<p class="bodytext">Balaam said to Balak, &#8220;Did I not also tell your messengers whom you sent to me,

I am handing over to you every place you set foot, as I promised Moses.<n id="1" />

&#8220;Have the Israelites select<n id="1" /> the cities of refuge<n id="2" /> that I told you about through Moses.

Don&#8217;t consider your servant a wicked woman,<n id="1" /> for until now I have spoken from my deep pain and anguish.&#8221;p>

On that day I will carry out<n id="1" /> against Eli everything that I spoke about his house &#8211; from start to finish!

<p class="poetry">I have not spoken in secret,p> <p class="poetry">in some hidden place.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">I did not tell Jacob&#8217;s descendants,p> <p class="poetry">&#8216;Seek me in vain!&#8217;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">I am the <sc>Lordsc>,p> <p class="poetry">the one who speaks honestly,p> <p class="poetry">who makes reliable announcements.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">who summons an eagle<n id="1" /> from the east,p> <p class="poetry">from a distant land, one who carries out my plan.p> <p class="poetry">Yes, I have decreed,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">yes, I will bring it to pass;p> <p class="poetry">I have formulated a plan,p> <p class="poetry">yes, I will carry it out.p>

<p class="poetry">Approach me! Listen to this!p> <p class="poetry">From the very first I have not spoken in secret;p> <p class="poetry">when it happens,<n id="1" /> I am there.&#8221;p> <p class="poetry">So now, the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> has sent me, accompanied by his spirit.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">Because of this the land will mournp> <p class="poetry">and the sky above will grow black.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">For I have made my purpose known<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">and I will not relent or turn back from carrying it out.&#8221;<n id="3" />p>

Consider this:<n id="1" /> When I spoke to your ancestors after I brought them out of Egypt, I did not merely give them commands about burnt offerings and sacrifices.

But if that nation I threatened stops doing wrong,<n id="1" /> I will cancel the destruction<n id="2" /> I intended to do to it.

<p class="poetry">While you were feeling secure I gave you warning.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">But you said, &#8220;I refuse to listen to you.&#8221;p> <p class="poetry">That is the way you have acted from your earliest history onward.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">Indeed, you have never paid attention to me.p>

&#8220;The <sc>Lordsc> God of Israel says,<n id="1" /> &#8216;Write everything that I am about to tell you in a scroll.<n id="2" />

<t /><p class="bodytext">&#8220;I, the <sc>Lordsc>, affirm:<n id="1" /> &#8216;The time will certainly come when I will fulfill my gracious promise concerning the nations of Israel and Judah.<n id="2" />

Then my anger will be fully vented; I will exhaust my rage on them, and I will be appeased.<n id="1" /> Then they will know that I, the <sc>Lordsc>, have spoken in my jealousy<n id="2" /> when I have fully vented my rage against them.p>

You will be<n id="1" /> an object of scorn and taunting,<n id="2" /> a prime example of destruction<n id="3" /> among the nations around you when I execute judgments against you in anger and raging fury.<n id="4" /> I, the <sc>Lord,sc> have spoken!

I will send famine and wild beasts against you and they will take your children from you.<n id="1" /> Plague and bloodshed will overwhelm you,<n id="2" /> and I will bring a sword against you. I, the <sc>Lord,sc> have spoken!&#8221;p>

Have you not seen a false vision and announced a lying omen when you say, &#8220;the <sc>Lordsc> declares,&#8221; although I myself never spoke?p>

All the choice men<n id="1" /> among his troops will die<n id="2" /> by the sword and the survivors will be scattered to every wind. Then you will know that I, the <sc>Lord,sc> have spoken!p>

<p class="poetry">I too will clap my hands together,p> <p class="poetry">I will exhaust my rage;p> <p class="poetry">I the <sc>Lordsc> have spoken.&#8221;p>