Balaam’s First Oracle

1And Balaam sayd vnto Balak, Builde me here seuen altars, and prepare me here seuen bullockes, and seuen rammes. 2And Balak did as Balaam sayd, and Balak and Balaam offred on euery altar a bullocke and a ramme. 3Then Balaam sayde vnto Balak, Stande by the burnt offring, and I will goe, if so be that the Lorde will come and meete me: and whatsoeuer he sheweth me, I will tell thee: so he went forth alone.

4And God met Balaam, and Balaam sayd vnto him, I haue prepared seuen altars, and haue offred vpon euery altar a bullocke and a ramme. 5And the Lord put an answere in Balaams mouth, and sayde, Go againe to Balak, and say on this wise. 6So when he returned vnto him, loe, hee stoode by his burnt offering, he, and all the princes of Moab.

7Then he vttered his parable, and sayde, Balak the king of Moab hath brought mee from Aram out of the mountaines of the East, saying, Come, curse Iaakob for my sake: come, and detest Israel.

8How shal I curse, where God hath not cursed? or howe shall I detest, where the Lorde hath not detested?

9For from the top of the rocks I did see him, and from the hils I did beholde him: lo, the people shal dwell by themselues, and shal not be reckened among the nations.

10Who can tell the dust of Iaakob, and the nomber of the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last ende be like his.

11Then Balak saide vnto Balaam, What hast thou done vnto mee? I tooke thee to curse mine enemies, and beholde, thou hast blessed them altogether. 12And he answered, and said, Must I not take heede to speake that, which the Lord hath put in my mouth?

Balaam’s Second Oracle

13And Balak sayde vnto him, Come, I pray thee, with mee vnto another place, whence thou mayest see them, & thou shalt see but the vtmost part of them, and shalt not see them all: therefore curse them out of that place for my sake. 14And he brought him into Sede-sophim to the top of Pisgah, and built seuen altars, and offred a bullocke, and a ramme on euery altar. 15After, he sayde vnto Balak, Stande here by thy burnt offring, & I wil meete the Lord yonder. 16And the Lord mette Balaam, and put an answere in his mouth, and sayd, Goe againe vnto Balak, and say thus. 17And when he came to him, beholde, hee stoode by his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him: so Balak sayde vnto him, What hath the Lord sayd?

18And he vttered his parable, and sayde, Rise vp, Balak, and heare: hearken vnto me, thou sonne of Zippor.

19God is not as man, that he should lie, neither as the sonne of man that he shoulde repent: hath he sayde and shal he not do it? and hath he spoken, and shal he not accomplish it?

20Behold, I haue receiued commandement to blesse: for he hath blessed, and I cannot alter it.

21Hee seeth none iniquitie in Iaakob, nor seeth no transgression in Israel: the Lord his God is with him, and the ioyfull shoute of a king is among them.

22God brought them out of Egypt: their strength is as an vnicorne.

23For there is no sorcerie in Iaakob, nor soothsaying in Israel: according to this time it shalbe sayde of Iaakob and of Israel, What hath God wrought?

24Behold, the people shal rise vp as a lyon, & lift vp himselfe as a yong lyon: hee shall not lye downe, till he eate of the pray, and till he drinke the blood of the slayne.

25Then Balak sayde vnto Balaam, Neither curse, nor blesse them at all. 26But Balaam answered, & saide vnto Balak, Tolde not I thee, saying, All that the Lorde speaketh, that must I do?

27Againe Balak sayd vnto Balaam, Come, I pray thee, I wil bring thee vnto another place, if so be it wil please God, that thou mayest thence curse them for my sake. 28So Balak brought Balaam vnto the top of Peor, that looketh toward Ieshmon. 29Then Balaam sayde vnto Balak, Make me here seuen altars, and prepare me here seuen bullocks, and seuen rammes. 30And Balak did as Balaam had sayd, and offred a bullocke and a ram on euery altar.