Numbers · Chapter 23

[ edit] And Balaam ſeide to Balac, Bilde to me here ſeuen auters, and mak redi as feel calues, and of þe ſame noumbre weþers. And whanne he hadde doon after þe word of Balaam, þei putten to gydre a calf and a weþer vpon þe auter. And Balaam ſeyde to Balac, Stoond a litil while biſide þi brent ſacrifice, to þe tyme þat Y goo, if perauenture þe Lord aȝen come to me; and what euer þing he comaunde I ſhal ſpeke to þee. And whanne he hadde goon awey ſwiftli, God aȝen come to hym; and Balaam ſpak to hym, Seuen, he ſeiþ, auters Y haue areryd, and putte in a calf and a weþer þere aboue. Þe Lord forſoþe putte þe word in þe mouþ of hym, and ſeiþ, Turn aȝen to Balac, and þes þingis þow ſhalt ſpeke.

He turned aȝen, foonde Balac ſtoondynge biſidis his brent ſacrifice, and alle þe prynces of Moabitees. And takun to his parable, ſeiþ, Fro Aran haþ ladde me Balac, þe kyng of Moabites, fro þe hillis of þe eeſt; Com, he ſeiþ, and curs to Jacob; go forþe, and wari to Iſrael. What maner wiſe ſhal I curſe to whom God haþ not curſid? bi what reſoun ſhal Y wary whom God warieþ not? Fro þe hieſt flyntis Y ſhal ſee hym, and fro þe hillis Y ſhal biholde to hym; þe puple aloon ſhal dwelle, and amonge þe gentilis he ſhal not be rekned. Who may ful noumbre þe powdre of Jacob, and knowe þe noumbre of þe lynage of Yrael? Dye my ſoule þurȝ þe deeþ of riȝtwiſe men, and ben maad my laſt lijk to þes!

And Balac ſeide to Balaam, What is þat þat þow doſt? þat þow ſhuldiſt curſe to myn enemyes, Y clepide þee, and þow aȝenward bliſſiſt to hem. To whom he anſwerde, Wheþer oþer þing Y may ſpeke but þat þe Lord ſhal comaunde? Þanne Balac ſeide to Balaam, Com wiþ me into anoþer place, whens a part of Irael þow ſeeȝ, and al ſeeȝ þow may not; þens curs þow to hym. And whanne he hadde ladde hym into an hye place, vpon þe cop of þe hil of Phaſga, he bilde to Balaam ſeuen auters, and putt yn þere aboue calues and weþers, he ſeide to Balac, Stond here biſide þi ſacrifice, to tyme þat Y go metynge.

To whom whanne þe Lord was aȝen comen, and hadde putte þe word in þe mouþ of hym, ſeiþ, Turn aȝen to Balac, and þes þingis þow ſhalt ſpeke to hym. Turned aȝen, he fonde hym ſtondynge biſidis his ſacrifice, and þe princes of Moabites wiþ hym. To whom Balac, What þing, he ſeiþ, haþ þe Lord ſpokun? And he takid to his parable, ſeiþ, Stoond Balac, and herkne; here, þow ſone of Sephor. God is not as man, þat he lye, ne as þe ſone of man, þat he be chaungid; þanne he ſeide, and ſhal not doon? he haþ ſpokun, and ſhal not fulfille? To bleſſe I am brouȝt forþe, bleſſynge Y may not defende.

Þere is no mawmet in Jacob, ne fals liknes is ſeen in Yrael; þe Lord God of hym is wiþ hym, and þe noyſe of þe victorie of þe kyng is in hym. Þe Lord God haþ ladde hym out of Egipte, whos ſtrengþe is lijk to an vnycorn; þere is no dyuynynge bi briddis in Jacob, ne dyuynacioun in Yrael. In his tymes it ſhal be ſeide to Jacob and to Yrael, What þe Lord haþ wrouȝt! Loo! þe puple as a liones ſhal aryſe togidre, and as a lioun ſhal be reryd; þe lioun ſhal not ligge, to þe tyme þat he deuowre þe prayȝ, and drynke þe blood of þe ſlayn. And Balac ſeide to Balam, Ne curs þow to hym, ne bliſſe þow. And he ſeiþe, Wheþer ſeide Y not to þee, þat what euer þing God comaundide to me, þat Y wolde doo?

And Balac ſeide to hym, Com, and Y ſhal lede þee to anoþer place, if perauenture it pleſe to God þat fro þens þow curſe to it. And whanne he hadde ladde hym out vpon þe cop of þe hil of Phegor, þat biholdiþ þe wildernes, Balaam ſeide to hym, Bilde here to me ſeuen auters, and mak redy ſo feel calues, and of þe ſame noumbre weþers. Balac dide as Balaam ſeide, and putte yn calues and weþers, bi eche auters.