Numbers 23
Parallel Chapters

Balaam's First Oracle

NIVESVNASBKJVHCSB
1Balaam said, "Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me."1And Balaam said to Balak, “Build for me here seven altars, and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams.”1Then Balaam said to Balak, "Build seven altars for me here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me here."1And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams.1Then Balaam said to Balak, "Build me seven altars here and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me."
2Balak did as Balaam said, and the two of them offered a bull and a ram on each altar.2Balak did as Balaam had said. And Balak and Balaam offered on each altar a bull and a ram.2Balak did just as Balaam had spoken, and Balak and Balaam offered up 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.2So Balak did as Balaam directed, and they offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
3Then Balaam said to Balak, "Stay here beside your offering while I go aside. Perhaps the LORD will come to meet with me. Whatever he reveals to me I will tell you." Then he went off to a barren height.3And Balaam said to Balak, “Stand beside your burnt offering, and I will go. Perhaps the LORD will come to meet me, and whatever he shows me I will tell you.” And he went to a bare height,3Then Balaam said to Balak, "Stand beside your burnt offering, and I will go; perhaps the LORD will come to meet me, and whatever He shows me I will tell you." So he went to a bare hill.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.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.
4God met with him, and Balaam said, "I have prepared seven altars, and on each altar I have offered a bull and a ram."4and God met Balaam. And Balaam said to him, “I have arranged the seven altars and I have offered on each altar a bull and a ram.”4Now God met Balaam, and he said to Him, "I have set up the seven altars, and I have offered up a bull and a ram on each 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.4God met with him and Balaam said to Him, "I have arranged seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar."
NIVESVNASBKJVHCSB
5The LORD put a word in Balaam's mouth and said, "Go back to Balak and give him this word."5And the LORD put a word in Balaam’s mouth and said, “Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak.”5Then the LORD put a word in Balaam's mouth and said, "Return to Balak, and you shall speak thus."5And the LORD put a word in Balaam's mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus thou shalt speak.5Then the LORD put a message in Balaam's mouth and said, "Return to Balak and say what I tell you."
6So he went back to him and found him standing beside his offering, with all the Moabite officials.6And he returned to him, and behold, he and all the princes of Moab were standing beside his burnt offering.6So he returned to him, and behold, he was standing beside his burnt offering, he and all the leaders of Moab.6And he returned unto him, and, lo, he stood by his burnt sacrifice, he, and all the princes of Moab.6So he returned to Balak, who was standing there by his burnt offering with all the officials of Moab.
7Then Balaam spoke his message: "Balak brought me from Aram, the king of Moab from the eastern mountains. 'Come,' he said, 'curse Jacob for me; come, denounce Israel.'7And Balaam took up his discourse and said, “From Aram Balak has brought me, the king of Moab from the eastern mountains: ‘Come, curse Jacob for me, and come, denounce Israel!’7He took up his discourse and said, "From Aram Balak has brought me, Moab's king from the mountains of the East, 'Come curse Jacob for me, And come, denounce 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.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!"
8How can I curse those whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce those whom the LORD has not denounced?8How can I curse whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce whom the LORD has not denounced?8"How shall I curse whom God has not cursed? And how can I denounce whom the LORD has not denounced?8How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the LORD hath not defied?8How can I curse someone God has not cursed? How can I denounce someone the LORD has not denounced?
9From the rocky peaks I see them, from the heights I view them. I see a people who live apart and do not consider themselves one of the nations.9For from the top of the crags I see him, from the hills I behold him; behold, a people dwelling alone, and not counting itself among the nations!9"As I see him from the top of the rocks, And I look at him from the hills; Behold, a people who dwells apart, And will not be reckoned 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.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.
NIVESVNASBKJVHCSB
10Who can count the dust of Jacob or number even a fourth of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and may my final end be like theirs!"10Who can count the dust of Jacob or number the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the upright, and let my end be like his!”10"Who can count the dust of Jacob, Or number the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the upright, And let my end be like his!"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!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."
11Balak said to Balaam, "What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies, but you have done nothing but bless them!"11And Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have done nothing but bless them.”11Then Balak said to Balaam, "What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, but behold, you have actually blessed them!"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.11What have you done to me?" Balak asked Balaam. "I brought you to curse my enemies, but look, you have only blessed them!"
12He answered, "Must I not speak what the LORD puts in my mouth?"12And he answered and said, “Must I not take care to speak what the LORD puts in my mouth?”12He replied, "Must I not be careful to speak 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?12He answered, "Shouldn't I say exactly what the LORD puts in my mouth?"

Balaam's Second Oracle

NIVESVNASBKJVHCSB
13Then Balak said to him, "Come with me to another place where you can see them; you will not see them all but only the outskirts of their camp. And from there, curse them for me."13And Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place, from which you may see them. You shall see only a fraction of them and shall not see them all. Then curse them for me from there.”13Then Balak said to him, "Please come with me to another place from where you may see them, although you will only see the extreme end of them and will not see all of them; and curse them for me from there."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.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 he took him to the field of Zophim on the top of Pisgah, and there he built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.14And he took him to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.14So he took him to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars and 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.14So Balak took him to Lookout Field on top of Pisgah, built seven altars, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
15Balaam said to Balak, "Stay here beside your offering while I meet with him over there."15Balaam said to Balak, “Stand here beside your burnt offering, while I meet the LORD over there.”15And he said to Balak, "Stand here beside your burnt offering while I myself meet the LORD over there."15And he said unto Balak, Stand here by thy burnt offering, while I meet the LORD yonder.15Balaam said to Balak, "Stay here by your burnt offering while I seek the LORD over there."
16The LORD met with Balaam and put a word in his mouth and said, "Go back to Balak and give him this word."16And the LORD met Balaam and put a word in his mouth and said, “Return to Balak, and thus shall you speak.”16Then the LORD met Balaam and put a word in his mouth and said, "Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak."16And the LORD met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Go again unto Balak, and say thus.16The LORD met with Balaam and put a message in his mouth. Then He said, "Return to Balak and say what I tell you."
NIVESVNASBKJVHCSB
17So he went to him and found him standing beside his offering, with the Moabite officials. Balak asked him, "What did the LORD say?"17And he came to him, and behold, he was standing beside his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said to him, “What has the LORD spoken?”17He came to him, and behold, he was standing beside his burnt offering, and the leaders of Moab with him. And Balak said to him, "What has the LORD spoken?"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?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?"
18Then he spoke his message: "Arise, Balak, and listen; hear me, son of Zippor.18And Balaam took up his discourse and said, “Rise, Balak, and hear; give ear to me, O son of Zippor:18Then he took up his discourse and said, "Arise, O Balak, and hear; Give ear to me, O son of Zippor!18And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor:18Balaam proclaimed his poem: Balak, get up and listen; son of Zippor, pay attention to what I say!
19God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?19God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?19"God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent; Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?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?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?
20I have received a command to bless; he has blessed, and I cannot change it.20Behold, I received a command to bless: he has blessed, and I cannot revoke it.20"Behold, I have received a command to bless; When He has blessed, then I cannot revoke it.20Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.20I have indeed received a command to bless; since He has blessed, I cannot change it.
21"No misfortune is seen in Jacob, no misery observed in Israel. The LORD their God is with them; the shout of the King is among them.21He has not beheld misfortune in Jacob, nor has he seen trouble in Israel. The LORD their God is with them, and the shout of a king is among them.21"He has not observed misfortune in Jacob; Nor has He seen trouble in Israel; The LORD his God is with him, And the shout 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.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.
NIVESVNASBKJVHCSB
22God brought them out of Egypt; they have the strength of a wild ox.22God brings them out of Egypt and is for them like the horns of the wild ox.22"God brings them out of Egypt, He is for them like the horns of the wild ox.22God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn.22God brought them out of Egypt; He is like the horns of a wild ox for them.
23There is no divination against Jacob, no evil omens against Israel. It will now be said of Jacob and of Israel, 'See what God has done!'23For there is no enchantment against Jacob, no divination against Israel; now it shall be said of Jacob and Israel, ‘What has God wrought!’23"For there is no omen against Jacob, Nor is there any divination against Israel; At the proper time it shall be said to Jacob And to Israel, what God has done!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!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!"
24The people rise like a lioness; they rouse themselves like a lion that does not rest till it devours its prey and drinks the blood of its victims."24Behold, a people! As a lioness it rises up and as a lion it lifts itself; it does not lie down until it has devoured the prey and drunk the blood of the slain.”24"Behold, a people rises like a lioness, And as a lion it lifts itself; It will not lie down until it devours the prey, And drinks 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.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, "Neither curse them at all nor bless them at all!"25And Balak said to Balaam, “Do not curse them at all, and do not bless them at all.”25Then Balak said to Balaam, "Do not curse them at all nor bless them at all!"25And Balak said unto Balaam, Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all.25Then Balak told Balaam, "Don't curse them and don't bless them!"
26Balaam answered, "Did I not tell you I must do whatever the LORD says?"26But Balaam answered Balak, “Did I not tell you, ‘All that the LORD says, that I must do’?”26But Balaam replied to Balak, "Did I not tell you, 'Whatever the LORD speaks, that I must do '?"26But Balaam answered and said unto Balak, Told not I thee, saying, All that the LORD speaketh, that I must do?26But Balaam answered him, "Didn't I tell you: Whatever the LORD says, I must do?"
NIVESVNASBKJVHCSB
27Then Balak said to Balaam, "Come, let me take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God to let you curse them for me from there."27And Balak said to Balaam, “Come now, I will take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God that you may curse them for me from there.”27Then Balak said to Balaam, "Please come, I will take you to another place; perhaps it will be agreeable with God that 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.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."
28And Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, overlooking the wasteland.28So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, which overlooks the desert.28So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor which overlooks the wasteland.28And Balak brought Balaam unto the top of Peor, that looketh toward Jeshimon.28So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, which overlooks the wasteland.
29Balaam said, "Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me."29And Balaam said to Balak, “Build for me here seven altars and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams.”29Balaam said to Balak, "Build seven altars for me here and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me here."29And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams.29Balaam told Balak, "Build me seven altars here and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me."
30Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.30And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.30Balak did just as Balaam had said, and offered up 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.30So Balak did as Balaam said and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.



THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica®.

ESV® Text Edition® (2016): The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles.

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960 - 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers.

King James Bible Text courtesy of BibleProtector.com

Section Headings Courtesy INT Bible © 2012, Used by Permission.

Bible Hub
Numbers 22
Top of Page
Top of Page