Numbers 22 Cross References - ISV

¹ Balak Summons BalaamThe Israelis continued their travels, eventually encamping on the plains of Moab beside the Jordan River opposite Jericho. ² Zippor’s son Balak saw everything that Israel had done to the Amorites. ³ As a result, Moab greatly feared the people, because they were so numerous. Because a sense of impending doom was afflicting the Moabites as they faced the Israelis, ⁴ the Moabites told the elders of Midian, “This horde of people is about to lick up everything around us, like an ox licks up the green ground.”
At that time, Zippor’s son Balak was the king of Moab. ⁵ He sent messengers to Beor’s son Balaam in Pethor, near the Euphrates River, the land where the descendants of his people originated, to summon his aid. He said, “Look! A group of people have escaped from Egypt. They cover the surface of the whole earth, and are sitting here right in front of me. ⁶ So come right now and curse this people for me, because there are too many of them for me to handle. Perhaps I’ll be able to strike them down and drive them out of the land, since I know that whomever you bless is blessed and whomever you curse is cursed.”
⁷ So the elders of Moab and Midian left to visit Balaam, bringing an honorarium with them, and communicated Balak’s concerns to him. ⁸ In answer, Balaam told them, “Stay here for the night and I’ll bring back a message to you, depending on what the LORD says to me.” So the officers of Moab stayed with Balaam overnight.
⁹ God Forbids Balaam to CooperateGod visited Balaam and asked him, “Who are these men with you?”
¹⁰ Then Balaam told God, “Zippor’s son Balak, king of Moab, sent them to me and said, ¹¹ ‘Look! A group of people have escaped from Egypt. They cover the surface of the whole earth! So come right now and curse them for me. Perhaps I’ll be able to fight against them and drive them out.’”
¹² But God told Balaam, “Don’t go with them. Don’t curse the people, because they’re blessed.”
¹³ So Balaam got up the next morning and told Balak’s officials, “Go back to your homeland, because the LORD has refused me permission to go with you.”
¹⁴ So Balak’s officials got up, returned to Balak and reported, “Balaam refused to come with us.”
¹⁵ In response, Balak sent more officers—higher ranking ones, at that!— ¹⁶ who approached Balaam with this message: “This is what Zippor’s son Balak says: ‘Don’t let anything get in the way of your coming to me. ¹⁷ I’m determined to reward you generously, and I’ll do everything you tell me to do. So come right away and curse this people for me.’”
¹⁸ Balaam responded to Balak’s entourage by saying, “Even if Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I won’t double-cross the command of the LORD my God in even the slightest way. ¹⁹ Meanwhile, stay here overnight so I may learn what the LORD might say to me.”
²⁰ God came to visit Balaam that same night and told him, “If the men come to call on you, get up and go with them, but be sure to do only what I tell you to do.” ²¹ The next morning, Balaam got up, saddled his donkey, and started to leave, accompanied by the Moabite officials.
²² Balaam’s Donkey Rebukes its OwnerAt this, the anger of the LORD flared up against Balaam, because he was leaving. So the angel of the LORD stood in the way to oppose him. As Balaam was riding his donkey, accompanied by two of his servants, ²³ all of a sudden the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, with an unsheathed sword in his hand! The donkey turned off the road and went into an open field. Balaam started beating the donkey in order to turn her back to the road, ²⁴ but the angel of the LORD stood on a narrow path that crossed the vineyards. It had walls on both sides of the path. ²⁵ When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she squeezed herself so close to the wall that Balaam’s foot was pressed to the wall. So he beat her again!
²⁶ Then the angel of the LORD went along a little further and stood in a much narrower space, where it was impossible to turn either right or left. ²⁷ When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she crouched down under Balaam. As a result, Balaam got so angry that he started to whip the donkey with his staff.
²⁸ That’s when the LORD enabled the donkey to speak. She asked Balaam, “What did I do to you that you would beat me in the space of only three footsteps?”
²⁹ “Because you’re playing a dirty trick on me,” Balaam answered the donkey. “If only I had a sword in my hand! I’d kill you right now!”
³⁰ But in response, the donkey asked Balaam, “I’m your donkey that you’ve ridden on in the past without incident, am I not, and I’m the same donkey you’re riding on right now, am I not? Am I in the habit of treating you like this?”
“No,” he admitted.
³¹ Then the LORD enabled Balaam to see, so he observed the angel of the LORD standing in the way, with an unsheathed sword in his hand. So he bowed down and prostrated himself on his face.
³² Then the angel of the LORD asked him, “Why did you beat your donkey in the space of only three footsteps? I’ve come to oppose you, because I say that what you’re doing is perverted. ³³ The donkey saw me and turned in front of me in the space of those three footsteps. ³⁴ If she hadn’t turned away from me, I would have killed you by now and left her alive!”
At this, Balaam replied to the angel of the LORD, “I’ve sinned! I didn’t know that you were standing to meet me on the road. So now, since it displeases you, let me go back.”
³⁵ But the angel of the LORD told Balaam, “Go with the men, but deliver only the message that I’m going to give you.” So Balaam went with Balak’s officials.
³⁶ When Balak heard that Balaam had arrived, he went out to meet him in the city of Moab on the border of Arnon at the extreme end of his territory. ³⁷ Balak asked Balaam, “Didn’t I repeatedly send for you to summon you? Why didn’t you come to me? I can pay you well, can’t I?”
³⁸ Balaam answered Balak, “Well, I’m here now. I’ve come to you, but I can’t just say anything, can I? I’ll speak only what God puts in my mouth to say.” ³⁹ So accompanied by Balaam and Balak’s officials, Balak traveled to Kiriath-huzoth, ⁴⁰ where he sacrificed oxen and sheep. ⁴¹ The next day, Balak brought Balaam up to Bamoth-baal, where he could see part of the community of Israel.

²⁰ and from Bamoth to the valley of Moab where their fields are, and from there to the top of Mount Pisgah, that looks down toward the open desert.

¹⁹ since our inheritance will not be with them across the Jordan River and beyond. Instead, our inheritance is on this side of the Jordan River, facing eastward.”

⁴⁸ They traveled from the mountains of Abarim, then rested in the plains of Moab by the Jordan River, across from Jericho.
⁴⁹ They rested by the Jordan River in the area from Beth-jeshimoth to Abel-shittim in the plains of Moab.
⁵⁰ Then the LORD told Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan River, across from Jericho,

¹⁵ These two and a half tribes received their inheritance this side of the Jordan River, east of Jericho, facing the rising sun.”

¹³ These were the commands and the ordinances that the LORD issued to the Israelis through Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan River in Jericho.

⁵ Moses Reviews God’s InstructionsEast of the Jordan River, in the land of Moab, Moses began to expound this Law:

⁸ “So at that time, we took control from the two Amorite kings the territory east of the Jordan from Wadi Arnon to Mount Hermon.

¹ Moses Ascends PisgahMoses ascended from the desert plain of Moab toward Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, across from Jericho. There the LORD showed him the entire land, from Gilgal as far as Dan,

⁸ The Israelis mourned for Moses at the desert plain of Moab for 30 days, after which the period of mourning for Moses was completed.

¹⁶ the water flowing downstream from above stood still in a single location, a great distance away at Adam, a city near Zarethan. The water that flowed south toward the sea in the Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed opposite Jericho.

³ When the LORD heard what Israel had decided to do, he delivered the Canaanites to them, and Israel exterminated them and their cities. They named the place Hormah.

²⁰ and from Bamoth to the valley of Moab where their fields are, and from there to the top of Mount Pisgah, that looks down toward the open desert.
²¹ Israel Conquers the AmoritesLater, Israel sent messengers to Sihon, king of the Amorites, who conveyed this request: ²² “Permit us to pass through your land. We won’t trespass in your fields or vineyards. We won’t drink water from any well, and we’ll only travel along the King’s Highway until we’ve passed through your territory.”
²³ Instead of letting Israel pass through his territory, Sihon mustered his entire army and marched out to meet them in the wilderness. He arrived at Jahaz and attacked Israel. ²⁴ But Israel defeated him in battle and took possession of all his lands from Arnon to Jabbok, including the Ammonites, even though the border of the Ammonites was strong. ²⁵ So Israel captured all of those cities, occupied all the Amorite cities in Heshbon, and all its towns. ²⁶ Heshbon was the capital city of Sihon, king of the Amorites, who fought against the previous king of Moab and captured all his land from his capital city to Arnon. ²⁷ Therefore the ones who speak in proverbs say: Come to Heshbon and let it be built! Let the city of Sihon be established! ²⁸ A fire has gone out from Heshbon, and a flame from the city of Sihon. It consumed Ar of Moab and the lords of the high places who lived in Arnon. ²⁹ Woe to you, Moab! You are destroyed, you people of Chemosh! He has given up his sons as fugitives and his daughters have gone into captivity to Sihon, king of the Amorites. ³⁰ We’ve fired at them. Heshbon has perished as far as Dibon. We’ve destroyed them as far as Nophah even as far as Medeba.
³¹ So Israel lived in Amorite territory.
³² Israel Conquers BashanThen Moses sent out explorers to scout Jazer. They captured its towns and drove out the Amorites who were there. ³³ Then they turned toward Bashan. However, Og, the king of Bashan, mustered his army and went out to attack them at Edrei. ³⁴ The LORD told Moses, “You are not to fear him, because I’m going to deliver him, his entire army, and his land into your control. Do to him just what you’ve done to Sihon, king of the Amorites, who used to live in Heshbon.” ³⁵ So they attacked him, his sons, and his entire army, until there wasn’t even a single survivor left. Then they took possession of his land.

²⁵ Also ask yourselves: do you have a better case than Zippor’s son Balak, king of Moab? Did he ever have a quarrel with Israel or ever win a fight against them?

¹⁵ Then the chiefs of Edom were terrified, the nobles of Moab trembled uncontrollably, and all the inhabitants of Canaan melted away.

²⁵ Starting today I will begin to instill fear and terror of you on the part of every nation under heaven who hears reports about you. They’ll tremble in anguish before you.’”

¹⁰ because we heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Reed Sea right in front of you as you were coming out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were on the other side of the Jordan River—to Sihon and Og—whom you completely destroyed. ¹¹ When we heard these reports, we all became terrified and discouraged because of you, for the LORD your God is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath.

²⁴ They reported to Joshua, “The LORD really has given the entire land into our control. The inhabitants of the land have melted away right in front of us!”

²⁴ They replied to Joshua, “Because your servants had been informed that the LORD your God had certainly commanded his servant Moses to give you the entire land and to destroy all of the inhabitants of the land before you. So we were terrified for our lives because of you. That’s why we did this.

⁵ There the Israelis were seized with terror, when there was nothing to fear. For God scattered the bones of those who laid siege against you— you put them to shame, for God rejected them.

⁵ When the news reaches Egypt, they will be in anguish at the report about Tyre.

² Zippor’s son Balak saw everything that Israel had done to the Amorites.

⁷ So the elders of Moab and Midian left to visit Balaam, bringing an honorarium with them, and communicated Balak’s concerns to him.

¹⁷ I can see him, but not right now. I observe him, but from a distance. A star streams forth from Jacob; a scepter arises from Israel. He will crush Moab’s forehead, along with all of Seth’s descendants.

¹⁵ The woman who was slain, that is, the Midianite woman, was named Cozbi. She was the daughter of Zur, a leader of one of the ancestral houses of Midian.
¹⁶ God Orders the Destruction of MidianLater, the LORD ordered Moses, ¹⁷ “Attack the Midianites and execute them, ¹⁸ because they’ve acted deceitfully, bringing trouble to you in this incident at Peor with Cozbi, daughter of a prince from Midian, who was killed during the plague that came about because of the incident at Peor.”

⁸ They executed the five kings of Midian, including Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba. They also executed Beor’s son Balaam with a sword.

²¹ all of the cities of the plain, the entire kingdom of King Sihon of the Amorites, who used to reign in Heshbon and whom Moses attacked, along with the chiefs of Midian, Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, nobles of Sihon who lived in the land. ²² The Israelis also killed Beor’s son Balaam, the occult practitioner, executing him with a sword as one of those killed.

³⁸ On all the housetops of Moab and in the streets there will be nothing but mourning, for I’ll break Moab like a vessel that no one wants,” declares the LORD.

¹⁶ I’ll make your descendants as plentiful as the specks of dust of the earth, so that if one could count the specks of dust of the earth, then your descendants could also be counted.

⁷ But the Israelis were fruitful and increased abundantly. They multiplied in numbers and became very, very strong. As a result, the land was filled with them.
⁸ The Israelis Become SlavesEventually a new king who was unacquainted with Joseph came to power in Egypt. ⁹ He told his people, “Look, the Israeli people are more numerous and more powerful than we are. ¹⁰ Come on, let’s be careful how we treat them, so that when they grow numerous, if a war breaks out they won’t join our enemies, fight against us, and leave our land.”

⁷ Balaam’s First ProphecyThen Balaam uttered this prophetic statement: “King Balak of Moab brought me from Aram, from the eastern mountains, and told me, ‘Come and curse Jacob for me. Come and curse Israel.’

⁴ because they didn’t come to meet you with food and water along the way as you were coming out of Egypt. Instead, they hired Beor’s son Balaam from Pethor in Aram-naharaim to curse you.

²² The Israelis also killed Beor’s son Balaam, the occult practitioner, executing him with a sword as one of those killed.

⁹ ‘Then Zippor’s son, King Balak of Moab, showed up and fought against Israel. He sent word to Balaam, summoning Beor’s son to put a curse on you.

¹ Enemies of Israel Excluded
Later that day the book of Moses was read aloud so the people could hear it, and a written command was discovered therein permanently prohibiting the Ammonites and Moabites from coming into the congregation of God ² because they did not greet the Israelis with food and water, but instead hired Balaam to oppose them by cursing them, even though our God turned the curse into a blessing.

²⁴ He caused his people to multiply greatly; and be more numerous than their enemies.

⁵ “My people, recall how king Balak of Moab deliberated, and how Beor’s son Balaam counseled him from Shittim to Gilgal, so that you may know the righteousness of the LORD.”

¹⁵ They have left the straight path and wandered off to follow the path of Bosor’s son Balaam, who loved the reward he got for doing wrong. ¹⁶ But he was rebuked for his offense. A donkey that normally cannot talk spoke with a human voice and restrained the prophet’s insanity.

¹¹ How terrible it will be for them! For they lived like Cain did, rushed headlong into Balaam’s error to make a profit, and destroyed themselves, as happened in Korah’s rebellion.

¹⁴ But I have a few things against you: You have there some who hold to the teaching of Balaam, the one who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the people of Israel so that they would eat food sacrificed to idols and practice immorality.

³ I’ll bless those who bless you, but I’ll curse the one who curses you, and through you all the people of the earth will be blessed.”

²⁹ May people serve and bow before you; may you be master over your brothers; may your mother’s sons bow before you; may anyone who curses you be cursed; and may anyone who blesses you be blessed.”

¹² But God told Balaam, “Don’t go with them. Don’t curse the people, because they’re blessed.”

¹⁷ I’m determined to reward you generously, and I’ll do everything you tell me to do. So come right away and curse this people for me.’”

⁷ Balaam’s First ProphecyThen Balaam uttered this prophetic statement: “King Balak of Moab brought me from Aram, from the eastern mountains, and told me, ‘Come and curse Jacob for me. Come and curse Israel.’ ⁸ But how can I curse those whom God hasn’t cursed? How can I denounce those whom the LORD hasn’t denounced?

⁹ He crouches, laying low like a lion. Who would awaken him? Those who bless you are blessed, and those who curse you are cursed.”

⁴³ The Philistine asked David, “Am I a dog that you come at me with sticks?” Then the Philistine cursed David by his own gods and

⁶ So the king of Israel called in about 400 prophets and asked them, “Should we go attack Ramoth-gilead, or should I call off the attack?”
“Go attack them,” they all said, “because the Lord will drop them right into the king’s hand!”

⁸ “There is still one man left by whom we could ask the LORD what to do,” the king of Israel replied to Jehoshaphat, “but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me. Instead, he prophesies evil. He is Imla’s son Micaiah.”
But Jehoshaphat rebuked Ahab, “Kings should never talk like that.”

¹³ Micaiah Predicts Failure
Meanwhile, the messenger who had gone off to summon Micaiah advised him, “Look, everything that the other prophets were saying was unanimously favorable to the king. So please, cooperate with them and speak favorably.”

² because they did not greet the Israelis with food and water, but instead hired Balaam to oppose them by cursing them, even though our God turned the curse into a blessing.

¹⁷ He loved to curse—may his curses return upon him! He took no delight in blessing others— so may blessings be far from him. ¹⁸ He wore curses like a garment— may they enter his inner being like water and his bones like oil.

²⁸ They will curse, but you will bless. When they attack, they will be humiliated, while your servant rejoices.

² Like a fluttering sparrow or a swallow in flight, a curse without cause will not alight.

¹² “But stand up now with your spells and your many incantations, at which you have labored from your childhood until today, ¹³ according to your multiple schemes. Let them stand up now— those who conjure the heavens and gaze at the stars, predicting at the new moons— and save you from what is about to happen to them.

⁶ Instead, they crafted false prophecies and divination.
“‘They say, “…declares the LORD,” even though the LORD didn’t send them. And they hope for the fulfillment of their message.

⁹ Now in that city there was a man named Simon. He was practicing occult arts and thrilling the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great. ¹⁰ Everyone from the least to the greatest paid close attention to him, saying, “This is what we call the great power of God!”

¹⁶ The Fortune TellerOnce, as we were going to the place of prayer, we met a slave girl who had a spirit of fortune-telling and who had brought her owners a great deal of money by predicting the future.

²³ No Satanic plan against Jacob nor divination against Israel can ever prevail. When the time is right, it is to be asked about Jacob and Israel, ‘What has God accomplished?’

¹ Balaam’s Third ProphecyWhen Balaam noticed that the LORD was pleased that Balaam was blessing Israel, he didn’t behave as he had time after time before, that is, to practice divination. Instead, he turned with his face to the wilderness,

⁷ Saul told the young man, “Look, we could go, but what could we bring the man? The bread is gone from our bags, and there is no present to bring to the man of God. What do we have with us?”
⁸ The young man answered Saul again, “Look here! I have in my hand a quarter shekel of silver. I’ll give it to the man of God, and he will tell us about our journey.”

¹¹ Meanwhile, the dogs have a mighty appetite— they can never get enough. And as for them, they are the shepherds who lack understanding; they have all turned to their own way, each one to his gain, each and every one.

¹⁹ You’ve profaned me among my people for a handful of barley and a morsel of bread. You’re causing people to die who shouldn’t have to die, and you’re causing people to live who shouldn’t survive, when you deceive my people who tend to listen to lies.”

¹¹ Her leaders judge for the money, her priests teach only when they’re paid, and her prophets prophesy for cash. Even so, don’t they all rely on the LORD as they ask, ‘The LORD is among us, is he not? Nothing bad can possibly happen to us!’

¹⁸ because such people are not serving the Messiah our Lord, but their own desires. By their smooth talk and flattering words they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.

⁹ But people who want to get rich keep toppling into temptation and are trapped by many stupid and harmful desires that plunge them into destruction and ruin. ¹⁰ For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, in their eagerness to get rich, have wandered away from the faith and caused themselves a lot of pain.

¹¹ They must be silenced, because they are the kind of people who ruin whole families by teaching what they should not teach in order to make money in a shameful way.

¹⁵ They have left the straight path and wandered off to follow the path of Bosor’s son Balaam, who loved the reward he got for doing wrong.

⁶ Then he told the two of them: “Pay attention to what I have to say! When there is a prophet among you, won’t I, the LORD, reveal myself to him in a vision? Won’t I speak with him in a dream?

¹⁹ Meanwhile, stay here overnight so I may learn what the LORD might say to me.”
²⁰ God came to visit Balaam that same night and told him, “If the men come to call on you, get up and go with them, but be sure to do only what I tell you to do.”

¹² But in response, Balaam asked, “Shouldn’t I be careful to communicate only what the LORD puts in my mouth?”

² You plant them and they take root, they grow and bear fruit. “You are near to us,” they say with their mouths, but the truth is that you’re far from their hearts.

³¹ Then they come to you as a group, sit down right in front of you as if they were my people, hear your words—and then they don’t do what you say— because they’re seeking only their own desires, they pursue ill-gotten profits, and they keep following their own self-interests.

⁹ So the LORD God called out to the man, asking him, “Where are you?”
¹⁰ “I heard your voice in the garden,” the man answered, “and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid from you.”
¹¹ “Who told you that you are naked?” God asked. “Did you eat fruit from the tree that I commanded you not to eat?”

⁹ Later, the LORD asked Cain, “Where’s your brother Abel?”
“I don’t know,” he answered. “Am I my brother’s guardian?”

⁸ “Hagar, servant of Sarai,” he asked, “Where are you coming from and where are you going?”
She answered, “I am running away from my mistress Sarai.”

³ But God came to Abimelech in a dream during the night and spoke to him, “Pay attention! You’re about to die, because the woman you have taken is a man’s wife!”

²⁴ God Warns LabanThat night, God appeared to Laban the Aramean in a dream and warned him, “Be careful what you say to Jacob, whether it’s one word good or bad.”

²⁵ Joseph Interprets Pharaoh’s Dream“Pharaoh’s dreams are identical,” Joseph replied. “God has told Pharaoh what he is getting ready to do.

² “What’s that in your hand?” the LORD asked him.
Moses answered, “A staff.”

²⁰ God came to visit Balaam that same night and told him, “If the men come to call on you, get up and go with them, but be sure to do only what I tell you to do.”

¹⁴ Then Isaiah the prophet came to King Hezekiah and asked him, “What did these men have to say, and where did they come from?”
Hezekiah replied, “They came from a country far away—from Babylon.”
¹⁵ He asked, “What did they see in your household?”
Hezekiah answered, “They have seen everything. In my household there is nothing in my treasuries that I haven’t shown them.”

⁴⁵ Now, just as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without human hands—and that it crushed the iron, bronze, clay, silver, and gold to pieces—so also the great God has revealed to the king what will take place after this. Your dream will come true, and its meaning will prove trustworthy.”

³¹ As these words were being spoken by the king, a voice came out of heaven: “King Nebuchadnezzar, this is declared to you: ‘The kingdom has been taken from you! ³² You’re to be driven away from people. You’re to live with the wild animals of the field. You are to be made to eat grass like cattle, and seven years will pass you by until you realize that the Most High is sovereign over human kingdoms and grants them to whomever he desires.’”

²² Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, we prophesied in your name, drove out demons in your name, and performed many miracles in your name, didn’t we?’

²⁴ because false messiahs and false prophets will appear and display great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.

⁵¹ Now he did not say this on his own initiative. As high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation,

² I’ll make a great nation of your descendants, I’ll bless you, and I’ll make your reputation great, so that you will be a blessing.

¹⁶ and said, “I have taken an oath to swear by myself,” declares the LORD, “that since you have carried this out and have not withheld your only unique son, ¹⁷ I will certainly bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in heaven and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the gates of their enemies. ¹⁸ Furthermore, through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed my command.”

³ Then Balaam instructed Balak, “Stand by your offering and leave me alone by myself. Perhaps the LORD will come to meet me. I’ll tell you whatever he reveals to me.”
And so he went to a high place,

¹³ Balaam’s Second Sacrifice“Come with me to another place where you can see them,” Balak replied. “You’ll only see a portion of them, because you won’t be able to see them completely. Come and curse them from there for me.”
¹⁴ So Balak took him to the field of Zophim, and from there to the top of Mount Pisgah, where he built seven altars and then offered a bull and a ram on each altar. ¹⁵ Then he told Balak, “Stand by your offering while I go alone to meet the LORD.”

¹⁹ God is not a human male— he doesn’t lie, nor is he a human being— he never vacillates. Once he speaks up, he’s going to act, isn’t he? Once he makes a promise, he’ll fulfill it, won’t he? ²⁰ Look! I’ve received a blessing, and so I will bless. I won’t withdraw it.

⁵ However, the LORD your God didn’t listen to Balaam. The LORD your God turned Balaam’s curse into a blessing, because the LORD your God loves you.

²⁹ How blessed are you, Israel! Who can be like you, a people delivered by the LORD, your shield of help and your finely crafted sword. May your enemies cower before you. You will tread down their high places.”

¹⁵ in a dream or night vision, when a deep sleep falls on mankind while they sleep on their beds. ¹⁶ That’s when he opens the ear of mankind, authenticating his messages to them, ¹⁷ turning a person from his actions, keeping him from pride,

¹⁵ Happy are the people to whom these things come; happy are the people whose God is the LORD.

⁵ Happy is the one whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God,

¹⁹ While he was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him a message that said, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, because today I have suffered terribly due to a dream I had about him.”

⁶ Likewise, David also speaks of the blessedness of the person whom God regards as righteous apart from actions: ⁷ “How blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered!

²⁹ For God’s gifts and calling never change.

³ The Many Blessings of SalvationBlessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah! He has blessed us in the Messiah with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realm,

¹⁴ So Balak’s officials got up, returned to Balak and reported, “Balaam refused to come with us.”

¹³ So Balaam got up the next morning and told Balak’s officials, “Go back to your homeland, because the LORD has refused me permission to go with you.”

³⁷ Balak asked Balaam, “Didn’t I repeatedly send for you to summon you? Why didn’t you come to me? I can pay you well, can’t I?”

⁷ So the elders of Moab and Midian left to visit Balaam, bringing an honorarium with them, and communicated Balak’s concerns to him. ⁸ In answer, Balaam told them, “Stay here for the night and I’ll bring back a message to you, depending on what the LORD says to me.” So the officers of Moab stayed with Balaam overnight.

⁷ When the angel who had spoken to him had gone, Cornelius summoned two of his household servants and a devout soldier, one of those who served him regularly. ⁸ He explained everything to them and sent them to Joppa.

⁶ So come right now and curse this people for me, because there are too many of them for me to handle. Perhaps I’ll be able to strike them down and drive them out of the land, since I know that whomever you bless is blessed and whomever you curse is cursed.”

² So Balak did just as Balaam instructed. Balak and Balaam offered a bull and a ram on each altar. ³ Then Balaam instructed Balak, “Stand by your offering and leave me alone by myself. Perhaps the LORD will come to meet me. I’ll tell you whatever he reveals to me.”
And so he went to a high place,

²⁹ Balaam told Balak, “Build seven altars for me right here. Then prepare seven bulls and seven rams.” ³⁰ Balak did just what Balaam had instructed—he offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

¹¹ Now get out of here! I had promised you that I would definitely honor you, but now the LORD has kept me from doing that!”

⁹ Celebrate the Festival of Weeks“Count off seven weeks from when the sickle is first put to standing grain.

¹¹ Then Haman told them about his splendid wealth, the number of his sons, all the ways the king had honored him, and that he had promoted him above all the other officials and ministers of the king.

⁹ Then Harbonah, one of the eunuchs attending the king, observed, “Look there! A pole is standing 50 cubits high at Haman’s house that he prepared for Mordecai, whose report benefitted the king!”
The king said, “Hang him on it.”

⁸ Once more the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world, along with their splendor. ⁹ He told Jesus, “I will give you all these things if you will bow down and worship me!”

⁷ so much that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked for.

²⁶ because what profit will a person have if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? Or what can a person give in exchange for his life?

³⁸ Balaam answered Balak, “Well, I’m here now. I’ve come to you, but I can’t just say anything, can I? I’ll speak only what God puts in my mouth to say.”

²⁶ “Didn’t I tell you,” Balaam responded to Balak, “that I’ll say whatever the LORD tells me to say?”

¹³ ‘Even if Balak gives me his palace full of silver and gold, I won’t double-cross the command of the LORD and do anything—whether good or evil—on my own initiative, because I’m going to say whatever the LORD says.’

¹⁴ “As the LORD lives,” Micaiah replied, “I’ll say what my God tells me to say.”

¹³ “As the LORD lives,” Micaiah replied, “I’ll say what my God tells me to say.”

¹⁷ At this, Daniel answered, speaking directly to the king, “Let your gifts and rewards be given to someone else. However, I’ll read the writing for the king and tell him its meaning.

²⁰ But Peter told him, “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could obtain God’s free gift with money!

¹⁶ They claim to know God, but they deny him by their actions. They are detestable, disobedient, and disqualified to do anything good.

³ In their greed they will exploit you with deceptive words. The ancient verdict against them is still in force, and their destruction is not delayed.

³⁵ But the angel of the LORD told Balaam, “Go with the men, but deliver only the message that I’m going to give you.” So Balaam went with Balak’s officials.

⁵ Then the LORD gave Balaam this message. “Return to Balak and speak to him.”

¹⁶ Then the LORD met with Balaam and gave a message to him. “Now go back to Balak and speak to him.”

⁵ They told him, “Look, you’re old, and your sons don’t follow your example. So appoint a king to govern us like all the other nations.” ⁶ Samuel was displeased when they said, “Give us a king to govern us.” So Samuel prayed to the LORD.
⁷ The LORD told Samuel, “Listen to the people in all that they say to you. In fact, it’s not you they have rejected, but rather they have rejected me from being their king. ⁸ Like all the things they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this very day, they have forsaken me and followed other gods. They’re also doing the same thing to you. ⁹ Now, listen to them, but you are to clearly warn them and inform them about how the king who rules over them will operate.”

¹² But when you saw that Nahash, king of the Ammonites, was coming to fight you, you told me, ‘No, let a king rule over us instead,’ even though the LORD your God was your king.
¹³ “Now, here is the king you have chosen, the one whom you asked for. See, the Lord has appointed a king over you. ¹⁴ If you fear the LORD, serve him, obey him, and don’t rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then both you and the king who rules over you will truly follow the LORD your God. ¹⁵ But if you don’t obey the LORD and rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then the LORD will turn against you as he did against your ancestors.
¹⁶ “Now then, stand up and see this great thing that the LORD is about to do before your eyes. ¹⁷ Is it not the wheat harvest today? I’ll call upon the LORD, and he will send thunder and rain. Then you will know and understand that you have done a great evil in the sight of the LORD by asking for a king for yourselves.” ¹⁸ Samuel called upon the LORD that same day, and the LORD sent thunder and rain. So all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel.
¹⁹ Then all the people told Samuel, “Pray to the LORD your God for your servants, so that we don’t die, because we made all our sins worse by asking for a king for ourselves.”

¹⁰ The LORD makes void the counsel of nations; he frustrates the plans of peoples. ¹¹ But the LORD’s counsel stands firm forever, the plans in his mind for all generations.

³⁰ However, before they had fulfilled their desire, while their food was still in their mouths, ³¹ the anger of God flared against them, and he killed the strongest men and humbled Israel’s young men.

¹² So I allowed them to continue in their stubbornness, living by their own advice.

²⁹ Your insolence has reached my ears, so I’ll put my hook in your nose and my bit in your mouth, and I’ll make you turn back on the road by which you came.

² this message came to me from the LORD.
³ “Son of Man, these men have taken idols into their hearts. They’ve placed the stumbling block that is their own iniquity right in front of their faces. Should I be consulted by them at all? ⁴ Therefore, speak up and tell them, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says, “Every person from Israel’s house who follows his idols and sets the stumbling block that is his own sin in front of his face, and then consults a prophet, I the LORD will answer him according to how many idols he embraces. ⁵ I’ll do this in order to capture the hearts of Israel’s house who have become alienated from me due to all of their idols.”’”

¹¹ I gave you a king in my anger, and I took him away in my fury.”

⁹ The coming of the lawless one will be accompanied by the power of Satan. He will use every kind of power, including miraculous signs, lying wonders, ¹⁰ and every type of evil to deceive those who are dying, those who refused to love the truth that would save them. ¹¹ For this reason, God will send them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie. ¹² Then all who have not believed the truth but have taken pleasure in unrighteousness will be condemned.

¹⁵ My son, do not go along with them, and keep your feet away from their paths! ¹⁶ For they run toward evil; these enticers shed blood without hesitation.

¹⁵ Israel Blesses Joseph’s SonsThen Israel blessed Joseph by saying: “May the God in whose presence my ancestors Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has continued shepherding me my whole life even until today, ¹⁶ the angel who has been rescuing me from all sorts of evil, bless these young men. May my name continue to live on within them, including the names of my ancestors Abraham and Isaac, and may they grow into a vast multitude throughout the earth.”

² the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flaming fire from the center of a bush. As Moses continued to watch, amazingly the bush kept on burning, but was not consumed. ³ Then Moses told himself, “I’ll go over and see this remarkable sight. Why isn’t the bush burning up?”
⁴ When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from the center of the bush, “Moses! Moses!”
He said, “Here I am.”
⁵ “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Remove your sandals from your feet, because the place where you are standing is holy ground.” ⁶ Then he said, “I am the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.

²⁴ Zipporah Circumcises Moses’ SonBut later on, at the lodging place along the way, the LORD met Moses and was about to kill him.

²⁰ God Promises Help as the Israelis Enter Canaan“Look, I’m sending an angel in front of you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place I’ve prepared.

³² Then the angel of the LORD asked him, “Why did you beat your donkey in the space of only three footsteps? I’ve come to oppose you, because I say that what you’re doing is perverted.

²⁰ Jehu ordered, “Set aside a solemn assembly for Baal!”
And so they proclaimed it.

⁴ He bent his bow against us as would an enemy, his right hand cocked as would an adversary. He has killed everyone in whom we took pride; in the tent of cherished Zion he poured out his anger like fire.

⁴ Naming the ChildrenThe LORD told Hosea, “Name the child ‘Jezreel,’ because in a little while I’ll avenge the blood that was shed by Jehu’s dynasty at Jezreel. I’ll put an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel.

⁴ He even fought the angel and won; he cried and prayed to him. Then at Bethel he found him, and there he spoke with us— ⁵ the LORD God of the Heavenly Armies— the LORD is his name.

¹⁷ Then Elisha prayed, asking the LORD, “Please make him able to really see!” And so when the LORD enabled the young man to see, he looked, and there was the mountain, filled with horses and fiery chariots surrounding Elisha!

¹⁶ David looked up and saw the angel of the LORD standing between earth and heaven, with a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell on their faces.

⁷ Even the stork in the sky knows its seasons, and the dove, the swallow, and the crane observe the time for migration. But my people don’t know the requirements of the LORD.

⁷ “Now I, Daniel, was the only one to receive the vision—the men who were with me didn’t see it. However, an enormous fear overwhelmed them, so they ran away to hide,

⁹ The men who were with me saw the light but didn’t understand the voice of the one who was speaking to me.

²⁷ But God chose what is nonsense in the world to make the wise feel ashamed. God chose what is weak in the world to make the strong feel ashamed. ²⁸ And God chose what is insignificant in the world, what is despised, what is nothing, in order to destroy what is something, ²⁹ so that no one may boast in God’s presence.

¹⁶ But he was rebuked for his offense. A donkey that normally cannot talk spoke with a human voice and restrained the prophet’s insanity.

¹³ He captures the wise in their own craftiness, bringing a quick end to their cunning advice. ¹⁴ They meet with darkness in broad daylight; at noonday they grope around as if it were night. ¹⁵ So he delivers from the sword of their mouth— the poor from the power of the mighty.

¹² “But stand up now with your spells and your many incantations, at which you have labored from your childhood until today,

¹¹ “LORD, your hand is lifted up, but they do not see it. And let them see your zeal for your people and be put to shame— yes, let the fire reserved for your enemies consume them!

⁶ “Look how I’m blocking her path with thorns and building a wall to hinder her, so she can’t find her way.

¹⁶ The wise person fears and turns away from evil, but a fool is reckless and overconfident.

³ Rocks are heavy, and sand is weighty, but a fool’s provocation outweighs them both. ⁴ Wrath can be fierce and anger overwhelms but who can stand up to jealousy?

¹⁹ You must understand this, my dear brothers. Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.

¹¹ Then God asked him, “Who gives a person a mouth? Who makes him unable to speak, or deaf, or able to see, or blind, or lame? Is it not I, the LORD?

³⁷ Nothing is impossible with respect to any of God’s promises.”

²² For we know that all the rest of creation has been groaning with the pains of childbirth up to the present time.

¹⁹ For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the intelligence of the intelligent I will reject.”

¹⁰ The righteous person looks out for the welfare of his livestock, but even the compassion of the wicked is cruel.

¹⁶ The anger of a fool becomes readily apparent, but the prudent person overlooks an insult.

³ The Universality of DeathThere is a tragedy that infects everything that happens on earth: a common event happens to everyone. In fact, the hearts of human beings are full of evil. Madness remains in their hearts while they live, and afterwards they join the dead.

¹⁹ It is out of the heart that evil thoughts come, as well as murder, adultery, sexual immorality, stealing, false testimony, and slander.

²⁷ But God chose what is nonsense in the world to make the wise feel ashamed. God chose what is weak in the world to make the strong feel ashamed. ²⁸ And God chose what is insignificant in the world, what is despised, what is nothing, in order to destroy what is something,

¹⁹ Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. So she went, filled the skin with water, and gave the boy a drink.

⁸ Moses quickly bowed to the ground and prostrated himself in worship.

⁴ A declaration from one who hears what God has to say, who saw the vision that the Almighty revealed, who keeps stumbling with open eyes.

¹⁶ A declaration from one who hears what God has to say, who knows what the Most High knows, who saw the vision that the Almighty revealed, who keeps stumbling with open eyes.

¹⁷ Then Elisha prayed, asking the LORD, “Please make him able to really see!” And so when the LORD enabled the young man to see, he looked, and there was the mountain, filled with horses and fiery chariots surrounding Elisha!
¹⁸ When the army approached him, Elisha spoke to the LORD, asking him, “LORD, I’m asking you please to afflict this group of people with blindness!” So he afflicted them with blindness, just as Elisha had asked.
¹⁹ Then Elisha told the army, “This isn’t the way, and this isn’t the city! Follow me, and I’ll bring you to the man you’re seeking. Then he led them to Samaria. ²⁰ When they arrived in Samaria, Elisha asked the LORD, “Enable them to see again.” So the LORD did so, and there they were—right in the middle of Samaria!

²⁰ Make them afraid, LORD, Let the nations know that they are only human. Interlude

¹⁶ but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him.

³¹ Then their eyes were opened, and they knew who he was. And he vanished from them.

⁶ When Jesus told them, “I AM,” they backed away and fell to the ground.

¹⁸ You will help them understand and turn them from darkness to light and from Satan’s control to God, so that their sins will be forgiven and they will receive a share among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

²² Balaam’s Donkey Rebukes its OwnerAt this, the anger of the LORD flared up against Balaam, because he was leaving. So the angel of the LORD stood in the way to oppose him. As Balaam was riding his donkey, accompanied by two of his servants,

²⁸ That’s when the LORD enabled the donkey to speak. She asked Balaam, “What did I do to you that you would beat me in the space of only three footsteps?”

⁴ “Don’t muzzle an ox while it is threshing grain.”

⁶ Your righteousness is like the mountains of God; your justice is like the great depths of the sea. You deliver both people and animals, LORD.

⁹ The LORD is good to everyone and his mercies extend to everything he does.

⁹ He gives wild animals their food, including the young ravens when they cry.

² Someone whose conduct is upright fears the LORD, but whoever is devious in his ways despises him.

⁶ It’s better to be poor and live a blameless life than to be rich but crooked in one’s lifestyle.

¹⁸ Whoever lives blamelessly will be delivered, but whoever is perverted will fall without warning.

¹¹ So why shouldn’t I be concerned about Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 human beings who do not know their right hand from their left, as well as a lot of livestock?

¹⁰ and said, “You’re full of every form of deception and trickery, you son of the devil, you enemy of all that is right! You’ll never stop perverting the straight ways of the Lord, will you?

¹⁴ With eyes full of adultery, they cannot get enough of sin. They seduce unsteady souls and have had their hearts expertly trained in greed. They are doomed to a curse. ¹⁵ They have left the straight path and wandered off to follow the path of Bosor’s son Balaam, who loved the reward he got for doing wrong.

³⁷ and who produced an evil report about the land, died of pestilence in the LORD’s presence.

³³ So they and all that belonged to them descended alive to Sheol. Then the earth closed over them. That’s how they were annihilated from the assembly.
³⁴ Then all of the Israelis who were around them ran away when they heard them crying, “…so the ground won’t swallow us up, too.” ³⁵ After this, fire came from the LORD and incinerated the 250 men who offered the incense.

²⁴ Not long after the man of God had left, a lion met him along the road and killed him. His body was left lying in the middle of the road with the donkey standing beside it and with the lion also standing next to the body. ²⁵ When some men passed by and noticed the body lying in the middle of the road and the lion standing beside the body, they went straight to the city and told what had happened in the city where the old prophet lived.
²⁶ The prophet who had brought the man of God back from the road learned about it. “It’s the man of God who disobeyed the message from the LORD,” he said. “That’s why the LORD gave him to that lion, which mauled him and killed him, just as the message from the LORD told rebuke him.” ²⁷ Then he ordered his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me.” So they did. ²⁸ The old prophet went out, located the body on the road where the donkey and the lion were standing beside the body. The lion had not eaten the body nor mauled the donkey.

²⁷ Pharaoh sent word and called for Moses and Aaron. “I’ve sinned this time,” he told them. “The LORD is righteous, but I and my people are wicked.

¹⁶ Pharaoh quickly called Moses and Aaron and said, “I’ve sinned against the LORD your God and against you. ¹⁷ Now, please forgive my sin only this time, and pray to the LORD your God that he would at least remove this from me.”

¹ Israel ComplainsEventually, the people began complaining about their distress, and the LORD heard them. When the LORD heard, his anger flared up and the LORD’s fire incinerated some of them within the outskirts of the camp.

⁴⁰ So they got up early the next morning and traveled to the top of the mountain, telling themselves, “Look, we’re here and we’re going to go up to the place that the LORD had spoken about, even though we’ve sinned.”

²⁴ “I’ve sinned,” Saul replied to Samuel. “I’ve broken the LORD’s command and your word, because I was afraid of the people and listened to them.

³⁰ “I’ve sinned,” Saul said. “But please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and return with me so I may worship the LORD your God.”

¹⁷ to David, “You are more righteous than I am, because you have treated me well even though I’ve treated you poorly.

²¹ Saul Apologizes AgainThen Saul said, “I’ve wronged you. Return, my son David, for I won’t harm you again because my life was precious to you today. Look, I’ve acted foolishly and have made a very great mistake.”

¹³ At this point, David told Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.”
Nathan responded to David, “There’s one other thing: the LORD has forgiven your sin. You won’t die.

⁷ David Chooses His Punishment
God considered this behavior to be evil, so he attacked Israel.

³¹ Elihu’s Challenge to Job“Has anyone ever really told God, ‘I’ve endured, and I won’t act corruptly anymore. ³² What I don’t see, instruct me! If I’ve done anything evil, I won’t repeat it!’

³⁴ When he struck them, they sought him; they repented, and eagerly sought God.

¹⁸ Otherwise the LORD will observe and disapprove, and he will turn his anger away from him.

⁴ saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.”
But they replied, “What do we care? Attend to that yourself.” ⁵ Then he flung the pieces of silver into the sanctuary, went outside, ran away, and hanged himself.

²⁰ God came to visit Balaam that same night and told him, “If the men come to call on you, get up and go with them, but be sure to do only what I tell you to do.” ²¹ The next morning, Balaam got up, saddled his donkey, and started to leave, accompanied by the Moabite officials.

²⁶ “‘Didn’t you hear how in the distant past I decided to do it, how I planned from days of old? Now I’ve made it happen— that fortified cities become devastated, besieged heaps. ²⁷ Their inhabitants are devoid of power, and are terrified and put to shame. They’ve become like plants in the field, like green shoots, like grass on rooftops, scorched by the east wind. ²⁸ “‘I know when you rise up and when you sit down, your comings and goings— and how you’ve become enraged at me. ²⁹ Your insolence has reached my ears, so I’ll put my hook in your nose and my bit in your mouth, and I’ll make you turn back on the road by which you came.

¹⁷ The Blessing of MelchizedekAfter Abram’s return from defeating Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with them, the king of Sodom went out to meet with him in the Shaveh Valley (that is, the King’s Valley).

² he glanced up and saw three men standing there, not far from him. As soon as he noticed them, Abraham ran from the tent entrance to greet them and bowed low to the ground.

²⁹ Joseph prepared his chariot and went to meet his father Israel in Goshen. As soon as Jacob appeared in his presence, he embraced him and wept for a long time as he held on to him.

⁷ When Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, he bowed low and kissed him, and they greeted one another. Then they went into the tent.

¹³ Then they traveled to the other side of Arnon and camped in the wilderness that borders the territory of the Amorites. (Arnon borders Moab between Moab and the Amorites, ¹⁴ which is why the Book of the Wars of the LORD reads, “Waheb and Suphah and the wadis of the Arnon,

²⁴ Get ready and set out for the Wadi Arnon. Look! I’ve given into your control Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, along with his land. Prepare to take possession by provoking him to war.

¹⁸ Then they went through the desert, circumventing the territory belonging to Edom and Moab. They encamped on the other side of the Arnon River, but never entered the territory of Moab because the Arnon River is the border of Moab.

¹⁰ Just as he finished offering the burnt offering, Samuel arrived, and Saul went out to meet and greet him.

² Like fluttering birds, like an abandoned nest, so are the daughters of Moab at the fords of the Arnon River.

²⁰ Moab will be put to shame, for it will be destroyed. Wail and cry out. Announce by the Arnon that Moab is destroyed.

¹⁵ The brothers there heard about us and came as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and felt encouraged.

¹⁶ who approached Balaam with this message: “This is what Zippor’s son Balak says: ‘Don’t let anything get in the way of your coming to me. ¹⁷ I’m determined to reward you generously, and I’ll do everything you tell me to do. So come right away and curse this people for me.’”

⁶ For exaltation comes not from the east, the west, or the wilderness,

⁶ He told Jesus, “I will give you all this authority, along with their glory, because it has been given to me, and I give it to anyone I please.

⁴⁴ How can you believe when you accept each other’s praise and do not look for the praise that comes from the only God?

¹⁸ Balaam responded to Balak’s entourage by saying, “Even if Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I won’t double-cross the command of the LORD my God in even the slightest way.

¹⁰ The LORD makes void the counsel of nations; he frustrates the plans of peoples.

¹⁰ Even human anger praises you; you will wear the survivors of your wrath as an ornament.

²¹ Many plans occupy the mind of a man, but the LORD’s purposes will prevail.

²⁵ who frustrates the omens of idle talkers, and drives diviners mad, who turns back the wise, and makes their knowledge foolish;

¹⁰ I declare from the beginning things to follow, and from ancient times things that have not yet been done; saying, ‘My purpose will stand, and he will accomplish everything that I please.’

⁵⁴ offered sacrifices there on the mountain, and called on his relatives to eat some food. So they ate the food and spent the night on the mountain.

² So Balak did just as Balaam instructed. Balak and Balaam offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

¹⁴ So Balak took him to the field of Zophim, and from there to the top of Mount Pisgah, where he built seven altars and then offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

³⁰ Balak did just what Balaam had instructed—he offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

¹⁶ For they run toward evil; these enticers shed blood without hesitation.

²⁸ A fire has gone out from Heshbon, and a flame from the city of Sihon. It consumed Ar of Moab and the lords of the high places who lived in Arnon.

¹³ Balaam’s Second Sacrifice“Come with me to another place where you can see them,” Balak replied. “You’ll only see a portion of them, because you won’t be able to see them completely. Come and curse them from there for me.”

² who also invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods. So the people ate what they had sacrificed and then worshipped their gods. ³ The people joined the Baal-peor cult. As a result, the anger of the LORD flared up against Israel,

² Be sure you destroy there all the places where the nations that you’re going to dispossess serve their gods—upon the high mountains and hills and under every leafy tree.

¹⁵ Jeroboam had appointed his own priests to serve at the high places and to serve the satyrs and calves that he had made.

³⁵ In Moab,” declares the LORD, “I’ll put an end to the one who offers a burnt offering on the high place and to the one who burns incense to his gods.