Balaam

And when Balac had killed oxen and sheep, he sent presents to Balaam, and to the princes that were with him.

And when morning was come, he brought him to the high places of Baal, and he beheld the uttermost part of the people.

And Balaam said to Balac: Build me here seven altars, and prepare as many calves, and the same number of rams.

And when he had done according to the word of Balaam, they laid together a calf and a ram upon every altar.

And Balaam said to Balac: Stand a while by thy burnt offering, until I go, to see if perhaps the Lord will meet me, and whatsoever he shall command, I will speak to thee.

And when he was gone with speed, God met him. And Balaam speaking to him, said: I have erected seven altars, and have laid on everyone a calf and a ram.

And the Lord put the word in his mouth, and said: Return to Balac, and thus shalt thou speak.

And Balac said to Balaam: What is this that thou dost? I sent for thee to curse my enemies: and thou contrariwise blessest them.

And when the Lord had met him, and had put the word in his mouth, he said: Return to Balac, and thus shalt thou say to him.

And Balac said to Balaam: Neither curse, nor bless him.

And he said: Did I not tell thee, that whatsoever God should command me, that I would do?

And Balac said to him: Come and I will bring thee to another place; if peradventure it please God that thou mayest curse them from thence.

And when he had brought him upon the top of mount Phogor, which looketh towards the wilderness,

Balaam said to him: Build me here seven altars, and prepare as many calves, and the same number of rams.

Balac did as Balaam had said: and he laid on every altar, a calf and a ram.

And when Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord that he should bless Israel, he went not as he had gone before, to seek divination: but setting his face towards the desert,

And lifting up his eyes, he saw Israel abiding in their tents by their tribes: and the spirit of God rushing upon him,

He took up his parable and said: Balaam the son of Beor hath said: The man hath said, whose eye is stopped up:

And Balac being angry against Balaam, clapped his hands together and said: I called thee to curse my enemies, and thou on the contrary hast blessed them three times.

Balaam made answer to Balac: Did I not say to thy messengers, whom thou sentest to me:

Therefore taking up his parable, again he said: Balaam the son of Beor hath said: The man whose eye is stopped up, hath said:

And Balaam rose, and returned to his place: Balac also returned the way that he came.

And their kings Evi, and Recem, and Sur, and Hur, and Rebe, five princes of the nation: Balaam also the son of Beor they killed with the sword.

Are not these they, that deceived the children of Israel by the counsel of Balaam, and made you transgress against the Lord by the sin of Phogor, for which also the people was punished?

Because they would not meet you with bread and water in the way, when you came out of Egypt: and because they hired against thee Balaam, the son of Beor, from Mesopotamia in Syria, to curse thee.