Numbers

1And they went forward and encamped in the plains of Moab, over against where Jericho is situate beyond the Jordan.

2And Balac the son of Sephor, seeing all that Israel had done to the Amorrhite,

3And that the Moabites were in great fear of him, and were not able to sustain his assault,

4He said to the elders of Madian: So will this people destroy all that dwell in our borders, as the ox is wont to eat the grass to the very roots. Now he was at that time king in Moab.

5He sent therefore messengers to Balaam the son of Beer, a soothsayer, who dwelt by the river of the land of the children of Ammon, to call him, and to say: Behold a people is come out of Egypt, that hath covered the face of the earth, sitting over against me.

6Come therefore, and curse this people, because it is mightier than I: if by any means I may beat them and drive them out of my land: for I know that he whom thou shalt bless is blessed, and he whom thou shalt curse is cursed.

7And the ancients of Moab, and the elders of Madian, went with the price of divination in their hands. And when they were come to Balaam, and had told him all the words of Balac:

8He answered: Tarry here this night, and I will answer whatsoever the Lord shall say to me. And while they stayed with Balaam, God came and said to him:

9What mean these men that are with thee?

10He answered: Balac the son of Sephor king of the Moabites hath sent to me,

11Saying: Behold a people that is come out of Egypt, hath covered the face of the land: come and curse them, if by any means I may fight with them and drive them away.

12And God said to Balaam: Thou shalt not go with them, nor shalt thou curse the people: because it is blessed.

13And he rose in the morning and said to the princes: Go into your country, because the Lord hath forbid me to come with you.

14The princes returning, said to Balac: Balaam would not come with us.

15Then he sent many more and more noble than he had sent before:

16Who, when they were come to Balaam, said: Thus saith Balac the son of Sephor, Delay not to come to me:

17For I am ready to honour thee, and will give thee whatsoever thou wilt: come and curse this people.

18Balaam answered: If Balac would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot alter the word of the Lord my God, to speak either more or less.

19I pray you to stay here this night also, that I may know what the Lord will answer me once more.

20God therefore came to Balaam in the night, and said to him: It these men be come to call thee, arise and go with them: yet so, that thou do what I shall command thee.

21Balaam arose in the morning, and saddling his ass went with them.

22And God was angry. And an angel of the Lord stood in the way against Balaam, who sat on the ass, and had two servants with him.

23The ass seeing the angel standing in the way, with a drawn sword, turned herself out of the way, and went into the field. And when Balaam beat her, and had a mind to bring her again to the way,

24The angel stood in a narrow place between two walls, wherewith the vineyards were enclosed.

25And the ass seeing him, thrust herself close to the wall, and bruised the foot of the rider. But he beat her again:

26And nevertheless the angel going on to a narrow place, where there was no way to turn aside either to the right hand or to the left, stood to meet him.

27And when the ass saw the angel standing, she fell under the feet of the rider: who being angry beat her sides more vehemently with a staff.

28And the Lord opened the mouth of the ass, and she said: What have I done to thee? Why strikest thou me, lo, now this third time?

29Balaam answered: Because thou hast deserved it, and hast served me ill: I would I had a sword that I might kill thee.

30The ass said: Am not I thy beast, on which thou hast been always accustomed to ride until this present day? tell me if I ever did the like thing to thee. But he said: Never.

31Forthwith the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel standing in the way with a drawn sword, and he worshipped him falling flat on the ground.

32And the angel said to him: Why beatest thou thy ass these three times? I am come to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse, and contrary to me:

33And unless the ass had turned out of the way, giving place to me who stood against thee, I had slain thee, and she should have lived.

34Balaam said: I have sinned, not knowing that thou didst stand against me: and now if it displease thee that I go, I will return.

35The angel said: Go with these men, and see thou speak no other thing than what I shall command thee. He went therefore with the princes.

36And when Balac heard it he came forth to meet him in a town of the Moabites, that is situate in the uttermost borders of Arnon.

37And he said to Balaam: I sent messengers to call thee, why didst thou not come immediately to me? was it because I am not able to reward thy coming?

38He answered him: Lo, here I am: shall I have power to speak any other thing but that which God shall put in my mouth?

39So they went on together, and came into a city, that was in the uttermost borders of his kingdom.

40And when Balac had killed oxen and sheep, he sent presents to Balaam, and to the princes that were with him.

41And when morning was come, he brought him to the high places of Baal, and he beheld the uttermost part of the people.

Balak Summons Balaam

1Then the Israelites traveled on and camped in the plains of Moab near the Jordan, across from Jericho.

2Now Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites,

3and Moab was terrified of the people because they were numerous. Indeed, Moab dreaded the Israelites.

4So the Moabites said to the elders of Midian, “This horde will devour everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.” Since Balak son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time,

5he sent messengers to summon Balaam son of Beor at Pethor, which is by the Euphratesin the land of his people. “Behold, a people has come out of Egypt,” said Balak. “They cover the face of the land and have settled next to me.

6So please come now and put a curse on this people, because they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I may be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land; for I know that those you bless are blessed, and those you curse are cursed.”

7The elders of Moab and Midian departed with the fees for divination in hand. They came to Balaam and relayed to him the words of Balak.

8“Spend the night here,” Balaam replied, “and I will give you the answer that the LORD speaks to me.” So the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam.

9Then God came to Balaam and asked, “Who are these men with you?”

10And Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent me this message:

11‘Behold, a people has come out of Egypt, and they cover the face of the land. Now come and put a curse on them for me. Perhaps I may be able to fight against them and drive them away.’”

12But God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them. You are not to curse this people, for they are blessed.”

13So Balaam got up the next morning and said to Balak’s princes, “Go back to your homeland, because the LORD has refused to let me go with you.”

14And the princes of Moab arose, returned to Balak, and said, “Balaam refused to come with us.”

15Then Balak sent other princes, more numerous and more distinguished than the first messengers.

16They came to Balaam and said, “This is what Balak son of Zippor says: ‘Please let nothing hinder you from coming to me,

17for I will honor you richly and do whatever you say. So please come and put a curse on this people for me!’”

18But Balaam replied to the servants of Balak, “If Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything small or great to go beyond the command of the LORD my God.

19So now, please stay here overnight as the others did, that I may find out what else the LORD has to tell me.”

20That night God came to Balaam and said, “Since these men have come to summon you, get up and go with them, but you must only do what I tell you.”

21So in the morning Balaam got up, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.

The Angel and Balaam’s Donkey

22Then God’s anger was kindled because Balaam was going along, and the angelof the LORD stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding his donkey, and his two servants were with him.

23When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, she turned off the path and went into a field. So Balaam beat her to return her to the path.

24Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow passage between two vineyards, with walls on either side.

25And the donkey saw the angel of the LORD and pressed herself against the wall, crushing Balaam’s foot against it. So he beat her once again.

26And the angel of the LORD moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn to the right or left.

27When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam, and he became furious and beat her with his staff.

28Then the LORD opened the donkey’s mouth, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you that you have beaten me these three times?”

29Balaam answered the donkey, “You have made a fool of me! If I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now!”

30But the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not the donkey you have ridden all your life until today? Have I ever treated you this way before?” “No,” he replied.

31Then the LORD opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand. And Balaam bowed low and fell facedown.

32The angel of the LORD asked him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to oppose you, because your way is perversebefore me.

33The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she had not turned away, then by now I would surely have killed you and let her live.”

34“I have sinned,” Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, “for I did not realize that you were standing in the road to confront me. And now, if this is displeasing in your sight, I will go back home.”

35But the angel of the LORD said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but you are to speak only what I tell you.” So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.

36When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the Moabite city on the Arnon border, at the edge of his territory.

37And he said to Balaam, “Did I not send you an urgent summons? Why did you not come to me? Am I really not able to reward you richly?”

38“See, I have come to you,” Balaam replied, “but can I say just anything? I must speak only the word that God puts in my mouth.”

39So Balaam accompanied Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth.

40Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and he gave portions to Balaam and the princes who were with him.

41The next morning, Balak took Balaam and brought him up to Bamoth-baal. From there he could see the outskirts of the camp of the people.