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 set forward, and encamped in the plains of Moab, on this side of the Jordan, opposite Jericho.
2 Now Balak, the son of Zippor, saw what Israel had done to the Amorites.
And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Emorites.
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.
And Moab was greatly afraid of the people, because it was numerous; and Moab was horrified because 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 unto the elders of Midian, Now will this assemblage devour all that is round about us, as the ox devoureth the grass of the field; and Balak the son of Zippor 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 messengers unto Bil'am the son of Beor to Pethor, which is by the river, in the land of the children of his people, to have him called; saying, Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt; behold, it covereth the surface of the earth, and it is abiding opposite 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 do but come, curse me this people; for it is too mighty for me; peradventure I may be able to smite it, that I may drive it out of the land; for I know that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is 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 and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came unto Bil'am, and spoke unto him the words of Balak.
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 unto them, Remain you here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the Lord may speak unto me; and the princes of Moab abode with Bil'am.
9 And God came to Balaam and said, Who are these men with you?
And God came unto Bil'am, and said, Who are these men with thee?
10 And Balaam said to God, Balak, the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent them to me, saying,
And Bil'am said unto God, Balak the son of Zippor, the king of Moab, hath sent unto 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, there is the people that is come out of Egypt, and covereth the face of the earth: now come, denounce it for me; peradventure I shall be able to fight against it, and drive it away.
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 unto Bil'am, Thou shalt not go with them: thou shalt not curse the people; for it is 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 Bil'am rose up in the morning, and said unto the princes of Balak, Go back to your land; for the Lord refuseth to give me leave 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 up, and they went unto Balak, and said, Bil'am refuseth to come with us.
15 So Balak sent more chiefs, greater in number and of higher position than the others.
And Balak sent yet again princes, more in number, and more honorable than those.
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 Bil'am, and said to him, Thus hath said Balak the son of Zippor, Do not suffer thyself, I pray thee, to be prevented from coming unto 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 honor thee greatly, and whatsoever thou mayest say unto me will I do: and only come, I pray thee, denounce 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 Bil'am answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not transgress the order of the Lord my God, to do a small or a great thing.
19 So take your rest here this night, till I have knowledge what more the Lord has to say to me.
And now, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the Lord will farther speak with 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 unto Bil'am at night, and said unto him, If to call thee the men have come, rise up, go with them; but only the word which I shall speak unto thee, that shalt thou do.
21 So in the morning Balaam got up and, making his ass ready, went with the chiefs of Moab.
And Bil'am 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 the anger of God was kindled, because he went; and an angel of the Lord placed himself in the way to be a hindrance to him; and he was riding upon 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 the ass saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Bil'am smote the ass, to make her turn into 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.
But the angel of the Lord stepped into a path between the vineyards, [with] a wall on this side, and a wall on that side.
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 the Lord, she forced herself against the wall, and pressed Bil'am's foot against the wall: and he smote 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 yet farther, and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right or to 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 the Lord, she lay down under Bil'am: whereupon Bil'am's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a stick.
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 the Lord opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Bil'am, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?
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 Bil'am said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: had I but a sword in my hand, I would assuredly have now killed thee.
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 said unto Bil'am, Am not I thy ass, upon which thou hast ridden from thy commencement unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? 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.
Then the Lord opened the eyes of Bil'am, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head and prostrated himself 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 the Lord said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thy ass these three times? behold, I went out to be a hindrance; because the journey which is odious to me was too quickly begun.
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 the ass saw me, and turned aside before me these three times; if she had not turned aside from me, I would surely now not only have slain thee, but 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 Bil'am said unto the angel of the Lord, I have sinned; for I knew not that thou wast standing against me in the way; but now, if it be evil in thy eyes, I will return home again.
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 unto Bil'am, Go with the men; however, only the word which I will speak unto thee, that shalt thou speak: and Bil'am went with the princes of Balak.
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 Balak heard that Bil'am was come, he went out to meet him unto 'Ir-Moab, which is on the border of Arnon, which is at the outmost end of the boundary.
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 Balak said unto Bil'am, Did I not earnestly send unto thee to have thee called? wherefore camest thou not unto me? in truth, am I not able to honor thee?
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 Bil'am said unto Balak, Lo, I am come unto thee; have I now any power whatever to speak the least? the word that God may put in my mouth, that alone must I speak.
39 And Balaam went with Balak to Kiriath-huzoth.
And Bil'am went with Balak, and they came unto Kiryath-chuzoth.
40 And Balak made offerings of oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam and the chiefs who were with him.
And Balak slew oxen and sheep, and sent to Bil'am and to the princes that 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 came to pass in the morning, that Balak took Bil'am, and brought him up into the high places of Baal, and he saw thence a portion of the people.
