Numbers 22
1 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].
Partieron los hijos de Israel y acamparon en las llanuras de Moab, al otro lado del Jordán, frente a Jericó.
2 But King Balak, the son of Zippor, who ruled Moab, found out what the Israelis had done to the Amor people-group.
Balac, hijo de Sefor, supo todo lo que Israel había hecho a los amorreos,
3 [When he saw that] the Israelis were very numerous, he and his people became terrified.
y se atemorizó Moab grandemente frente al pueblo tan numeroso y perdió el ánimo ante los hijos de Israel.
4 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.
Por lo cual dijo Moab a los ancianos de Madián: “Ahora esta multitud devorará todos nuestros contornos a la manera del buey que devora la hierba del campo.” Balac, hijo de Sefor, era a la sazón rey de Moab.
5 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.
Envió, pues, mensajeros a Balaam, hijo de Beor, a Petor, que está junto al Río en la tierra de los hijos de su pueblo, para llamarle, diciendo: “He aquí un pueblo que ha salido de Egipto y que cubre la faz de la tierra; está acampado frente a mí.
6 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.”
Ven, te ruego, y maldíceme a este pueblo, porque es demasiado fuerte para mí; quizás así logre yo derrotarlo y arrojarlo del país: porque sé que es bendito aquel a quien tú bendijeres, y maldito aquel a quien tú maldijeres.”
7 [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.
Fueron los ancianos de Moab y los ancianos de Madián, llevando en sus manos el estipendio de mago, y llegados a Balaam, le refirieron las palabras de Balac.
8 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.
Él les contestó: “Pasad la noche aquí, y os responderé según me diga Yahvé.” Se quedaron, pues, los príncipes de Moab con Balaam.
9 During the night, God appeared to Balaam and asked him, “(Who are/Tell me about) these men who are staying with you.”
Y vino Dios a Balaam y le dijo: “¿Quiénes son estos hombres que están contigo?”
10 Balaam replied, “Balak, the king of Moab, sent these men to tell me this:
Balaam respondió a Dios: “Balac, hijo de Sefor, rey de Moab, ha enviado a decirme:
11 ‘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].’”
He aquí un pueblo que ha salido de Egipto y que cubre la faz de la tierra. Ven, por lo tanto, y maldícemelo; quizás así podré combatirlo y rechazarlo.”
12 God replied to Balaam, “Do not go with them! I have blessed those people, so you must not curse them!”
Y dijo Dios a Balaam: “No vayas con ellos, ni maldigas a ese pueblo, porque es bendito.”
13 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.”
Se levantó, pues, Balaam por la mañana, y dijo a los príncipes de Balac: “Volveos a vuestra tierra, porque Yahvé no quiere dejarme ir con vosotros”.
14 So the men from Moab returned to King Balak and they reported to him, “Balaam refused to come with us.”
Y se levantaron los príncipes de Moab, y regresados a Balac le dijeron: “Balaam no quiere venir con nosotros.”
15 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].
Entonces Balac envió de nuevo otros príncipes a Balaam, en mayor número y más distinguidos que los anteriores;
16 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.
los cuales llegados a Balaam le dijeron: “Así dice Balac, hijo de Sefor: Te ruego no dejes apartarte de venir a mí;
17 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!’”
que yo te colmaré de honores, y haré todo lo que me digas, con tal que vengas y me maldigas a esta gente.”
18 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]).
Mas Balaam respondió y dijo a los siervos de Balac: “Aunque Balac me diese tanta plata y oro como cabe en su casa no puedo desoír la palabra de Yahvé, mi Dios, haciendo (algo contrario), sea cosa chica, sea grande.
19 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.”
Quedaos pues aquí esta noche, vosotros también, para que yo sepa qué más me diga Yahvé.”
20 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]!”
Y vino Dios de noche a Balaam y le dijo: “Si estos hombres han venido a llamarte, levántate y vete con ellos, pero harás solamente lo que Yo te dijere.”
21 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.
Y se levantó Balaam a la mañana, aparejó su asna, y marchó con los príncipes de Moab.
22 [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,
Sin embargo se encendió la ira de Dios al emprender Balaam viaje, y el Ángel de Yahvé se puso en el camino para cerrarle el paso. Iba Balaam montado sobre su asna, y le acompañaban dos de sus siervos.
23 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.
Cuando la burra vio al Ángel de Yahvé parado en el camino, con su espada desenvainada en la mano, se desvió del camino, andando por el campo; y Balaam le dio golpes para volverla al camino.
24 Then the angel stood in a place where the road was very narrow, between two vineyards, with walls on each side of the road.
Entonces el Ángel de Yahvé se apostó en una hondonada entre las viñas, con un muro de un lado y un muro del otro.
25 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.
Al ver la burra al Ángel de Yahvé se arrimó al muro y apretó el pie de Balaam contra la pared, el cual volvió a pegarla.
26 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.
Una vez más se adelantó el Ángel de Yahvé y se puso en un sitio estrecho donde no había espacio para desviarse ni a la derecha ni a la izquierda.
27 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.
Entonces al ver la burra al Ángel de Yahvé, se echó en tierra debajo de Balaam, el cual enfurecido la pegó con el bastón.
28 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?”
Mas Dios abrió la boca de la burra, la cual dijo a Balaam: “¿Qué te he hecho para que me pegues ya por tercera vez?”
29 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!”
Balaam respondió a la burra: “Porque haces burla de mí. ¡Ojalá tuviera yo una espada, que ahora mismo te mataría!”
30 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.”
Replicó la burra a Balaam: “¿No soy yo tu asna, en que has cabalgado siempre desde que yo soy tuya hasta hoy? ¿Por ventura he hecho yo contigo jamás cosa semejante?” Y él respondió: “No”.
31 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.
Entonces Yahvé abrió los ojos de Balaam, de modo que vio al Ángel de Yahvé parado en el camino con la espada desenvainada en la mano; e inclinándose se prosternó sobre su rostro.
32 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.
Y le dijo el Ángel de Yahvé: “¿Por qué has pegado a tu asna estas tres veces? He aquí que yo he salido para cerrarte el camino, pues tu viaje es perverso delante de mí.
33 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.”
Me vio la burra y se desvió delante de mí estas tres veces. Si no se hubiera desviado de mi presencia, te habría matado a ti, y a ella la abría dejado con vida.”
34 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.”
Dijo entonces Balaam al Ángel de Yahvé: “He pecado; porque no sabía que tú te habías apostado contra mí en el camino. Si la cosa te parece mal, ahora mismo me volveré.”
35 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].
El Ángel de Yahvé respondió a Balaam: “Ve con estos hombres; pero habla solamente lo que yo te dijere.” Se fue, pues, Balaam con los príncipes de Balac.
36 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.
Cuando Balac supo que venía Balaam, le salió al encuentro hasta Ir-Moab, situada en el límite del Arnón, en el extremo de la frontera.
37 [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?”
Y dijo Balac a Balaam: “¿Acaso no he enviado a llamarte? ¿Por qué no viniste a mí? ¿Crees tal vez que yo no soy capaz de recompensarte?”
38 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].”
Respondió Balaam a Balac: “Heme aquí, he venido a ti; pero ¿podré yo acaso decir algo? No te diré otra palabra sino la que Dios pusiere en mi boca.”
39 Then Balaam went with Balak to Kiriath-Huzoth [town].
Y se marchó Balaam con Balac, y llegaron a Kiryat-Husot.
40 There Balak killed some cattle and sheep as sacrifices, and offered [parts of the meat] to Balaam and the leaders who were with him.
Y sacrificó Balac bueyes y ovejas para hacer presentes a Balaam y a los príncipes que le acompañaban.
41 [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.
Al día siguiente tomó Balac a Balaam y le hizo subir a Bamot-Baal, desde donde podía divisar la parte extrema del pueblo.
