The journey was now resumed, and at length the watchmen of Balak announced to their master that the mighty Prophet was approaching. Therefore Balak went forth to meet him, and after a brief rebuke of his delay, conducted his visitor to Kirjath-Huzoth, _the Town of Streets_, a place in the furthest borders of his kingdom, and possibly of sacred or oracular reputation[130], where he entertained him at a great feast. On the next day he conducted him to the high places dedicated to Baal (Num. xxii. 41) that rose above the encampment of the Israelites, whence he might gain a view of the utmost part of the people he had desired him to curse. There by the Prophet’s direction the king erected seven altars, and on each they offered together a bullock and a ram, and while Balak with his attendant princes stood by his burnt-offering, Balaam went forth to _a high place_ (Num. xxiii. 3) to learn the Divine will. _And God met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth_, and returning to the expectant king, he declared that it was impossible for him to curse Jacob and defy Israel, that he could not _curse him whom God had not cursed, or defy him whom Jehovah had not defied_. On hearing this response so entirely opposite to what he had expected, Balak was highly incensed, but thinking a change of view might have a different influence on the Prophet’s spirit, he brought him to Zophim[131], a _cultivated field of the Watchmen_ high up on the range of Pisgah. Again the altars were built, and the victims slain; again the king stood by his burnt-sacrifice, and again Balaam went forth _to meet the Lord_. But still the answer was unfavourable. The steam of sacrifice could not bend the will of Jehovah; _He was not a man that He should lie_, or repent of His fixed purpose; what He had said He would do, what He had spoken He would perform; _in Jacob He had not beheld iniquity, neither had He seen perverseness in Israel; He had brought them out of Egypt_, and neither augury nor divination could prevail against them.