Numbers 22

1And the children of Israel journeyed, and pitched in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan at Jericho.

2And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.

3And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were many; and Moab was overcome with dread because of the children of Israel.

4And 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.—

5And 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.

6Come 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.’

7And 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.

8And he said unto them: ‘Lodge here this night, and I will bring you back word, as YHWH may speak unto me’; and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam.

9And God came unto Balaam, and said: ‘What men are these with thee?’

10And Balaam said unto God: ‘Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent unto me [saying]:

11Behold 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.’

12And God said unto Balaam: ‘Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people; for they are blessed.’

13And 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.’

14And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went unto Balak, and said: ‘Balaam refuseth to come with us.’

15And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honourable than they.

16And 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;

17for 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.’

18And 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 God, to do any thing, small or great.

19Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what YHWH will speak unto me more.’

20And 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.’

21And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.

22And God’s anger was kindled because he went; and the angel of YHWH placed himself in the way for an adversary against him.—Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him.—

23And the ass saw the angel of YHWH 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.

24Then the angel of YHWH stood in a hollow way between the vineyards, a fence being on this side, and a fence on that side.

25And the ass saw the angel of YHWH, and she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall; and he smote her again.

26And 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.

27And the ass saw the angel of YHWH, and she lay down under Balaam; and Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with his staff.

28And 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?’

29And 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.’

30And 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.’

31Then YHWH opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of YHWH standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and he bowed his head, and fell on his face.

32And the angel of YHWH 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;

33and 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.’

34And 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.’

35And 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.

36And 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.

37And 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?’

38And 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.’

39And Balaam went with Balak, and they came unto Kiriath-huzoth.

40And Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes that were with him.

41And 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.