Numbers 22
1 The people of Israel traveled on until they camped in the plains of Moab near Jericho, on the other side of the Jordan River from the city.
And they went forward and encamped in the plains of Moab, over against where Jericho is situate beyond the Jordan.
2 Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.
And Balac the son of Sephor, seeing all that Israel had done to the Amorrhite,
3 Moab was very afraid of the people because they were many, and Moab was in terror of the people of Israel.
And that the Moabites were in great fear of him, and were not able to sustain his assault,
4 The king of Moab said to the elders of Midian, “This multitude will eat up all that is around us as an ox eats up the grass in a field.” Now Balak son of Zippor was king of Moab 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 He sent messengers to Balaam son of Beor, at Pethor which is by the Euphrates River, in the land of his nation and his people. He called him and said, “Look, a nation has come here from Egypt. They cover the face of the earth and they are right now next to 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 So please come now and curse this nation for me, because they are too strong for me. Perhaps then I can manage to attack them and drive them out of the land. I know that whomever you bless will be blessed, and whomever you curse will 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 So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian left, taking payment for divination. They came to Balaam and spoke to him Balak's words.
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 Balaam said to them, “Stay here tonight. I will bring you what Yahweh says to me.” So the leaders of Moab stayed with Balaam that night.
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 God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men who came to you?”
What mean these men that are with thee?
10 Balaam answered God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent them to me. He said,
He answered: Balac the son of Sephor king of the Moabites hath sent to me,
11 'Look, the people who have come from Egypt cover the surface of my land. Now come and curse them for me. Perhaps I will manage to fight them and drive 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 God replied to Balaam, “You must not go with those men. You must not curse the people of Israel because they have been blessed.”
And God said to Balaam: Thou shalt not go with them, nor shalt thou curse the people: because it is blessed.
13 Balaam rose up in the morning and said to Balak's leaders, “Go back to your land because Yahweh refuses to allow me 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 leaders of Moab left and went back to Balak. They said, “Balaam refused to come with us.”
The princes returning, said to Balac: Balaam would not come with us.
15 Balak sent again more leaders who were even more honored than the first group.
Then he sent many more and more noble than he had sent before:
16 They came to Balaam and said to him, “Balak son of Zippor says this, 'Please let nothing stop you from coming to me,
Who, when they were come to Balaam, said: Thus saith Balac the son of Sephor, Delay not to come to me:
17 because I will pay you extremely well and give you great honor, and I will do whatever you tell me to do. So please come and curse this people for me.'”
For I am ready to honour thee, and will give thee whatsoever thou wilt: come and curse this people.
18 Balaam answered and said to Balak's men, “Even if Balak would give me his palace full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of Yahweh, my God, and do less or more than what he tells me.
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 Now then, please wait here tonight too, so that I may learn anything further that Yahweh says to me.”
I pray you to stay here this night also, that I may know what the Lord will answer me once more.
20 God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “Since these men have come to summon you, get up and go with them. But only do what I tell you to do.”
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 Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the leaders of Moab.
Balaam arose in the morning, and saddling his ass went with them.
22 But because he went, God's anger was kindled. The angel of Yahweh placed himself in the road as someone hostile to Balaam, who was riding on his donkey. Balaam's two servants were also 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 The donkey saw the angel of Yahweh standing in the road with his drawn sword in his hand. The donkey turned off the road and went into a field. Balaam struck the donkey to turn her back to the road.
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 Then the angel of Yahweh stood in a narrow part of the road between some vineyards, with a wall on his right side and another wall on his left side.
The angel stood in a narrow place between two walls, wherewith the vineyards were enclosed.
25 The donkey saw the angel of Yahweh again. She went against the wall and pinned Balaam's foot against it. Balaam struck her again.
And the ass seeing him, thrust herself close to the wall, and bruised the foot of the rider. But he beat her again:
26 The angel of Yahweh went further and stood in another narrow place where there was no way to turn to either side.
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 The donkey saw the angel of Yahweh, and she lay down under Balaam. Balaam's anger was kindled, and he struck the donkey with his staff.
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 Yahweh opened the donkey's mouth so she could talk. She said to Balaam, “What have I done to you that induced you to strike me these 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 Balaam replied to the donkey, “It was because you acted so stupidly with me. I wish there were a sword in my hand. If there were, by now I would have killed you.”
Balaam answered: Because thou hast deserved it, and hast served me ill: I would I had a sword that I might kill thee.
30 The donkey said to Balaam, “Am not I your donkey on which you have ridden all your life long to this present day? Have I ever been in the habit of doing such things to you before?” Balaam said, “No.”
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 Then Yahweh opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw the angel of Yahweh standing in the road with his drawn sword in his hand. Balaam lowered his head and lay facedown.
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 The angel of Yahweh said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Look, I have come as someone hostile to you because your actions before me have been wicked.
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 The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she had not turned away from me, I would certainly have killed you and spared her life.”
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 Balaam said to the angel of Yahweh, “I have sinned. I did not know that you stood against me in the road. So now, if it is displeasing to you, I will turn back.”
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 of Yahweh said to Balaam, “Go on ahead with the men. But you must only speak the words that I tell you.” So Balaam went with the leaders 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 When Balak heard that Balaam had come, he went out to meet him at a city in Moab at the Arnon, which is on the border.
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 Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not send men to you to summon you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not able to honor you?”
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 Then Balaam replied to Balak, “See, I have come to you. Do I now have any power to say anything? I can only say the words that God puts into my mouth.”
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 Balaam went with Balak, and they arrived at Kiriath Huzoth.
So they went on together, and came into a city, that was in the uttermost borders of his kingdom.
40 Then Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep and gave some meat to Balaam and the leaders who 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 In the morning, Balak took Balaam up to the high place of Baal. From there Balaam could see only a part of the Israelites in their camp.
And when morning was come, he brought him to the high places of Baal, and he beheld the uttermost part of the people.
