Numbers 22
1 And they set out and made camp in the plains of Moab, across the Jordan, where Jericho is situated.
The children of Israel traveled, and camped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan at Jericho.
2 Then Balak, the son of Zippor, seeing all that Israel had done to the Amorite,
Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.
3 and that the Moabites had great fear of him, and that they were not able to bear his assault,
Moab was very afraid of the people, because they were many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel.
4 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.
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.
5 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.
He sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor, at Pethor on the river, to the land of the people of Ammon, to call him, saying, "Look, there is a people who came out from Egypt. Look, they cover the surface of the earth, and they are staying opposite me.
6 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.”
And now please come, 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."
7 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,
The elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the fees for divination in their hand; and they came to Balaam, and spoke to him the words of Balak.
8 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,
And he said to them, "Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as YHWH shall speak to me." The princes of Moab stayed with Balaam.
9 “What do these men want with you?”
And God came to Balaam, and said, "Who are these men with you?"
10 He responded, “Balak, the son of Zippor, the king of the Moabites has sent to me,
And Balaam said to God, "Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent to me, saying,
11 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.’”
'Look, this people has come out of Egypt and they cover the surface of the earth. Come now, curse them for me; perhaps I shall be able to fight against them, and shall drive them out.'"
12 And God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them, and do not curse the people, for they are blessed.”
And God said to Balaam, "You are not to go with them, and you are not to curse the people, for they are blessed."
13 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.”
And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said to the princes of Balak, "Go to your lord; for God refuses to permit me to go with you."
14 Returning, the leaders said to Balak, “Balaam was not willing to come with us.”
The princes of Moab rose up, and they went to Balak, and said, "Balaam refuses to come with us."
15 Again, he sent many more persons, and these were more noble than those he had sent before.
Then Balak again sent princes, more in number and more honorable than these.
16 And when these had come to Balaam, they said: “So says Balak, the son of Zippor. Do not hesitate to come to me.
They came to Balaam, and said to him, "Thus says Balak the son of Zippor, 'Please let nothing hinder you from coming to me:
17 For I am ready to honor you, and whatever you would want, I shall give to you. Come and curse this people.”
for I will greatly honor you, and whatever you say to me I will do for you. Please come therefore, and curse this people for me.'"
18 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.
Balaam answered the servants of Balak, "If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I can't go beyond the command of YHWH my God, to do less or more.
19 I beg you to remain for this night also, so that I may know what the Lord will answer me again.”
Now therefore, you also stay here tonight, that I may know what else YHWH will say to me."
20 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.”
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."
21 Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddling his donkey, he set out with them.
Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.
22 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.
God's anger was kindled because he went; and the angel of YHWH placed himself in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him.
23 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,
The donkey saw the angel of God standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and the donkey turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam struck the donkey, to turn her into the way.
24 the Angel stood in a narrow place between the two walls, with which the vineyards were enclosed.
Then the angel of God stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side.
25 And the donkey, seeing this, drew herself close to the wall and scraped the foot of the rider. So he beat her again.
The donkey saw the angel of God, and she thrust herself to the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall: and he struck her again.
26 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.
The angel of God went further, and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.
27 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.
The donkey saw the angel of God, and she lay down under Balaam: and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he struck the donkey with his staff.
28 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?”
And God 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?"
29 Balaam responded, “Because you have deserved it, and you have mistreated me. If only I had a sword, so that I might pierce you.”
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."
30 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.”
The donkey said to Balaam, "Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life long to this day? Was I ever in the habit of doing so to you?" He said, "No."
31 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.
Then God opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of God standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and he bowed his head, and fell on his face.
32 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.
The angel of God said to him, "Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Look, I have come forth as an adversary, because your way is perverse before me:
33 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.”
and the donkey saw me, and turned aside before me these three times. Unless she had turned aside from me, surely now I would have killed you, and saved her alive."
34 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.”
Balaam said to the angel of YHWH, "I have sinned; for I did not know that you stood in the way against me. Now therefore, if it displeases you, I will go back again."
35 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.
The angel of God said to Balaam, "Go with the men; but only the word that I shall speak to you, that you shall speak." So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.
36 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.
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.
37 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?”
Balak said to Balaam, "Did I not earnestly send to you to call you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not able indeed to promote you to honor?"
38 He answered him: “Behold, here I am. Am I able to speak anything other than what God will put into my mouth?”
Balaam said to Balak, "Look, I have come to you: have I now any power at all to speak anything? The word that God puts in my mouth, that shall I speak."
39 Therefore, they continued on together, and they arrived at a city, which was at the furthest borders of his kingdom.
Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath Huzoth.
40 And after Balak had killed oxen and sheep, he sent the gifts to Balaam, and to the leaders who were with him.
Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes who were with him.
41 Then, when morning arrived, he led him to the heights of Baal, and he gazed upon the most distant portions of the population.
It happened in the morning, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal; and he saw from there the utmost part of the people.
