Neither curse them at all, nor bless Neque maledicas ei, neque benedi- (continued)
HARMONY OF THE LAW · VOLUME 2
25. And Balak said unto Balaam,: Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all.
25. Dixit autem Balac ad Balaam Neque maledicas ei, neque benedicas.
26. But Balaam answered and said unto Balak, Told not I thee, saying, All that the Lord speaketh, that I must do?
26. Cui respondit Balaam, dicens; Annon dixi tibi, quicquid dixerit Jehova id faciam?
27. And Balak said unto Balaam, Come, I pray thee, I will bring thee unto another place; peradventure it will please God that thou mayest curse me them from thence.
27. Tunc dixit Balac ad Balaam, Veni agedum, ducam te ad locum alium, si forte inde placebit Deo ut maledicas ei mihi.
28. And Balak brought Balaam unto the top of Peor, that looketh toward Jeshimon.
28. Sumpsit ergo Balac ipsum Balaam in verticem Peor qui respicit versus desertum (vel, Jesimon.)
29. And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams.
29. Dixit autem Balaam ad Balac, AEdifica mihi hic septem altaria, et appara mihi hic septem juvencos, et septem arietes.
30. And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar.
30. Fecit itaque Balac quemadmodum dixerat Balaam, et obtulit juvencum et arietem in unoquoque altari.
1. Build me here seven altars. We more positively conclude from hence that this degenerate prophet had been by no means wont to prophesy in accordance with pure revelations from God, but that the art of divination, in which he boasted, had some affinity to magical exorcisms, and was infected with many errors and deceptions. Still this did not prevent him from being sometimes a true prophet by the inspiration of God's Spirit; because, as has been already said, whilst the world was plunged in darkness, it was God's will that some little sparks of light should still shine, in order to render even the most ignorant inexcusable. Since, therefore, Balaam was only endowed with a special gift, he borrowed devices in various directions, which savored