(KJV) Numbers 23¹

⥃Balaam’s First Oracle

[1] And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me² here seven altars³, and prepare me here seven oxen⁴ and seven rams. [2] And Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered⁵ on [every] altar a bullock and a ram. [3] And Balaam said unto Balak, Stand⁶ by thy burnt⁷ offering, and I will go: peradventure⁸ the Lord will come to meet me: and whatsoever he sheweth me I will tell thee. And he went to an high place⁹. [4] And God¹⁰ met Balaam: and he said unto him, I have prepared¹¹ seven altars, and I have offered upon [every] altar a bullock and a ram. [5] And the Lord put a word in Balaam’s mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus thou shalt speak.¹² [6] And he returned unto him, and, lo, he stood by his burnt sacrifice, he, and all the princes of Moab.¹³ [7] And he took¹⁴ up his parable¹⁵, and said, Balak the king of Moab hath brought me from Aram¹⁶, out of the mountains of the east, [saying], Come¹⁷, curse me Jacob, and come, defy Israel¹⁸. [8] How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, [whom] the Lord hath not defied?¹⁹ [9] For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him: lo, the people²⁰ shall dwell alone²¹, and shall not²² be reckoned among the nations. [10] Who can count²³ the dust²⁴ of Jacob, and the number of the fourth²⁵ [part] of Israel? Let me²⁶ die the death²⁷ of the righteous, and let my last end be like his! [11] And Balak said unto Balaam, What hast thou done unto me? I took thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast blessed [them] altogether.²⁸ [12] And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the Lord hath put in my mouth?²⁹

⥃Balaam’s Second Oracle

[13] And Balak said unto³⁰ him, Come, I pray thee, with me unto another place, from whence thou mayest see them: thou shalt see but the utmost³¹ part of them, and shalt not see them all: and curse me³² them from thence.

[14] [¶]And he brought him into the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah³³, and built seven³⁴ altars, and offered a bullock and a ram on [every] altar. [15] And he said unto Balak, Stand here by thy burnt offering, while I meet [the Lord] yonder.³⁵ [16] And the Lord met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Go again unto Balak, and say thus.³⁶ [17] And when he came to him, behold, he stood by his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said unto him, What³⁷ hath the Lord spoken? [18] And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up³⁸, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor: [19] God³⁹ [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 he⁴⁰ spoken, and shall he not make it good? [20] Behold, I have received [commandment] to bless: and he hath⁴¹ blessed; and I cannot⁴² reverse it. [21] He hath not⁴³ beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the Lord⁴⁴ his God [is] with him, and the shout⁴⁵ of a king [is] among them. [22] God⁴⁶ brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength⁴⁷ of an unicorn⁴⁸. [23] Surely [there is] no enchantment⁴⁹ against⁵⁰ Jacob, neither [is there] any divination against Israel: according⁵¹ to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath⁵² God wrought! [24] Behold, the people shall rise up as a great⁵³ lion, and lift up himself as a young lion: he shall⁵⁴ not lie down until he eat [of] the prey, and drink the blood of the slain.

[25] [¶]And Balak said unto Balaam, Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all.⁵⁵ [26] But Balaam answered and said unto Balak, Told not I thee, saying, All that the Lord speaketh, that I must do?⁵⁶

[27] [¶]And Balak said unto Balaam, Come⁵⁷, I pray thee, I will bring thee unto another place; peradventure⁵⁸ it will please God that thou mayest curse me them from thence. [28] And Balak brought Balaam unto the top of Peor, that looketh toward Jeshimon⁵⁹. [29] And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams.⁶⁰ [30] And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bullock and a ram on [every] altar.