A reading from the Book of Numbers.

And Balam said to Balak,

Build for me here seven altars,

and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven Rams.

Balik did as Balim had said,

and Balak and Balem offered on each altar a bull and a ram.

And Balam said to Balak,

Stand beside your burnt offering, and I will go. Perhaps the Lord will come to meet me,

and whatever he shows me, I will tell you.' And he went to a bare height, and God met Balam,

and Balam said to him, "'I have arranged the seven altars, and I have offered on each altar a bull and a ram.

And the Lord put a word in Balam's mouth and said,

Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak.

And he returned to him, and behold, he and all the princes of Moab were standing beside his burn offering.

And Balam took up his discourse and said,

From Aaron Balak has brought me, the king of Moab from the eastern mountains, come, curse Jacob for me, and come, denounce Israel. How can I curse whom

God is not cursed? How can I denounce whom the Lord has not denounced? For from the top of the

crags I see him, from the hills I behold a people dwelling alone,

and not counting itself among the nations. Who can count the dust of Jacob, or number the fourth

part of Israel? Let me die the death of the upright and let my end be like his. And Balik said to

Balam, What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have done nothing but blessed them.'

And he answered and said, "'Must I not take care to speak what the Lord puts in my mouth?'

And Balik said to him, "'Please come with me to another place, from which you may see them. You shall see only a fraction of them

...