Numbers 22
1 The children of Israel traveled, and encamped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan at Jericho.
And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan by Jericho.
2 Balak the 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. Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel.
And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel.
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 Moab said unto the elders of Midian, Now shall this company lick up all that are round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites 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 therefore unto Balaam the son of Beor to Pethor, which is by the river of 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 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.”
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 wot that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest 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.
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 spake unto him the words of Balak.
8 He said to them, “Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the LORD shall speak to me.” The princes of Moab stayed with Balaam.
And he said unto them, Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as YHWH shall speak unto me: and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam.
9 God came to Balaam, and said, “Who are these men with you?”
And Elohim came unto Balaam, and said, What men are these with thee?
10 Balaam said to God, “Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has said to me,
And Balaam said unto Elohim, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent unto me, saying,
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.’”
Behold, there is a people come out of Egypt, which covereth the face of the earth: come now, curse me them; peradventure I shall be able to overcome them, and drive them out.
12 God said to Balaam, “You shall not go with them. You shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.”
And Elohim 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 the princes of Balak, “Go to your land; for the LORD refuses to permit 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 YHWH refuseth to give me leave to go with you.
14 The princes of Moab rose up, and they went to Balak, and said, “Balaam refuses 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 again sent princes, more, and more honorable than they.
And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honourable than they.
16 They came to Balaam, and said to him, “Balak the son of Zippor says, ‘Please let nothing hinder 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 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.’”
For I will promote thee unto very great honour, and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people.
18 Balaam answered 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 less or more.
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 YHWH my Elohim, to do less or more.
19 Now therefore please stay here tonight as well, that I may know what else the LORD will speak to me.”
Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what YHWH will say unto me more.
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.”
And Elohim came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men come to call thee, rise up, and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do.
21 Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.
And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.
22 God’s anger burned because he went; and the LORD’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.
And Elohim's anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of YHWH stood 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 LORD’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.
And the ass saw the angel of YHWH standing in the way, and 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 LORD’s angel stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side.
But the angel of YHWH stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side.
25 The donkey saw the LORD’s angel, and she thrust herself to the wall, and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall. He struck her again.
And when the ass saw the angel of YHWH, she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall: and he smote her again.
26 The LORD’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.
And the angel of YHWH 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 LORD’s angel, and she lay down under Balaam. Balaam’s anger burned, and he struck the donkey with his staff.
And when the ass saw the angel of YHWH, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff.
28 The LORD 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?”
And YHWH 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 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.”
And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee.
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.”
And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? And he said, Nay.
31 Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the LORD’s angel standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and he bowed his head, and fell on his face.
Then YHWH opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of YHWH standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face.
32 The LORD’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.
And the angel of YHWH said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me:
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.”
And the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times: unless she had turned from me, surely now also I had slain thee, and saved her alive.
34 Balaam said to the LORD’s angel, “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.”
And Balaam said unto the angel of YHWH, 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 again.
35 The LORD’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.
And the angel of YHWH 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 to the City of Moab, which is on the border of the Arnon, which is in the utmost part of the border.
And when Balak heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him unto a city of Moab, which is in the border of Arnon, which is in the utmost coast.
37 Balak said to Balaam, “Did not I earnestly send for you to summon you? Why did not you come to me? Am I not able indeed to promote you to honor?”
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 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.”
And Balaam said unto Balak, Lo, I am come unto thee: have I now any power at all to say any thing? the word that Elohim putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak.
39 Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath Huzoth.
And Balaam went with Balak, and they came unto Kirjath-huzoth.
40 Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes who were with him.
And Balak offered oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes that 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.
And it came to pass on the morrow, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal, that thence he might see the utmost part of the people.
