Numbers 22
1 And they went forward and encamped in the plains of Moab, over against where Jericho is situate beyond the Jordan.
The Israelites moved on and camped on the plains of Moab east of the Jordan, opposite Jericho.
2 And Balac the son of Sephor, seeing all that Israel had done to the Amorrhite,
Balak, son of Zippor, had seen all that the Israelites had done to the Amorites.
3 And that the Moabites were in great fear of him, and were not able to sustain his assault,
The Moabites were terrified of the Israelites because there were so many of them. The Moabites dreaded the arrival of the Israelites
4 He said to the elders of Madian: So will this people destroy all that dwell in our borders, as the ox is wont to eat the grass to the very roots. Now he was at that time king in Moab.
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 He sent therefore messengers to Balaam the son of Beer, a soothsayer, who dwelt by the river of the land of the children of Ammon, to call him, and to say: Behold a people is come out of Egypt, that hath covered the face of the earth, sitting over against 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 Come therefore, and curse this people, because it is mightier than I: if by any means I may beat them and drive them out of my land: for I know that he whom thou shalt bless is blessed, and he whom thou shalt curse is 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 ancients of Moab, and the elders of Madian, went with the price of divination in their hands. And when they were come to Balaam, and had told him all 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 He answered: Tarry here this night, and I will answer whatsoever the Lord shall say to me. And while they stayed with Balaam, God came and said to him:
“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 What mean these men that are with thee?
God came to Balaam and asked him, “Who are these men staying with you?”
10 He answered: Balac the son of Sephor king of the Moabites hath sent to me,
Balaam told God, “Balak, son of Zippor, the king of Moab, sent me this message:
11 Saying: Behold a people that is come out of Egypt, hath covered the face of the land: come and curse them, if by any means I may fight with them and drive them away.
‘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: Thou shalt not go with them, nor shalt thou curse the people: because it is 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 he rose in the morning and said to the princes: Go into your country, because the Lord hath forbid me to come 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 The princes returning, said to Balac: Balaam would not come with us.
The Moabite leaders left. They returned to Balak, and told him, “Balaam refused to come back with us.”
15 Then he sent many more and more noble than he had sent before:
Then Balak sent even more leaders who were more prestigious than before.
16 Who, when they were come to Balaam, said: Thus saith Balac the son of Sephor, 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 am ready to honour thee, and will give thee whatsoever thou wilt: come and curse 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 Balaam answered: If Balac would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot alter the word of the Lord my God, to speak either more or less.
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 I pray you to stay here this night also, that I may know what the Lord will answer me once more.
Now you should also stay the night so I can see if the Lord has anything else to tell me.”
20 God therefore came to Balaam in the night, and said to him: It these men be come to call thee, arise and go with them: yet so, that thou do what I shall command thee.
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 Balaam arose in the morning, and saddling his ass went with them.
In the morning Balaam got up, put a saddle on his donkey, and left with the Moabite leaders.
22 And God was angry. And an angel of the Lord stood in the way against Balaam, who sat on the ass, and had two servants 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 The ass seeing the angel standing in the way, with a drawn sword, turned herself out of the way, and went into the field. And when Balaam beat her, and had a mind to bring her again to 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 The angel stood in a narrow place between two walls, wherewith the vineyards were enclosed.
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 the ass seeing him, thrust herself close to the wall, and bruised the foot of the rider. But he beat 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 nevertheless the angel going on to a narrow place, where there was no way to turn aside either to the right hand or to the left, stood to meet him.
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 standing, she fell under the feet of the rider: who being angry beat her sides more vehemently with a 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 the Lord opened the mouth of the ass, and she said: What have I done to thee? Why strikest thou me, lo, now 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 Balaam answered: Because thou hast deserved it, and hast served me ill: I would I had a sword that I might kill thee.
“You made me look stupid!” Balaam told the donkey. “If I was holding a sword, I'd kill you now!”
30 The ass said: Am not I thy beast, on which thou hast been always accustomed to ride until this present day? tell me if I ever did the like thing to thee. But he said: Never.
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 Forthwith the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel standing in the way with a drawn sword, and he worshipped him falling flat on the ground.
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 said to him: Why beatest thou thy ass these three times? I am come to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse, and contrary to me:
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 unless the ass had turned out of the way, giving place to me who stood against thee, I had slain thee, and she should have lived.
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 Balaam said: I have sinned, not knowing that thou didst stand against me: and now if it displease thee that I go, 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 The angel said: Go with these men, and see thou speak no other thing than what I shall command thee. He went therefore with the princes.
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 it he came forth to meet him in a town of the Moabites, that is situate in the uttermost borders of Arnon.
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 he said to Balaam: I sent messengers to call thee, why didst thou not come immediately to me? was it because I am not able to reward thy coming?
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 He answered him: Lo, here I am: shall I have power to speak any other thing but that which God shall put in my mouth?
“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 So they went on together, and came into a city, that was in the uttermost borders of his kingdom.
So Balaam went with Balak and they arrived at Kiriath-huzoth.
40 And when Balac had killed oxen and sheep, he sent presents to Balaam, and to the princes that were with him.
Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and he shared with meat with Balaam and the leaders who were with him.
41 And when morning was come, he brought him to the high places of Baal, and he beheld the uttermost 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.
