoever he sheweth me I will tell thee. And he went to an high place.
4And God met Balaam: and he said unto him, I have prepared seven altars, and I have offered upon every altar a bullock and a ram. 5And the Lord put a word in Balaam's mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus thou shalt speak.
6And he returned unto him, and, lo, he stood by his burnt sacrifice, he, and all the princes of Moab. 7And he took up his parable, and said, Balak the king of Moab hath brought me from Aram, out of the mountains of the east, saying, Come, curse me Jacob, and come, defy Israel.
10Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his! 11And Balak said unto Balaam, What hast thou done unto me? I took thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast blessed them altogether. 12And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the Lord hath put in my mouth? 13And Balak said unto him, Come, I pray thee, with me unto another place, from whence thou mayest see them: thou shalt see but the utmost part of them, and shalt not see them all: and curse me them from thence.
14And he brought him into the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar. 15And he said unto Balak, Stand here by thy burnt offering, while I meet the Lord yonder. 16And the Lord met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Go again unto Balak, and say thus. 17And when he came to him, behold, he stood by his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said unto him, What hath the Lord spoken? 18And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor:
24Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion, and lift up himself as a young lion: he shall not lie down until he eat of the prey, and drink the blood of the slain. 25And Balak said unto Balaam, Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all. 26But Balaam answered and said unto Balak, Told not I thee, saying, All that the Lord speaketh, that I must do?
27And Balak said unto Balaam, Come, I pray thee, I will bring thee unto another place; peradventure it will please God that thou mayest curse me them from thence. 28And Balak brought Balaam unto the top of Peor, that looketh toward Jeshimon. 29And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams. 30And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar.
New King James Version
2And Balak did just as Balaam had spoken, and Balak and Balaam offered a bull and a ram on each altar. 3Then Balaam said to Balak, “Stand by 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 height. 4And God met Balaam, and he said to Him, “I have prepared the seven altars, and I have offered on each altar a bull and a ram.”
5Then the Lord put a word in Balaam’s mouth, and said, “Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak.” 6So he returned to him, and there he was, standing by his burnt offering, he and all the princes of Moab.
7And he took up his oracle and said: “Balak the king of Moab has brought me from Aram, From the mountains of the east. ‘Come, curse Jacob for me, And come, denounce Israel!’ 8“How shall I curse whom God has not cursed? And how shall I denounce whom the Lord has not denounced? 9For from the top of the rocks I see him, And from the hills I behold him; There! A people dwelling alone, Not reckoning itself among the nations. 10“Who can count the dust of Jacob, Or number one-fourth of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, And let my end be like his!”
13Then Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place from which you may see them; you shall see only the outer part of them, and shall not see them all; curse them for me from there.” 14So he brought him to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
16Then the Lord met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, “Go back to Balak, and thus you shall speak.” 17So he came to him, and there he was, standing by his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab were with him. And Balak said to him, “What has the Lord spoken?”
18Then he took up his oracle and said: “Rise up, Balak, and hear! Listen 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? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good? 20Behold, I have received a command to bless; He has blessed, and I cannot reverse it. 21“He has not observed iniquity in Jacob, Nor has He seen wickedness in Israel. The Lord his God is with him, And the shout of a King is among them. 22 God brings them out of Egypt; He has strength like a wild ox. 23“For there is no sorcery against Jacob, Nor any divination against Israel. It now must be said of Jacob And of Israel, ‘Oh, what God has done!’ 24Look, a people rises like a lioness, And lifts itself up like a lion; It shall not lie down until it devours the prey, And drinks the blood of the slain.”
27Then Balak said to Balaam, “Please come, I will take you to another place; perhaps it will please God that you may curse them for me from there.” 28So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, that overlooks the wasteland. 29Then Balaam said to Balak, “Build for me here seven altars, and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams.” 30And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bull and a ram on every altar.
THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL
VERSION®, NIV® Copyright© 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica®.
The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Carol Stream, Illinois 60188.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® Copyright© 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New American Standard Bible Copyright© 1960 - 2020 by The Lockman Foundation.
Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright© 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by Permission.
The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Carol Stream, Illinois 60188.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® Copyright© 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New American Standard Bible Copyright© 1960 - 2020 by The Lockman Foundation.
Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright© 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by Permission.
Download the app:
BibleRef.com is part of Got Questions Ministries 
For answers to your Bible questions, please visit
For answers to your Bible questions, please visit
THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL
VERSION®, NIV® Copyright© 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica®.
The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Carol Stream, Illinois 60188.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® Copyright© 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New American Standard Bible Copyright© 1960 - 2020 by The Lockman Foundation.
Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright© 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by Permission.
The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Carol Stream, Illinois 60188.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® Copyright© 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New American Standard Bible Copyright© 1960 - 2020 by The Lockman Foundation.
Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright© 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by Permission.