Balaam’s First Message From God
1Balaam said to Balak, “Build me seven altars here. Prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me to sacrifice.” 2Balak did just as Balaam said. The two of them offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
3Then Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here beside your offering. I’ll go and try to find out what the Lord wants me to do. Maybe he’ll come and meet with me. Then I’ll tell you what he says to me.” So Balaam went off to a bare hilltop.
4God met with him there. Balaam said, “I’ve prepared seven altars. On each altar I’ve offered a bull and a ram.”
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!”
11Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you here to put a curse on my enemies! But all you have done is give them a blessing!”
12He answered, “I have to speak only the words the Lord puts in my mouth.”
Balaam’s Second Message From God
13Then Balak said to Balaam, “Come with me to another place. You can see the Israelites from there. You won’t see all of them. You will only see the outer edges of their camp. From there, put a curse on them for me.” 14So Balak took Balaam to the field of Zophim. It was on the highest slopes of Pisgah. There Balak built seven altars. He offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
15Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here beside your offering. I’ll meet with the Lord over there.”
16The Lord met with Balaam. He put a message in Balaam’s mouth. The Lord said, “Go back to Balak. Give him my message.”
17So Balaam went to Balak. He found him standing beside his offering. The Moabite officials were with him. Balak asked him, “What did the Lord say?”
18Then Balaam spoke the message he had received from God. He said,
“Balak, rise up and listen.
Son of Zippor, hear me.
19God isn’t a mere human. He can’t lie.
He isn’t a human being. He doesn’t change his mind.
He speaks, and then he acts.
He makes a promise, and then he keeps it.
20He has commanded me to bless Israel.
He has given them his blessing. And I can’t change it.
21“I don’t see any trouble coming on the people of Jacob.
I don’t see any suffering in Israel.
The Lord their God is with them.
The shout of the King is among them.
22God brought them out of Egypt.
They are as strong as a wild ox.
23There isn’t any magic that can hurt the people of Jacob.
No one can use magic words to harm Israel.
Here is what will be said about the people of Jacob.
Here is what will be said about Israel.
People will say, ‘See what God has done!’
24The Israelites are going to wake up like a female lion.
They are going to get up like a male lion.
They are like a lion that won’t rest
until it eats what it has caught.
They are like a lion that won’t rest
until it drinks the blood of what it has killed.”
25Then Balak said to Balaam, “Don’t put a curse on them at all! And don’t give them a blessing at all!”
26Balaam answered, “Didn’t I tell you that I must do only what the Lord says?”
Balaam’s Third Message From God
27Then Balak said to Balaam, “Come. Let me take you to another place. Perhaps God will be pleased to let you put a curse on the Israelites for me from there.” 28Balak took Balaam to the top of Mount Peor. It looks out over a dry and empty land.
29Balaam said, “Build me seven altars here. Prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me to sacrifice.” 30Balak did just as Balaam said. He offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
Balaam Hyira Israelfoɔ
1Balaam ka kyerɛɛ ɔhene no sɛ, “Si afɔrebukyia nson wɔ ha, na siesie anantwie mma nson ne nnwennini nson fa wɔn bɔ afɔdeɛ.” 2Balak tiee Balaam asɛm no, enti ɔde nantwie ba ne odwennini ba bɔɔ afɔrebukyia nson no biara so afɔdeɛ.
3Afei Balaam ka kyerɛɛ ɔhene no sɛ, “Sɔre gyina wo ɔhyeɛ afɔdeɛ no ho na mɛhwɛ sɛ Awurade bɛhyia me, na asɛm a ɔbɛka akyerɛ me no nso, mɛka akyerɛ wo.” Enti, ɔforo kɔɔ apampam baabi.
4Ɛhɔ na Onyankopɔn hyiaa no. Balaam ka kyerɛɛ Awurade sɛ, “Masiesie afɔrebukyia nson. Mabɔ afɔrebukyia no biara so nantwie ba ne odwennini ba afɔdeɛ.”
5Afei, Awurade de nkra maa Balaam sɛ ɔnkɔka nkyerɛ ɔhene Balak.
6Ɛberɛ a Balaam sane baeɛ no, na ɔhene no ne ahenemma a wɔfiri Moab no gyina ɔhyeɛ afɔdeɛ no ho. 7Nkɔmhyɛ a Balaam de maaeɛ no nie:
“Ɔhene Balak soma bɛfrɛɛ me firii Aram.
Moabhene frɛɛ me firii apueeɛ fam nkokoɔ so.
Ɔkaa sɛ, ‘Bra bɛdome Yakob ma me!
Bra bɛka mmusuo a ɛbɛba Israelfoɔ so.’
8Ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na matumi madome
wɔn a Onyankopɔn nnomee wɔn?
Ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na matumi abu wɔn fɔ,
nnipa a Awurade mmuu wɔn fɔ?
9Mehunu wɔn firi abotan atifi;
mehwɛ wɔn firi nkokoɔ so.
Mehunu nnipa a wɔte wɔn ho ase,
a wɔayi wɔn afiri amanaman mu.
10Hwan na ɔbɛtumi akan Yakob asefoɔ, wɔdɔɔso sɛ mfuturo?
Hwan na ɔbɛtumi akan Israelfoɔ nkyɛmu ɛnan mu baako?
Ma menwu sɛ ɔteneneeni;
na mawieɛ nyɛ sɛ wɔn deɛ.”
11Ɔhene Balak bisaa Balaam sɛ, “Ɛdeɛn na woayɛ me yi? Mede wo baa sɛ bɛdome mʼatamfoɔ, nanso woahyira wɔn!”
12Nanso, Balaam buaa sɛ, “Metumi aka biribi a Awurade nkaa sɛ menka anaa?”
Balaam Nkɔmhyɛ A Ɛtɔ So Mmienu
13Afei, Balak ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Bra na yɛnkɔ baabi foforɔ. Yɛduru hɔ a, wobɛhunu ɔman Israel fa bi wɔ hɔ. Dome wɔn a wobɛhu wɔn wɔ hɔ no nyinaa.” 14Ɔhene Balak faa Balaam de no kɔɔ Sofim bepɔ Pisga atifi. Ɔsii afɔrebukyia nson wɔ hɔ. Ɛnna ɔde nantwie ba ne odwennini bɔɔ afɔrebukyia biara so afɔdeɛ.
15Afei, Balaam ka kyerɛɛ ɔhene no sɛ, “Gyina wo ɔhyeɛ afɔdeɛ no ho wɔ ha na me nso merekɔhyia Awurade.”
16Awurade hyiaa Balaam na ɔkaa asɛm a ɔnkɔka kyerɛɛ no.
17Enti, ɔsane baa baabi a ɔhene no ne Moab ahenemma no wɔ a wɔgyina wɔn ɔhyeɛ afɔdeɛ no ho. Ɔhene no de ahopere bisaa sɛ, “Awurade aka sɛn?”
18Nkɔmhyɛ a Balaam de maaeɛ no nie:
“Balak, sɔre na tie;
Sipor babarima tie me.
19Onyankopɔn nnyɛ onipa na wadi atorɔ;
Ɔnyɛ onipa na wasesa nʼadwene.
Wakasa a wanyɛ anaa?
Wahyɛ bɔ bi pɛn a wanni so anaa?
20Wɔhyɛɛ me sɛ menhyira;
wahyira, na merentumi nnane no!
21“Menhunu amanehunu bi a ɛbɛba Yakob so.
Ɔhaw biara nni hɔ mma Israel!
Awurade, wɔn Onyankopɔn ka wɔn ho.
Ɔne wɔn ɔhene!
22Onyankopɔn ayi wɔn afiri Misraim;
ɔte sɛ nantwie hoɔdenfoɔ ma wɔn.
23Nnome biara renka Yakob,
abayisɛm biara nni tumi wɔ Israel so.
Na wɔbɛka wɔ Yakob ho sɛ,
‘Hwɛ anwanwadeɛ a Onyankopɔn ayɛ ama Israel!’
24Saa nnipa yi sɔre sɛ gyataburu.
Wɔgyina hɔ sɛ gyata hoɔdenfoɔ.
Ɔnnye nʼahome kɔsi sɛ ɔbɛwe nʼahaboa awie
na wanom ne mogya nyinaa!”
25Ɔhene no ka kyerɛɛ Balaam sɛ, “Sɛ worennome wɔn a, ɛnneɛ nhyira wɔn.”
26Nanso Balaam buaa no sɛ, “Manka ankyerɛ wo sɛ asɛm a Awurade bɛka akyerɛ me sɛ menka no na mɛka?”
Balaam Nkɔmhyɛ A Ɛtɔ So Mmiɛnsa
27Afei, ɔhene no ka kyerɛɛ Balaam sɛ, “Mede wo bɛkɔ baabi foforɔ. Ebia, ɛhɔ bɛyɛ anisɔ ama Onyankopɔn sɛ wobɛgyina hɔ adome wɔn.” 28Enti, ɔhene Balak faa Balaam de no kɔɔ bepɔ Peor a ani kyerɛ anweatam no atifi pɛɛ so.
29Bio, Balaam ka kyerɛɛ ɔhene no sɛ ɔnsi afɔrebukyia nson na ɔnsiesie nantwie mma nson ne nnwennini mma nson mma afɔrebɔ. 30Ɔhene no yɛɛ deɛ Balaam kaeɛ no, enti ɔde nantwie ba ne odwennini ba bɔɔ afɔdeɛ wɔ afɔrebukyia nson no biara so.
