Numbers 22
1 Then the children of Israel, journeying on, put up their tents in the lowlands of Moab, on the other side of Jordan at Jericho.
And the children of Israel departed, and encamped on the west of Moab by Jordan towards Jericho.
2 Now Balak, the son of Zippor, saw what Israel had done to the Amorites.
And when Balac son of Sepphor saw all that Israel did to the Amorite,
3 And in Moab there was great fear of the people, because their numbers were so great: and the feeling of Moab was bitter against the children of Israel.
then Moab feared the people exceedingly because they were many; and Moab was grieved before the face of the children of Israel.
4 Then Moab said to the responsible men of Midian, It is clear that this great people will be the destruction of everything round us, making a meal of us as the ox does of the grass of the field. At that time Balak, the son of Zippor, was king of Moab.
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 So he sent men to Balaam, son of Beor, at Pethor by the River in the land of the children of his people, saying to him, See, a people has come out of Egypt, covering all the face of the earth, and they have put up their tents opposite 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 Come now, in answer to my prayer, and put a curse on this people, for they are greater than I: and then I may be strong enough to overcome them and send them out of the land: for it is clear that good comes to him who has your blessing, but he on whom you put your curse is cursed.
And now come, curse me this people, for it is stronger than we; if we may be able to strike some of them, and I will cast them out of the land: for I know that whoever you do bless, they are blessed, and whoever you do curse, they are cursed.
7 So the responsible men of Moab and Midian went away, taking in their hands rewards for the prophet; and they came to Balaam and said to him what Balak had given them orders to say.
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 And he said to them, Take your rest here tonight, and I will give you an answer after hearing what the Lord says; so the chiefs of Moab kept there with Balaam that night.
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 And God came to Balaam and said, Who are these men with you?
And God came to Balaam, and said to him, Who are these men with you?
10 And Balaam said to God, Balak, the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent them to me, saying,
And Balaam said to God, Balac son of Sepphor, king of Moab, sent them to me, saying,
11 See, the people who have come out of Egypt are covering all the earth: now, put a curse on this people for me, so that I may be able to make war on them, driving them out of the land.
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 strike it, and cast it out of the land.
12 And God said to Balaam, You are not to go with them, or put a curse on this people, for they have my blessing.
And God said to Balaam, You shall not go with them, neither shall you curse the people; for they are blessed.
13 In the morning Balaam got up and said to the chiefs of Balak, Go back to your land, for the Lord will not 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 So the chiefs of Moab went back to Balak and said, Balaam will not come with us.
And the princes of Moab rose, and came to Balac, and said, Balaam will not come with us.
15 So Balak sent more chiefs, greater in number and of higher position than the others.
And Balac yet again sent more princes and more honourable than they.
16 And they came to Balaam and said, Balak, son of Zippor, says, Let nothing keep you from coming to me:
And they came to Balaam, and they say to him, Thus says Balac the son of Sepphor: I beseech you, delay not to come to me.
17 For I will give you a place of very great honour, and whatever you say to me I will do; so come, in answer to my prayer, and put a curse on this people.
For I will greatly honour you, and will do for you whatever you shall say; come then, curse me this people.
18 But Balaam, in answer; said to the servants of Balak, Even if Balak gave me his house full of silver and gold, it would not be possible for me to do anything more or less than the orders 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 take your rest here this night, till I have knowledge what more the Lord has to say to me.
And now do you also wait here this night, and I shall know what the Lord will yet say to me.
20 And that night God came to Balaam and said to him, If these men have come for you, go with them: but do only what I say to you.
And God came to Balaam by night, and said to him, If these men are come to call you, rise and follow them; nevertheless the word which I shall speak to you, it shall you do.
21 So in the morning Balaam got up and, making his ass ready, went with the chiefs of Moab.
And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.
22 But God was moved to wrath because he went: and the angel of the Lord took up a position in the road to keep him from his purpose. Now he was seated on his ass, 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 And the ass saw the angel of the Lord waiting in the road with his sword in his hand; and turning from the road, the ass went into the field; and Balaam gave the ass blows, to get her back on to the road.
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] struck the ass with his staff to direct her in the way.
24 Then the angel of the Lord took up his position in a narrow road through the vine-gardens, with a wall on this side and on that.
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 ass saw the angel of the Lord, and went near the wall, crushing Balaam's foot against the wall; and he gave her more blows.
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 struck her again.
26 Then the angel of the Lord went further, stopping in a narrow place where there was no room for turning to the right or to the 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 And the ass saw the angel of the Lord and went down on the earth under Balaam; and full of wrath, Balaam gave her hard blows with his stick.
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 gave the ass the power of talking, and opening her mouth she said to Balaam, What have I done to you that you have given me blows these three times?
And God opened the mouth of the ass, and she says to Balaam, What have I done to you, that you have struck me this third time?
29 And Balaam said to the ass, You have made me seem foolish: if only I had a sword in my hand I would put you to death.
And Balaam said to the ass, Because you have mocked me; and if I [had] had a sword in my hand, I would now have killed you.
30 And the ass said to Balaam, Am I not your ass upon which you have gone all your life till this day? and have I ever done this to you before? And he said, No.
And the ass says to Balaam, [Am] not I your ass on which you have ridden since your youth till this day? did I ever do thus to you, utterly disregarding [you]? and he said, No.
31 Then the Lord made Balaam's eyes open, and he saw the angel of the Lord in the way with his sword in his hand: and he went down on his face to the earth.
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 And the angel of the Lord said to him, Why have you given your ass blows these three times? See, I have come out against you to keep you back, because your purpose is not pleasing to me.
And the angel of God said to him, Why have you struck your ass this third time? and, behold, I came out to withstand you, for your way was not seemly before me; and when the ass saw me, she turned away from me this third time.
33 And the ass saw me, turning to one side from me three times: if she had not gone to one side, I would certainly have put you to death and kept her safe.
And if she had not turned out of the way, surely now, I should have slain you, and should have saved her alive.
34 And Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, I have done wrong, for I did not see that you were in the way against me: but now, if it is evil in your eyes, I will go back again.
And Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, I have sinned, for I did not know that you were standing opposite in the way to meet [me]; and now if it shall not be pleasing to you [for me to go on], I will return.
35 And the angel of the Lord said to Balaam, Go with the men; but say only what I give you to say. Then Balaam went on with the chiefs of Balak.
And the angel of the Lord said to Balaam, Go with the men: nevertheless the word which I shall speak to you, that you shall take heed to speak. And Balaam went with the princes of Balac.
36 Now Balak, hearing that Balaam had come, went to the chief town of Moab, on the edge of the Arnon, in the farthest part of the land, for the purpose of meeting him.
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 Balak said to Balaam, Did I not send to you, requesting you with all my heart to come to me? why did you not come? am I not able to give you a place of honour?
And Balac said to Balaam, Did I not send to you to call you? why have you not come to me? shall I not indeed be able to honour you?
38 Then Balaam said to Balak, Now I have come to you; but have I power to say anything? Only what God puts into my mouth may I say.
And Balaam said to Balac, Behold, I am now come to you: shall I be able to say anything? the word which God shall put into my mouth, that I shall speak.
39 And Balaam went with Balak to Kiriath-huzoth.
And Balaam went with Balac, and they came to the cities of streets.
40 And Balak made offerings of oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam and the chiefs who were with him.
And Balac offered sheep and calves, and sent to Balaam and to his princes who were with him.
41 And in the morning Balak took Balaam up to the high places of Baal, and from there he was able to see the outer limits of the people.
And it was morning; and Balac took Balaam, and brought him up to the pillar of Baal, and showed him thence a part of the people.
