Numbers 23:13-26

New International Version

Balaam’s Second Message

¹³Then Balak said to him, “Come with me to another place^(A) where you can see them; you will not see them all but only the outskirts of their camp.^(B) And from there, curse them for me.^(C)” ¹⁴So he took him to the field of Zophim on the top of Pisgah,^(D) and there he built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.^(E)

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

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

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

¹⁸Then he spoke his message:^(H)

“Arise, Balak, and listen;
    hear me, son of Zippor.^(I)
¹⁹God is not human,^(J) that he should lie,^(K)
    not a human being, that he should change his mind.^(L)
Does he speak and then not act?
    Does he promise^(M) and not fulfill?
²⁰I have received a command to bless;^(N)
    he has blessed,^(O) and I cannot change it.^(P)

²¹“No misfortune is seen in Jacob,^(Q)
    no misery observed^[a] in Israel.^(R)
The Lord their God is with them;^(S)
    the shout of the King^(T) is among them.
²²God brought them out of Egypt;^(U)
    they have the strength of a wild ox.^(V)
²³There is no divination against^[b] Jacob,
    no evil omens^(W) against^[c] Israel.
It will now be said of Jacob
    and of Israel, ‘See what God has done!’
²⁴The people rise like a lioness;^(X)
    they rouse themselves like a lion^(Y)
that does not rest till it devours its prey
    and drinks the blood^(Z) of its victims.”