Numbers 22
1 Then the Israelites traveled on and camped in the plains of Moab near the Jordan, across from Jericho.
And the children of Israel departed, and encamped on the west of Moab by Jordan toward Jericho.
2 Now Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites,
And when Balac son of Sepphor saw all that Israel did to the Amorite,
3 and Moab was terrified of the people because they were numerous. Indeed, Moab dreaded the Israelites.
then Moab feared the people exceedingly because they were many; and Moab was grieved before the face of the children of Israel.
4 So the Moabites said to the elders of Midian, “This horde will devour everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.” Since Balak son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time,
And Moab said to the elders of Madiam, Now shall this assembly lick up all that are round about us, as a calf would lick up the green [herbs] of the field: —and Balac son of Sepphor was king of Moab at that time.
5 he sent messengers to Balaam son of Beor at Pethor, which is by the Euphrates in the land of his people. “Behold, a people has come out of Egypt,” said Balak. “They cover the face of the land and have settled next to me.
And he sent ambassadors to Balaam the son of Beor, to Phathura, which is on a river of the land of the sons of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, a people is come out of Egypt, and behold it has covered the face of the earth, and it has encamped close to me.
6 So please come now and put a curse on this people, because they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I may be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land; for I know that those you bless are blessed, and those you curse are cursed.”
And now come, curse me this people, for it is stronger than we; if we may be able to smite some of them, and I will cast them out of the land: for I know that whomsoever thou dost bless, they are blessed, and whomsoever thou dost curse, they are cursed.
7 The elders of Moab and Midian departed with the fees for divination in hand. They came to Balaam and relayed to him the words of Balak.
And the elders of Moab went, and the elders of Madiam, and their divining [instruments were] in their hands; and they came to Balaam, and spoke to him the words of Balac.
8 “Spend the night here,” Balaam replied, “and I will give you the answer that the LORD speaks to me.” So the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam.
And he said to them, Tarry here the night, and I will answer you the things which the Lord shall say to me; and the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam.
9 Then God came to Balaam and asked, “Who are these men with you?”
And God came to Balaam, and said to him, Who are these men with thee?
10 And Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent me this message:
And Balaam said to God, Balac son of Sepphor, king of Moab, sent them to me, saying,
11 ‘Behold, a people has come out of Egypt, and they cover the face of the land. Now come and put a curse on them for me. Perhaps I may be able to fight against them and drive them away.’”
Behold, a people has come forth out of Egypt, and has covered the face of the land, and it has encamped near to me; and now come, curse it for me, if indeed I shall be able to smite it, and cast it out of the land.
12 But God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them. You are not to curse this people, for they are blessed.”
And God said to Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them, neither shalt thou curse the people; for they are blessed.
13 So Balaam got up the next morning and said to Balak’s princes, “Go back to your homeland, because the LORD has refused to let me go with you.”
And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said to the princes of Balac, Depart quickly to your lord; God does not permit me to go with you.
14 And the princes of Moab arose, returned to Balak, and said, “Balaam refused to come with us.”
And the princes of Moab rose, and came to Balac, and said, Balaam will not come with us.
15 Then Balak sent other princes, more numerous and more distinguished than the first messengers.
And Balac yet again sent more princes and more honourable than they.
16 They came to Balaam and said, “This is what Balak son of Zippor says: ‘Please let nothing hinder you from coming to me,
And they came to Balaam, and they say to him, Thus says Balac the son of Sepphor: I beseech thee, delay not to come to me.
17 for I will honor you richly and do whatever you say. So please come and put a curse on this people for me!’”
For I will greatly honour thee, and will do for thee whatsoever thou shalt say; come then, curse me this people.
18 But Balaam replied to the servants of Balak, “If Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything small or great to go beyond the command of the LORD my God.
And Balaam answered and said to the princes of Balac, If Balac would give me his house full of silver and gold, I shall not be able to go beyond the word of the Lord God, to make it little or great in my mind.
19 So now, please stay here overnight as the others did, that I may find out what else the LORD has to tell me.”
And now do ye also tarry here this night, and I shall know what the Lord will yet say to me.
20 That night God came to Balaam and said, “Since these men have come to summon you, get up and go with them, but you must only do what I tell you.”
And God came to Balaam by night, and said to him, If these men are come to call thee, rise and follow them; nevertheless the word which I shall speak to thee, it shalt thou do.
21 So in the morning Balaam got up, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.
And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.
22 Then God’s anger was kindled because Balaam was going along, and the angel of the LORD stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding his donkey, and his two servants were with him.
And God was very angry because he went; and the angel of the Lord rose up to withstand him. Now he had mounted his ass, and his two servants were with him.
23 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, she turned off the path and went into a field. So Balaam beat her to return her to the path.
And when the ass saw the angel of God standing opposite in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand, then the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field; and [Balaam] smote the ass with his staff to direct her in the way.
24 Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow passage between two vineyards, with walls on either side.
And the angel of the Lord stood in the avenues of the vines, a fence [being] on this side and a fence on that.
25 And the donkey saw the angel of the LORD and pressed herself against the wall, crushing Balaam’s foot against it. So he beat her once again.
And when the ass saw the angel of God, she thrust herself against the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall, and he smote her again.
26 And the angel of the LORD moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn to the right or left.
And the angel of the Lord went farther, and came and stood in a narrow place where it was impossible to turn to the right or the left.
27 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam, and he became furious and beat her with his staff.
And when the ass saw the angel of God, she lay down under Balaam; and Balaam was angry, and struck the ass with his staff.
28 Then the LORD opened the donkey’s mouth, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you that you have beaten me these three times?”
And God opened the mouth of the ass, and she says to Balaam, What have I done to thee, that thou hast smitten me this third time?
29 Balaam answered the donkey, “You have made a fool of me! If I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now!”
And Balaam said to the ass, Because thou hast mocked me; and if I [had] had a sword in my hand, I would now have killed thee.
30 But the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not the donkey you have ridden all your life until today? Have I ever treated you this way before?” “No,” he replied.
And the ass says to Balaam, [Am] not I thine ass on which thou hast ridden since thy youth till this day? did I ever do thus to thee, utterly disregarding [thee]? and he said, No.
31 Then the LORD opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand. And Balaam bowed low and fell facedown.
And God opened the eyes of Balaam, and he sees the angel of the Lord withstanding [him] in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand, and he stooped down and worshipped on his face.
32 The angel of the LORD asked him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to oppose you, because your way is perverse before me.
And the angel of God said to him, Why hast thou smitten thine ass this third time? and, behold, I came out to withstand thee, for thy way was not seemly before me; and when the ass saw me, she turned away from me this third time.
33 The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she had not turned away, then by now I would surely have killed you and let her live.”
And if she had not turned out of the way, surely now, I should have slain thee, and should have saved her alive.
34 “I have sinned,” Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, “for I did not realize that you were standing in the road to confront me. And now, if this is displeasing in your sight, I will go back home.”
And Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, I have sinned, for I did not know that thou wert standing opposite in the way to meet [me]; and now if it shall not be pleasing to thee [for me to go on], I will return.
35 But the angel of the LORD said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but you are to speak only what I tell you.” So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.
And the angel of the Lord said to Balaam, Go with the men: nevertheless the word which I shall speak to thee, that thou shalt take heed to speak. And Balaam went with the princes of Balac.
36 When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the Moabite city on the Arnon border, at the edge of his territory.
And when Balac heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him, to a city of Moab, which is on the borders of Arnon, which is on the [extreme] part of the borders.
37 And he said to Balaam, “Did I not send you an urgent summons? Why did you not come to me? Am I really not able to richly reward you?”
And Balac said to Balaam, Did I not send to thee to call thee? why hast thou not come to me? shall I not indeed be able to honour thee?
38 “See, I have come to you,” Balaam replied, “but can I say just anything? I must speak only the word that God puts in my mouth.”
And Balaam said to Balac, Behold, I am now come to thee: shall I be able to say anything? the word which God shall put into my mouth, that I shall speak.
39 So Balaam accompanied Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth.
And Balaam went with Balac, and they came to the cities of streets.
40 Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and he gave portions to Balaam and the princes who were with him.
And Balac offered sheep and calves, and sent to Balaam and to his princes who were with him.
41 The next morning, Balak took Balaam and brought him up to Bamoth-baal. From there he could see the outskirts of the camp of the people.
And it was morning; and Balac took Balaam, and brought him up to the pillar of Baal, and shewed him thence a part of the people.
