(39) Balaam went with Balak and they came to Kiriath-huzoth. (40) Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep, and had them served to Balaam and the dignitaries with him. (41) In the morning Balak took Balaam up to Bamoth-baal. From there he could see a portion of the people. (1) Balaam said to Balak, “Build me seven altars here and have seven bulls and seven rams ready here for me.” (2) Balak did as Balaam directed; and Balak and Balaam offered up a bull and a ram on each altar. (3) Then Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here beside your offerings while I am gone. Perhaps יהוה will grant me a manifestation, and whatever is revealed to me I will tell you.” And he went off alone. (4) God became manifest to Balaam, who stated, “I have set up the seven altars and offered up a bull and a ram on each altar.” (5) And יהוה put a word in Balaam’s mouth and said, “Return to Balak and speak thus.”

(6) So he returned to him and found him standing beside his offerings, and all the Moabite dignitaries with him. (7) He took up his theme, and said: From Aram has Balak brought me, Moab’s king from the hills of the East: Come, curse me Jacob, Come, tell Israel’s doom! (8) How can I damn whom God has not damned, How doom when יהוה has not doomed? (9) As I see them from the mountain tops, Gaze on them from the heights, There is a people that dwells apart, Not reckoned among the nations, (10) Who can count the dust of Jacob, Number the dust-cloud of Israel? May I die the death of the upright, May my fate be like theirs! (11) Then Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? Here I brought you to damn my enemies, and instead you have blessed them!” (12) He replied, “I can only repeat faithfully what יהוה puts in my mouth.”

(13) Then Balak said to him, “Come with me to another place from which you can see them—you will see only a portion of them; you will not see all of them—and damn them for me from there.” (14) With that, he took him to Sedehzophim, on the summit of Pisgah. He built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar. (15) And [Balaam] said to Balak, “Stay here beside your offerings, while I seek a manifestation yonder.” (16)יהוה became manifest to Balaam and put a word in his mouth, saying, “Return to Balak and speak thus.” (17) He went to him and found him standing beside his offerings, and the Moabite dignitaries with him. Balak asked him, “What did יהוה say?” (18) And he took up his theme, and said: Up, Balak, attend, Give ear unto me, son of Zippor! (19) God is not human to be capricious, Or mortal to have a change of heart. Would [God] speak and not act, Promise and not fulfill? (20) My message was to bless: When [God] blesses, I cannot reverse it. (21) No harm is in sight for Jacob, No woe in view for Israel. Their God יהוה is with them, And their King’s acclaim in their midst. (22) God who freed them from Egypt Is for them like the horns of the wild ox. (23) Lo, there is no augury in Jacob, No divining in Israel: Jacob is told at once, Yea Israel, what God has planned. (24) Lo, a people that rises like a lioness, Leaps up like a lion, Rests not till it has feasted on prey And drunk the blood of the slain. (25) Thereupon Balak said to Balaam, “Don’t curse them and don’t bless them!” (26) In reply, Balaam said to Balak, “But I told you: Whatever יהוה says, that I must do.”

(27) Then Balak said to Balaam, “Come now, I will take you to another place. Perhaps God will deem it right that you damn them for me there.” (28) Balak took Balaam to the peak of Peor, which overlooks the wasteland. (29) Balaam said to Balak, “Build me here seven altars, and have seven bulls and seven rams ready for me here.” (30) Balak did as Balaam said: he offered up a bull and a ram on each altar.

(1) Now Balaam, seeing that it pleased יהוה to bless Israel, did not, as on previous occasions, go in search of omens, but turned his face toward the wilderness. (2) As Balaam looked up and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the spirit of God came upon him. (3) Taking up his theme, he said: Word of Balaam son of Beor, Word of the man whose eye is true, (4) Word of one who hears God’s speech, Who beholds visions from the Almighty, Prostrate, but with eyes unveiled: (5) How fair are your tents, O Jacob, Your dwellings, O Israel! (6) Like palm-groves that stretch out, Like gardens beside a river, Like aloes planted by יהוה, Like cedars beside the water; (7) Their boughs drip with moisture, Their roots have abundant water. Their ruler shall rise above Agag, Their sovereignty shall be exalted. (8) God who freed them from Egypt Is for them like the horns of the wild ox. They shall devour enemy nations, Crush their bones, And smash their arrows. (9) They crouch, they lie down like a lion, Like a lioness; who dares rouse them? Blessed are they who bless you, Accursed they who curse you! (10) Enraged at Balaam, Balak struck his hands together. “I called you,” Balak said to Balaam, “to damn my enemies, and instead you have blessed them these three times! (11) Back with you at once to your own place! I was going to reward you richly, but יהוה has denied you the reward.” (12) Balaam replied to Balak, “But I even told the messengers you sent to me, (13) ‘Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not of my own accord do anything good or bad contrary to יהוה’s command. What יהוה says, that I must say.’

(14) And now, as I go back to my people, let me inform you of what this people will do to your people in days to come.” (15) He took up his theme, and said: Word of Balaam son of Beor, Word of the man whose eye is true, (16) Word of one who hears God’s speech, Who obtains knowledge from the Most High, And beholds visions from the Almighty, Prostrate, but with eyes unveiled: (17) What I see for them is not yet, What I behold will not be soon: A star rises from Jacob, A scepter comes forth from Israel; It smashes the brow of Moab, The foundation of all children of Seth. (18) Edom becomes a possession, Yea, Seir a possession of its enemies; But Israel is triumphant. (19) A victor issues from Jacob To wipe out what is left of Ir. (20) He saw Amalek and, taking up his theme, he said: A leading nation is Amalek; But its fate is to perish forever. (21) He saw the Kenites and, taking up his theme, he said: Though your abode be secure, And your nest be set among cliffs, (22) Yet shall Kain be consumed, When Asshur takes you captive. (23) He took up his theme and said: Alas, who can survive except God has willed it! (24) Ships come from the quarter of Kittim; They subject Asshur, subject Eber. They, too, shall perish forever. (25) Then Balaam set out on his journey back home; and Balak also went his way.

(1) While Israel was staying at Shittim, the menfolk profaned themselves by whoring with the Moabite women, (2) who invited the menfolk to the sacrifices for their god. The menfolk partook of them and worshiped that god. (3) Thus Israel attached itself to Baal-peor, and יהוה was incensed with Israel. (4)יהוה said to Moses, “Take all the ringleaders and have them publicly impaled before יהוה, so that יהוה’s wrath may turn away from Israel.” (5) So Moses said to Israel’s officials, “Each of you slay those of his men who attached themselves to Baal-peor.” (6) Just then a certain Israelite man came and brought a Midianite woman over to his companions, in the sight of Moses and of the whole Israelite community who were weeping at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. (7) When Phinehas, son of Eleazar son of Aaron the priest, saw this, he left the assembly and, taking a spear in his hand, (8) he followed the Israelite man into the chamber and stabbed both of them, the Israelite man and the woman, through the belly. Then the plague against the Israelites was checked. (9) Those who died of the plague numbered twenty-four thousand.

(7) When Phinehas, son of Eleazar son of Aaron the priest, saw this, he left the assembly and, taking a spear in his hand, (8) he followed the Israelite man into the chamber and stabbed both of them, the Israelite man and the woman, through the belly. Then the plague against the Israelites was checked. (9) Those who died of the plague numbered twenty-four thousand.

(6)The remnant of Jacob shall be,In the midst of the many peoples,Like dew from GOD, Like droplets on grass—Which do not look to anybodyNor place their hope in mortals.(7)The remnant of JacobShall be among the nations,In the midst of the many peoples,Like a lion among beasts of the wild,Like a fierce lion among flocks of sheep,Which tramples wherever it goesAnd rends, with none to deliver.(8)Your hand shall prevail over your foes,And all your enemies shall be cut down!(9)In that day—declares GOD— I will destroy the horses in your midstAnd wreck your chariots.(10)I will destroy the cities of your landAnd demolish all your fortresses.(11)I will destroy the sorcery you practice,And you shall have no more soothsayers.(12)I will destroy your idolsAnd the sacred pillars in your midst;And no more shall you bow downTo the work of your hands.(13)I will tear down the sacred posts in your midst And destroy your cities.(14)In anger and wrathWill I wreak retributionOn the nations that have not obeyed. (1)Hear what GOD is saying: Come, present [My] case before the mountains,And let the hills hear you pleading.(2)Hear, you mountains, GOD’s case— You firm foundations of the earth! For GOD has a case against this covenanted people— A suit against Israel.(3)“My people!What wrong have I done you?What hardship have I caused you?Testify against Me.(4)In fact,I brought you up from the land of Egypt,I redeemed you from the house of bondage,And I sent before youMoses, Aaron, and Miriam.(5)“My people,Remember what Balak king of MoabPlotted against you,And how Balaam son of BeorResponded to him.[Recall your passage]From Shittim to Gilgal— And you will recognizeGOD’s gracious acts.”(6)With what shall I approach GOD, Do homage to God on high?Shall I approach with burnt offerings,With calves a year old?(7)Would GOD be pleased with thousands of rams, With myriads of streams of oil?Shall I give my first-born for my transgression,The fruit of my body for my sins?(8)“You have been told, O mortal, what is good,And what GOD requires of you: Only to do justiceAnd to love goodness,And to walk modestly with your God;