Numbers 22
1 And the children of Israel departed, and encamped on the west of Moab by Jordan toward Jericho.
And they set out and made camp in the plains of Moab, across the Jordan, where Jericho is situated.
2 And when Balac son of Sepphor saw all that Israel did to the Amorite,
Then Balak, the son of Zippor, seeing all that Israel had done to the Amorite,
3 then Moab feared the people exceedingly because they were many; and Moab was grieved before the face of the children of Israel.
and that the Moabites had great fear of him, and that they were not able to bear his assault,
4 And Moab said to the elders of Madiam, Now shall this assembly lick up all that are round about us, as a calf would lick up the green [herbs] of the field: —and Balac son of Sepphor was king of Moab at that time.
said to those greater by birth of Midian: “So will this people wipe away all those who are dwelling within our borders, in the same way that the ox is accustomed to tear out grass, all the way to the roots.” At that time, he was king of Moab.
5 And he sent ambassadors to Balaam the son of Beor, to Phathura, which is on a river of the land of the sons of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, a people is come out of Egypt, and behold it has covered the face of the earth, and it has encamped close to me.
Therefore, he sent messengers to Balaam, the son of Beor, a seer who lived above the river of the land of the sons of Ammon, to call him, and to say: “Behold, a people has gone forth from Egypt, which has covered the face of the earth. They are encamped opposite me.
6 And now come, curse me this people, for it is stronger than we; if we may be able to strike some of them, and I will cast them out of the land: for I know that whoever you do bless, they are blessed, and whoever you do curse, they are cursed.
Therefore, come and curse this people, for they are stronger than I am. If only, in some way, I might be able to strike them and to drive them from my land. For I know that he whom you bless shall be blessed, and he whom you curse shall be cursed.”
7 And the elders of Moab went, and the elders of Madiam, and their divining [instruments were] in their hands; and they came to Balaam, and spoke to him the words of Balac.
And the elders of Moab, and those greater by birth of Midian, continued on, holding the price of divination in their hands. And when they had come to Balaam, and had explained to him all the words of Balak,
8 And he said to them, Tarry here the night, and I will answer you the things which the Lord shall say to me; and the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam.
he responded, “Remain for this night, and I will answer with whatever the Lord will say to me.” And while they stayed with Balaam, God came and said to him,
9 And God came to Balaam, and said to him, Who are these men with you?
“What do these men want with you?”
10 And Balaam said to God, Balac son of Sepphor, king of Moab, sent them to me, saying,
He responded, “Balak, the son of Zippor, the king of the Moabites has sent to me,
11 Behold, a people has come forth out of Egypt, and has covered the face of the land, and it has encamped near to me; and now come, curse it for me, if indeed I shall be able to strike it, and cast it out of the land.
saying: ‘Behold, a people, which has gone forth from Egypt, has covered the face of the earth. Come and curse them, so that, in some way, I may be able to fight them and drive them away.’”
12 And God said to Balaam, You shall not go with them, neither shall you curse the people; for they are blessed.
And God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them, and do not curse the people, for they are blessed.”
13 And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said to the princes of Balac, Depart quickly to your lord; God does not permit me to go with you.
And he, rising up in the morning, said to the leaders, “Go into your own land, for the Lord has prohibited me from going with you.”
14 And the princes of Moab rose, and came to Balac, and said, Balaam will not come with us.
Returning, the leaders said to Balak, “Balaam was not willing to come with us.”
15 And Balac yet again sent more princes and more honorable than they.
Again, he sent many more persons, and these were more noble than those he had sent before.
16 And they came to Balaam, and they say to him, Thus says Balac the son of Sepphor: I beseech you, delay not to come to me.
And when these had come to Balaam, they said: “So says Balak, the son of Zippor. Do not hesitate to come to me.
17 For I will greatly honor you, and will do for you whatever you shall say; come then, curse me this people.
For I am ready to honor you, and whatever you would want, I shall give to you. Come and curse this people.”
18 And Balaam answered and said to the princes of Balac, If Balac would give me his house full of silver and gold, I shall not be able to go beyond the word of the Lord God, to make it little or great in my mind.
Balaam responded: “Even if Balak were to give to me his own house, filled with silver and gold, I still would not be able to change the word of the Lord my God, neither to say more, nor to say less.
19 And now do you also wait here this night, and I shall know what the Lord will yet say to me.
I beg you to remain for this night also, so that I may know what the Lord will answer me again.”
20 And God came to Balaam by night, and said to him, If these men are come to call you, rise and follow them; nevertheless the word which I shall speak to you, it shall you do.
Therefore, God came to Balaam in the night, and said to him: “If these men have arrived to call you, then rise up and go with them; yet only in so far as you shall do what I will command you.”
21 And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.
Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddling his donkey, he set out with them.
22 And God was very angry because he went; and the angel of the Lord rose up to withstand him. Now he had mounted his ass, and his two servants were with him.
And God was angry. And an Angel of the Lord stood in the way opposite Balaam, who was sitting on the donkey, and he had two servants with him.
23 And when the ass saw the angel of God standing opposite in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand, then the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field; and [Balaam] struck the ass with his staff to direct her in the way.
The donkey, discerning that the Angel was standing in the way with a drawn sword, turned herself from the road and went through a field. And when Balaam beat her and intended to return her to the path,
24 And the angel of the Lord stood in the avenues of the vines, a fence [being] on this side and a fence on that.
the Angel stood in a narrow place between the two walls, with which the vineyards were enclosed.
25 And when the ass saw the angel of God, she thrust herself against the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall, and he struck her again.
And the donkey, seeing this, drew herself close to the wall and scraped the foot of the rider. So he beat her again.
26 And the angel of the Lord went farther, and came and stood in a narrow place where it was impossible to turn to the right or the left.
And, nevertheless, the Angel passing on to a narrow place, where one would not be able to deviate either to the right or to the left, stood to meet him.
27 And when the ass saw the angel of God, she lay down under Balaam; and Balaam was angry, and struck the ass with his staff.
And when the donkey had seen the Angel standing there, she fell under the feet of the rider, who, being angry, struck her sides more vehemently with a club.
28 And God opened the mouth of the ass, and she says to Balaam, What have I done to you, that you have struck me this third time?
And the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said: “What have I done to you? Why do strike you me, behold now, for the third time?”
29 And Balaam said to the ass, Because you have mocked me; and if I [had] had a sword in my hand, I would now have killed you.
Balaam responded, “Because you have deserved it, and you have mistreated me. If only I had a sword, so that I might pierce you.”
30 And the ass says to Balaam, [Am] not I your ass on which you have ridden since your youth till this day? did I ever do thus to you, utterly disregarding [you]? and he said, No.
The donkey said: “Am not I your animal, on which you have always been accustomed to sit, even until this present day? Tell me, when did I ever do the same thing to you.” But he said, “Never.”
31 And God opened the eyes of Balaam, and he sees the angel of the Lord withstanding [him] in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand, and he stooped down and worshipped on his face.
Immediately, the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the Angel standing in the way with a drawn sword, and he reverenced him prone on the ground.
32 And the angel of God said to him, Why have you struck your ass this third time? and, behold, I came out to withstand you, for your way was not seemly before me; and when the ass saw me, she turned away from me this third time.
And the Angel said to him: “Why did you beat your donkey three times? I have come to be an adversary to you, because your way is perverse and contrary to me.
33 And if she had not turned out of the way, surely now, I should have slain you, and should have saved her alive.
And unless the donkey had turned aside from the way, allowing a place for my opposition, I would have killed you, and she would have lived.”
34 And Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, I have sinned, for I did not know that you were standing opposite in the way to meet [me]; and now if it shall not be pleasing to you [for me to go on], I will return.
Balaam said: “I have sinned, not knowing that you stood against me. And now, if it displeases you for me to continue on, I will return.”
35 And the angel of the Lord said to Balaam, Go with the men: nevertheless the word which I shall speak to you, that you shall take heed to speak. And Balaam went with the princes of Balac.
The Angel said, “Go with them, but be careful not to speak anything other than what I shall instruct you.” And so, he went with the leaders.
36 And when Balac heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him, to a city of Moab, which is on the borders of Arnon, which is on the [extreme] part of the borders.
And when Balak had heard it, he went out to meet him in a town of the Moabites, which is situated at the furthest borders of Arnon.
37 And Balac said to Balaam, Did I not send to you to call you? why have you not come to me? shall I not indeed be able to honor you?
And he said to Balaam: “I sent messengers to call you. Why did you not come to me immediately? Was it because I am not able to pay the cost for your arrival?”
38 And Balaam said to Balac, Behold, I am now come to you: shall I be able to say anything? the word which God shall put into my mouth, that I shall speak.
He answered him: “Behold, here I am. Am I able to speak anything other than what God will put into my mouth?”
39 And Balaam went with Balac, and they came to the cities of streets.
Therefore, they continued on together, and they arrived at a city, which was at the furthest borders of his kingdom.
40 And Balac offered sheep and calves, and sent to Balaam and to his princes who were with him.
And after Balak had killed oxen and sheep, he sent the gifts to Balaam, and to the leaders who were with him.
41 And it was morning; and Balac took Balaam, and brought him up to the pillar of Baal, and showed him thence a part of the people.
Then, when morning arrived, he led him to the heights of Baal, and he gazed upon the most distant portions of the population.
