Orthodox Jewish Bible

Bamidbar 23:11-27 Orthodox Jewish Bible (OJB)

11. And Balak said unto Balaam, What hast thou done unto me? I brought thee to curse mine enemies, and, hinei, thou hast altogether put a berakhah on them.

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

13. And Balak said unto him, Come with me unto another place, from where thou mayest see them; thou shalt see part but not all of them, and curse them for me from there.

14. And he brought him into the sadeh of Tzophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built shivah mizbechot, and offered a bull and a ram on each mizbe'ach.

15. And he said unto Balak, Stand here by thy olah, while I meet Hashem over there.

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

17. And when he came to him, hinei, he stood by his olah, and the sarim of Moav with him. And Balak said unto him, What hath Hashem spoken?

18. And he took up his mashal, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; pay heed unto me, thou son of Tzippor.

19. El is not an ish, that He should lie; neither a ben adam, that He should change His mind; hath He said, and shall He not do it? Or hath He spoken, and shall He not carry it out?

20. Hinei, I have received commandment to make berakhah; and He hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.

21. He hath not beheld avon in Ya'akov, neither hath He seen amal (trouble) in Yisroel. Hashem Elohav is with him, and the [jubilant] shout of a melech is about him.

22. El brought them out of Mitzrayim; He is for them like the strength of a wild ox.

23. Surely there is no nachash (augury) in Ya'akov; neither is there any kesem (divination) in Yisroel; at the time it is spoken to Ya'akov and to Yisroel what El doeth!

24. See, the people shall rise up as a lioness, and lift up himself as an ari; he shall not lie down until he devours the prey, and drinks the dahm of the slain.

25. And Balak said unto Balaam, Neither curse them at all, nor at all make a berakhah on them.

26. But Balaam answered and said unto Balak, Did I not tell thee, saying, All that Hashem speaketh, that I must do?

27. And Balak said unto Balaam, Come now, I will bring thee unto another place; perhaps it will please HaElohim that thou mayest curse them for me from there.