1 He said to Balak, “Build seven altars here for me, and bring me seven bulls and seven rams.”
2 Balak did as he was told, and he and Balaam offered a bull and a ram on each altar. 3 Then Balaam said to Balak, “Stand here by your burnt offering, while I go to see whether or not the Lord will meet me. I will tell you whatever he reveals to me.” So he went alone to the top of a hill, 4 and God met him. Balaam said to him, “I have built the seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each.”
5 The Lord told Balaam what to say and sent him back to Balak to give him his message. 6 So he went back and found Balak still standing by his burnt offering with all the leaders of Moab.
7 Balaam uttered this prophecy:
“Balak king of Moab has brought me
From Syria, from the eastern mountains.
‘Come speak for me,’ he said.
‘Put a curse on the people of Israel.’
8 How can I curse what God has not cursed,
Or speak of doom when the Lord has not?
9 From the high rocks I can see them;
I can watch them from the hills.
They are a nation that lives alone;
They know they are blessed more than other nations.
10 The descendants of Israel are like the dust—
There are too many of them to be counted.
Let me end my days like one of God's people;
Let me die in peace like the righteous.”
11 Then Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you here to curse my enemies, but all you have done is bless them.”
12 He answered, “I can say only what the Lord tells me to say.”
Balaam's Second Prophecy
13 Then Balak said to Balaam, “Come with me to another place from which you can see only some of the Israelites. Curse them for me from there.” 14 He took him to the field of Zophim on the top of Mount Pisgah. There also he built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each of them.
15 Balaam said to Balak, “Stand here by your burnt offering, and I will meet God over there.”
16 The Lord met Balaam, told him what to say, and sent him back to Balak to give him his message. 17 So he went back and found Balak still standing by his burnt offering, with the leaders of Moab. Balak asked what the Lord had said, 18 and Balaam uttered this prophecy:
“Come, Balak son of Zippor,
And listen to what I have to say.
19 God is not like people, who lie;
He is not a human who changes his mind.
Whatever he promises, he does;
He speaks, and it is done.
20 I have been instructed to bless,
And when God blesses, I cannot call it back.
21 I foresee that Israel's future
Will bring her no misfortune or trouble.
The Lord their God is with them;
They proclaim that he is their king.
22 God has brought them out of Egypt;
He fights for them like a wild ox.
23 There is no magic charm, no witchcraft,
That can be used against the nation of Israel.
Now people will say about Israel,
‘Look what God has done!’
24 The nation of Israel is like a mighty lion:
It doesn't rest until it has torn and devoured,
Until it has drunk the blood of those it has killed.”
25 Then Balak said to Balaam, “You refuse to curse the people of Israel, but at least don't bless them!”
26 Balaam answered, “Didn't I tell you that I had to do everything that the Lord told me?”
Balaam's Third Prophecy
27 Balak said, “Come with me, and I will take you to another place. Perhaps God will be willing to let you curse them for me from there.” 28 So he took Balaam to the top of Mount Peor overlooking the desert. 29 Balaam said to him, “Build seven altars for me here and bring me seven bulls and seven rams.” 30 Balak did as he was told, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
Bileāma pirmais pravietojums
1 Bileāms teica Bālākam: “Uzcel man šeit septiņus altārus un nogādā man šeit septiņus vēršus un septiņus aunus.” 2 Bālāks darīja, kā Bileāms teica. Bālāks un Bileāms upurēja katrā altārī pa vērsim un aunam. 3 Un Bileāms teica Bālākam: “Nostājies pie sava sadedzināmā upura, un es iešu – varbūt tuvosies Kungs, panāksies man pretī, un, ko viņš man rādīs, to es tev teikšu.” Un viņš devās uz pašu virsotni.
4 Tad Dievs tuvojās Bileāmam, un Bileāms viņam teica: “Es uzcēlu septiņus altārus un katrā altārī upurēju vērsi un aunu!” 5 Un Kungs lika Bileāmam mutē vārdu un teica: “Atgriezies pie Bālāka un saki šo!” 6 Un viņš gāja pie viņa atpakaļ, un, redzi, tas kopā ar visiem Moāba augstmaņiem bija nostājies pie sava sadedzināmā upura. 7 Tad viņš līdzībā sāka teikt:
“No Arāmas Bālāks mani atveda,
Moāba ķēniņš – no austrumu kalniem:
nāc, nolādi man Jēkabu,
nāc, liec lāstu Israēlam, –
8 bet kā lai nolādu, ko Dievs nav lādējis,
kā lai uzlieku lāstu tam, kam Dievs nav uzlicis?!
9 No klinšu virsotnēm es tos redzu,
no augstienēm es tos salūkoju –
re, tā ir tauta, kas viena mīt,
pie tautām nav pieskaitīta!
10 Kas saskaitīs Jēkabu –
kā putekļi! – un to, cik daudz Israēla vien ceturtdaļā?!
Lai mirst mana dvēsele taisnā nāvi,
lai mans gals tāds kā viņam!”
11 Un Bālāks teica Bileāmam: “Ko tu man nodarīji?! Es tevi atvedu, lai tu uzliktu lāstu maniem ienaidniekiem, bet, redzi, tu viņus svētīdams svētīji!” 12 Bet viņš atbildēja un teica: “Vai ne to, ko Kungs liek man mutē, man jārauga runāt?”
Bileāma otrais pravietojums
13 Un Bālāks viņam teica: “Nāc jel kopā ar mani uz citu vietu, arī no turienes tu tos varēsi redzēt – redzēsi gan tikai tos, kas tuvāk, visus neredzēsi, – un nolādi tos man no turienes!” 14 Un viņš aizveda to uz Cofīmas laukiem, uz Pisgas virsotni, uzcēla septiņus altārus un upurēja katrā altārī pa vērsim un aunam. 15 Tad Bileāms teica Bālākam: “Nostājies šeit pie sava sadedzināmā upura, kamēr es tur tikšos.” 16 Un Kungs tuvojās Bileāmam, lika viņam mutē vārdu un teica: “Atgriezies pie Bālāka un saki šo!” 17 Un viņš gāja atpakaļ pie tā, un, redzi, tas kopā ar Moāba augstmaņiem bija nostājies pie sava sadedzināmā upura. Bālāks viņam jautāja: “Ko Kungs sacīja?” 18 Tad viņš līdzībā sāka teikt:
“Celies, Bālāk, un klausies,
klausies manī, Ciporas dēls!
19 Dievs nav cilvēks, ka melos,
nav cilvēka dēls, kam paliek žēl!
Vai tad viņš runā un nedara,
vai sola un nepilda?
20 Redzi, man lika svētīt,
viņš svētīja, un es atsaukt nevaru!
21 Viņš vainas Jēkabam nemanīja,
trūkuma Israēlā neredzēja!
Kungs, viņa Dievs, ir ar viņu,
un viņš ir līksms par savu Ķēniņu!
22 Dievs viņus ved no Ēģiptes,
kā meža vērši tie viņam!
23 Nav pesteļošanas Jēkabā,
nav pareģošanas Israēlā!
Nāks laiks, tad par Jēkabu teiks
un par Israēlu: to Dievs darījis!
24 Re, tā tauta kā lauvene ceļas,
kā lauva slienas!
Negulst, līdz neaprij saplosīto
un nokauto asinis neizdzer!”
25 Un Bālāks teica Bileāmam: “Ja tu tos lādēt nenolādi, tad arī svētīt nesvētī tos!” 26 Bileāms atbildēja un teica Bālākam: “Vai tad es tev neteicu: man ir jādara viss, ko teiks Kungs!”
27 Un Bālāks teica Bileāmam: “Nāc jel, dosimies uz citu vietu, varbūt tas Dievam šķitīs pareizāk un tu varēsi tos nolādēt no turienes.” 28 Tad Bālāks uzveda Bileāmu Peora virsotnē, kas slejas pār tuksneša klaju. 29 Un Bileāms teica Bālākam: “Uzcel man šeit septiņus altārus un nogādā man šeit septiņus vēršus un septiņus aunus.” 30 Bālāks darīja, kā Bileāms teica, un upurēja katrā altārī pa vērsim un aunam.
