Numbers

摩押王召巴兰

1以色列人起行，在摩押平原、约旦河东，对着耶利哥安营。

2以色列人向亚摩利人所行的一切事，西拨的儿子巴勒都看见了。

3摩押人因以色列民甚多，就大大惧怕，心内忧急，

4对米甸的长老说：「现在这众人要把我们四围所有的一概舔尽，就如牛舔尽田间的草一般。」那时西拨的儿子巴勒作摩押王。

5他差遣使者往大河边的毗夺去，到比珥的儿子巴兰本乡那里，召巴兰来，说：「有一宗民从埃及出来，遮满地面，与我对居。

6这民比我强盛，现在求你来为我咒诅他们，或者我能得胜，攻打他们，赶出此地。因为我知道，你为谁祝福，谁就得福；你咒诅谁，谁就受咒诅。」

7摩押的长老和米甸的长老手里拿着卦金，到了巴兰那里，将巴勒的话都告诉了他。

8巴兰说：「你们今夜在这里住宿，我必照耶和华所晓谕我的回报你们。」摩押的使臣就在巴兰那里住下了。

9神临到巴兰那里，说：「在你这里的人都是谁？」

10巴兰回答说：「是摩押王西拨的儿子巴勒打发人到我这里来，说：

11『从埃及出来的民遮满地面，你来为我咒诅他们，或者我能与他们争战，把他们赶出去。』」

12神对巴兰说：「你不可同他们去，也不可咒诅那民，因为那民是蒙福的。」

13巴兰早晨起来，对巴勒的使臣说：「你们回本地去吧，因为耶和华不容我和你们同去。」

14摩押的使臣就起来，回巴勒那里去，说：「巴兰不肯和我们同来。」

15巴勒又差遣使臣，比先前的又多又尊贵。

16他们到了巴兰那里，对他说：「西拨的儿子巴勒这样说：『求你不容什么事拦阻你不到我这里来，

17因为我必使你得极大的尊荣。你向我要什么，我就给你什么；只求你来为我咒诅这民。』」

18巴兰回答巴勒的臣仆说：「巴勒就是将他满屋的金银给我，我行大事小事也不得越过耶和华—我 神的命。

19现在我请你们今夜在这里住宿，等我得知耶和华还要对我说什么。」

20当夜， 神临到巴兰那里，说：「这些人若来召你，你就起来同他们去，你只要遵行我对你所说的话。」

巴兰和他的驴

21巴兰早晨起来，备上驴，和摩押的使臣一同去了。

22神因他去就发了怒；耶和华的使者站在路上敌挡他。他骑着驴，有两个仆人跟随他。

23驴看见耶和华的使者站在路上，手里有拔出来的刀，就从路上跨进田间，巴兰便打驴，要叫它回转上路。

24耶和华的使者就站在葡萄园的窄路上；这边有墙，那边也有墙。

25驴看见耶和华的使者，就贴靠墙，将巴兰的脚挤伤了；巴兰又打驴。

26耶和华的使者又往前去，站在狭窄之处，左右都没有转折的地方。

27驴看见耶和华的使者，就卧在巴兰底下，巴兰发怒，用杖打驴。

28耶和华叫驴开口，对巴兰说：「我向你行了什么，你竟打我这三次呢？」

29巴兰对驴说：「因为你戏弄我，我恨不能手中有刀，把你杀了。」

30驴对巴兰说：「我不是你从小时直到今日所骑的驴吗？我素常向你这样行过吗？」巴兰说：「没有。」

31当时，耶和华使巴兰的眼目明亮，他就看见耶和华的使者站在路上，手里有拔出来的刀，巴兰便低头俯伏在地。

32耶和华的使者对他说：「你为何这三次打你的驴呢？我出来敌挡你，因你所行的，在我面前偏僻。

33驴看见我就三次从我面前偏过去；驴若没有偏过去，我早把你杀了，留它存活。」

34巴兰对耶和华的使者说：「我有罪了。我不知道你站在路上阻挡我；你若不喜欢我去，我就转回。」

35耶和华的使者对巴兰说：「你同这些人去吧！你只要说我对你说的话。」于是巴兰同着巴勒的使臣去了。

巴勒欢迎巴兰

36巴勒听见巴兰来了，就往摩押京城去迎接他；这城是在边界上，在亚嫩河旁。

37巴勒对巴兰说：「我不是急急地打发人到你那里去召你吗？你为何不到我这里来呢？我岂不能使你得尊荣吗？」

38巴兰说：「我已经到你这里来了！现在我岂能擅自说什么呢？ 神将什么话传给我，我就说什么。」

39巴兰和巴勒同行，来到基列·胡琐。

40巴勒宰了牛羊，送给巴兰和陪伴的使臣。

巴兰首次预言

41到了早晨，巴勒领巴兰到巴力的高处；巴兰从那里观看以色列营的边界。

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.