Numbers 22
1 And the children of Israel moved forward, and encamped in the plains of Moab on this side of Jordan by Jericho.
And the children of Israel departed, and encamped on the west of Moab by Jordan towards Jericho.
2 And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.
And when Balac son of Sepphor saw all that Israel did to the Amorite,
3 And Moab was greatly afraid of the people, because they were many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel.
then Moab feared the people exceedingly because they were many; and Moab was grieved before the face of the children of Israel.
4 And Moab said to the elders of Midian, Now shall this company lick up all that are around 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.
And Moab said to the elders of Madiam, Now shall this assembly lick up all that are round about us, as a calf would lick up the green [herbs] of the field: —and Balac son of Sepphor was king of Moab at that time.
5 He sent messengers therefore to 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 hast a people come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide opposite to me:
And he sent ambassadors to Balaam the son of Beor, to Phathura, which is on a river of the land of the sons of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, a people is come out of Egypt, and behold it has covered the face of the earth, and it has encamped close to me.
6 Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse for me this people; for they are too mighty for me: perhaps 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.
And now come, curse me this people, for it is stronger than we; if we may be able to strike some of them, and I will cast them out of the land: for I know that whoever you do bless, they are blessed, and whoever you do curse, they are cursed.
7 And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came to Balaam, and spoke to him the words of Balak.
And the elders of Moab went, and the elders of Madiam, and their divining [instruments were] in their hands; and they came to Balaam, and spoke to him the words of Balac.
8 And he said to them, Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the LORD shall speak to me: and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam.
And he said to them, Tarry here the night, and I will answer you the things which the Lord shall say to me; and the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam.
9 And God came to Balaam, and said, What men are these with thee?
And God came to Balaam, and said to him, Who are these men with you?
10 And Balaam said to God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent to me, saying,
And Balaam said to God, Balac son of Sepphor, king of Moab, sent them to me, saying,
11 Behold, there hast a people come out of Egypt, which covereth the face of the earth: come now, curse them for me; perhaps I shall be able to overcome them, and drive them out.
Behold, a people has come forth out of Egypt, and has covered the face of the land, and it has encamped near to me; and now come, curse it for me, if indeed I shall be able to strike it, and cast it out of the land.
12 And God said to Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed.
And God said to Balaam, You shall not go with them, neither shall you curse the people; for they are blessed.
13 And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said to the princes of Balak, Go back to your land: for the LORD refuseth to give me leave to go with you.
And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said to the princes of Balac, Depart quickly to your lord; God does not permit me to go with you.
14 And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went to Balak, and said, Balaam refuseth to come with us.
And the princes of Moab rose, and came to Balac, and said, Balaam will not come with us.
15 And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honourable than they.
And Balac yet again sent more princes and more honourable than they.
16 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 to me:
And they came to Balaam, and they say to him, Thus says Balac the son of Sepphor: I beseech you, delay not to come to me.
17 For I will promote thee to very great honour, and I will do whatever thou sayest to me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse this people for me.
For I will greatly honour you, and will do for you whatever you shall say; come then, curse me this people.
18 And Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more.
And Balaam answered and said to the princes of Balac, If Balac would give me his house full of silver and gold, I shall not be able to go beyond the word of the Lord God, to make it little or great in my mind.
19 Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the LORD will say to me more.
And now do you also wait here this night, and I shall know what the Lord will yet say to me.
20 And God came to Balaam at night, and said to him, If the men come to call thee, rise, and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say to thee, that shalt thou perform.
And God came to Balaam by night, and said to him, If these men are come to call you, rise and follow them; nevertheless the word which I shall speak to you, it shall you do.
21 And Balaam rose 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 And God’s anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his donkey, and his two servants were with him.
And God was very angry because he went; and the angel of the Lord rose up to withstand him. Now he had mounted his ass, and his two servants were with him.
23 And the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the donkey turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the donkey, to turn her into the way.
And when the ass saw the angel of God standing opposite in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand, then the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field; and [Balaam] struck the ass with his staff to direct her in the way.
24 But the angel of the LORD stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side.
And the angel of the Lord stood in the avenues of the vines, a fence [being] on this side and a fence on that.
25 And when the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she thrust herself against the wall, and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall: and he smote her again.
And when the ass saw the angel of God, she thrust herself against the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall, and he struck her again.
26 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.
And the angel of the Lord went farther, and came and stood in a narrow place where it was impossible to turn to the right or the left.
27 And when the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he smote the donkey with a staff.
And when the ass saw the angel of God, she lay down under Balaam; and Balaam was angry, and struck the ass with his staff.
28 And the LORD opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, What have I done to thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?
And God opened the mouth of the ass, and she says to Balaam, What have I done to you, that you have struck me this third time?
29 And Balaam said to the donkey, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in my hand, for now would I kill thee.
And Balaam said to the ass, Because you have mocked me; and if I [had] had a sword in my hand, I would now have killed you.
30 And the donkey said to Balaam, Am not I thy donkey, upon which thou hast rid ever since I was thine to this day? was I ever accustomed to do so to thee? And he said, Nay.
And the ass says to Balaam, [Am] not I your ass on which you have ridden since your youth till this day? did I ever do thus to you, utterly disregarding [you]? and he said, No.
31 Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face.
And God opened the eyes of Balaam, and he sees the angel of the Lord withstanding [him] in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand, and he stooped down and worshipped on his face.
32 And the angel of the LORD said to him, Why hast thou smitten thy donkey these three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me:
And the angel of God said to him, Why have you struck your ass this third time? and, behold, I came out to withstand you, for your way was not seemly before me; and when the ass saw me, she turned away from me this third time.
33 And the donkey 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.
And if she had not turned out of the way, surely now, I should have slain you, and should have saved her alive.
34 And Balaam said to 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 return again.
And Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, I have sinned, for I did not know that you were standing opposite in the way to meet [me]; and now if it shall not be pleasing to you [for me to go on], I will return.
35 And the angel of the LORD said to Balaam, Go with the men: but only the word that I shall speak to thee, that thou shalt speak. So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.
And the angel of the Lord said to Balaam, Go with the men: nevertheless the word which I shall speak to you, that you shall take heed to speak. And Balaam went with the princes of Balac.
36 And when Balak heard that Balaam had come, he went out to meet him to a city of Moab, which is in the border of Arnon, which is in the utmost border.
And when Balac heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him, to a city of Moab, which is on the borders of Arnon, which is on the [extreme] part of the borders.
37 And Balak said to Balaam, Did I not earnestly send to thee to call thee? why camest thou not to me? am I not able indeed to promote thee to honour?
And Balac said to Balaam, Did I not send to you to call you? why have you not come to me? shall I not indeed be able to honour you?
38 And Balaam said to Balak, Lo, I have come to thee: have I now any power at all to say any thing? the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak.
And Balaam said to Balac, Behold, I am now come to you: shall I be able to say anything? the word which God shall put into my mouth, that I shall speak.
39 And Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kirjathhuzoth.
And Balaam went with Balac, and they came to the cities of streets.
40 And Balak offered oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes that were with him.
And Balac offered sheep and calves, and sent to Balaam and to his princes who were with him.
41 And it came to pass on the next morning, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up to the high places of Baal, that from there he might see the utmost part of the people.
And it was morning; and Balac took Balaam, and brought him up to the pillar of Baal, and showed him thence a part of the people.
