International Standard Version

King James Bible

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

1And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams.

2So Balak did just as Balaam instructed. Balak and Balaam offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

2And Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bullock and a ram.

3Then Balaam instructed Balak, "Stand by your offering and leave me alone by myself. Perhaps the LORD will come to meet me. I'll tell you whatever he reveals to me." And so he went to a high place,

3And 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.

4where the LORD met with Balaam, who told him, "I've prepared seven altars and offered bulls and rams on an altar."

4And 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.

5Then the LORD gave Balaam this message. "Return to Balak and speak to him."

5And the LORD put a word in Balaam's mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus thou shalt speak.

6So Balaam returned to where Balak had been standing, that is, next to his offerings, accompanied by all the Moabite officials.

6And he returned unto him, and, lo, he stood by his burnt sacrifice, he, and all the princes of Moab.

7Then Balaam uttered this prophetic statement: "King Balak of Moab brought me from Aram, from the eastern mountains, and told me, 'Come and curse Jacob for me. Come and curse Israel.'

7And 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.

8But how can I curse those whom God hasn't cursed? How can I denounce those whom the LORD hasn't denounced?

8How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the LORD hath not defied?

9I saw them from the top of the rocks. I watched them from the hills. Truly this is a people that lives by itself and doesn't matter among the nations.

9For 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.

10Who can count the dust of Jacob? Who can number the dust of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and may I end up like him."

10Who 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!

11"What are you doing to me?" Balak asked Balaam. "I brought you to curse my enemies, not pronounce a blessing!"

11And Balak said unto Balaam, What hast thou done unto me? I took thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast blessed them altogether.

12But in response, Balaam asked, "Shouldn't I be careful to communicate only what the LORD puts in my mouth?"

12And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD hath put in my mouth?

13"Come with me to another place where you can see them," Balak replied. "You'll only see a portion of them, because you won't be able to see them completely. Come and curse them from there for me."

13And 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.

14So Balak took him to the field of Zophim, and from there to the top of Mount Pisgah, where he built seven altars and then offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

14And 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.

15Then he told Balak, "Stand by your offering while I go alone to meet the LORD."

15And he said unto Balak, Stand here by thy burnt offering, while I meet the LORD yonder.

16Then the LORD met with Balaam and gave a message to him. "Now go back to Balak and speak to him."

16And the LORD met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Go again unto Balak, and say thus.

17So Balaam returned to where Balak had been standing, that is, next to his offerings, accompanied by the Moabite officials. "What did the LORD say?" Balak asked him.

17And 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?

18In response, Balaam uttered this prophetic statement: "Stand up, Balak, and pay attention! Listen to me, you son of Zippor!

18And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor:

19God is not a human male— he doesn't lie, nor is he a human being— he never vacillates. Once he speaks up, he's going to act, isn't he? Once he makes a promise, he'll fulfill it, won't he?

19God 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?

20Look! I've received a blessing, and so I will bless. I won't withdraw it.

20Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.

21He has not responded to iniquity in Jacob or gazed at mischief in Israel. The LORD his God is with them, and the triumphant cry of a king is among them.

21He 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.

22From Egypt God brought them— his strength was like a wild ox!

22God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn.

23No Satanic plan against Jacob nor divination against Israel can ever prevail. When the time is right, it is to be asked about Jacob and Israel, 'What has God accomplished?'

23Surely 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!

24Look! The people are like lions. Like the lion, he rises up! He does not lie down again until he has consumed his prey and drunk the blood of the slain."

24Behold, 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.

25Then Balak told Balaam, "Don't curse them or bless them!"

25And Balak said unto Balaam, Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all.

26"Didn't I tell you," Balaam responded to Balak, "that I'll say whatever the LORD tells me to say?"

26But Balaam answered and said unto Balak, Told not I thee, saying, All that the LORD speaketh, that I must do?

27So Balak exhorted Balaam, "Let's go right now! I'll take you to another place. Maybe God will agree to have you curse them for me from there."

27And 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.

28So Balak took Balaam to the top of Mount Peor, which overlooks the open wilderness.

28And Balak brought Balaam unto the top of Peor, that looketh toward Jeshimon.

29Balaam told Balak, "Build seven altars for me right here. Then prepare seven bulls and seven rams."

29And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams.

30Balak did just what Balaam had instructed—he offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

30And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar.

The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY.

King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.