Numbers 23 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.

Balaam said to Balak, "Build me seven altars here and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me."

Balak did exactly what Balaam asked. Then Balak and Balaam offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

Then Balaam told Balak, "Stay here by your burnt offering. I'm going to go off alone — maybe Yahweh will come meet with me. Whatever he shows me, I'll tell you." Then he went off to a barren hilltop.

God did meet with Balaam, and Balaam said to him, "I've set up seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each one."

Yahweh put a message in Balaam's mouth and said, "Go back to Balak and say exactly this."

So he went back to him, and there was Balak standing by his burnt offering—he and all the Moabite leaders.

Then Balaam delivered his oracle: "Balak brought me from Aram, Moab's king from the eastern mountains — 'Come, curse Jacob for me. Come, denounce Israel.'

But how can I curse what God hasn't cursed? How can I denounce what Yahweh hasn't denounced?

From the tops of the rocks I see them, from the hills I watch them — a people who live apart, who don't count themselves among the nations.

Who can count the dust of Jacob? Who can number even a quarter of Israel? Let me die the death of the upright, and let my end be like theirs!"

Balak said to Balaam, "What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies, and instead you've done nothing but speak well of them!"

Balaam answered, "Don't I have to say exactly what Yahweh puts in my mouth?"

Then Balak said to him, "Come with me to another spot where you can see them. You'll only see the edge of their camp—you won't see the whole thing. Curse them for me from there."

So he took him to the field of Zophim, on top of Pisgah. He built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each one.

Balaam told Balak, "Stay here by your burnt offering while I go meet with God over there."

Yahweh met with Balaam and put a message in his mouth. Then he said, "Go back to Balak and say exactly this."

So he came back to him, and there was Balak standing by his burnt offering, with the Moabite leaders beside him. Balak asked him, "What did Yahweh say?"

Then Balaam delivered his oracle: "Stand up, Balak, and listen. Hear me out, son of Zippor.

God is not a man, that he would lie, not a human being, that he would change his mind. Has he spoken and not followed through? Has he promised and not made it happen?

Look — I received a command to speak well of them. He has spoken good over them, and I cannot reverse it.

He has seen no trouble in Jacob, no misery in Israel. Yahweh their God is with them, and the shout of a king rings out among them.

God brought them out of Egypt; he has the strength of a wild ox.

There is no dark magic that works against Jacob, no sorcery that can touch Israel. Now it will be said of Jacob and Israel, 'Look what God has done!'

Look — a people rising like a lioness, lifting themselves like a lion! They don't lie down until they've devoured the prey and drunk the blood of the kill."

Then Balak said to Balaam, "Fine — don't curse them, but at least don't speak well of them either!"

But Balaam answered Balak, "Didn't I tell you? Everything Yahweh says—that's what I have to do."

Then Balak said to Balaam, "Come on, I'll take you to another place. Maybe God will be okay with you cursing them from there."

So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, which overlooks the wasteland.

Balaam said to Balak, "Build me seven altars here and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me."

Balak did what Balaam asked and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.