Parallel Verses
Amplified
“How shall I curse those whom God has not cursed?
Or how can I [violently] denounce those the Lord has not denounced?
New American Standard Bible
And how can I denounce whom the Lord has not denounced?
King James Version
How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the LORD hath not defied?
Holman Bible
How can I denounce someone the Lord has not denounced?
International Standard Version
But how can I curse those whom God hasn't cursed? How can I denounce those whom the LORD hasn't denounced?
A Conservative Version
How shall I curse, whom God has not cursed? And how shall I defy, whom LORD has not defied?
American Standard Version
How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? And how shall I defy, whom Jehovah hath not defied?
Bible in Basic English
How may I put curses on him who is not cursed by God? how may I be angry with him with whom the Lord is not angry?
Darby Translation
How shall I curse whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I denounce whom Jehovah doth not denounce?
Julia Smith Translation
How shall I curse, God cursing not? And how shall I be angry, God not being angry?
King James 2000
How shall I curse, whom God has not cursed? or how shall I denounce, whom the LORD has not denounced?
Lexham Expanded Bible
How can I curse [whom] God has not cursed, and how can I denounce [whom] Yahweh has not denounced?
Modern King James verseion
How shall I curse whom God has not cursed? Or how shall I defy whom Jehovah has not defied?
Modern Spelling Tyndale-Coverdale
How shall I curse whom God curseth not? And how shall I defy whom the LORD defieth not?
NET Bible
How can I curse one whom God has not cursed, or how can I denounce one whom the Lord has not denounced?
New Heart English Bible
How shall I curse whom God has not cursed? How shall I defy whom the LORD has not defied?
The Emphasized Bible
How can I revile one whom GOD hath not reviled? Yea, how can I rage on one on whom Yahweh hath not raged.
Webster
How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the LORD hath not defied?
World English Bible
How shall I curse whom God has not cursed? How shall I defy whom Yahweh has not defied?
Youngs Literal Translation
What -- do I pierce? -- God hath not pierced! And what -- am I indignant? -- Jehovah hath not been indignant!
Interlinear
Mah
Naqab
'el
References
Morish
Word Count of 20 Translations in Numbers 23:8
Verse Info
Context Readings
Balaam's First Oracle
7
Balaam took up his [first] discourse (oracle) and said:
from the mountains of the east, [saying,]
‘Come, curse [the descendants of] Jacob for me;
And come, [violently] denounce Israel.’
“How shall I curse those whom God has not cursed?
Or how can I [violently] denounce those the Lord has not denounced?
“For from the top of the rocks I see Israel,
And from the hills I look at him.
Behold, the people [of Israel] shall dwell alone
And will not be reckoned among the nations.
Names
Cross References
Numbers 22:12
God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them; you shall not curse the people [of Israel], for they are blessed.”
Numbers 23:20
“Behold, I have received His command to bless [Israel].
He has blessed, and I cannot reverse it.
Numbers 23:23
“For there is no enchantment or omen against Jacob,
Nor is there any divination against Israel.
At the proper time it shall be said to Jacob
And to Israel, what has God done!
Isaiah 44:25
Frustrating the signs and confounding the omens of boasters (false prophets),
Making fools out of
Counteracting the wise
And making their knowledge ridiculous,
Isaiah 47:12-13
“Persist, then, [Babylon] in your enchantments
And your many sorceries
With which you have labored from your youth;
Perhaps you will be able to profit [from them],
Perhaps you may prevail and cause trembling.