Numbers 23:13-26 - Balaam's Second Oracle

¹³ And Balak said to him, Come with me now into another place from which you will not be able to see them all, but only the outskirts of them; and you will send curses on them from there. ¹⁴ So he took him into the country of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and there they made seven altars, offering an ox and a male sheep on every altar

¹⁵ Then he said to Balak, Take your place here by your burned offering, while I go over there to the Lord.

¹⁶ And the Lord came to Balaam, and put words in his mouth, and said, Go back to Balak, and this is what you are to say.

¹⁷ So he came to him where he was waiting by his burned offering with the chiefs of Moab by his side. And Balak said to him, What has the Lord said?

¹⁸ And in the words which the Lord had given him he said, Up! Balak, and give ear; give attention to me, O son of Zippor: ¹⁹ God is not a man, to say what is false; or the son of man, that his purpose may be changed: what he has said, will he not do? and will he not give effect to the words of his mouth ²⁰ See, I have had orders to give blessing: and he has given a blessing which I have no power to take away. ²¹ He has seen no evil in Jacob or wrongdoing in Israel: the Lord his God is with him, and the glad cry of a king is among them ²² It is God who has taken them out of Egypt; his horns are like those of the mountain ox. ²³ No evil power has effect against Jacob, no secret arts against Israel; at the right time it will be said of Jacob and of Israel, See what God has done! ²⁴ See, Israel comes up like a she-lion, lifting himself up like a lion: he will take no rest till he has made a meal of those he has overcome, drinking the blood of those he has put to death.

²⁵ Then Balak said to Balaam, If you will not put a curse on them, at all events do not give them a blessing.

²⁶ But Balaam in answer said to Balak, Did I not say to you, I may only do what the Lord says?