Numbers 22
1 After, the children of Israel departed and pitched in the plaine of Moab on the other side of Iorden from Iericho.
Then the Israelis traveled west to the area of Moab that was in the valley of the Jordan [River], across the river from Jericho [city].
2 Now Balak the sonne of Zippor sawe all that Israel had done to the Amorites.
But King Balak, the son of Zippor, who ruled Moab, found out what the Israelis had done to the Amor people-group.
3 And the Moabites were sore afraide of the people, because they were many, and Moab fretted against the children of Israel.
[When he saw that] the Israelis were very numerous, he and his people became terrified.
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.
So the king of Moab [went to] the leaders of the Midian people-group and said to them, “This huge group [of Israelis] will (wipe out/destroy) everything around them, like an ox devours grass!” Balak was the king of 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 messengers to [a prophet named] Balaam, who was living in his own area, in Pethor [town], near the [Euphrates] River. He sent this message to request that Balaam would come [to help him]: “A huge group of people has arrived here from Egypt. [It looks like] they are covering the entire land! And they have begun to live close to us.
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.
Because they are very powerful/numerous, [we are afraid of them. So] please come and curse them for me. Then my army may be able to defeat them and expel them from the land [where they are now living]. I know that good things will happen to the people whom you bless, and disasters will happen to the people whom you curse.”
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.
[Balak’s messengers, who were] leaders of both the Moab and Midian people-groups, took money with them to pay Balaam in order that he would [come and] curse the Israelis. They went to Balaam and told him what Balak had said.
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.
Balaam said, “Stay here tonight. [Tomorrow morning] I will tell you whatever Yahweh tells me that I should say to you.” So the leaders from Moab stayed there that night.
9 Then God came vnto Balaam, and sayde, What men are these with thee?
During the night, God appeared to Balaam and asked him, “(Who are/Tell me about) these men who are staying with you.”
10 And Baalam said vnto God, Balak ye sonne of Zippor, king of Moab hath set vnto me, saying,
Balaam replied, “Balak, the king of Moab, sent these men to tell me this:
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.
‘A huge group of people has come from Egypt, and they have spread all over this area. Please come immediately to curse them. Then I may be able to defeat them and expel them [from this area].’”
12 And God said vnto Balaam, Go not thou with them, neither curse the people, for they are blessed.
God replied to Balaam, “Do not go with them! I have blessed those people, so you must not curse them!”
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.
The next morning, Balaam got up and told Balak’s men, “Go back home. [But go by yourselves, because] Yahweh is not allowing me to go with you.”
14 So the princes of Moab rose vp, and went vnto Balak, and sayd, Balaam hath refused to come with vs.
So the men from Moab returned to King Balak and they reported to him, “Balaam refused to come with us.”
15 Balak yet sent againe moe princes, and more honourable then they.
But Balak sent another [group of] leaders to Balaam. It was a group that was larger and they were more important [than the men in the first group].
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.
They went to Balaam and told him this: “This is what King Balak says: ‘Please do not allow anything to hinder you from coming here.
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.
I will pay you (a lot of money/very well) [if you come], and I will do anything that you ask me to do. Just come and curse these [Israeli] people for me!’”
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.
But Balaam answered them, “Even if Balak would give me a palace filled with silver and gold, I would not do anything to disobey Yahweh, (my God/the God whom I [worship]).
19 But nowe, I pray you, tary here this night, that I may wit, what the Lord will say vnto mee more.
But stay here one more night, like the other messengers did, and I will find out if Yahweh has anything more to say to me.”
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.
That night God appeared to Balaam again and said to him, “These men have come to request that you go back with them, so you may go with them, but do only what I tell you [to do]!”
21 So Balaam rose vp early, and sadled his asse, and went with the princes of Moab.
So the next morning, Balaam put a saddle on his donkey and he departed [with two of his servants] along with the men from Moab.
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.
[Even though God had given Balaam permission to go, he was still angry]. So he sent one of his angels to Balaam. This angel stood in the road to block Balaam’s path. As Balaam and the two servants were riding on their donkeys,
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.
Balaam’s donkey saw the angel. The angel was standing in the road and was holding a sword in his hand, [but Balaam did not see him]. Balaam’s donkey turned off the road into a field. So Balaam struck the donkey and forced it to go back onto the road.
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.
Then the angel stood in a place where the road was very narrow, between two vineyards, with walls on each side of the road.
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.
When the donkey saw the angel standing there, it walked very close to the wall [to try to get past the angel]. As a result, it bashed Balaam’s foot against the wall. So Balaam struck the donkey 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.
Then the angel went further along the road and stood at a place that was extremely narrow, with the result that the donkey could not get past at all.
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.
This time, when the donkey saw the angel, it lay down [on the ground] with Balaam sitting on top of it. Balaam became extremely angry, and he struck the donkey again with his walking stick.
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?
Then Yahweh enabled the donkey to speak! It said to Balaam, “What bad thing have I done to you that caused you to strike me three times?”
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 shouted, “I struck you because you have caused me to appear to be foolish! If I had a sword with me, I would kill you!”
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.
But the donkey answered, “I am your own donkey [RHQ], the one that you have always ridden! Have I ever done anything like this previously?” Balaam said, “No.”
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.
Then Yahweh enabled Balaam to see the angel standing on the road, holding a sword in his hand. Balaam [realized that it was an angel and] prostrated himself on the ground in front of the angel.
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.
The angel asked him, ‘(Why did you strike your donkey three times?/ You should certainly not have struck the donkey three times! [RHQ] I have come to block your path because what you are planning to do is wrong.
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.
Three times your donkey saw me and turned away from me. If it had not done that, I would certainly have killed you already, but I would have allowed the donkey to live.”
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.
Then Balaam said to the angel, “I have sinned. But I did not realize that you were standing there, trying to block my path. So if you do not want me to continue going, I will return home.”
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.
But the angel replied, “I will allow you to go with these men, but you must say only what I tell you to say!” So Balaam went on with the leaders whom Balak [had sent].
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.
When King Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went to meet him at a Moab town alongside the Arnon [River] that was at the border of his own land.
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?
[When he arrived where] Balaam was, he said to him, “I sent you [RHQ] a message saying that you should come immediately [RHQ]! Why did you not come immediately? [Did you think that] I was not able to pay you a lot of money for 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.
Balaam replied, “I have come here now, but I am not able to say anything [that I want to]. I will say only the words that God tells me to say [MTY].”
39 So Balaam went with Balak, and they came vnto the citie of Huzoth.
Then Balaam went with Balak to Kiriath-Huzoth [town].
40 Then Balak offred bullockes, and sheepe, and sent thereof to Balaam, and to the princes that were with him.
There Balak killed some cattle and sheep as sacrifices, and offered [parts of the meat] to Balaam and the leaders who 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.
[They slept there], and the next morning Balak took Balaam part way up [the mountain] to Bamoth-Baal [village]. From there, they could see some of the Israeli people who were down below.
