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 the children of Israel departed, and encamped on the west of Moab by Jordan toward Jericho.
2 Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.
And when Balac son of Sepphor saw all that Israel did to the Amorite,
3 Moab was very afraid of the people because they were many, and Moab was in terror of the people of Israel.
then Moab feared the people exceedingly because they were many; and Moab was grieved before the face of the children of Israel.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.”
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
9 God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men who came to you?”
And God came to Balaam, and said to him, Who are these men with you?
10 Balaam answered God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent them to me. He said,
And Balaam said to God, Balac son of Sepphor, king of Moab, sent them to me, saying,
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.'”
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.
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, You shall not go with them, neither shall you curse the people; for they are 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 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.
14 So the leaders of Moab left and went back to Balak. They said, “Balaam refused to come with us.”
And the princes of Moab rose, and came to Balac, and said, Balaam will not come with us.
15 Balak sent again more leaders who were even more honored than the first group.
And Balac yet again sent more princes and more honorable than they.
16 They came to Balaam and said to him, “Balak son of Zippor says this, 'Please let nothing stop you from coming to me,
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.
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 will greatly honor you, and will do for you whatever you shall say; come then, curse me 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.
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.
19 Now then, please wait here tonight too, so that I may learn anything further that Yahweh says to me.”
And now do you also wait here this night, and I shall know what the Lord will yet say to me.
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.”
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.
21 Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the leaders of Moab.
And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
And the angel of the Lord stood in the avenues of the vines, a fence [being] on this side and a fence on that.
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 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.
26 The angel of Yahweh went further and stood in another narrow place where there was no way to turn to either side.
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.
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 of God, she lay down under Balaam; and Balaam was angry, and struck the ass with his 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 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?
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.”
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.
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.”
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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 if she had not turned out of the way, surely now, I should have slain you, and should have saved her alive.
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.”
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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 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?
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.”
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.
39 Balaam went with Balak, and they arrived at Kiriath Huzoth.
And Balaam went with Balac, and they came to the cities of streets.
40 Then Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep and gave some meat to Balaam and the leaders who were with him.
And Balac offered sheep and calves, and sent to Balaam and to his princes who 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 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.
