< Numbers 22 >

1 And they went forward and encamped in the plains of Moab, over against where Jericho is situate beyond the Jordan.
Then did the sons of Israel break up, —and encamp in the waste plains of Moab, on the other side of the Jordan by Jericho.
2 And Balac the son of Sephor, seeing all that Israel had done to the Amorrhite,
And Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done unto the Amorites;
3 And that the Moabites were in great fear of him, and were not able to sustain his assault,
and Moab shrank with great fear from the presence of the people because, many, they were, —and Moab was alarmed at the presence of the sons of Israel.
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.
So Moab said unto the elders of Midian—Now, shall the gathered host lick up all that are round about us, as the ox doth lick up the verdure of the field. But, Balak son of Zippor, was king unto 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.
So he sent messengers unto Balaam son of Beor, to Pethor which was by the river of the land of the sons of his people to call him, —saying Lo! a people, hath come forth out of Egypt Lo! he hath covered the eye of the land, Yea he, is tarrying over against 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.
Now, therefore, do come, I pray thee curse me this people. For stronger, he is than I, If peradventure I prevail, we shall smite him, That I may drive him out of the land, —For I know that, he whom thou dost bless, is to be blessed, And, he whom thou dost curse, is to be 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:
And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian went their way, with the rewards of divination in their hand, —so they came in unto Balaam, and spake unto him the words of 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:
And he said unto them—Tarry ye here for the night, and I will bring you back word, as Yahweh shall speak unto me. So the princes of Moab abode with Balaam.
9 What mean these men that are with thee?
And God came in unto Balaam, —and said, Who are these men with thee?
10 He answered: Balac the son of Sephor king of the Moabites hath sent to me,
Then said Balaam unto God, —Balak, son of Zippor king of Moab, hath sent unto me:
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.
Lo! the people that hath come forth out of Egypt—he covereth the eye of the land. Now, do come, do revile me him, Peradventure I shall prevail in making war with him, And shall drive him out.
12 And God said to Balaam: Thou shalt not go with them, nor shalt thou curse the people: because it is blessed.
And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them, —Thou shalt not curse the people, For blessed, he is.
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.
And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said unto the princes of Balak, Get you into your own land, —For Yahweh hath refused to let me go with you.
14 The princes returning, said to Balac: Balaam would not come with us.
So the princes of Moab arose, and came in unto Balak, —and said, Balaam refused to come with us.
15 Then he sent many more and more noble than he had sent before:
Then added Balak again, —to send princes, more and weightier than these.
16 Who, when they were come to Balaam, said: Thus saith Balac the son of Sephor, Delay not to come to me:
And they came in unto Balaam, —and said unto him—Thus, said Balak son of Zippor, Do not be withheld, I pray thee from coming unto me:
17 For I am ready to honour thee, and will give thee whatsoever thou wilt: come and curse this people.
For I will honour, thee, exceedingly, and all that thou shalt say unto me, will I do. Do come therefore I pray thee oh revile me this people.
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.
And Balaam responded and said unto the servants of Balak, Though Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the bidding of Yahweh my God, to do less or more.
19 I pray you to stay here this night also, that I may know what the Lord will answer me once more.
Now, therefore abide here, I pray you even ye, —for the night, —that I may get to know what further Yahweh may be speaking with 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.
And God came in unto Balaam, by night, and said unto him—If, to call thee, the men have come in, arise go with them, —But only, the thing that I shall speak unto thee, that, shalt thou do.
21 Balaam arose in the morning, and saddling his ass went with them.
So Balaam arose in the morning, and saddled his ass, —and went with the princes of Moab.
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.
Then kindled the anger of God, because he was going, and the messenger of Yahweh stationed himself in the way, to withstand him, —as he was riding upon his ass, his two young men being with him.
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,
And the ass saw the messenger of Yahweh stationed in the road with his drawn sword in his hand, so the ass turned aside out of the road and went into the field, —and Balaam smote the ass, to make her turn back into the road.
24 The angel stood in a narrow place between two walls, wherewith the vineyards were enclosed.
But the messenger of Yahweh took his stand, in a hollow pass of the vineyards, —with a fence on this side, and a fence on that side.
25 And the ass seeing him, thrust herself close to the wall, and bruised the foot of the rider. But he beat her again:
And when the ass saw the messenger of Yahweh, she squeezed herself against the wall, and squeezed the foot of Balaam against the wall, —and again he smote her.
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.
And the messenger of Yahweh went on further, and took his stand in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn to the right hand or to 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.
And, when the ass saw the messenger of Yahweh, she sank down under Balaam, —then was Balaam’s anger kindled, and he smote the ass with the staff.
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?
And Yahweh opened the mouth of the ass, —and she said unto Balaam—What have I done to thee, that thou hast smitten me, these 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.
And Balaam said unto the ass, Surely thou hast been making sport of me, —Would there had been a sword in my hand, for, now, would I have slain thee.
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.
Then said the ass unto Balaam—Am not I thine own ass on which thou hast ridden all thy life, until this day? Have I, been wont, to do unto thee, thus? And he said, Nay!
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 did Yahweh unveil the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the messenger of Yahweh stationed in the road, with his sword drawn in his hand, —so he bent his head and bowed down before him.
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:
And the messenger of Yahweh said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass, these three times? Lo! I, myself, am come forth to withstand thee, because headlong was thy way before me.
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.
And the ass hath seen me, and hath turned aside at my presence these three times: Unless she had turned aside from my presence, yea now even thee, had I slain, but, her, had I suffered 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.
Then said Balaam unto the messenger of Yahweh—I have sinned, for I knew not, that, thou, wast stationed to meet me in the road, —Now, therefore, if it be displeasing in thine eyes, I must get me back again.
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.
And the messenger of Yahweh said unto Balaam—Go with the men: Only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that, shalt thou speak. So Balaam went his way with the princes of Balak.
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.
And Balak heard that Balaam, was coming, —so he went forth to meet him unto a city of Moab which was upon the boundary of Arnon, which was in the utmost part of the boundary.
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?
And Balak said unto Balaam: Did I not, send, unto thee, to call thee? Wherefore didst thou not come unto me? Am I not in very deed, able to honour thee?
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?
And Balaam said unto Balak—Lo! I am come unto thee, Now, can, I, possibly, promise anything? The word that God shall put in my mouth, that, must I speak.
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 entered Kiriath-huzoth.
40 And when Balac had killed oxen and sheep, he sent presents to Balaam, and to the princes that were with him.
And Balak sacrificed herd and flock, —and sent unto Balaam, and unto the princes that 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.
And it came to pass in the morning, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up the high places of Baal, —and he saw from thence the utmost part of the people.

< Numbers 22 >