Numbers 22
1 And the children of Israel departed, and encamped on the west of Moab by Jordan towards Jericho.
The Israelites moved on and camped on the plains of Moab east of the Jordan, opposite Jericho.
2 And when Balac son of Sepphor saw all that Israel did to the Amorite,
Balak, son of Zippor, had seen all that the Israelites had done to the Amorites.
3 then Moab feared the people exceedingly because they were many; and Moab was grieved before the face of the children of Israel.
The Moabites were terrified of the Israelites because there were so many of them. The Moabites dreaded the arrival of the Israelites
4 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.
and told the leaders of Midian, “This horde will eat up everything we have, just like an ox eats up grass in the field!” (Balak son of Zippor, was king of Moab at that time.)
5 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.
He sent messengers to call Balaam, son of Beor, who lived in Pethor near the Euphrates River in his own country. “Listen, a group of people has arrived here who came from Egypt,” Balak said in his message to Balaam. “There are hordes of them and they present a real threat to me.
6 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.
Please come immediately and curse these people for me, because they are stronger than me. Maybe then I'll be able to attack them and drive them out of my country because I know that whoever you bless is blessed, and whoever you curse is cursed.”
7 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.
The Moabite and Midianite leaders departed, taking payment for the fortune-telling with them. When they arrived they gave Balaam the message from Balak.
8 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.
“Stay the night and I'll let you know the answer the Lord gives me,” Balaam told them. So the Moabite leaders stayed there with Balaam.
9 And God came to Balaam, and said to him, Who are these men with you?
God came to Balaam and asked him, “Who are these men staying with you?”
10 And Balaam said to God, Balac son of Sepphor, king of Moab, sent them to me, saying,
Balaam told God, “Balak, son of Zippor, the king of Moab, sent me this message:
11 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.
‘Listen, a group of people has arrived here who came from Egypt. There are hordes of them. Please come immediately and curse these people for me. Maybe then I'll be able to fight them and drive them out of my country.’”
12 And God said to Balaam, You shall not go with them, neither shall you curse the people; for they are blessed.
But God told Balaam, “You are not to go back with them. You must not curse this people, for they are blessed.”
13 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.
In the morning Balaam got up and said to Balak's messengers, “Go back to where you came from because the Lord has refused to allow me to go with you.”
14 And the princes of Moab rose, and came to Balac, and said, Balaam will not come with us.
The Moabite leaders left. They returned to Balak, and told him, “Balaam refused to come back with us.”
15 And Balac yet again sent more princes and more honourable than they.
Then Balak sent even more leaders who were more prestigious than before.
16 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.
When they arrived they told Balaam, “This is what Balak son of Zippor says: ‘Please don't let anything stop you from coming to see me,
17 For I will greatly honour you, and will do for you whatever you shall say; come then, curse me this people.
because I will pay you a great deal and follow all the advice you give me. Please come and curse these people for me!’”
18 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.
But Balaam told Balak's officials, “Even if Balak gave me his whole palace full of silver and gold, I couldn't disobey the command of the Lord my God in any way.
19 And now do you also wait here this night, and I shall know what the Lord will yet say to me.
Now you should also stay the night so I can see if the Lord has anything else to tell me.”
20 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.
God came to Balaam during the night and told him, “Since these men have come for you, get up and go with them. But only do what I tell you.”
21 And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.
In the morning Balaam got up, put a saddle on his donkey, and left with the Moabite leaders.
22 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.
God's got angry because Balaam had decided to go. The angel of the Lord came and stood in the road to confront him. Balaam was riding on his donkey, and he was accompanied by his two servants.
23 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.
The donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road holding a drawn sword, so it turned from the road and went into a field. So Balaam beat it to make it go back to the road.
24 And the angel of the Lord stood in the avenues of the vines, a fence [being] on this side and a fence on that.
Then the angel of the Lord stood in a narrow part of the road that passed between two vineyards, with walls on both sides.
25 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.
The donkey saw the angel of the Lord and tried to get past. It pushed up against the wall and crushed Balaam's foot against it. So he beat it again.
26 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.
Then the angel of the Lord went ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to get past, either on the right or the left.
27 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.
The donkey saw the angel of the Lord and lay down under Balaam. He got angry and beat it with his walking stick.
28 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?
The Lord gave the donkey the ability to speak and it said to Balaam, “What have I done to you for you to beat me three times?”
29 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.
“You made me look stupid!” Balaam told the donkey. “If I was holding a sword, I'd kill you now!”
30 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.
But the donkey asked Balaam, “Aren't I the donkey you've ridden all your life right up to today? Have I ever treated you this way before?” “No,” he admitted.
31 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.
Then the Lord gave Balaam the ability to see the angel of the Lord standing in the road holding a drawn sword. Balaam bowed low and fell facedown on the ground.
32 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.
The angel of the Lord asked him, “Why did you beat your donkey three times? Listen, I have come to confront you because you're being obstinate.
33 And if she had not turned out of the way, surely now, I should have slain you, and should have saved her alive.
The donkey saw me and avoided me three times. If it had not avoided me, by now I definitely would have killed you and allowed the donkey to live.”
34 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.
“I have sinned because I did not realize that you were standing in the road to confront me,” Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “So if this isn't what you want, I'll go back home.”
35 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.
The angel of the Lord told Balaam, “No, you can go with the men, but only say what I tell you.” So Balaam continued on with Balak's officials.
36 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.
When Balak found out that Balaam was on his way, he went out to meet him at the Moabite town on the border at the Arnon River, the farthest point of his territory.
37 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?
He said to Balaam, “Didn't you think my call for you to come was urgent? Why didn't you come to me straight away? Did you think I couldn't pay you enough?”
38 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.
“Look, I'm here with you now, aren't I?” Balaam replied. “But do you think I can just say anything? I can only speak the words that God gives me to say.”
39 And Balaam went with Balac, and they came to the cities of streets.
So Balaam went with Balak and they arrived at Kiriath-huzoth.
40 And Balac offered sheep and calves, and sent to Balaam and to his princes who were with him.
Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and he shared with meat with Balaam and the leaders who were with him.
41 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.
The next morning Balak took Balaam up to Bamoth-baal. From there he could see the extent of the Israelite camp.
