aThen the sons of Israel
journeyed
, and camped
in the plains
of Moab
beyond
the Jordan
opposite Jericho
.
Now aBalak the son
of Zippor
saw
all
that Israel
had done
to the Amorites
.
aSo Moab was in great
fear
because
of the people
, for they were numerous
; and Moab
was in dread
of the sons
of Israel
.
Moab said
to the elders
of aMidian
, "Now
this 1horde
will lick
up all
that is around
us, as the ox
licks
up the grass
of the field
." And Balak
the son
of Zippor
was king
of Moab
at that time
.
So he sent messengers
to aBalaam
the son
of Beor
, at bPethor
, which
is near
the 1River
, in the land
of the sons
of his people
, to call
him, saying
, "Behold
, a people
came
out of Egypt
; behold
, they cover
the surface
of the land
, and they are living
opposite
me.
" aNow, therefore, please
come
, bcurse
this
people
for me since
they are too
1mighty
for me; perhaps
I may be able
to 2defeat
them and drive
them out of the land
. For I know
that he whom
you bless
is blessed
, and he whom
you curse
is cursed
."
So the elders of Moab
and the elders
of Midian
departed
with the fees for adivination
in their hand
; and they came
to Balaam
and 1repeated
Balak's
words
to him.
He said to them, "Spend
the night
here
, and I will bring
word
back
to you as the LORD
may speak
to me." And the leaders
of Moab
stayed
with Balaam
.
Then aGod came
to Balaam
and said
, "Who
are these
men
with you?"
Balaam said
to God
, "Balak
the son
of Zippor
, king
of Moab
, has sent
word to me,
`Behold, there is a people
who came
out of Egypt
and they cover
the surface
of the land
; now
come
, curse
them for me; perhaps
I may be able
to fight
against them and drive
them out.' "
God said
to Balaam
, "Do not go
with them; ayou shall not curse
the people
, for they bare blessed
."
So Balaam arose
in the morning
and said
to Balak's
leaders
, "Go
back
to your land
, for the LORD
has refused
to let
me go
with you."
The leaders of Moab
arose
and went
to Balak
and said
, "Balaam
refused
to come
with us."
Then Balak again
sent
leaders
, more
numerous
and more
distinguished
than
1the former
.
They came to Balaam
and said
to him, "Thus
says
Balak
the son
of Zippor
, `Let nothing
, I beg
you, hinder
you from coming
to me;
for I will indeed honor
you richly
, and I will do
whatever
you say
to me. aPlease
come
then, curse
this
people
for me.' "
Balaam replied
to the servants
of Balak
, " aThough
Balak
were to give
me his house
full
of silver
and gold
, I could
not do
anything, either small
or
great
, contrary
to the 1command
of the LORD
my God
.
"Now please
, you also
stay
here
tonight
, and I will find
out what
else
the LORD
will speak
to me."
God came
to Balaam
at night
and said
to him, "If
the men
have come
to call
you, rise
up and go
with them; but aonly
the word
which
I speak
to you shall you do
."
aSo Balaam arose
in the morning
, and saddled
his donkey
and went
with the leaders
of Moab
.
But God was angry
because
he was going
, aand the angel
of the LORD
took
his stand
in the way
as an adversary
against him. Now he was riding
on his donkey
and his two
servants
were with him.
When the donkey saw
the angel
of the LORD
standing
in the way
with his drawn
sword
in his hand
, the donkey
turned
off from the way
and went
into the field
; but Balaam
struck
the donkey
to turn
her back
into the way
.
Then the angel of the LORD
stood
in a narrow
path
of the vineyards
, with a wall
on this
side
and a wall
on that side
.
When the donkey saw
the angel
of the LORD
, she pressed
herself to the wall
and pressed
Balaam's
foot
against
the wall
, so he struck
her again
.
The angel of the LORD
went
further
, and stood
in a narrow
place
where
there
was no
way
to turn
to the right
hand
or the left
.
When the donkey saw
the angel
of the LORD
, she lay
down
under
Balaam
; so aBalaam
was angry
and struck
the donkey
with his stick
.
And athe LORD 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
?"
Then Balaam said
to the donkey
, "Because
you have made
a mockery
of me! If
there
had
been
a sword
in my hand
, aI would have killed
you by now
."
The donkey said
to Balaam
, "Am I not your donkey
on which
you have ridden
all
your life
to this
day
? Have I ever
been accustomed
to do
so
to you?" And he said
, "No
."
Then the LORD opened
the eyes
of Balaam
, and he saw
athe angel
of the LORD
standing
in the way
with his drawn
sword
in his hand
; and he bowed
1all the way
to the ground
.
The angel of the LORD
said
to him, "Why
have you struck
your donkey
these
three
times
? Behold
, I have come
out as an adversary
, because
your way
was 1 acontrary
to me.
"But the donkey saw
me and turned
aside
from me these
three
times
. If
she had not turned
aside
from me, I would surely
have killed
you just now
, and let her live
."
Balaam said
to the angel
of the LORD
, " aI have sinned
, for I did not know
that you were standing
in the way
against
me. Now
then, if
it is displeasing
to you, I will turn
back
."
But the angel of the LORD
said
to Balaam
, "Go
with the men
, but ayou shall speak
only
the word
which
I 1tell
you." So Balaam
went
along with the leaders
of Balak
.
When Balak heard
that Balaam
was coming
, he went
out to meet
him at the city
of Moab
, which
is on the Arnon
border
, 1at the extreme
end
of the border
.
Then Balak said
to Balaam
, "Did I not urgently
send
to you to call
you? Why
did you not come
to me? Am I really
unable
to honor
you?"
So Balaam said
to Balak
, "Behold
, I have come
now
to you! aAm I able
to speak
anything
at all? The word
that God
puts
in my mouth
, that I shall speak
."
And Balaam went
with Balak
, and they came
to Kiriath-huzoth
.
Balak sacrificed
oxen
and sheep
, and sent
some to Balaam
and the leaders
who
were with him.
Then it came about in the morning
that Balak
took
Balaam
and brought
him up to 1 athe high
places
of Baal
, and he saw
from there
2a bportion
of the people
.