18. Balaam took up his [figurative] discourse and said: Rise up, Balak, and hear; listen [closely] to me, son of Zippor.
19. God is not a man, that He should tell or act a lie, neither the son of man, that He should feel repentance or compunction [for what He has promised]. Has He said and shall He not do it? Or has He spoken and shall He not make it good?
20. You see, I have received His command to bless Israel. He has blessed, and I cannot reverse or qualify it.
21. [God] has not beheld iniquity in Jacob [for he is forgiven], neither has He seen mischief or perverseness in Israel [for the same reason]. The Lord their God is with Israel, and the shout of praise to their King is among the people. [Rom. 4:7, 8; I John 3:1, 2.]
22. God brought them forth out of Egypt; they have as it were the strength of a wild ox.
23. Surely there is no enchantment with or against Jacob, neither is there any divination with or against Israel. [In due season and even] now it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What has God wrought!
24. Behold, a people! They rise up as a lioness and lift themselves up as a lion; he shall not lie down until he devours the prey and drinks the blood of the slain.
25. And Balak said to Balaam, Neither curse them at all nor bless them at all.
26. But Balaam answered Balak, Did I not say to you, All the Lord speaks, that I must do?
27. And Balak said to Balaam, Come, I implore you; I will take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God to let you curse them for me from there.
28. So Balak brought Balaam to the top of [Mount] Peor, that overlooks [the wilderness or desert] Jeshimon.
29. And Balaam said to Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bulls and seven rams.
30. And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.