1 And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan by Jericho.
2 And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.
3 And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel.
4 And Moab said to the elders of Midian, Now shall this company lick up all that are round about us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites 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 is a people come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide over against me:
6 Come now therefore, I pray you, 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 you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is 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.
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 stayed with Balaam.
9 And God came to Balaam, and said, What men are these with you?
10 And Balaam said to God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent to me, saying,
11 Behold, there is a people come out of Egypt, which covers the face of the earth: come now, curse me them; peradventure I shall be able to overcome them, and drive them out.
12 And God said to Balaam, You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people: for they are blessed.
13 And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said to the princes of Balak, Get you into your land: for the LORD refuses to give me leave to go with you.
14 And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went to Balak, and said, Balaam refuses to come with us.
15 And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honorable than they.
16 And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus said Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray you, hinder you from coming to me:
17 For I will promote you to very great honor, and I will do whatever you say to me: come therefore, I pray you, 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 cannot go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more.
19 Now therefore, I pray you, tarry you also here this night, that I may know what the LORD will say to me more.
20 And God came to Balaam at night, and said to him, If the men come to call you, rise up, and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say to you, that shall you do.
21 And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.
22 And God' 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 on his ass, and his two servants were with him.
23 And the ass saw the angel of the LORD 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 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.
25 And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she thrust herself to the wall, and crushed Balaam' foot against the wall: and he smote 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.
27 And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam' anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff.
28 And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said to Balaam, What have I done to you, that you have smitten me these three times?
29 And Balaam said to the ass, Because you have mocked me: I would there were a sword in my hand, for now would I kill you.
30 And the ass said to Balaam, Am not I your ass, on which you have ridden ever since I was your to this day? was I ever wont to do so to 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.
32 And the angel of the LORD said to him, Why have you smitten your ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand you, because your way is perverse before me:
33 And the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times: unless she had turned from me, surely now also I had slain you, and saved her alive.
34 And Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, I have sinned; for I knew not that you stood in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease you, I will get me back again.
35 And the angel of the LORD 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 heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him to a city of Moab, which is in the border of Arnon, which is in the utmost coast.
37 And Balak said to Balaam, Did I not earnestly send to you to call you? why came you not to me? am I not able indeed to promote you to honor?
38 And Balaam said to Balak, See, I am come to you: have I now any power at all to say any thing? the word that God puts in my mouth, that shall I speak.
39 And Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kirjathhuzoth.
40 And Balak offered oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes that were with him.
41 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal, that there he might see the utmost part of the people.
1 And the children of Israel set out, and encamped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan across from Jericho.
2 Now Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.
3 And Moab was exceedingly afraid of the people because they were many, and Moab was sick with dread because of the presence of the children of Israel.
4 And Moab said to the elders of Midian, Now this company will lick up everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time.
5 And he sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor at Pethor, which is near the River in the land of the sons of his people, to summon him, saying: Behold, a people has come from Egypt. Behold, they cover the eye of the earth, and are staying next to me!
6 Therefore please come, curse this people for me, for they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall prevail and strike them and drive them out of the land, for I have perceived that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.
7 So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the diviners fee in their hand, and they came to Balaam and spoke to him the words of Balak.
8 And he said to them, Lodge here tonight, and I will bring back word to you, as Jehovah speaks to me. So the rulers of Moab stayed with Balaam.
9 And God came to Balaam and said, Who are these men with you?
10 And Balaam said to God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent to me, saying,
11 Behold, a people has come out of Egypt, and they cover the eye of the earth. Come now, curse them for me; perhaps I shall prevail to wage war and drive them out.
12 And God said to Balaam, You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.
13 And Balaam arose in the morning and said to the rulers of Balak, Go back to your land, for Jehovah has refused to give me permission to go with you.
14 And the rulers of Moab arose and went to Balak, and said, Balaam refuses to come with us.
15 And Balak again sent rulers, more numerous and more honorable than they.
16 And 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 will honor you with great honor, and I will do whatever you say to me. Therefore please come, curse this people for me.
18 And Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the mouth of Jehovah my God, to do less or more.
19 Now therefore, please, you also stay here tonight, that I may know what more Jehovah will say to me.
20 And God came to Balaam at night and said to him, If the men have come to summon you, arise and go with them; but only the word which I speak to you, that you shall do.
21 And Balaam arose in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the rulers of Moab.
22 And Gods anger burned because he went, and the Angel of Jehovah stationed Himself in the way as an adversary against him. And he was riding on his donkey, and his two servants with him.
23 And the donkey saw the Angel of Jehovah 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. So Balaam struck the donkey to turn her back onto the road.
24 And the Angel of Jehovah stood in a narrow path of the vineyards, with a wall on this side and a wall on that side.
25 And when the donkey saw the Angel of Jehovah, she pushed herself against the wall and crushed Balaams foot against the wall; so he struck her some more.
26 And the Angel of Jehovah went farther, 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 saw the Angel of Jehovah, she lay down under Balaam; and Balaams anger burned, and he struck the donkey with his staff.
28 And Jehovah 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 And Balaam said to the donkey, Because you have been cruel to me. I wish there were a sword in my hand, for now I would kill you!
30 And the donkey said to Balaam, Am I not your donkey on which you have ridden, ever since I became yours, to this day? Has it ever been my habit to do this to you? And he said, No.
31 Then Jehovah opened Balaams eyes, and he saw the Angel of Jehovah standing in the way with His sword drawn in His hand; and he bowed down and prostrated himself on his face.
32 And the Angel of Jehovah said to him, Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out as an adversary against you, because your way is perverse before Me.
33 The donkey saw Me and turned aside from Me these three times. If she had not turned aside from Me, surely now I would have killed you, and let her live.
34 And Balaam said to the Angel of Jehovah, I have sinned, for I did not know You were standing in the way against me. Now therefore, if it has been displeasing to Your eye, I will turn back.
35 And the Angel of Jehovah said to Balaam, Go with the men, but only the word that I speak to you, that you shall speak. So Balaam went with the rulers of Balak.
36 And when Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the city of Moab, which is in the territory at the Arnon, at the border of the territory.
37 And Balak said to Balaam, Did I not reach out to send for you, to summon you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not truly able to honor you?
38 And Balaam said to Balak, Behold, I have come to you. Now, am I able at all to say anything? The word that God puts in my mouth, that I shall speak.
39 And Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kirjath Huzoth.
40 And Balak offered oxen and sheep, and he sent some to Balaam and to the rulers who were with him.
41 And it was the next day, that Balak took Balaam and brought him up to the high places of Baal, that from there he might observe the extent of the people.