1
And it came to pass that Balaam went with the messangers of Balak, and when Balak heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him unto a city of Moab.
2
And 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 honor?
3
And Balaam said unto Balak: Lo, I am come unto thee; have I now any power at all to say anything? The Word that Ha’Elohima putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak.
4
¶ And it came to pass that Balaam went with Balak, and they came unto the city of the streets.
5
And Balak offered oxen and sheep and sent to Balaam and to the men that were with him.
6
And 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.
7
And Balaam said unto Balak: Build me here seven altars and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams.
8
And Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bullock and a ram.
9
And Balaam said unto Balak: Stand by thy burnt offering, and I will go; peradventure YHVHa will come to meet me; and whatsoever he showeth me I will tell thee.
10
¶ And Balaam went to a high place, and there the angel of YHVHa met Balaam; and Balaam said: I have prepared seven altars, and I have offered upon every altar a bullock and a ram.
11
And the Voicea put a word into the mouth of Balaam and the angel of YHVH said: Return unto Balak, and thus thou shalt speak.
12
And Balaam returned unto Balak, and lo, he stood by his burnt sacrifice, he and all the leaders of Moab.
13
And Balaam took up to prophesy, saying: Balak, the king of Moab, hath brought me from out of the mountains of the East, saying: Come, curse me the house of Jacob, and come, defy Israel.
14
How shall I curse whom El Elyona hath not cursed? Or how shall I defy whom YHVH hath not defied?
15
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.
16
Who can count the dust of the seed 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!
17
¶ And Balak hear all this and said unto Balaam: What hast thou done unto me? I took thee to curse mine enemies, and behold, thou hast blessed them altogether.
18
And Balaam answered and said: Must I not take heed to speak that which YHVH hath put in my mouth?
19
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.
20
And Balak brought Balaam into the summit of mountain of the Iyrina, unto the cleft of the mountain, and there built seven altars, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar.
21
And it came to pass that Balaam said unto Balak: Stand here by thy burnt offering while I meet YHVH yonder.
22
And the angel YHVH met Balaam, and the Voice again put the Word in his mouth, and the angel of YHVH said: Go again unto Balak and say thus.
23
And when Balaam came to Balak, behold, he stood by the burnt offering, and the chieftains of Moab with him.
24
And Balak said unto him: What hath YHVH spoken?
25
And Balaam opened his mouth and prophesied, saying: Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor;
26
YHVH is not a man, that He should lie; neither the son of mana, that He should repent.
27
And what YHVH said, shall He not do it? Or what He hath spoken, and shall He not make it good?
28
Behold, I have received the instruction to bless; and YHVH hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.
29
Ha’Elohim hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob; neither hath Ha’Elohim seen perverseness in Israel; YHVH, the Elohima of Israel, is with them, and the battle cry of Melchizedekb is among them.
30
Ha’Elohim hath brought Israel out of Egypt; Israel hath, as it were, the strength of a wild ox;
31
Surely there is no enchantmenta against Israel; neither is there any divination against Israel; according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel: What hath Godb wrought!
32
Behold, the people of Israel shall rise up as a great lion, and lift up as a young lion; they shall not lie down until they shall eat of the prey and drink the blood of the slain.
33
And Balak said unto Balaam: What sayest thou? Doth thou seeketh to destry me? Neither curse them at all nor bless them at all!
34
But Balaam answered and said unto Balak: Did I not warn thee, saying: All that YHVH speaketh, that I must do?
35
But Balak sought still to sway Balaam, prophet of YHVH.