Numbers 22
1 After, the children of Israel departed and pitched in the plaine of Moab on the other side of Iorden from Iericho.
And they went forward and encamped in the plains of Moab, over against where Jericho is situate beyond the Jordan.
2 Now Balak the sonne of Zippor sawe all that Israel had done to the Amorites.
And Balac the son of Sephor, seeing all that Israel had done to the Amorrhite,
3 And the Moabites were sore afraide of the people, because they were many, and Moab fretted against the children of Israel.
And that the Moabites were in great fear of him, and were not able to sustain his assault,
4 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.
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.
5 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.
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.
6 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.
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.
7 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.
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:
8 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.
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:
9 Then God came vnto Balaam, and sayde, What men are these with thee?
What mean these men that are with thee?
10 And Baalam said vnto God, Balak ye sonne of Zippor, king of Moab hath set vnto me, saying,
He answered: Balac the son of Sephor king of the Moabites hath sent to me,
11 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.
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.
12 And God said vnto Balaam, Go not thou with them, neither curse the people, for they are blessed.
And God said to Balaam: Thou shalt not go with them, nor shalt thou curse the people: because it is blessed.
13 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.
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.
14 So the princes of Moab rose vp, and went vnto Balak, and sayd, Balaam hath refused to come with vs.
The princes returning, said to Balac: Balaam would not come with us.
15 Balak yet sent againe moe princes, and more honourable then they.
Then he sent many more and more noble than he had sent before:
16 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.
Who, when they were come to Balaam, said: Thus saith Balac the son of Sephor, Delay not to come to me:
17 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.
For I am ready to honour thee, and will give thee whatsoever thou wilt: come and curse this people.
18 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.
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.
19 But nowe, I pray you, tary here this night, that I may wit, what the Lord will say vnto mee more.
I pray you to stay here this night also, that I may know what the Lord will answer me once more.
20 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.
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.
21 So Balaam rose vp early, and sadled his asse, and went with the princes of Moab.
Balaam arose in the morning, and saddling his ass went with them.
22 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.
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.
23 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.
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,
24 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.
The angel stood in a narrow place between two walls, wherewith the vineyards were enclosed.
25 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.
And the ass seeing him, thrust herself close to the wall, and bruised the foot of the rider. But he beat her again:
26 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.
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.
27 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.
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.
28 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?
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?
29 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.
Balaam answered: Because thou hast deserved it, and hast served me ill: I would I had a sword that I might kill thee.
30 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.
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.
31 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.
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.
32 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.
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:
33 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.
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.
34 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.
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.
35 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.
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.
36 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.
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.
37 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?
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?
38 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.
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?
39 So Balaam went with Balak, and they came vnto the citie of Huzoth.
So they went on together, and came into a city, that was in the uttermost borders of his kingdom.
40 Then Balak offred bullockes, and sheepe, and sent thereof to Balaam, and to the princes that were with him.
And when Balac had killed oxen and sheep, he sent presents to Balaam, and to the princes that were with him.
41 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.
And when morning was come, he brought him to the high places of Baal, and he beheld the uttermost part of the people.
