Parallel Bible results for "numbers 23"

Numbers 23

Common English Bible CEB

1 Balaam said to Balak, "Build me seven altars here and prepare for me seven bulls and seven rams."

2 Balak did as Balaam had said. Then Balak and Balaam offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

3 Balaam said to Balak, "Stay by your entirely burned offering. I will go and perhaps the LORD will grant me an appearance and speak. Whatever he shows me, I will tell you." Then he went off to a high outlook.

4 God granted Balaam an appearance. Balaam said to him, "I have arranged seven altars and I have sacrificed a bull and a ram on each altar."

5 The LORD gave Balaam something to say, and said to him, "Return to Balak and say this."

6 Balaam returned to him, while he and all the officials of Moab were standing next to his entirely burned offering.

7 Then he raised his voice and made his address: "From Aram Balak led me, the king of Moab, from the eastern mountains. Come, curse Jacob for me; come, denounce Israel.

8 How can I curse whom God hasn't cursed? How can I denounce whom God hasn't denounced?

9 From the top of the rocks I see him; from the hills I gaze on him. Here is a people living alone; it doesn't consider itself among the nations.

10 Who can count the dust of Jacob, or number a fourth of Israel? Let me die the death of those who do right, and let my end be like his."

11 Then Balak said to Balaam, "What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemy. But now you've blessed him."

12 He answered and said, "Don't I have to take care to speak whatever the LORD gives me to say?"

13 Then Balak said to Balaam, "Come with me, please, to another place where you'll see them. You'll see only part of them. You won't see all of them. Then curse them for me from there."

14 He took him to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah. He built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

15 Then Balaam said to Balak, "Stand here by your entirely burned offering, while I seek an appearance over there."

16 The LORD granted Balaam an appearance and gave him a message. He said, "Return to Balak and say this."

17 Balaam approached Balak, who was standing by his entirely burned offering with the officials of Moab. Balak said to him, "What did the LORD say?"

18 Then Balaam raised his voice and made his address: "Arise, Balak, and listen; hear me out, Zippor's son.

19 God isn't a man that he would lie, or a human being that he would change his mind. Has he ever spoken and not done it, or promised and not fulfilled it?

20 I received a blessing, and he blessed. I can't take it back.

21 He hasn't envisioned misfortune for Jacob, nor has he seen trouble for Israel. The LORD his God is with him, proclaimed as his king.

22 God, who brought them out of Egypt, is like a magnificent wild bull for him.

23 There is no omen against Jacob, no divination against Israel. Instantly it is told to Jacob, and to Israel, what God performs.

24 A people now rises like a lioness, like a lion it stands up. It doesn't lie down until it eats the prey and drinks the blood of the slain."

25 Then Balak said to Balaam, "Don't curse them or bless them."

26 But Balaam answered and said to Balak, "Didn't I say to you, ‘I'll do whatever the LORD tells me to'?"

27 Balak said to Balaam, "Please come and I'll take you to another place. Perhaps God will prefer it, so that you could curse him for me from there."

28 So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, which overlooks Jeshimon.

29 Balaam said to Balak, "Build me seven altars here and prepare for me seven bulls and seven rams."

30 Balak did just as Balaam said. He offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

The Message Bible MSG

1 Balaam said, "Build me seven altars here, and then prepare seven bulls and seven rams."

2 Balak did it. Then Balaam and Balak sacrificed a bull and a ram on each of the altars.

3 Balaam instructed Balak: "Stand watch here beside your Whole-Burnt-Offering while I go off by myself. Maybe God will come and meet with me. Whatever he shows or tells me, I'll report to you." Then he went off by himself.

4 God did meet with Balaam. Balaam said, "I've set up seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

5 Then God gave Balaam a message: "Return to Balak and give him this message."

6 He went back and found him stationed beside his Whole-Burnt-Offering and with him all the nobles of Moab.

7 Then Balaam spoke his message-oracle: Balak led me here from Aram, the king of Moab all the way from the eastern mountains. "Go, curse Jacob for me; go, damn Israel."

8 How can I curse whom God has not cursed? How can I damn whom God has not damned?

9 From rock pinnacles I see them, from hilltops I survey them: Look! a people camping off by themselves, thinking themselves outsiders among nations.

10 But who could ever count the dust of Jacob or take a census of cloud-of-dust Israel? I want to die like these right-living people! I want an end just like theirs!

11 Balak said to Balaam, "What's this? I brought you here to curse my enemies, and all you've done is bless them."

12 Balaam answered, "Don't I have to be careful to say what God gives me to say?"

13 Balak said to him, "Go with me to another place from which you can only see the outskirts of their camp - you won't be able to see the whole camp. From there, curse them for my sake."

14 So he took him to Watchmen's Meadow at the top of Pisgah. He built seven altars there and offered a bull and a ram on each altar

15 Balaam said to Balak, "Take up your station here beside your Whole-Burnt-Offering while I meet with him over there."

16 God met with Balaam and gave him a message. He said, "Return to Balak and give him the message."

17 Balaam returned and found him stationed beside his Whole-Burnt-Offering and the nobles of Moab with him. Balak said to him, "What did God say?"

18 Then Balaam spoke his message-oracle: On your feet, Balak. Listen, listen carefully son of Zippor:

19 God is not man, one given to lies, and not a son of man changing his mind. Does he speak and not do what he says? Does he promise and not come through

20 I was brought here to bless; and now he's blessed - how can I change that?

21 He has no bone to pick with Jacob, he sees nothing wrong with Israel. God is with them, and they're with him, shouting praises to their King

22 God brought them out of Egypt, rampaging like a wild ox.

23 No magic spells can bind Jacob, no incantations can hold back Israel. People will look at Jacob and Israel and say, "What a great thing has God done!"

24 Look, a people rising to its feet, stretching like a lion, a king-of-the-beasts, aroused, Unsleeping, unresting until its hunt is over and it's eaten and drunk its fill.

25 Balak said to Balaam, "Well, if you can't curse them, at least don't bless them."

26 Balaam replied to Balak, "Didn't I tell you earlier: 'All God speaks, and only what he speaks, I speak'?"

27 Balak said to Balaam, "Please, let me take you to another place; maybe we can find the right place in God's eyes where you'll be able to curse them for me."

28 So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, with a vista over the Jeshimon (Wasteland).

29 Balaam said to Balak, "Build seven altars for me here and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for sacrifice."

30 Balak did it and presented an offering of a bull and a ram on each of the altars.