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And Balaam said to Balak, 1"Build for me here seven altars, and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams."
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Balak did as Balaam had said. And Balak and Balaam 2offered on each altar a bull and a ram.
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And Balaam said to Balak, 3"Stand beside your burnt offering, and I will go. Perhaps the LORD will come 4to meet me, and whatever he shows me I will tell you." And he went to a bare height,
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5and God met Balaam. And Balaam said to him, "I have arranged the seven altars and I have offered on each altar a bull and a ram.
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And the LORD 6put a word in Balaam's mouth and said, "Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak."
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And he returned to him, and behold, he and all the princes of Moab were standing beside his burnt offering.
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And Balaam 7took up his discourse and said, "From 8Aram Balak has brought me, the king of Moab 9from the eastern mountains: 'Come, 10curse Jacob for me, and come, denounce Israel!'
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How can I curse whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce whom the LORD has not denounced?
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For from the top of the crags 11I see him, from the hills I behold him; behold, 12a people dwelling alone, and 13not counting itself among the nations!
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14Who can count the dust of Jacob or number the fourth part of Israel? Let me die 15the death of the upright, and let my end be like his!"
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And Balak said to Balaam, "What have you done to me? 16I took you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have done nothing but bless them."
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And he answered and said, 17"Must I not take care to speak what the LORD puts in my mouth?"