Numbers 23 NLT HCSB Parallel

◄ Numbers 23 ►

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New Living Translation

Holman Christian Standard Bible

1Then Balaam said to King Balak, “Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven young bulls and seven rams for me to sacrifice.”

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

2Balak followed his instructions, and the two of them sacrificed a young bull and a ram on each altar.

2So Balak did as Balaam directed, and they offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

3Then Balaam said to Balak, “Stand here by your burnt offerings, and I will go to see if the LORD will respond to me. Then I will tell you whatever he reveals to me.” So Balaam went alone to the top of a bare hill,

3Balaam said to Balak, "Stay here by your burnt offering while I am gone. Maybe the LORD will meet with me. I will tell you whatever He reveals to me." So he went to a barren hill.

4and God met him there. Balaam said to him, “I have prepared seven altars and have sacrificed a young bull and a ram on each altar.”

4God met with him and Balaam said to Him, "I have arranged seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar."

5The LORD gave Balaam a message for King Balak. Then he said, “Go back to Balak and give him my message.”

5Then the LORD put a message in Balaam's mouth and said, "Return to Balak and say what I tell you."

6So Balaam returned and found the king standing beside his burnt offerings with all the officials of Moab.

6So he returned to Balak, who was standing there by his burnt offering with all the officials of Moab.

7This was the message Balaam delivered: “Balak summoned me to come from Aram; the king of Moab brought me from the eastern hills. ‘Come,’ he said, ‘curse Jacob for me! Come and announce Israel’s doom.’

7Balaam proclaimed his poem: Balak brought me from Aram; the king of Moab, from the eastern mountains:" Come, put a curse on Jacob for me; come, denounce Israel!"

8But how can I curse those whom God has not cursed? How can I condemn those whom the LORD has not condemned?

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

9I see them from the cliff tops; I watch them from the hills. I see a people who live by themselves, set apart from other nations.

9I see them from the top of rocky cliffs, and I watch them from the hills. There is a people living alone; it does not consider itself among the nations.

10Who can count Jacob’s descendants, as numerous as dust? Who can count even a fourth of Israel’s people? Let me die like the righteous; let my life end like theirs.”

10Who has counted the dust of Jacob or numbered the dust clouds of Israel? Let me die the death of the upright; let the end of my life be like theirs."

11Then King Balak demanded of Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies. Instead, you have blessed them!”

11What have you done to me?" Balak asked Balaam. "I brought you to curse my enemies, but look, you have only blessed them!"

12But Balaam replied, “I will speak only the message that the LORD puts in my mouth.” Balaam’s Second Message

12He answered, "Shouldn't I say exactly what the LORD puts in my mouth?"

13Then King Balak told him, “Come with me to another place. There you will see another part of the nation of Israel, but not all of them. Curse at least that many!”

13Then Balak said to him, "Please come with me to another place where you can see them. You will only see the outskirts of their camp; you won't see all of them. From there, put a curse on them for me."

14So Balak took Balaam to the plateau of Zophim on Pisgah Peak. He built seven altars there and offered a young bull and a ram on each altar.

14So Balak took him to Lookout Field on top of Pisgah, built seven altars, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

15Then Balaam said to the king, “Stand here by your burnt offerings while I go over there to meet the LORD.”

15Balaam said to Balak, "Stay here by your burnt offering while I seek the LORD over there."

16And the LORD met Balaam and gave him a message. Then he said, “Go back to Balak and give him my message.”

16The LORD met with Balaam and put a message in his mouth. Then He said, "Return to Balak and say what I tell you."

17So Balaam returned and found the king standing beside his burnt offerings with all the officials of Moab. “What did the LORD say?” Balak asked eagerly.

17So he returned to Balak, who was standing there by his burnt offering with the officials of Moab. Balak asked him, "What did the LORD say?"

18This was the message Balaam delivered: “Rise up, Balak, and listen! Hear me, son of Zippor.

18Balaam proclaimed his poem: Balak, get up and listen; son of Zippor, pay attention to what I say!

19God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?

19God is not a man who lies, or a son of man who changes His mind. Does He speak and not act, or promise and not fulfill?

20Listen, I received a command to bless; God has blessed, and I cannot reverse it!

20I have indeed received a command to bless; since He has blessed, I cannot change it.

21No misfortune is in his plan for Jacob; no trouble is in store for Israel. For the LORD their God is with them; he has been proclaimed their king.

21He considers no disaster for Jacob; He sees no trouble for Israel. The LORD their God is with them, and there is rejoicing over the King among them.

22God brought them out of Egypt; for them he is as strong as a wild ox.

22God brought them out of Egypt; He is like the horns of a wild ox for them.

23No curse can touch Jacob; no magic has any power against Israel. For now it will be said of Jacob, ‘What wonders God has done for Israel!’

23There is no magic curse against Jacob and no divination against Israel. It will now be said about Jacob and Israel," What great things God has done!"

24These people rise up like a lioness, like a majestic lion rousing itself. They refuse to rest until they have feasted on prey, drinking the blood of the slaughtered!”

24A people rise up like a lioness; They rouse themselves like a lion. They will not lie down until they devour the prey and drink the blood of the slain.

25Then Balak said to Balaam, “Fine, but if you won’t curse them, at least don’t bless them!”

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

26But Balaam replied to Balak, “Didn’t I tell you that I can do only what the LORD tells me?” Balaam’s Third Message

26But Balaam answered him, "Didn't I tell you: Whatever the LORD says, I must do?"

27Then King Balak said to Balaam, “Come, I will take you to one more place. Perhaps it will please God to let you curse them from there.”

27Again Balak said to Balaam, "Please come. I will take you to another place. Maybe it will be agreeable to God that you can put a curse on them for me there."

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

28So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, which overlooks the wasteland.

29Balaam again told Balak, “Build me seven altars, and prepare seven young bulls and seven rams for me to sacrifice.”

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

30So Balak did as Balaam ordered and offered a young bull and a ram on each altar.

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

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