Numbers 22
1 And the sons of Israel journey and encamp in the plains of Moab, beyond the Jordan, [by] Jericho.
The Israelites moved on and camped on the plains of Moab east of the Jordan, opposite Jericho.
2 And Balak son of Zippor seeth all that Israel hath done to the Amorite,
Balak, son of Zippor, had seen all that the Israelites had done to the Amorites.
3 and Moab is exceedingly afraid of the presence of the people, for it [is] numerous; and Moab is vexed by the presence of the sons 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 and Moab saith unto the elders of Midian, 'Now doth the assembly lick up all that is round about us, as the ox licketh up the green thing of the field.' And Balak son of Zippor [is] 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 and he sendeth messengers unto Balaam son of Beor, to Pethor, which [is] by the River of the land of the sons of his people, to call for him, saying, 'Lo, a people hath come out of Egypt; lo, it hath covered the eye of the land, and it is abiding over-against 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 and now, come, I pray thee, curse for me this people, for it [is] mightier than I; it may be I prevail — we smite it — and I cast it out from the land; for I have known — that which thou blessest is blessed, and that which thou cursest 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 And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian go, and divinations in their hand, and they come in unto Balaam, and speak unto 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 and he saith unto them, 'Lodge here to-night, and I have brought you back word, as Jehovah speaketh unto me;' and the princes of Moab abide 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 And God cometh in unto Balaam, and saith, 'Who [are] these men with thee?'
God came to Balaam and asked him, “Who are these men staying with you?”
10 And Balaam saith unto God, 'Balak, son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent unto me:
Balaam told God, “Balak, son of Zippor, the king of Moab, sent me this message:
11 Lo, the people that is coming out from Egypt and covereth the eye of the land, — now come, pierce it for me; it may be I am able to fight against it, and have cast it 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 and God saith unto Balaam, 'Thou dost not go with them; thou dost not curse the people; for it [is] blessed.'
But God told Balaam, “You are not to go back with them. You must not curse this people, for they are blessed.”
13 And Balaam riseth in the morning, and saith unto the princes of Balak, 'Go unto your land, for Jehovah is refusing to suffer 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 and the princes of Moab rise, and come in unto Balak, and say, 'Balaam is refusing to come with us.'
The Moabite leaders left. They returned to Balak, and told him, “Balaam refused to come back with us.”
15 And Balak addeth yet to send princes, more numerous and honoured than these,
Then Balak sent even more leaders who were more prestigious than before.
16 and they come in unto Balaam, and say to him, 'Thus said Balak son of Zippor, Be not, I pray thee, withheld from coming unto 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 very greatly I honour thee, and all that thou sayest unto me I do; and come, I pray thee, pierce for me this people.'
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 And Balaam answereth and saith unto the servants of Balak, 'If Balak doth give to me the fulness of his house of silver and gold, I am not able to pass over the command of Jehovah my God, to do a little or a great thing;
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 and, now, abide, I pray you, in this [place], you also, to-night; and I know what Jehovah is adding to speak with me.'
Now you should also stay the night so I can see if the Lord has anything else to tell me.”
20 And God cometh in unto Balaam, by night, and saith to him, 'If to call for thee the men have come, rise, go with them, and only the thing which I speak unto thee — it thou dost 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 And Balaam riseth in the morning, and saddleth his ass, and goeth with the princes of Moab,
In the morning Balaam got up, put a saddle on his donkey, and left with the Moabite leaders.
22 and the anger of God burneth because he is going, and a messenger of Jehovah stationeth himself in the way for an adversary to him, and he is riding on his ass, and two of his servants [are] 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 and the ass seeth the messenger of Jehovah standing in the way, and his drawn sword in his hand, and the ass turneth aside out of the way, and goeth into a field, and Balaam smiteth the ass to turn it aside into the way.
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 And the messenger of Jehovah standeth in a narrow path of the vineyards — a wall on this [side] and a wall on that —
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 and the ass seeth the messenger of Jehovah, and is pressed unto the wall, and presseth Balaam's foot unto the wall, and he addeth to smite her;
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 and the messenger of Jehovah addeth to pass over, and standeth in a strait place where there is no way to turn aside — right or 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 and the ass seeth the messenger of Jehovah, and croucheth under Balaam, and the anger of Balaam burneth, and he smiteth the ass with a 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 And Jehovah openeth the mouth of the ass, and she saith to Balaam, 'What have I done to thee that thou hast smitten 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 and Balaam saith to the ass, 'Because thou hast rolled thyself against me; oh that there were a sword in my hand, for now I had slain thee;'
“You made me look stupid!” Balaam told the donkey. “If I was holding a sword, I'd kill you now!”
30 and the ass saith unto Balaam, 'Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden since [I was] thine unto this day? have I at all been accustomed to do to thee thus?' and he saith, '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 And Jehovah uncovereth the eyes of Balaam, and he seeth the messenger of Jehovah standing in the way, and his drawn sword in his hand, and he boweth and doth obeisance, to 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 and the messenger of Jehovah saith unto him, 'Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? lo, I — I have come out for an adversary, for [thy] way hath been 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 and the ass seeth me, and turneth aside at my presence these three times; unless she had turned aside from my presence, surely now also, thee I had slain, and her kept 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 And Balaam saith unto the messenger of Jehovah, 'I have sinned, for I did not know that thou [art] standing to meet me in the way; and now, if evil in thine eyes — I turn back by myself.'
“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 And the messenger of Jehovah saith unto Balaam, 'Go with the men; and only the word which I speak unto thee — it thou dost speak;' and Balaam goeth 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 And Balak heareth that Balaam hath come, and goeth out to meet him, unto a city of Moab, which [is] on the border of Arnon, which [is] in the extremity 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 and Balak saith unto Balaam, 'Did I not diligently sent unto thee to call for thee? why didst thou not come unto me? am I not truly able to honour thee?'
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 And Balaam saith unto Balak, 'Lo, I have come unto thee; now — am I at all able to speak anything? the word which God setteth in my mouth — it I do speak.'
“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 And Balaam goeth with Balak, and they come to Kirjath-Huzoth,
So Balaam went with Balak and they arrived at Kiriath-huzoth.
40 and Balak sacrificeth oxen and sheep, and sendeth to Balaam, and to the princes who [are] with him;
Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and he shared with meat with Balaam and the leaders who were with him.
41 and it cometh to pass in the morning, that Balak taketh Balaam, and causeth him to go up the high places of Baal, and he seeth from thence the extremity of the people.
The next morning Balak took Balaam up to Bamoth-baal. From there he could see the extent of the Israelite camp.
