Numbers 22
1 The Israelites moved on and camped on the plains of Moab east of the Jordan, opposite Jericho.
After, the children of Israel departed and pitched in the plaine of Moab on the other side of Iorden from Iericho.
2 Balak, son of Zippor, had seen all that the Israelites had done to the Amorites.
Now Balak the sonne of Zippor sawe all that Israel had done to the Amorites.
3 The Moabites were terrified of the Israelites because there were so many of them. The Moabites dreaded the arrival of the Israelites
And the Moabites were sore afraide of the people, because they were many, and Moab fretted against the children of Israel.
4 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.)
Therfore Moab said vnto the Elders of Midian, Nowe shall this multitude licke vp all that are round about vs, as an oxe licketh vp ye grasse of the fielde: and Balak the sonne of Zippor was King of the Moabites at that time.
5 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.
Hee sent messengers therefore vnto Balaam the sonne of Beor to Pethor (which is by the riuer of the lande of the children of his folke) to call him, saying, Beholde, there is a people come out of Egypt, which couer the face of the earth, and lye ouer against me.
6 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.”
Come now therefore, I pray thee, and curse me this people (for they are stronger then I) so it may be that I shall be able to smite them, and to driue them out of the land: for I knowe that hee, whome thou blessest, is blessed, and he whom thou cursest, shall be cursed.
7 The Moabite and Midianite leaders departed, taking payment for the fortune-telling with them. When they arrived they gave Balaam the message from Balak.
And the Elders of Moab, and the Elders of Midian departed, hauing the reward of the soothsaying in their hande, and they came vnto Balaam, and tolde him the wordes of Balak.
8 “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.
Who answered them, Tary here this night, and I will giue you an answere, as the Lord shall say vnto mee. So the princes of Moab abode with Balaam.
9 God came to Balaam and asked him, “Who are these men staying with you?”
Then God came vnto Balaam, and sayde, What men are these with thee?
10 Balaam told God, “Balak, son of Zippor, the king of Moab, sent me this message:
And Baalam said vnto God, Balak ye sonne of Zippor, king of Moab hath set vnto me, saying,
11 ‘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.’”
Beholde, there is a people come out of Egypt and couereth the face of the earth: come nowe, curse them for my sake: so it may be that I shalbe able to ouercome them in battell, and to driue them out.
12 But God told Balaam, “You are not to go back with them. You must not curse this people, for they are blessed.”
And God said vnto Balaam, Go not thou with them, neither curse the people, for they are blessed.
13 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.”
And Balaam rose vp in the morning, and sayde vnto ye princes of Balak, Returne vnto your land: for the Lord hath refused to giue me leaue to go with you.
14 The Moabite leaders left. They returned to Balak, and told him, “Balaam refused to come back with us.”
So the princes of Moab rose vp, and went vnto Balak, and sayd, Balaam hath refused to come with vs.
15 Then Balak sent even more leaders who were more prestigious than before.
Balak yet sent againe moe princes, and more honourable then they.
16 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,
Who came to Balaam, and sayde to him, Thus saith Balak the sonne of Zippor, Bee not thou staied, I pray thee, from comming vnto me.
17 because I will pay you a great deal and follow all the advice you give me. Please come and curse these people for me!’”
For I wil promote thee vnto great honour, and wil do whatsoeuer thou sayest vnto me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people.
18 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.
And Balaam answered, and sayde vnto the seruants of Balak, If Balak woulde giue me his house full of siluer and golde, I can not goe beyonde the worde of the Lord my God, to doe lesse or more.
19 Now you should also stay the night so I can see if the Lord has anything else to tell me.”
But nowe, I pray you, tary here this night, that I may wit, what the Lord will say vnto mee more.
20 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.”
And God came vnto Balaam by night, and sayd vnto him, If the men come to call thee, rise vp, and goe with them: but onely what thing I say vnto thee, that shalt thou doe.
21 In the morning Balaam got up, put a saddle on his donkey, and left with the Moabite leaders.
So Balaam rose vp early, and sadled his asse, and went with the princes of Moab.
22 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.
And ye wrath of God was kindled, because he went: and the Angel of the Lord stood in the way to be against him, as he rode vpon his asse, and his two seruants were with him.
23 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.
And when the asse saw the Angel of the Lord stand in the way, and his sworde drawen in his hand, the asse turned out of the way and went into the field, but Balaam smote the asse, to turne her into the way.
24 Then the angel of the Lord stood in a narrow part of the road that passed between two vineyards, with walls on both sides.
Againe the Angel of the Lord stood in a path of the vineyardes, hauing a wall on the one side, and a wall on the other.
25 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.
And when the asse sawe the Angel of the Lord, she thrust her selfe vnto the wall, and dasht Balaams foote against the wall: wherefore hee smote her againe.
26 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.
Then the Angel of the Lord went further, and stoode in a narowe place, where was no way to turne, either to the right hand, or to the left.
27 The donkey saw the angel of the Lord and lay down under Balaam. He got angry and beat it with his walking stick.
And when the asse sawe the Angell of the Lord, she lay downe vnder Balaam: therefore Balaam was very wroth, and smote the asse with a staffe.
28 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?”
Then the Lord opened the mouth of the asse, and she saide vnto Balaam, What haue I done vnto thee, that thou hast smitten me nowe three times?
29 “You made me look stupid!” Balaam told the donkey. “If I was holding a sword, I'd kill you now!”
And Balaam saide vnto the asse, Because thou hast mocked me: I woulde there were a sworde in mine hand, for nowe would I kill thee.
30 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.
And the asse saide vnto Balaam, Am not I thine asse, which thou hast ridden vpon since thy first time vnto this day? haue I vsed at any time to doe thus vnto thee? Who said, Nay.
31 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.
And the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he sawe the Angel of the Lord standing in the way with his sword drawen in his hande: then he bowed him selfe, and fell flat on his face.
32 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.
And the Angel of the Lord said vnto him, Wherefore hast thou nowe smitten thine asse three times? beholde, I came out to withstande thee, because thy way is not straight before me.
33 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.”
But the asse sawe me, and turned from me now three times: for els, if she had not turned from me, surely I had euen nowe slaine thee, and saued her aliue.
34 “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.”
Then Balaam saide vnto the Angel of the Lord, I haue sinned: for I wist not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore if it displease thee, I will turne home againe.
35 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.
But the Angel said vnto Balaam, Go with the men: but what I say vnto thee, that shalt thou speake. So Balaam went with ye princes of Balak.
36 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.
And when Balak heard that Balaam came, he went out to meete him vnto a citie of Moab, which is in the border of Arnon, euen in the vtmost coast.
37 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?”
Then Balak saide vnto Balaam, Did I not sende for thee to call thee? Wherefore camest thou not vnto me? am I not able in deede to promote thee vnto honour?
38 “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.”
And Balaam made answere vnto Balak, Lo, I am come vnto thee, and can I nowe say any thing at all? the worde that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speake.
39 So Balaam went with Balak and they arrived at Kiriath-huzoth.
So Balaam went with Balak, and they came vnto the citie of Huzoth.
40 Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and he shared with meat with Balaam and the leaders who were with him.
Then Balak offred bullockes, and sheepe, and sent thereof to Balaam, and to the princes that were with him.
41 The next morning Balak took Balaam up to Bamoth-baal. From there he could see the extent of the Israelite camp.
And on the morowe Balak tooke Balaam, and brought him vp into the hie places of Baal, that thence hee might see the vtmost part of the people.
