ISV(i)
3 Then Balaam instructed Balak, “Stand by your offering and leave me alone by myself. Perhaps the LORD will come to meet me. I’ll tell you whatever he reveals to me.”
And so he went to a high place, 4 where the LORD met with Balaam, who told him, “I’ve prepared seven altars and offered bulls and rams on an altar.”
5 Then the LORD gave Balaam this message. “Return to Balak and speak to him.”
6 So Balaam returned to where Balak had been standing, that is, next to his offerings, accompanied by all the Moabite officials.
7Balaam’s First ProphecyThen Balaam uttered this prophetic statement: “King Balak of Moab brought me from Aram, from the eastern mountains, and told me, ‘Come and curse Jacob for me. Come and curse Israel.’
8 But how can I curse those whom God hasn’t cursed? How can I denounce those whom the LORD hasn’t denounced?
9 I saw them from the top of the rocks. I watched them from the hills. Truly this is a people that lives by itself and doesn’t matter among the nations.
10 Who can count the dust of Jacob? Who can number the dust of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and may I end up like him.”
11 “What are you doing to me?” Balak asked Balaam. “I brought you to curse my enemies, not pronounce a blessing!”
12 But in response, Balaam asked, “Shouldn’t I be careful to communicate only what the LORD puts in my mouth?”
And so he went to a high place, 4 where the LORD met with Balaam, who told him, “I’ve prepared seven altars and offered bulls and rams on an altar.”
5 Then the LORD gave Balaam this message. “Return to Balak and speak to him.”
6 So Balaam returned to where Balak had been standing, that is, next to his offerings, accompanied by all the Moabite officials.
7
11 “What are you doing to me?” Balak asked Balaam. “I brought you to curse my enemies, not pronounce a blessing!”
12 But in response, Balaam asked, “Shouldn’t I be careful to communicate only what the LORD puts in my mouth?”