Numbers

Tells about the Israelites' 40 years in the desert, including their travels and the census of their tribes.

Chapter 23

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

*Balaam asked Balak to build seven altars and get seven oxen and seven rams ready at that place.

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

*Balak followed what Balaam said, and both of them sacrificed a bull and a ram on each altar.

3 And 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 told Balak to stay near his burned offering while he went away. He hoped that God would speak to him, and then he would share God's message with Balak. After this, Balaam went to a high place.

4 And 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 encountered Balaam and told him that he had set up seven altars, offering a bull and a ram on each one.

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

*And God told Balaam what to say, and said, Go back to Balak and say this.

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

*He went back to him, and there he was, standing by his burned offering. He was with all the leaders of Moab.

7 And 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.

*He told a story about how King Balak from Moab asked him to come from the eastern mountains of Aram to curse Jacob (also known as Israel).

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

*How can I curse someone God hasn't cursed? Or how can I defy someone the Lord hasn't defied?

9 For 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.

*From high rocks and hills, I can see him. People will live separately and won't be part of other nations.

10 Who 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!

*Who can count all the dust from Jacob's people, and the fourth part of Israel? May I die like a righteous person, and have a similar ending!

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.

*Balak asked Balaam, "What happened? I hired you to curse my enemies, but instead, you blessed them all."

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

*He replied, "Don't I need to carefully say what the Lord has told me to say?"

13 And 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 asked him to come to a different location where he could see some, but not all, of the people. Then, Balak wanted him to curse those people from that spot.

14 And 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.

*He took him to a place called Zophim's field, up to Pisgah's peak. There, he made seven altars and sacrificed one cow and one sheep on each altar.

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

*He told Balak to stand next to his burned offering while he went to talk to God over there.

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

*And God encountered Balaam, giving him words to speak, and instructed, "Go back to Balak and say this."

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, What hath the LORD spoken?

*When he arrived, he was next to the burned sacrifice, along with the leaders of Moab. Then Balak asked him, "What did the Lord say?"

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

*And he continued his story, saying, "Wake up, Balak. Listen to me, you son of Zippor."

19 God 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 isn't a person who can deceive; he won't change his mind like a human. If God promises something, he will keep it; if he says something, he will fulfill it.

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

*Look, I've been given the order to give blessings: and he has blessed; I can't change that.

21 He 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.

*God has not seen wickedness in Jacob or crookedness in Israel. He is with them, and the cry of a king is among them.

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

*God took them from Egypt; he has the power of a strong unicorn.

23 Surely 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!

*There is no magic or fortune-telling that can harm Jacob or Israel. During this time, people will say about Jacob and Israel, "What amazing things has God done!"

24 Behold, 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, the people will stand up like a big lion, and act proud like a young lion. They won't rest until they get their food by defeating their enemies, and drink the blood of those who have been defeated.

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

*Balak told Balaam, "Don't curse them or bless them."

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

*But Balaam replied, "Didn't I tell you that I can only do what the Lord commands?"

27 And 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 asked Balaam to come with him to a different place, hoping that maybe God would let Balaam curse his enemies from there.

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

*Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, which looks towards Jeshimon.

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

*Balaam asked Balak to build seven altars and get seven bulls and seven sheep ready at that place.

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

*Balak followed Balaam's instructions and sacrificed a cow and a sheep on each altar.

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