Numbers 23:5-10

New International Reader's Version

⁵The Lord put a message in Balaam’s mouth. The Lord said, “Go back to Balak. Give him my message.”

⁶So Balaam went back to him. He found Balak standing beside his offering. All the Moabite officials were with him. ⁷Then Balaam spoke the message he had received from God. He said,

“Balak brought me from the land of Aram.
    The king of Moab sent for me from the mountains in the east.
‘Come,’ he said. ‘Put a curse on Jacob’s people for me.
    Come. Speak against Israel.’
⁸But how can I put a curse on
    people God hasn’t cursed?
How can I speak against
    people the Lord hasn’t spoken against?
⁹I see them from the rocky peaks.
    I view them from the hills.
I see a group of people who live by themselves.
    They don’t consider themselves to be one of the nations.
¹⁰Jacob’s people are like the dust of the earth.
    Can dust be counted?
    Who can count even a fourth of the Israelites?
Let me die as godly people die.
    Let my death be like theirs!”