Numbers 22
1 The children of Israel traveled, and encamped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan at Jericho.
The Israelites moved on and camped on the plains of Moab east of the Jordan, opposite Jericho.
2 Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.
Balak, son of Zippor, had seen all that the Israelites had done to the Amorites.
3 Moab was very afraid of the people, because they were many. Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel.
The Moabites were terrified of the Israelites because there were so many of them. The Moabites dreaded the arrival of the Israelites
4 Moab said to the elders of Midian, “Now this multitude will lick up all that is around us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field.” Balak the son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time.
and told the leaders of Midian, “This horde will eat up everything we have, just like an ox eats up grass in the field!” (Balak son of Zippor, was king of Moab at that time.)
5 He sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor, to Pethor, which is by the River, to the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, “Behold, there is a people who came out of Egypt. Behold, they cover the surface of the earth, and they are staying opposite me.
He sent messengers to call Balaam, son of Beor, who lived in Pethor near the Euphrates River in his own country. “Listen, a group of people has arrived here who came from Egypt,” Balak said in his message to Balaam. “There are hordes of them and they present a real threat to me.
6 Please come now therefore, and curse this people for me; for they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall prevail, that we may strike them, and that I may drive them out of the land; for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.”
Please come immediately and curse these people for me, because they are stronger than me. Maybe then I'll be able to attack them and drive them out of my country because I know that whoever you bless is blessed, and whoever you curse is cursed.”
7 The elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand. They came to Balaam, and spoke to him the words of Balak.
The Moabite and Midianite leaders departed, taking payment for the fortune-telling with them. When they arrived they gave Balaam the message from Balak.
8 He said to them, “Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as Yahweh shall speak to me.” The princes of Moab stayed with Balaam.
“Stay the night and I'll let you know the answer the Lord gives me,” Balaam told them. So the Moabite leaders stayed there with Balaam.
9 God came to Balaam, and said, “Who are these men with you?”
God came to Balaam and asked him, “Who are these men staying with you?”
10 Balaam said to God, “Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has said to me,
Balaam told God, “Balak, son of Zippor, the king of Moab, sent me this message:
11 ‘Behold, the people that has come out of Egypt covers the surface of the earth. Now, come curse them for me. Perhaps I shall be able to fight against them, and shall drive them out.’”
‘Listen, a group of people has arrived here who came from Egypt. There are hordes of them. Please come immediately and curse these people for me. Maybe then I'll be able to fight them and drive them out of my country.’”
12 God said to Balaam, “You shall not go with them. You shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.”
But God told Balaam, “You are not to go back with them. You must not curse this people, for they are blessed.”
13 Balaam rose up in the morning, and said to the princes of Balak, “Go to your land; for Yahweh refuses to permit me to go with you.”
In the morning Balaam got up and said to Balak's messengers, “Go back to where you came from because the Lord has refused to allow me to go with you.”
14 The princes of Moab rose up, and they went to Balak, and said, “Balaam refuses to come with us.”
The Moabite leaders left. They returned to Balak, and told him, “Balaam refused to come back with us.”
15 Balak again sent princes, more, and more honorable than they.
Then Balak sent even more leaders who were more prestigious than before.
16 They came to Balaam, and said to him, “Balak the son of Zippor says, ‘Please let nothing hinder you from coming to me,
When they arrived they told Balaam, “This is what Balak son of Zippor says: ‘Please don't let anything stop you from coming to see me,
17 for I will promote you to very great honor, and whatever you say to me I will do. Please come therefore, and curse this people for me.’”
because I will pay you a great deal and follow all the advice you give me. Please come and curse these people for me!’”
18 Balaam answered the servants of Balak, “If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I can’t go beyond the word of Yahweh my God, to do less or more.
But Balaam told Balak's officials, “Even if Balak gave me his whole palace full of silver and gold, I couldn't disobey the command of the Lord my God in any way.
19 Now therefore please stay here tonight as well, that I may know what else Yahweh will speak to me.”
Now you should also stay the night so I can see if the Lord has anything else to tell me.”
20 God came to Balaam at night, and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, rise up, go with them; but only the word which I speak to you, that you shall do.”
God came to Balaam during the night and told him, “Since these men have come for you, get up and go with them. But only do what I tell you.”
21 Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.
In the morning Balaam got up, put a saddle on his donkey, and left with the Moabite leaders.
22 God’s anger burned because he went; and Yahweh’s angel placed himself in the way as an adversary against him. Now he was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him.
God's got angry because Balaam had decided to go. The angel of the Lord came and stood in the road to confront him. Balaam was riding on his donkey, and he was accompanied by his two servants.
23 The donkey saw Yahweh’s angel standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and the donkey turned out of the path, and went into the field. Balaam struck the donkey, to turn her into the path.
The donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road holding a drawn sword, so it turned from the road and went into a field. So Balaam beat it to make it go back to the road.
24 Then Yahweh’s angel stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side.
Then the angel of the Lord stood in a narrow part of the road that passed between two vineyards, with walls on both sides.
25 The donkey saw Yahweh’s angel, and she thrust herself to the wall, and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall. He struck her again.
The donkey saw the angel of the Lord and tried to get past. It pushed up against the wall and crushed Balaam's foot against it. So he beat it again.
26 Yahweh’s angel went further, and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.
Then the angel of the Lord went ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to get past, either on the right or the left.
27 The donkey saw Yahweh’s angel, and she lay down under Balaam. Balaam’s anger burned, and he struck the donkey with his staff.
The donkey saw the angel of the Lord and lay down under Balaam. He got angry and beat it with his walking stick.
28 Yahweh opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?”
The Lord gave the donkey the ability to speak and it said to Balaam, “What have I done to you for you to beat me three times?”
29 Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have mocked me, I wish there were a sword in my hand, for now I would have killed you.”
“You made me look stupid!” Balaam told the donkey. “If I was holding a sword, I'd kill you now!”
30 The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life long until today? Was I ever in the habit of doing so to you?” He said, “No.”
But the donkey asked Balaam, “Aren't I the donkey you've ridden all your life right up to today? Have I ever treated you this way before?” “No,” he admitted.
31 Then Yahweh opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw Yahweh’s angel standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and he bowed his head, and fell on his face.
Then the Lord gave Balaam the ability to see the angel of the Lord standing in the road holding a drawn sword. Balaam bowed low and fell facedown on the ground.
32 Yahweh’s angel said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out as an adversary, because your way is perverse before me.
The angel of the Lord asked him, “Why did you beat your donkey three times? Listen, I have come to confront you because you're being obstinate.
33 The donkey saw me, and turned away before me these three times. Unless she had turned away from me, surely now I would have killed you, and saved her alive.”
The donkey saw me and avoided me three times. If it had not avoided me, by now I definitely would have killed you and allowed the donkey to live.”
34 Balaam said to Yahweh’s angel, “I have sinned; for I didn’t know that you stood in the way against me. Now therefore, if it displeases you, I will go back again.”
“I have sinned because I did not realize that you were standing in the road to confront me,” Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “So if this isn't what you want, I'll go back home.”
35 Yahweh’s angel said to Balaam, “Go with the men; but you shall only speak the word that I shall speak to you.” So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.
The angel of the Lord told Balaam, “No, you can go with the men, but only say what I tell you.” So Balaam continued on with Balak's officials.
36 When Balak heard that Balaam had come, he went out to meet him to the City of Moab, which is on the border of the Arnon, which is in the utmost part of the border.
When Balak found out that Balaam was on his way, he went out to meet him at the Moabite town on the border at the Arnon River, the farthest point of his territory.
37 Balak said to Balaam, “Didn’t I earnestly send for you to summon you? Why didn’t you come to me? Am I not able indeed to promote you to honor?”
He said to Balaam, “Didn't you think my call for you to come was urgent? Why didn't you come to me straight away? Did you think I couldn't pay you enough?”
38 Balaam said to Balak, “Behold, I have come to you. Have I now any power at all to speak anything? I will speak the word that God puts in my mouth.”
“Look, I'm here with you now, aren't I?” Balaam replied. “But do you think I can just say anything? I can only speak the words that God gives me to say.”
39 Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath Huzoth.
So Balaam went with Balak and they arrived at Kiriath-huzoth.
40 Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes who were with him.
Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and he shared with meat with Balaam and the leaders who were with him.
41 In the morning, Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal; and he saw from there part of the people.
The next morning Balak took Balaam up to Bamoth-baal. From there he could see the extent of the Israelite camp.
