Balak

2And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.

Balak was the son of Zippor. He saw everything Israel had done to the Amorites.

3And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel.

Moab was very afraid of these people, because there were so many. The people of Moab were full of worry about Israel.

4And Moab said unto the elders of Midian, Now shall this company lick up all that are round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time.

Moab said to the leaders of Midian, "This big crowd will eat up everything around us. They will be like an ox eating grass in a field." Balak son of Zippor was the king of Moab then.

5He sent messengers therefore unto Balaam the son of Beor to Pethor, which is by the river of the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide over against me:

So Balak sent messengers to a man named Balaam son of Beor. Balaam lived in Pethor, by the great river, in his own homeland. Balak said, "A people has come out of Egypt. They cover the whole land. They are camped right next to me."

6Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me: peradventure I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land: for I wot that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed.

"Please come and curse these people for me. To curse means to ask for bad things to happen to them. They are too strong for me. Maybe then I can beat them and push them out of the land. I know that people you bless do well. People you curse do badly."

7And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came unto Balaam, and spake unto him the words of Balak.

The leaders of Moab and Midian left with money in their hands. It was payment for Balaam's work. They came to Balaam and told him what Balak had said.

8And he said unto them, Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the LORD shall speak unto me: and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam.

Balaam said, "Stay here tonight. I will tell you what the LORD says to me." So the leaders of Moab stayed with Balaam.

9And God came unto Balaam, and said, What men are these with thee?

Then God came to Balaam. God asked, "Who are these men with you?"

10And Balaam said unto God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent unto me, saying,

Balaam said to God, "Balak son of Zippor, the king of Moab, sent them to me. He sent this message:"

11Behold, there is a people come out of Egypt, which covereth the face of the earth: come now, curse me them; peradventure I shall be able to overcome them, and drive them out.

"'A people has come out of Egypt. They cover the whole land. Come and curse them for me. Maybe then I can fight them and push them away.'"

12And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed.

God said to Balaam, "Do not go with them. Do not curse those people. I have blessed them."

13And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said unto the princes of Balak, Get you into your land: for the LORD refuseth to give me leave to go with you.

Balaam got up the next morning. He said to Balak's leaders, "Go back home. The LORD will not let me go with you."

14And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went unto Balak, and said, Balaam refuseth to come with us.

So the leaders of Moab got up and went back to Balak. They said, "Balaam would not come with us."

15And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honourable than they.

Then Balak sent more leaders. This group was bigger and more important than the first.

16And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me:

They came to Balaam and said, "Balak son of Zippor says this: 'Please do not let anything stop you from coming to me.'"

17For I will promote thee unto very great honour, and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people.

"'I will pay you very well and give you great honor. I will do whatever you tell me. So please come and curse these people for me.'"

18And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more.

Balaam answered Balak's servants, "Balak could fill his house with silver and gold for me. Even then I could not go against what the LORD my God says. I cannot change it in any way, big or small."

19Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the LORD will say unto me more.

"But please stay here tonight too. Then I can find out what more the LORD will say to me."

20And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men come to call thee, rise up, and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do.

That night God came to Balaam. God said, "These men came to get you. So get up and go with them. But you must do only what I tell you."

21And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.

In the morning Balaam got up. He put a saddle on his donkey. Then he went with the leaders of Moab.

36And when Balak heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him unto a city of Moab, which is in the border of Arnon, which is in the utmost coast.

Balak heard that Balaam was coming. He went out to meet him at a Moabite town. The town was on the Arnon border, at the far edge of his land.

37And Balak said unto Balaam, Did I not earnestly send unto thee to call thee? wherefore camest thou not unto me? am I not able indeed to promote thee to honour?

Balak said to Balaam, "I sent for you again and again. Why did you not come? Did you think I could not pay you well?"

38And Balaam said unto Balak, Lo, I am come unto thee: have I now any power at all to say any thing? the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak.

Balaam said to Balak, "Look, I have come to you. But I cannot say whatever I want. I must speak only the words God puts in my mouth."

39And Balaam went with Balak, and they came unto Kirjathhuzoth.

So Balaam went with Balak. They came to a place called Kirjathhuzoth.

40And Balak offered oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes that were with him.

Balak killed cattle and sheep as gifts to his gods. He sent some of the meat to Balaam and to the leaders with him.

41And it came to pass on the morrow, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal, that thence he might see the utmost part of the people.

The next morning Balak took Balaam up to the high places of Baal. From there Balaam could see the edge of the camp of Israel.

1And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams.

Balaam was a man who spoke messages from God. He said to Balak, the king of Moab, "Build me seven altars here. An altar is a stone table for gifts to God. Also bring seven bulls and seven rams."

2And Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bullock and a ram.

Balak did what Balaam asked. On each altar the two men offered a bull and a ram. The animals were killed and burned as gifts to God.

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.

Balaam said to Balak, "Stay here beside your offering. I am going away for a while. Maybe the LORD will come and meet me. Whatever he shows me, I will tell you." Then Balaam went up to a bare hilltop.

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.

God met Balaam there. Balaam said to him, "I have set up seven altars. On each one I offered a bull and a ram."

5And the LORD put a word in Balaam’s mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus thou shalt speak.

The LORD gave Balaam the words to say. He told him, "Go back to Balak and speak these words."

6And he returned unto him, and, lo, he stood by his burnt sacrifice, he, and all the princes of Moab.

So Balaam went back to him. Balak was standing beside his burning gift. All the leaders of Moab stood there too.

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.

Then Balaam spoke his message out loud, like a poem: "Balak brought me here from Aram, from the mountains in the east. He said, 'Come and curse Jacob's family for me. Come and speak against Israel.' Jacob's family is another name for the people of Israel.

8How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the LORD hath not defied?

"But how can I curse people God has not cursed? How can I speak against people the LORD has not spoken against?

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.

"I see them from the top of the rocks. I watch them from the hills. They are a people who live on their own. They are not counted with the other nations.

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!

"Jacob's people are like dust on the ground. Who could ever count them? Who could count even one fourth of Israel? I wish I could die the way good people die. I wish my end could be like theirs."

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.

Balak said to Balaam, "What have you done to me? I brought you here to curse my enemies. Instead you have only blessed them!"

12And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD hath put in my mouth?

Balaam answered, "I must be careful to say only what the LORD gives me to say."

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.

Balak said to him, "Please come with me to a different place. From there you will see only the edge of their camp. You will not see all of them. Curse them for me from there."

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.

So Balak took him to the field of Zophim, on top of Mount Pisgah. There he built seven altars. He offered a bull and a ram on each one.

15And he said unto Balak, Stand here by thy burnt offering, while I meet the LORD yonder.

Balaam said to Balak, "Stay here beside your burning gift. I will go over there to meet the LORD."

16And the LORD met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Go again unto Balak, and say thus.

The LORD met Balaam and gave him words to say. He told him, "Go back to Balak and speak these words."

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?

Balaam came back to him. Balak was standing beside his burning gift, with the leaders of Moab. Balak asked him, "What did the LORD say?"

18And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor:

Then Balaam spoke his message out loud: "Stand up, Balak, and listen. Hear what I say, son of Zippor.

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?

"God is not a person, so he does not lie. He is not a human, so he does not change his mind. When he says something, does he not do it? When he promises, does he not keep it?

20Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.

"I was told to bless these people. God has blessed them. I cannot turn that around.

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.

"He has not seen wrong in Jacob's people. He has not seen trouble in Israel. The LORD their God is with them. They shout out loud for their king.

22God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn.

"God brought them out of Egypt. They are as strong as a wild ox.

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!

"No magic spell can work against Jacob. No fortune telling can harm Israel. Now people will say about Jacob and Israel, 'Look what God has done!'

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.

"Look, these people get up like a great lion. They rise up like a young lion. A lion does not lie down until it has eaten. It drinks the blood of the animals it has killed."

25And Balak said unto Balaam, Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all.

Balak said to Balaam, "Then do not curse them at all. But do not bless them either!"

26But Balaam answered and said unto Balak, Told not I thee, saying, All that the LORD speaketh, that I must do?

Balaam answered Balak, "I already told you. I must do whatever the LORD says."

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.

Balak said to Balaam, "Please come with me. I will take you to another place. Maybe God will be willing to let you curse them from there."

28And Balak brought Balaam unto the top of Peor, that looketh toward Jeshimon.

So Balak took Balaam to the top of Mount Peor. From there they could look out over the empty desert.

29And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams.

Balaam said to Balak, "Build me seven altars here. Get seven bulls and seven rams ready for me."

30And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar.

Balak did what Balaam said. He offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

1And when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he went not, as at other times, to seek for enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness.

Balaam saw that the LORD wanted to bless Israel. So this time he did not go looking for magic signs. He turned and looked out toward the dry, empty land.

2And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel abiding in his tents according to their tribes; and the spirit of God came upon him.

Balaam looked up and saw Israel camped below. Each family group had its own place. Then the Spirit of God came on him.

3And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:

He began to speak the message God gave him. He said, "This is what Balaam son of Beor says. This is what the man with open eyes says."

4He hath said, which heard the words of God, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:

"He heard the words of God. He saw a picture that God Most Powerful showed him. He bowed low, and his eyes were wide open."

5How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel!

"Jacob, your tents look so good. Israel, your homes are lovely." Jacob and Israel are both names for these people.

6As the valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the river’s side, as the trees of lign aloes which the LORD hath planted, and as cedar trees beside the waters.

"They spread out like green valleys. They are like gardens beside a stream. They are like sweet-smelling aloe trees the LORD planted. They are like tall cedar trees by the water."

7He shall pour the water out of his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters, and his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted.

"Water will pour out of his buckets. His children will have plenty of water. His king will be greater than King Agag. His kingdom will be lifted high."

8God brought him forth out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn: he shall eat up the nations his enemies, and shall break their bones, and pierce them through with his arrows.

"God brought them out of Egypt. They are strong like a wild ox. They will win against the nations who fight them. They will break their bones and shoot them with arrows."

9He couched, he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion: who shall stir him up? Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee.

"He crouches down. He lies down like a lion. He is like a mother lion. Who would dare wake him up? Anyone who blesses you will be blessed. Anyone who curses you will be cursed."

10And Balak’s anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together: and Balak said unto Balaam, I called thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast altogether blessed them these three times.

Balak got very angry at Balaam. He clapped his hands together hard. He said, "I called you here to curse my enemies. Instead you have blessed them three times!"

11Therefore now flee thou to thy place: I thought to promote thee unto great honour; but, lo, the LORD hath kept thee back from honour.

"Go home, right now! I planned to make you rich and important. But the LORD has kept that reward away from you."

12And Balaam said unto Balak, Spake I not also to thy messengers which thou sentest unto me, saying,

Balaam said to Balak, "I already said this to the men you sent to me."

13If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the LORD, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; but what the LORD saith, that will I speak?

"I said that even if Balak gave me his house full of silver and gold, I still could not do as I please. I cannot go past what the LORD tells me, for good or for bad. I will say only what the LORD says."

14And now, behold, I go unto my people: come therefore, and I will advertise thee what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days.

"Now I am going back to my own people. But first, let me tell you something. I will tell you what these people will do to your people in days to come."

15And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:

Then he spoke the message God gave him. He said, "This is what Balaam son of Beor says. This is what the man with open eyes says."

16He hath said, which heard the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the most High, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:

"He heard the words of God. He knows what God Most High has taught him. He saw a picture that God Most Powerful showed him. He bowed low, and his eyes were wide open."

17I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.

"I see him, but not now. I see him, but he is not close yet. A star will come out of Jacob. A king will rise up out of Israel. He will crush the heads of Moab. He will strike down all the people of Sheth."

18And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly.

"The land of Edom will be taken over. The land of Seir will be taken too. Israel will be strong and brave."

19Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city.

"A ruler will come from Jacob's family. He will destroy whoever is left in the city."

20And when he looked on Amalek, he took up his parable, and said, Amalek was the first of the nations; but his latter end shall be that he perish for ever.

Then Balaam looked at the people of Amalek. He spoke this message: "Amalek was the first of the nations. But in the end Amalek will be gone forever."

21And he looked on the Kenites, and took up his parable, and said, Strong is thy dwellingplace, and thou puttest thy nest in a rock.

Then he looked at the Kenite people. He spoke this message: "Your home is safe and strong. You built your nest up in the rocks."

22Nevertheless the Kenite shall be wasted, until Asshur shall carry thee away captive.

"Even so, the Kenites will be ruined. Asshur will come and take you away as prisoners."

23And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God doeth this!

Then he spoke this message: "Oh, who will still be alive when God does this?"

24And ships shall come from the coast of Chittim, and shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber, and he also shall perish for ever.

"Ships will come from the shore of Chittim. They will hurt Asshur. They will hurt Eber too. But those ships and their people will also be gone forever."

25And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place: and Balak also went his way.

Then Balaam got up and went back home. Balak went on his way too.