Numbers 23

And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams.

Balaam pleaded with Balak, "Please, create seven altars for me here, and ready seven oxen and seven rams for me as well."

And Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bullock and a ram.

Balak faithfully followed Balaam's instructions. Together, they presented a bull and a ram on each altar, their hearts filled with reverence and hope.

And 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.

Balaam told Balak, "Stay by your sacrifice, I'll go see if the Lord will meet me. Whatever He reveals, I'll share with you." Then, he climbed to a high place.

And 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.

God met with Balaam, and Balaam told Him, "I've set up seven altars, and on each one I've offered a bull and a ram."

And the LORD put a word in Balaam’s mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus thou shalt speak.

The LORD filled Balaam's heart with His message, instructing him, "Go back to Balak and share these words."

And he returned unto him, and, lo, he stood by his burnt sacrifice, he, and all the princes of Moab.

He came back to find him standing faithfully by his charred offering, surrounded by all the leaders of Moab.

And 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.

With a heavy heart, he began his prophecy. "King Balak of Moab summoned me from the eastern mountains of Aram. He pleaded, 'Come, bring down a curse on Jacob. Come, denounce Israel.'"

How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the LORD hath not defied?

How can I condemn someone God has not condemned? Or how can I denounce someone the Lord has not denounced?

For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him: lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations.

From the highest peaks, I gaze upon him, and from the rolling hills, I witness him. Indeed, the people will live in solitude, not considered part of any nation.

Who 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!

Who can measure the vastness of Jacob's descendants, or quantify a quarter of Israel's population? May I meet my end as the virtuous do, and may my final moments mirror theirs!

And Balak said unto Balaam, What hast thou done unto me? I took thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast blessed them altogether.

Balak, in frustration, asked Balaam, "Why did you do this to me? I brought you here to curse my enemies, but instead, you've blessed them all!"

And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD hath put in my mouth?

He responded, "Shouldn't I be careful to only speak what God has inspired me to say?"

And 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.

Balak pleaded with him, "Join me at another location, where you can see only a fraction of them, not all. From there, curse them for me."

And 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.

He guided him across the Zophim fields, up to the peak of Pisgah. There, he constructed seven sacred altars. On each, he lovingly sacrificed a bull and a ram.

And he said unto Balak, Stand here by thy burnt offering, while I meet the LORD yonder.

He gently instructed Balak, "Stay here with your sacrifice, while I go connect with the Lord over there."

And the LORD met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Go again unto Balak, and say thus.

The LORD encountered Balaam, filled his heart with a divine message, and instructed him, "Return to Balak and deliver this message."

And 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?

When he arrived, he found him standing beside his burnt offering, with the Moabite leaders accompanying him. Balak asked him, "What message has God given?"

And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor:

He began his prophecy, saying, "Listen closely, Balak, son of Zippor, rise and pay attention to my words."

God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?

God isn't human to lie or change His mind. If He promises something, won't He fulfill it? If He speaks, won't He make it happen?

Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.

Look, I've been instructed to bestow blessings. Once given, these blessings are irrevocable and beyond my power to undo.

He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the LORD his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them.

God sees no sin in Jacob, nor any deceit in Israel. The Lord stands by their side, and the joyful cheer of a king echoes among them.

God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn.

God led them from Egypt, displaying a strength like that of a wild ox.

Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel: according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought!

Undoubtedly, no spell can harm Jacob, no magic can touch Israel. In time, people will marvel at what God has done for Jacob and Israel!

Behold, 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.

Watch as the people rise, fierce and strong like a mighty lion, and stand tall like a young lion. They won't rest until they've devoured their prey and drunk the blood of the slain.

And Balak said unto Balaam, Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all.

Balak pleaded with Balaam, "Don't curse or bless them, not even a word."

But Balaam answered and said unto Balak, Told not I thee, saying, All that the LORD speaketh, that I must do?

Balaam replied to Balak, "Didn't I tell you? I can only do what God instructs me to."

And 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.

Balak pleaded with Balaam, "Please, come with me to a different location. Maybe from there, God will allow you to curse them for me."

And Balak brought Balaam unto the top of Peor, that looketh toward Jeshimon.

Balak led Balaam to the peak of Peor, overlooking the desolate Jeshimon, with a sense of anticipation in his heart.

And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams.

Balaam turned to Balak and passionately requested, "Create seven altars for me here, and ready seven bulls and seven rams."

And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar.

Balak, following Balaam's instructions, faithfully sacrificed a bull and a ram on each altar, his heart heavy with anticipation.