Numbers 23 בְּמִדְבַּר

Hebrew · transliteration · JPS 1917

¹וַיֹּ֤אמֶר בִּלְעָם֙ אֶל־בָּלָ֔ק בְּנֵה־לִ֥י בָזֶ֖ה שִׁבְעָ֣ה מִזְבְּחֹ֑ת וְהָכֵ֥ן לִי֙ בָּזֶ֔ה שִׁבְעָ֥ה פָרִ֖ים וְשִׁבְעָ֥ה אֵילִֽים׃

vayyomer bil'am el-balak bene-li vaze shiv'a mizbechot vehakhen li baze shiv'a farim veshiv'a elim

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

²וַיַּ֣עַשׂ בָּלָ֔ק כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר דִּבֶּ֣ר בִּלְעָ֑ם וַיַּ֨עַל בָּלָ֧ק וּבִלְעָ֛ם פָּ֥ר וָאַ֖יִל בַּמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃

vayya'as balak ka'asher dibber bil'am vayya'al balak uvil'am par va'ayil bammizbeach

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

³וַיֹּ֨אמֶר בִּלְעָ֜ם לְבָלָ֗ק הִתְיַצֵּב֮ עַל־עֹלָתֶךָ֒ וְאֵֽלְכָ֗ה אוּלַ֞י יִקָּרֵ֤ה יְהוָה֙ לִקְרָאתִ֔י וּדְבַ֥ר מַה־יַּרְאֵ֖נִי וְהִגַּ֣דְתִּי לָ֑ךְ וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ שֶֽׁפִי׃

vayyomer bil'am levalak hityatzev al-olatekha ve'elkha ulay yikkare ADONAI likrati udevar ma-yar'eni vehiggadti lakh vayyelekh shefi

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 showeth me I will tell thee.’ And he went to a bare height.

⁴וַיִּקָּ֥ר אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶל־בִּלְעָ֑ם וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֗יו אֶת־שִׁבְעַ֤ת הַֽמִּזְבְּחֹת֙ עָרַ֔כְתִּי וָאַ֛עַל פָּ֥ר וָאַ֖יִל בַּמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃

vayyikkar elohim el-bil'am vayyomer elav et-shiv'at hammizbechot arakhti va'a'al par va'ayil bammizbeach

And God met Balaam; and he said unto Him: ‘I have prepared the seven altars, and I have offered up a bullock and a ram on every altar.’

⁵וַיָּ֧שֶׂם יְהוָ֛ה דָּבָ֖ר בְּפִ֣י בִלְעָ֑ם וַיֹּ֛אמֶר שׁ֥וּב אֶל־בָּלָ֖ק וְכֹ֥ה תְדַבֵּֽר׃

vayyasem ADONAI davar befi vil'am vayyomer shuv el-balak vekho tedabber

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

⁶וַיָּ֣שָׁב אֵלָ֔יו וְהִנֵּ֥ה נִצָּ֖ב עַל־עֹלָת֑וֹ ה֖וּא וְכָל־שָׂרֵ֥י מוֹאָֽב׃

vayyashav elav vehinne nitzav al-olato hu vekhal-sare mo'av

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

⁷וַיִּשָּׂ֥א מְשָׁל֖וֹ וַיֹּאמַ֑ר מִן־אֲ֠רָם יַנְחֵ֨נִי בָלָ֤ק מֶֽלֶךְ־מוֹאָב֙ מֵֽהַרְרֵי־קֶ֔דֶם לְכָה֙ אָֽרָה־לִּ֣י יַעֲקֹ֔ב וּלְכָ֖ה זֹעֲמָ֥ה יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

vayyissa meshalo vayyomar min-aram yancheni valak melekh-mo'av meharre-kedem lekha ara-li ya'akov ulekha zo'ama yisra'el

And he took up his parable, and said: From Aram Balak bringeth me, The king of Moab from the mountains of the East: ‘Come, curse me Jacob, And come, execrate Israel.’

⁸מָ֣ה אֶקֹּ֔ב לֹ֥א קַבֹּ֖ה אֵ֑ל וּמָ֣ה אֶזְעֹ֔ם לֹ֥א זָעַ֖ם יְהוָֽה׃

ma ekkov lo kabbo el uma ez'om lo za'am ADONAI

How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? And how shall I execrate, whom the LORD hath not execrated?

⁹כִּֽי־מֵרֹ֤אשׁ צֻרִים֙ אֶרְאֶ֔נּוּ וּמִגְּבָע֖וֹת אֲשׁוּרֶ֑נּוּ הֶן־עָם֙ לְבָדָ֣ד יִשְׁכֹּ֔ן וּבַגּוֹיִ֖ם לֹ֥א יִתְחַשָּֽׁב׃

ki-merosh tzurim er'ennu umiggeva'ot ashurennu hen-am levadad yishkon uvaggoyim lo yitchashav

For from the top of the rocks I see him, And from the hills I behold him: Lo, it is a people that shall dwell alone, And shall not be reckoned among the nations.

¹⁰מִ֤י מָנָה֙ עֲפַ֣ר יַעֲקֹ֔ב וּמִסְפָּ֖ר אֶת־רֹ֣בַע יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל תָּמֹ֤ת נַפְשִׁי֙ מ֣וֹת יְשָׁרִ֔ים וּתְהִ֥י אַחֲרִיתִ֖י כָּמֹֽהוּ׃

mi mana afar ya'akov umispar et-rova' yisra'el tamot nafshi mot yesharim utehi achariti kamohu

Who hath counted the dust of Jacob, Or numbered the stock of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, And let mine end be like his!

¹¹וַיֹּ֤אמֶר בָּלָק֙ אֶל־בִּלְעָ֔ם מֶ֥ה עָשִׂ֖יתָ לִ֑י לָקֹ֤ב אֹיְבַי֙ לְקַחְתִּ֔יךָ וְהִנֵּ֖ה בֵּרַ֥כְתָּ בָרֵֽךְ׃

vayyomer balak el-bil'am me asita li lakov oyvay lekachtikha vehinne berakhta varekh

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.’

¹²וַיַּ֖עַן וַיֹּאמַ֑ר הֲלֹ֗א אֵת֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יָשִׂ֤ים יְהוָה֙ בְּפִ֔י אֹת֥וֹ אֶשְׁמֹ֖ר לְדַבֵּֽר׃

vayya'an vayyomar halo et asher yasim ADONAI befi oto eshmor ledabber

And he answered and said: ‘Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD putteth in my mouth?’

¹³וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֵלָ֜יו בָּלָ֗ק לך [לְכָה]־נָּ֨א אִתִּ֜י אֶל־מָק֤וֹם אַחֵר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּרְאֶ֣נּוּ מִשָּׁ֔ם אֶ֚פֶס קָצֵ֣הוּ תִרְאֶ֔ה וְכֻלּ֖וֹ לֹ֣א תִרְאֶ֑ה וְקָבְנוֹ־לִ֖י מִשָּֽׁם׃

vayyomer elav balak lekha-na itti el-makom acher asher tir'ennu misham efes katzehu tir'e vekhullo lo tir'e vekavno-li misham

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.’

¹⁴וַיִּקָּחֵ֨הוּ֙ שְׂדֵ֣ה צֹפִ֔ים אֶל־רֹ֖אשׁ הַפִּסְגָּ֑ה וַיִּ֨בֶן֙ שִׁבְעָ֣ה מִזְבְּחֹ֔ת וַיַּ֛עַל פָּ֥ר וָאַ֖יִל בַּמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃

vayyikkachehu sede tzofim el-rosh happisga vayyiven shiv'a mizbechot vayya'al par va'ayil bammizbeach

And he took him into the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered up a bullock and a ram on every altar.

¹⁵וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ אֶל־בָּלָ֔ק הִתְיַצֵּ֥ב כֹּ֖ה עַל־עֹלָתֶ֑ךָ וְאָנֹכִ֖י אִקָּ֥רֶה כֹּֽה׃

vayyomer el-balak hityatzev ko al-olatekha ve'anokhi ikkare ko

And he said unto Balak: ‘Stand here by thy burnt-offering, while I go toward a meeting yonder.’

¹⁶וַיִּקָּ֤ר יְהוָה֙ אֶל־בִּלְעָ֔ם וַיָּ֥שֶׂם דָּבָ֖ר בְּפִ֑יו וַיֹּ֛אמֶר שׁ֥וּב אֶל־בָּלָ֖ק וְכֹ֥ה תְדַבֵּֽר׃

vayyikkar ADONAI el-bil'am vayyasem davar befiv vayyomer shuv el-balak vekho tedabber

And the LORD met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said: ‘Return unto Balak, and thus shalt thou speak.’

¹⁷וַיָּבֹ֣א אֵלָ֗יו וְהִנּ֤וֹ נִצָּב֙ עַל־עֹ֣לָת֔וֹ וְשָׂרֵ֥י מוֹאָ֖ב אִתּ֑וֹ וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לוֹ֙ בָּלָ֔ק מַה־דִּבֶּ֖ר יְהוָֽה׃

vayyavo elav vehinno nitzav al-olato vesare mo'av itto vayyomer lo balak ma-dibber ADONAI

And he came to him, and, lo, he stood by his burnt-offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said unto him: ‘What hath the LORD spoken?’

¹⁸וַיִּשָּׂ֥א מְשָׁל֖וֹ וַיֹּאמַ֑ר ק֤וּם בָּלָק֙ וּֽשֲׁמָ֔ע הַאֲזִ֥ינָה עָדַ֖י בְּנ֥וֹ צִפֹּֽר׃

vayyissa meshalo vayyomar kum balak ushama' ha'azina aday beno tzippor

And he took up his parable, and said: Arise, Balak, and hear; Give ear unto me, thou son of Zippor:

¹⁹לֹ֣א אִ֥ישׁ אֵל֙ וִֽיכַזֵּ֔ב וּבֶן־אָדָ֖ם וְיִתְנֶחָ֑ם הַה֤וּא אָמַר֙ וְלֹ֣א יַעֲשֶׂ֔ה וְדִבֶּ֖ר וְלֹ֥א יְקִימֶֽנָּה׃

lo ish el vikhazzev uven-adam veyitnecham hahu amar velo ya'ase vedibber velo yekimenna

God is not a man, that He should lie; Neither the son of man, that He should repent: When He hath said, will He not do it? Or when He hath spoken, will He not make it good?

²⁰הִנֵּ֥ה בָרֵ֖ךְ לָקָ֑חְתִּי וּבֵרֵ֖ךְ וְלֹ֥א אֲשִׁיבֶֽנָּה׃

hinne varekh lakachti uverekh velo ashivenna

Behold, I am bidden to bless; And when He hath blessed, I cannot call it back.

²¹לֹֽא־הִבִּ֥יט אָ֨וֶן֙ בְּיַעֲקֹ֔ב וְלֹא־רָאָ֥ה עָמָ֖ל בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהָיו֙ עִמּ֔וֹ וּתְרוּעַ֥ת מֶ֖לֶךְ בּֽוֹ׃

lo-hibbit aven beya'akov velo-ra'a amal beyisra'el ADONAI elohav immo uteru'at melekh bo

None hath beheld iniquity in Jacob, Neither hath one seen perverseness in Israel; The LORD his God is with him, And the shouting for the King is among them.

²²אֵ֖ל מוֹצִיאָ֣ם מִמִּצְרָ֑יִם כְּתוֹעֲפֹ֥ת רְאֵ֖ם לֽוֹ׃

el motzi'am mimmitzrayim keto'afot re'em lo

God who brought them forth out of Egypt Is for them like the lofty horns of the wild-ox.

²³כִּ֤י לֹא־נַ֨חַשׁ֙ בְּיַעֲקֹ֔ב וְלֹא־קֶ֖סֶם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כָּעֵ֗ת יֵאָמֵ֤ר לְיַעֲקֹב֙ וּלְיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מַה־פָּ֖עַל אֵֽל׃

ki lo-nachash beya'akov velo-kesem beyisra'el ka'et ye'amer leya'akov uleyisra'el ma-pa'al el

For there is no enchantment with Jacob, Neither is there any divination with Israel; Now is it said of Jacob and of Israel: ‘What hath God wrought! ’

²⁴הֶן־עָם֙ כְּלָבִ֣יא יָק֔וּם וְכַאֲרִ֖י יִתְנַשָּׂ֑א לֹ֤א יִשְׁכַּב֙ עַד־יֹ֣אכַל טֶ֔רֶף וְדַם־חֲלָלִ֖ים יִשְׁתֶּֽה׃

hen-am kelavi yakum vekha'ari yitnassa lo yishkav ad-yokhal teref vedam-chalalim yishte

Behold a people that riseth up as a lioness, And as a lion doth he lift himself up; He shall not lie down until he eat of the prey, And drink the blood of the slain.

²⁵וַיֹּ֤אמֶר בָּלָק֙ אֶל־בִּלְעָ֔ם גַּם־קֹ֖ב לֹ֣א תִקֳּבֶ֑נּוּ גַּם־בָּרֵ֖ךְ לֹ֥א תְבָרֲכֶֽנּוּ׃

vayyomer balak el-bil'am gam-kov lo tikkovennu gam-barekh lo tevarakhennu

And Balak said unto Balaam: ‘Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all.’

²⁶וַיַּ֣עַן בִּלְעָ֔ם וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אֶל־בָּלָ֑ק הֲלֹ֗א דִּבַּ֤רְתִּי אֵלֶ֨יךָ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר כֹּ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־יְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֹת֥וֹ אֶֽעֱשֶֽׂה׃

vayya'an bil'am vayyomer el-balak halo dibbarti elekha lemor kol asher-yedabber ADONAI oto e'ese

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

²⁷וַיֹּ֤אמֶר בָּלָק֙ אֶל־בִּלְעָ֔ם לְכָה־נָּא֙ אֶקָּ֣חֲךָ֔ אֶל־מָק֖וֹם אַחֵ֑ר אוּלַ֤י יִישַׁר֙ בְּעֵינֵ֣י הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים וְקַבֹּ֥תוֹ לִ֖י מִשָּֽׁם׃

vayyomer balak el-bil'am lekha-na ekkachakha el-makom acher ulay yishar be'ene ha'elohim vekabboto li misham

And Balak said unto Balaam: ‘Come now, I will take thee unto another place; peradventure it will please God that thou mayest curse me them from thence.’

²⁸וַיִּקַּ֥ח בָּלָ֖ק אֶת־בִּלְעָ֑ם רֹ֣אשׁ הַפְּע֔וֹר הַנִּשְׁקָ֖ף עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הַיְשִׁימֹֽן׃

vayyikkach balak et-bil'am rosh happe'or hannishkaf al-pene hayshimon

And Balak took Balaam unto the top of Peor, that looketh down upon the desert.

²⁹וַיֹּ֤אמֶר בִּלְעָם֙ אֶל־בָּלָ֔ק בְּנֵה־לִ֥י בָזֶ֖ה שִׁבְעָ֣ה מִזְבְּחֹ֑ת וְהָכֵ֥ן לִי֙ בָּזֶ֔ה שִׁבְעָ֥ה פָרִ֖ים וְשִׁבְעָ֥ה אֵילִֽים׃

vayyomer bil'am el-balak bene-li vaze shiv'a mizbechot vehakhen li baze shiv'a farim veshiv'a elim

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

³⁰וַיַּ֣עַשׂ בָּלָ֔ק כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר אָמַ֣ר בִּלְעָ֑ם וַיַּ֛עַל פָּ֥ר וָאַ֖יִל בַּמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃

vayya'as balak ka'asher amar bil'am vayya'al par va'ayil bammizbeach

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

World Messianic Bible (English numbering)

¹Balaam said to Balak, “Build here seven altars for me, and prepare here seven bulls and seven rams for me.”

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

³Balaam said to Balak, “Stand by your burnt offering, and I will go. Perhaps the LORD will come to meet me. Whatever he shows me I will tell you.” He went to a bare height.

⁴God met Balaam, and he said to him, “I have prepared the seven altars, and I have offered up a bull and a ram on every altar.”

⁵The LORD put a word in Balaam’s mouth, and said, “Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak.”

⁶He returned to him, and behold, he was standing by his burnt offering, he, and all the princes of Moab.

⁷He took up his parable, and said, “From Aram has Balak brought me, the king of Moab from the mountains of the East. Come, curse Jacob for me. Come, defy Israel.

⁸How shall I curse whom God has not cursed? How shall I defy whom the LORD has not defied?

⁹For from the top of the rocks I see him. From the hills I see him. Behold, it is a people that dwells alone, and shall not be listed among the nations.

¹⁰Who can count the dust of Jacob, or count the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous! Let my last end be like his!”

¹¹Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have blessed them altogether.”

¹²He answered and said, “Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD puts in my mouth?”

¹³Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place, where you may see them. You shall see just part of them, and shall not see them all. Curse them from there for me.”

¹⁴He took him into the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered up a bull and a ram on every altar.

¹⁵He said to Balak, “Stand here by your burnt offering, while I meet God over there.”

¹⁶The LORD met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, “Return to Balak, and say this.”

¹⁷He came to him, and behold, he was standing by his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. Balak said to him, “What has the LORD spoken?”

¹⁸He took up his parable, and said, “Rise up, Balak, and hear! Listen to me, you son of Zippor.

¹⁹God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should repent. Has he said, and he won’t do it? Or has he spoken, and he won’t make it good?

²⁰Behold, I have received a command to bless. He has blessed, and I can’t reverse it.

²¹He has not seen iniquity in Jacob. Neither has he seen perverseness in Israel. The LORD his God is with him. The shout of a king is among them.

²²God brings them out of Egypt. He has as it were the strength of the wild ox.

²³Surely there is no enchantment with Jacob; neither is there any divination with Israel. Now it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, ‘What has God done!’

²⁴Behold, a people rises up as a lioness. As a lion he lifts himself up. He shall not lie down until he eats of the prey, and drinks the blood of the slain.”

²⁵Balak said to Balaam, “Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all.”

²⁶But Balaam answered Balak, “Didn’t I tell you, saying, ‘All that the LORD speaks, that I must do’?”

²⁷Balak 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.”

²⁸Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, that looks down on the desert.

²⁹Balaam said to Balak, “Build seven altars for me here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me here.”

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

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Hebrew: Westminster Leningrad Codex (ketiv shown with the qere in brackets). JPS 1917 and the Hebrew use Hebrew verse numbers; the English column uses English numbering, which sometimes differs by a verse.

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Numbers 23 בְּמִדְבַּר

Hebrew · transliteration · JPS 1917

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