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 journeyed, and pitched in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan at Jericho.
2 Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.
And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.
3 Moab was very afraid of the people because they were many, and Moab was in terror of the people of Israel.
And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were many; and Moab was overcome with dread because 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 unto the elders of Midian: 'Now will this multitude lick up all that is round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field.' — And Balak the son of Zippor 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 messengers unto 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 come out from Egypt; behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide 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 now therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me; peradventure I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land; for I know that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest 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 elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came unto Balaam, and spoke unto him the words of Balak.
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 unto them: 'Lodge here this night, and I will bring you back word, as the LORD may speak unto me'; and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam.
9 God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men who came to you?”
And God came unto Balaam, and said: 'What men are these with thee?'
10 Balaam answered God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent them to me. He said,
And Balaam said unto God: 'Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent unto 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 the people that is come out of Egypt, it covereth the face of the earth; now, come curse me them; peradventure I shall be able to fight against them, and shall drive them out.'
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 unto Balaam: 'Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not 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 unto the princes of Balak: 'Get you into your land; for the LORD refuseth to give me leave 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 up, and they went unto Balak, and said: 'Balaam refuseth to come with us.'
15 Balak sent again more leaders who were even more honored than the first group.
And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honourable 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 said to him: 'Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor: Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto 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 promote thee unto very great honour, and whatsoever thou sayest unto me I will do; come therefore, I pray thee, 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 unto the servants of Balak: 'If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do any thing, small or great.
19 Now then, please wait here tonight too, so that I may learn anything further that Yahweh says to me.”
Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the LORD will speak unto me 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.”
And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him: 'If the men are come to call thee, rise up, go with them; but only the word which I speak unto thee, that shalt thou 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's anger was kindled because he went; and the angel of the LORD placed himself in the way for an adversary against him. — Now he was riding upon 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 the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field; and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into 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.
Then the angel of the LORD stood in a hollow way between the vineyards, a fence being on this side, and a fence on that side.
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 saw the angel of the LORD, and she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall; and he smote 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 further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to 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 the ass saw the angel of the LORD, and she lay down under Balaam; and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote 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 the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam: 'What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?'
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 unto the ass: 'Because thou hast mocked me; I would there were a sword in my hand, for now I had killed 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.”
And the ass said unto Balaam: 'Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden all thy life long unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee?' And he said: 'Nay.'
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.
Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and he bowed his head, and fell 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 the LORD said unto him: 'Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I am come forth for an adversary, because thy way is contrary unto 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 the ass saw me, and turned aside before me these three times; unless she had turned aside from me, surely now I had even slain thee, and 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 unto the angel of the LORD: 'I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me; now therefore, if it displease thee, I will get me back.'
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 unto Balaam: 'Go with the men; but only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that thou shalt speak.' So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.
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 Balak heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him unto Ir-moab, which is on the border of Arnon, which is in the utmost part of the border.
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 Balak said unto Balaam: 'Did I not earnestly send unto thee to call thee? wherefore camest thou not unto me? am I not able indeed to promote thee to honour?'
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 unto Balak: 'Lo, I am come unto thee; have I now any power at all to speak any thing? the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak.'
39 Balaam went with Balak, and they arrived at Kiriath Huzoth.
And Balaam went with Balak, and they came unto Kiriath-huzoth.
40 Then Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep and gave some meat to Balaam and the leaders who were with him.
And Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep, and sent 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 it came to pass in the morning that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into Bamoth-baal, and he saw from thence the utmost part of the people.
