Numbers 23

1 Balaam said to King Balak, “Build seven altars for me here. Then kill seven young bulls and seven rams [for a sacrifice].”

And he said Balaam to Balak build for me in this [place] seven altars and prepare for me in this [place] seven young bulls and seven rams.

2 So Balak did that. And then he and Balaam each burned a young bull and a ram [as a sacrifice] on each altar.

And he did Balak just as he had spoken Balaam and he offered up Balak and Balaam a young bull and a ram on the altar.

3 Then Balaam said to Balak, “You stand here close to your burned offerings, and I will go and ask Yahweh if he has something else to tell me. Then I will tell you what he says to me.” Then Balaam went by himself to the top of a hill,

And he said Balaam to Balak take your stand with burnt offering your so let me go perhaps he will meet Yahweh to meet me and [the] word of whatever he will show me and I will tell to you and he went a bare height.

4 and God appeared to him there. Balaam said to him, “We have built seven altars, and I have killed and burned a young bull and a ram [as a sacrifice to you] on each altar.”

And he met God Balaam and he said to him [the] seven the altars I have arranged and I have offered up a young bull and a ram on the altar.

5 Then Yahweh gave Balaam a message to give to King Balak. Then he said, “Go back and tell him what I told you.”

And he put Yahweh a word in [the] mouth of Balaam and he said return to Balak and thus you will speak.

6 When Balaam returned to Balak, Balak was standing with the leaders from Moab beside the offerings he had burned [on the altar].

And he returned to him and there! [he was] standing with burnt offering his he and all [the] leaders of Moab.

7 This is the message that Balaam told them: “Balak, the King of Moab, summoned me to come here from Syria; he brought me here from the hills at the eastern side of Syria. He said, ‘Come and curse the descendants of Jacob for me, saying that bad things will happen to these Israeli people!’

And he lifted up oracle his and he said from Aram he led me Balak [the] king of Moab from [the] mountains of [the] east come! curse! for me Jacob and come! denounce! Israel.

8 But (how can I curse people whom God has not cursed?/I certainly cannot curse people whom God has not cursed!) [RHQ] (How can I condemn people whom Yahweh has not condemned?/I cannot condemn people whom Yahweh has not condemned!) [RHQ]

What? will I curse [one whom] not he has cursed him God and what? will I denounce [one whom] not he has denounced Yahweh.

9 I have seen them from the tops of the rocky peaks. I see that they are a group of people who live by themselves; they have separated themselves from other nations.

For from [the] top of [the] rocks I see him and from [the] hills I observe him there! a people [which] alone it dwells and among the nations not it reckons itself.

10 (Who can count the descendants of Jacob; they are as numerous as particles of (dust/dirt)?/No one can count the descendants of Jacob; they are as numerous as particles of (dust/dirt)!) [RHQ] (Who can count even a quarter of the Israeli people?/No one can count even a quarter of the Israeli people!) [RHQ] I wish/hope that I will die like righteous people die; I hope that I will die [peacefully] like they will die.”

Who? has he counted [the] dust of Jacob and a number [the] fourth part of Israel let it die self my [the] death of upright [people] and let it be end my like his.

11 Then Balak said, “What have you done to me [RHQ]? I brought you here to curse my enemies, but instead you have (blessed them/asked Yahweh to bless them)!”

And he said Balak to Balaam what? have you done to me to curse enemies my I took you and here! you have blessed actually.

12 But Balaam replied, “I can [RHQ] say only what Yahweh tells me to say. I cannot say anything else.”

And he answered and he said ¿ not [that] which he will put Yahweh in mouth my it will I take care to speak.

13 Then King Balak told Balaam, “Come with me to another place. There you will see only part of the Israeli people, and you will be able to curse those people for me.”

And he said to him Balak (come there! *QK) please with me to a place another where you will see it from there only outskirt[s] its you will see and all of it not you will see and curse it for me from there.

14 So Balak took Balaam to a field on the top of Pisgah [Mountain]. There, again he built seven altars and offered a young bull and a ram [as a sacrifice] on each altar.

And he took him [the] field of Zophim to [the] top of Pisgah and he built seven altars and he offered up a young bull and a ram on the altar.

15 Then Balaam said to the king, “Stand here close to your burned offerings, while I go and talk with Yahweh.”

And he said to Balak take your stand thus with burnt offering your and I I will meet thus.

16 So Balaam did that, and Yahweh appeared to Balaam again and gave him another message. Then he said, “Go back to Balak and tell him that message.”

And he met Yahweh Balaam and he put a word in mouth his and he said return to Balak and thus you will speak.

17 So Balaam returned to where the king and the leaders from Moab were standing, next to the altar where Balak had burned the sacrifices. Balak asked him, “What did Yahweh say?”

And he went to him and there he [was] standing with burnt offering his and [the] leaders of Moab [were] with him and he said to him Balak what? has he spoken Yahweh.

18 Then Balaam told him this message: “Balak, listen carefully; hear what I have to say, you son of Zippor [DOU]!

And he lifted up oracle his and he said arise O Balak and hear give ear! to me [O] son his Zippor.

19 God is not a human being. Humans lie, but God never lies. He never changes his mind/thoughts, as humans do. Whatever he has said that he will do, he does.

Not [is] a human God so he may lie and a son of humankind so he may change his mind ¿ he has he said and not will he act? and has he spoken? and not will he fulfill? it.

20 He commanded me [to request him] to bless [the Israelis], So he has blessed them, and I cannot change that.

Here! [surely] blessing I have received and he has blessed and not I will turn back it.

21 Yahweh their God is with/helping them; they have declared that he is their true king. So the descendants of Jacob will not be harmed; they will not have any troubles [DOU].

Not he has looked at disaster in Jacob and not he has seen trouble in Israel Yahweh God his [is] with him and a shout of a king [is] among him.

22 God brought them out of Egypt [where they were slaves]; he is as strong as a wild ox.

God [is] bringing out them from Egypt like [the] horns of a wild ox [belong] to him.

23 When people curse [PRS] the descendants of Jacob, they will not be harmed; when people work sorcery on them, it will have no power. So now people will say about the descendants of Jacob, ‘God has done wonderful things for the Israelis!’

For not enchantment [is] in Jacob and not divination [is] in Israel about this time it will be said of Jacob and of Israel what! has he done God.

24 They are very strong, like lionesses that are ready to attack [other animals]; they stand firm like lions. The lions refuse to rest until they have [killed and] eaten their prey, and drunk the blood of the animals they slaughtered.”

There! a people like a lion it rises and like a lion it lifts itself up not it will lie down until it will devour prey and [the] blood of [those] slain it will drink.

25 Then Balak said to Balaam, “If you will not curse them, then [I certainly] do not [want you to] bless them!”

And he said Balak to Balaam neither at all not you will curse it nor at all not you will bless it.

26 But Balaam replied, “I told you that I must do only what Yahweh tells me to do!”

And he answered Balaam and he said to Balak ¿ not did I speak to you saying all that he will speak Yahweh it I will do.

27 Then King Balak said to Balaam, “Come with me; I will take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God to allow you to curse them from that place.”

And he said Balak to Balaam come! please let me take you to a place another perhaps it will be pleasing in [the] eyes of God and you will curse it for me from there.

28 So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor [Mountain] where they could look down [and see the Israelis in] the desert.

And he took Balak Balaam [the] top of Peor which looks down over [the] face of the desolate place.

29 Balaam again told Balak, “Build me seven altars again and kill seven young bulls and seven rams [for a sacrifice].”

And he said Balaam to Balak build for me in this [place] seven altars and prepare for me in this [place] seven young bulls and seven rams.

30 So Balak did what Balaam told him to do. He burned a young bull and a ram on each altar as sacrifices.

And he did Balak just as he had said Balaam and he offered up a young bull and a ram on the altar.