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.

Balak did, as Balim had said,

and Balak and Balam 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

Balim's mouth and said, Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak. And he returned to him. And behold, he and all

the princess of Moab were standing beside his burnt offering. And Balam took up his discourse and said,

From Aram, 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 has 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 him, 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 bless them.

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