Parallel Bible results for "numbers 23"

Numbers 23

New International Version NIV

1 Balaam said, “Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me.”

2 Balak did as Balaam said, and the two of them offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

3 Then Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here beside your offering while I go aside. Perhaps the LORD will come to meet with me. Whatever he reveals to me I will tell you.” Then he went off to a barren height.

4 God met with him, and Balaam said, “I have prepared seven altars, and on each altar I have offered a bull and a ram.”

5 The LORD put a word in Balaam’s mouth and said, “Go back to Balak and give him this word.”

6 So he went back to him and found him standing beside his offering, with all the Moabite officials.

7 Then 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.’

8 How can I curse those whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce those whom the LORD has not denounced?

9 From 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.

10 Who 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!”

11 Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies, but you have done nothing but bless them!”

12 He answered, “Must I not speak what the LORD puts in my mouth?”

13 Then 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.”

14 So 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.

15 Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here beside your offering while I meet with him over there.”

16 The LORD met with Balaam and put a word in his mouth and said, “Go back to Balak and give him this word.”

17 So he went to him and found him standing beside his offering, with the Moabite officials. Balak asked him, “What did the LORD say?”

18 Then he spoke his message: “Arise, Balak, and listen; hear me, son of Zippor.

19 God 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?

20 I 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.

22 God brought them out of Egypt; they have the strength of a wild ox.

23 There 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!’

24 The 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.”

25 Then Balak said to Balaam, “Neither curse them at all nor bless them at all!”

26 Balaam answered, “Did I not tell you I must do whatever the LORD says?”

27 Then Balak said to Balaam, “Come, let me take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God to let you curse them for me from there.”

28 And Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, overlooking the wasteland.

29 Balaam said, “Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me.”

30 Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

New International Reader's Version NIRV

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

2 Balak did just as Balaam said. The two of them offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

3 Then Balaam said to Balak, "Stay here beside your offering. I'll go and try to find out what the LORD wants me to do. Maybe he'll come and meet with me. Then I'll tell you what he says to me." So Balaam went off to a bare hilltop.

4 God met with him there. Balaam said, "I've prepared seven altars. On each altar I've offered a bull and a ram.

5 The LORD put a message in Balaam's mouth. The LORD said, "Go back to Balak. Give him my message."

6 So Balaam went back to him. He found Balak standing beside his offering. All of the princes of Moab were with him.

7 Then Balaam spoke the message he had received from God. He said, "Balak brought me from the land of Aram. The king of Moab sent for me from the mountains in the east. 'Come,' he said. 'Put a curse on Jacob's people for me. Come. Speak against Israel.'

8 But how can I put a curse on people God hasn't cursed? How can I speak against people the LORD hasn't spoken against?

9 I see them from the rocky peaks. I view them from the hills. I see a group of people who live by themselves. They don't consider themselves to be one of the nations.

10 Jacob's people are like the dust of the earth. Can dust be counted? Who can count even a fourth of the people of Israel? Let me die as godly people die. Let my death be like theirs!"

11 Balak said to Balaam, "What have you done to me? I brought you here to put a curse on my enemies! But all you have done is give them a blessing!"

12 He answered, "I have to speak only the words the LORD puts in my mouth."

13 Then Balak said to Balaam, "Come with me to another place. You can see the people of Israel from there. You will see only some of them. You won't see all of them. From there, put a curse on them for me."

14 So Balak took Balaam to the field of Zophim. It was on the highest slopes of Pisgah. There he built seven altars. He offered a bull and a ram on each altar

15 Balaam said to Balak, "Stay here beside your offering. I'll meet with the LORD over there."

16 The LORD met with Balaam. He put a message in Balaam's mouth. The LORD said, "Go back to Balak. Give him my message."

17 So he went to him. He found him standing beside his offering. The princes of Moab were with him. Balak asked him, "What did the LORD say?"

18 Then Balaam spoke the message he had received from God. He said, "Balak, rise up and listen. Son of Zippor, hear me.

19 God isn't a mere man. He can't lie. He isn't a human being. He doesn't change his mind. He speaks, and then he acts. He makes a promise, and then he keeps it

20 He has commanded me to bless Israel. He has given them his blessing. And I can't change it.

21 "I don't see any trouble coming on the people of Jacob. I don't see any suffering in Israel. The LORD their God is with them. The shout of the King is among them

22 God brought them out of Egypt. They are as strong as a wild ox.

23 There isn't any magic that can hurt the people of Jacob. No one can use magic words to harm Israel. Here is what will be said about the people of Jacob. Here is what will be said about Israel. People will say, 'See what God has done!'

24 The people of Israel are going to wake up like a female lion. They are going to get up like a male lion. They are like a lion that won't rest until it eats what it has caught. They are like a lion that won't rest until it drinks the blood of what it has killed."

25 Then Balak said to Balaam, "Don't put a curse on them at all! And don't give them a blessing at all!"

26 Balaam answered, "Didn't I tell you that I have to do only what the LORD says?"

27 Then Balak said to Balaam, "Come. Let me take you to another place. Perhaps God will be pleased to let you put a curse on them for me from there."

28 Balak took Balaam to the top of Mount Peor. It looks out over a dry and empty land.

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

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