Chapter 23

And Balaam said to Balak, “Build seven altars here for me, and prepare as many calves, and the same number of rams.”

And when he had acted according to the words of Balaam, they placed a calf and a ram together on each altar.

And Balaam said to Balak: “Stand for a little while next to your holocaust, until I go, to see if perhaps the Lord will meet with me. And whatever he will command, I shall speak to you.”

And after he had quickly departed, God met with him. And Balaam, speaking to him, said: “I have set up seven altars, and I have placed a calf and a ram on each.”

Then the Lord placed the word in his mouth, and he said: “Return to Balak, and you shall say this.”

Returning, he found Balak standing next to his holocaust, with all the leaders of the Moabites.

And taking up his parable, he said: “Balak, king of the Moabites, has led me from Aram, from the mountains of the east. ‘Come forth,’ he said, ‘and curse Jacob. Hurry and condemn Israel.’

How shall I curse him, whom God has not cursed? For what reason would I condemn him, whom the Lord does not condemn?

I will look upon him from the tops of the stones, and I will consider him from the hills. This people shall dwell alone, and they shall not be counted among the nations.

Who can number the dust that is Jacob, and who can know the number of the stock of Israel? May my soul die a just death, and may my end be like theirs.”

And Balak said to Balaam: “What is this that you are doing? I called for you, in order to curse my enemies, and to the contrary, you bless them.”

He answered him, “How can I say anything other than what the Lord orders?”

Therefore, Balak said: “Come with me to another place, from where you may see a portion of Israel, though you cannot see them all. Curse them from there.”

And when he had led him to a lofty place, on the top of mount Pisgah, Balaam built seven altars, and placing upon each a calf and a ram,

he said to Balak, “Stand here next to your holocaust, while I continue on to meet him.”

And when the Lord had met him, and had put the word in his mouth, he said, “Return to Balak, and you shall say this to him.”

Returning, he found him standing next to his holocaust, and the leaders of the Moabites were with him. And Balak said to him, “What has the Lord spoken?”

But, taking up his parable, he said: “Stand, Balak, and pay attention. Listen, you son of Zippor.

God is not like a man, so that he would lie, nor is he like a son of man, so that he would be changed. Therefore, having spoken, will he not act? Has he ever spoken, and not fulfilled?

I was led here to bless, and I have no strength to hinder the blessing.

There is no idol in Jacob; neither is there a false image to be seen in Israel. The Lord his God is with him, and the resound of royal victory is in him.

God has led him away from Egypt; his strength is like that of the rhinoceros.

There is no soothsaying in Jacob, nor any divination in Israel. In their times, it shall be told to Jacob and to Israel what God has wrought.

Behold, the people will rise up like a lioness, and lie down like a lion. But they will not lie down until they devour the prey and drink the blood of the slain.”

And Balak said to Balaam, “Neither curse him, nor bless him.”

And he said, “Have I not told you that whatever God would command of me, I would do?”

And Balak said to him: “Come and I will lead you to another place. If perhaps it may please God, then you may curse them from there.”

And when he had led him on to the top of mount Peor, which looks out toward the wilderness,

Balaam said to him, “Build seven altars here for me, and prepare as many calves, and the same number of rams.”

Balak did as Balaam had said, and he placed on each altar a calf and a ram.