Numbers 23

1 Then Balaam [the prophet from Mesopotamia] said to Balak [the king of Moab], “Build [construct, establish] for me seven altars [places of sacrifice] here, and prepare [make ready, establish] for me seven bulls [young male cattle, bullocks] and seven rams [strong male sheep].” word study 2 So Balak did as Balaam had instructed [spoken, given direction], and Balak and Balaam offered [sacrificed, presented as a gift] a bull [young ox, bullock] and a ram [male sheep] on each altar [place of sacrifice, sacred table]. word study 3 “Stay here by your burnt offering [sacrificial gift, a step or stairs to the altar] while I am gone,” Balaam [a prophet from Mesopotamia] said to Balak [a king of Moab]. “Perhaps [if not, it may be] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] will meet [encounter, lay beams] with me. And whatever He reveals [shows, looks after] to me, I will tell [declare openly, stand boldly] you.” So Balaam went off to a barren [bare, smooth] height [a hill with no trees], word study 4 and God [Elohim, the supreme Being] met with him. “I have set up [prepared, arranged] seven altars,” Balaam said, “and on each altar [place of sacrifice] I have offered [presented, sacrificed] a bull [young male, bullock] and a ram [strong male].” word study 5 Then the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] put [to set, appoint, or establish] a message [a word, thing, or matter] in Balaam’s [the prophet from Mesopotamia] mouth, saying, “Return [to turn back, or come back] to Balak [the king of Moab] and give him this message [thus, in this manner, or as instructed].” word study 6 So he returned [to the place where he was before, to turn back] to Balak, who was standing [stationed, in a position of authority] there beside his burnt offering [a step or stairs, often used to describe the ascent to the altar], with all [everything, the entirety] the princes [rulers, leaders, or captains] of Moab [the land and descendants of the son of Lot]. word study 7 And Balaam lifted up [took up, uttered] an oracle, saying: “Balak [the king of Moab, a Gentile ruler] brought me from Aram [Syria, a region in the east], the king of Moab from the mountains [hills, high places] of the east [the front, the direction of sunrise]. ‘Come,’ he said, ‘put a curse [execrate, wish harm] on Jacob [Israel, the chosen people] for me; come and denounce [defy, condemn] Israel [the descendants of Jacob]!’ word study 8 How can I [utterly condemn, pierce] curse what God [Elohim, the supreme Being] has not [absolutely not, under no circumstances] cursed? How can I [publicly denounce, defy] denounce what the LORD [Yehovah] has not [completely, in no way] denounced [or defied, spoken against]? word study 9 For [as a result of divine insight] I see them from atop the rocky cliffs [from the top of the rocks], and I watch them from the hills [looking down on them]. Behold [look, take notice], a people [a nation, a group of individuals] dwelling apart [living alone, in isolation] [separate from others], not reckoning themselves [not counting themselves, excluding themselves] among the nations [among the Gentiles, with other countries]. word study 10 Who [has the ability to number] can count the dust [dry earth, particles of dirt] of Jacob [the nation of Israel, God’s chosen people] or number [tell, count as a quantity] even a fourth [quarter, one-fourth part] of Israel [the descendants of Jacob, God’s people]? Let me die [pass away, cease to exist] the death [end of life, final breath] of the righteous [just, upright ones, those in right standing with God]; let my end [last part, final outcome] be like [similar to, comparable with] theirs [their fate, their destination]!” word study 11 Then Balak [the king of Moab] said to Balaam, “What [a question of surprise] have you done to me? I brought [took, led] you here to curse [speak badly of, malign] my enemies [those who hate me, adversaries], and behold [look, see], you have only blessed [praised, honored] them [altogether, completely]!” word study 12 But Balaam replied, “Should I not speak [with precision, exactly as instructed] exactly what the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] puts [sets, places] in my mouth [lips, the instrument of speech]?” word study 13 Then Balak [the king of Moab] said to him, “Please come [walk, go] with me to another [different, next] place where you can see [look, gaze] them. You will only see [behold, perceive] the outskirts [edge, border] of their camp—not [none, no part of] all of them. And from there [that location, thence], curse [speak evil, pronounce a curse upon] them for me [on my behalf, for my sake].” word study 14 So Balak took him to the field of Zophim [a place of watchers], to the top [head, summit] of Pisgah, where he built [constructed, established] seven altars and offered [presented, sacrificed] a bull [young bullock, ox] and a ram [strong male sheep] on each altar [place of sacrifice]. word study 15 Balaam said [to speak, to command] to Balak [the king of Moab], “Stay [stand, remain] here [in this place, thus] beside [near, upon] your burnt offering [a step or stairs, often used to describe the ascent to the altar] while [during, in the meantime] I [the prophet, the speaker] meet [to lay beams, to build with beams, to encounter] the LORD [Yehovah] over there [yonder, in that place].” word study 16 And the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] met [to lay beams, or to build with beams] with Balaam [a prophet from Mesopotamia] and put [to set, appoint, or place] a message [word, thing, or affair] in his mouth [lip, or edge of something], saying, “Return [to turn back, or go again] to Balak [a king of Moab] and speak [to communicate, or command] what I tell [say, or command] you [thus, in this manner].” word study 17 So he returned [came back, went to] to Balak [the king of Moab], who was standing [stationed, positioned] there by his burnt offering [sacrifice, gift to God] with the princes [rulers, leaders] of Moab [the land and people]. “What [what thing, what message] did the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] say [speak, declare]?” Balak [the king] asked [inquired, requested]. word study 18 Then Balaam lifted up [uttered, took up] an oracle [parable, prophetic message], saying: “Arise [rise up, stand], O Balak [king of Moab], and listen [hear]; give ear [hearken, pay attention] to me, O son [descendant, offspring] of Zippor [meaning sparrow]. word study 19 God [the supreme Creator, Elohim] is not a man [a human being, with limitations], that He should lie [deceive or speak falsely], or a son of man [a mortal, with changing thoughts], that He should change [repent or alter] His mind [thoughts or intentions]. Does He speak [declare or promise] and not act [follow through or fulfill]? Does He promise [vow or assure] and not fulfill [accomplish or bring to pass]? word study 20 I have indeed received [been given, obtained] a command [instruction, order] to bless [praise, honor]; He [the Lord, God] has blessed [bestowed a blessing, given favor], and I cannot [am not able, it is not possible for me] change [reverse, alter] it [the blessing, the decree]. word study 21 He considers [sees, looks upon] no disaster [evil, iniquity] for Jacob [the nation, Israel’s ancestor]; He sees [perceives, regards] no trouble [hard work, perverseness] for Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob, his descendants]. The LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] their God [Elohim, the supreme God] is with [together, accompanying] them, and the shout [joyful sound, blast of trumpets] of the King [royal person] is among them. word study 22 God [Elohim, the supreme Creator] brought them out [as a deliverer, leading them forth] of Egypt [a land of bondage, northeastern Africa] with strength [power, mighty force] like [comparable to, resembling] a wild ox [aurochs, a large and powerful animal, unicorn]. word study 23 For [because of God’s sovereignty] there is no [magic or occult] spell [enchantment, sorcery] against Jacob [the father of the Israelites] and no [false or demonic] divination [soothsaying, witchcraft] against Israel [God’s chosen people]. It will now be said [declared, proclaimed] of Jacob and Israel, ‘What [how great, what kind] great things [mighty works, wonderful deeds] God [the Almighty, Elohim] has done [accomplished, wrought]!’ word study 24 Behold [look, take notice], the people [a nation, Amaw] rise like a lioness [a fierce lion]; they rouse themselves [lift themselves up, to lift] like a lion, not resting [lying down, to lie down] until they devour [eat, consume] their prey [something torn apart] and drink the blood [the liquid of life] of the slain [those profaned or hurt].” word study 25 Now Balak [the king of Moab] said to Balaam [the prophet], “Then neither [nor at all] curse [to speak badly of, to pierce with words] them at all [not in any way] nor bless [to praise, to honor] them at all [not in any way]!” word study 26 But Balaam replied [in answer, responding], “Did I not tell [inform, speak to] you that whatever [all that, everything] the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God] says [speaks, commands], I must do [obey, fulfill, carry out]?” word study 27 “Please [I pray, if you would be so kind] come,” said Balak [the king of Moab], “I will take [lead, guide] you to another [a different, separate] place [location, region]. Perhaps [it may be, if it pleases] it will please [be favorable, acceptable] God [Elohim, the supreme deity] that you curse [speak evil, pronounce a divine judgment] them for me from there [that location, at that time].” word study 28 And Balak [the king of Moab] took [got, brought] Balaam [a prophet from Mesopotamia] to the top [head, summit] of Peor [a mountain east of the Jordan River], which overlooks [gazes down, looks down upon] the wasteland [wilderness, desert, a desolate place]. word study 29 Then Balaam [the prophet from Mesopotamia] said, “Build [construct, establish] for me seven altars [places of sacrifice] here, and prepare [make ready, establish] for me seven bulls [young male cattle] and seven rams [strong male sheep].” word study 30 So Balak [the king of Moab] did as Balaam [the prophet] had instructed, and he offered [sacrificed, presented as an act of worship] a bull [young ox, bullock] and a ram [strong male sheep] on each altar [place of sacrifice, where offerings are made to God]. word study