The Wilderness Years

And he took him into the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered up a bullock and a ram on every altar.

And he said unto Balak, Stand here by thy burnt-offering, while I meet Jehovah yonder.

And Jehovah met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus shalt thou speak.

And he came to him, and, lo, he was standing by his burnt-offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said unto him, What hath Jehovah spoken?

And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; Hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor:

God is not a man, that he should lie, Neither the son of man, that he should repent: Hath he said, and will he not do it? Or hath he spoken, and will he not make it good?

Behold, I have receivedcommandmentto bless: And he hath blessed, and I cannot reverse it.

He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob; Neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: Jehovah his God is with him, And the shout of a king is among them.

God bringeth them forth out of Egypt; He hath as it were the strength of the wild-ox.

Surely there is no enchantment with Jacob; Neither is there any divination with Israel: Now shall it be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought!

Behold, the people riseth up as a lioness, And as a lion doth he lift himself up: He shall not lie down until he eat of the prey, And drink the blood of the slain.

And Balak said unto Balaam, Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all.

But Balaam answered and said unto Balak, Told not I thee, saying, All that Jehovah speaketh, that I must do?

And Balak said unto Balaam, Come now, I will take thee unto another place; peradventure it will please God that thou mayest curse me them from thence.

And Balak took Balaam unto the top of Peor, that looketh down upon the desert.

And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams.

And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered up a bullock and a ram on every altar.

And when Balaam saw that it pleased Jehovah to bless Israel, he went not, as at the other times, to meet with enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness.

And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel dwelling according to their tribes; and the Spirit of God came upon him.

And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor saith, And the man whose eye was closed saith;

He saith, who heareth the words of God, Who seeth the vision of the Almighty, Falling down, and having his eyes open:

How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, Thy tabernacles, O Israel!

As valleys are they spread forth, As gardens by the river-side, As lign-aloes which Jehovah hath planted, As cedar-trees beside the waters.

Water shall flow from his buckets, And his seed shall be in many waters, And his king shall be higher than Agag, And his kingdom shall be exalted.

God bringeth him forth out of Egypt; He hath as it were the strength of the wild-ox: He shall eat up the nations his adversaries, And shall break their bones in pieces, And smite them through with his arrows.