^{1 Ref} Then the children of Israel, journeying on, put up their tents in the lowlands of Moab, on the other side of Jordan at Jericho.

^{2 Ref} Now Balak, the son of Zippor, saw what Israel had done to the Amorites.

^{3 Ref} And in Moab there was great fear of the people, because their numbers were so great: and the feeling of Moab was bitter against the children of Israel.

^{4 Ref} Then Moab said to the responsible men of Midian, It is clear that this great people will be the destruction of everything round us, making a meal of us as the ox does of the grass of the field. At that time Balak, the son of Zippor, was king of Moab.

^{5 Ref} So he sent men to Balaam, son of Beor, at Pethor by the River in the land of the children of his people, saying to him, See, a people has come out of Egypt, covering all the face of the earth, and they have put up their tents opposite to me:

^{6 Ref} Come now, in answer to my prayer, and put a curse on this people, for they are greater than I: and then I may be strong enough to overcome them and send them out of the land: for it is clear that good comes to him who has your blessing, but he on whom you put your curse is cursed.

^{7 Ref} So the responsible men of Moab and Midian went away, taking in their hands rewards for the prophet; and they came to Balaam and said to him what Balak had given them orders to say.

^{8 Ref} And he said to them, Take your rest here tonight, and I will give you an answer after hearing what the Lord says; so the chiefs of Moab kept there with Balaam that night.

^{9 Ref} 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 them to me, saying,

¹¹ See, the people who have come out of Egypt are covering all the earth: now, put a curse on this people for me, so that I may be able to make war on them, driving them out of the land.

^{12 Ref} And God said to Balaam, You are not to go with them, or put a curse on this people, for they have my blessing.

^{13 Ref} In the morning Balaam got up and said to the chiefs of Balak, Go back to your land, for the Lord will not let me go with you.

^{14 Ref} So the chiefs of Moab went back to Balak and said, Balaam will not come with us.

^{15 Ref} So Balak sent more chiefs, greater in number and of higher position than the others.

¹⁶ And they came to Balaam and said, Balak, son of Zippor, says, Let nothing keep you from coming to me:

^{17 Ref} For I will give you a place of very great honour, and whatever you say to me I will do; so come, in answer to my prayer, and put a curse on this people.

^{18 Ref} But Balaam, in answer; said to the servants of Balak, Even if Balak gave me his house full of silver and gold, it would not be possible for me to do anything more or less than the orders of the Lord my God.

^{19 Ref} So take your rest here this night, till I have knowledge what more the Lord has to say to me.

^{20 Ref} And that night God came to Balaam and said to him, If these men have come for you, go with them: but do only what I say to you.

^{21 Ref} So in the morning Balaam got up and, making his ass ready, went with the chiefs of Moab.

^{22 Ref} But God was moved to wrath because he went: and the angel of the Lord took up a position in the road to keep him from his purpose. Now he was seated on his ass, and his two servants were with him.

^{23 Ref} And the ass saw the angel of the Lord waiting in the road with his sword in his hand; and turning from the road, the ass went into the field; and Balaam gave the ass blows, to get her back on to the road.

²⁴ Then the angel of the Lord took up his position in a narrow road through the vine-gardens, with a wall on this side and on that.

^{25 Ref} And the ass saw the angel of the Lord, and went near the wall, crushing Balaam's foot against the wall; and he gave her more blows.

^{26 Ref} Then the angel of the Lord went further, stopping in a narrow place where there was no room for turning to the right or to the left.

^{27 Ref} And the ass saw the angel of the Lord and went down on the earth under Balaam; and full of wrath, Balaam gave her hard blows with his stick.

^{28 Ref} Then the Lord gave the ass the power of talking, and opening her mouth she said to Balaam, What have I done to you that you have given me blows these three times?

^{29 Ref} And Balaam said to the ass, You have made me seem foolish: if only I had a sword in my hand I would put you to death.

^{30 Ref} And the ass said to Balaam, Am I not your ass upon which you have gone all your life till this day? and have I ever done this to you before? And he said, No.

^{31 Ref} Then the Lord made Balaam's eyes open, and he saw the angel of the Lord in the way with his sword in his hand: and he went down on his face to the earth.

^{32 Ref} And the angel of the Lord said to him, Why have you given your ass blows these three times? See, I have come out against you to keep you back, because your purpose is not pleasing to me.

^{33 Ref} And the ass saw me, turning to one side from me three times: if she had not gone to one side, I would certainly have put you to death and kept her safe.

^{34 Ref} And Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, I have done wrong, for I did not see that you were in the way against me: but now, if it is evil in your eyes, I will go back again.

^{35 Ref} And the angel of the Lord said to Balaam, Go with the men; but say only what I give you to say. Then Balaam went on with the chiefs of Balak.

^{36 Ref} Now Balak, hearing that Balaam had come, went to the chief town of Moab, on the edge of the Arnon, in the farthest part of the land, for the purpose of meeting him.

^{37 Ref} And Balak said to Balaam, Did I not send to you, requesting you with all my heart to come to me? why did you not come? am I not able to give you a place of honour?

^{38 Ref} Then Balaam said to Balak, Now I have come to you; but have I power to say anything? Only what God puts into my mouth may I say.

³⁹ And Balaam went with Balak to Kiriath-huzoth.

^{40 Ref} And Balak made offerings of oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam and the chiefs who were with him.

^{41 Ref} And in the morning Balak took Balaam up to the high places of Baal, and from there he was able to see the outer limits of the people.

^{1 Ref} And the children of Israel journeyed, and encamped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan at Jericho.

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

^{3 Ref} And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel.

^{4 Ref} And 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.

^{5 Ref} And 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.

^{6 Ref} Come 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.

^{7 Ref} And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came unto Balaam, and spake unto him the words of Balak.

^{8 Ref} And he said unto them, Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as Jehovah shall speak unto me: and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam.

^{9 Ref} And God came unto Balaam, and said, What men are these with thee?

¹⁰ And Balaam said unto God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent unto me, `saying',

¹¹ Behold, 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.

^{12 Ref} And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people; for they are blessed.

^{13 Ref} And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said unto the princes of Balak, Get you into your land; for Jehovah refuseth to give me leave to go with you.

^{14 Ref} And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went unto Balak, and said, Balaam refuseth to come with us.

^{15 Ref} And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honorable than they.

¹⁶ And 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:

^{17 Ref} for I will promote thee unto very great honor, and whatsoever thou sayest unto me I will do: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people.

^{18 Ref} And 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 Jehovah my God, to do less or more.

^{19 Ref} Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what Jehovah will speak unto me more.

^{20 Ref} And 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.

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

^{22 Ref} And God's anger was kindled because he went; and the angel of Jehovah placed himself in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him.

^{23 Ref} And the ass saw the angel of Jehovah 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.

²⁴ Then the angel of Jehovah stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side.

^{25 Ref} And the ass saw the angel of Jehovah, and she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall: and he smote her again.

^{26 Ref} And the angel of Jehovah went further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.

^{27 Ref} And the ass saw the angel of Jehovah, and she lay down under Balaam: and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with his staff.

^{28 Ref} And Jehovah 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?

^{29 Ref} And 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.

^{30 Ref} And 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.

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

^{32 Ref} And the angel of Jehovah said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I am come forth for an adversary, because thy way is perverse before me:

^{33 Ref} and 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.

^{34 Ref} And Balaam said unto the angel of Jehovah, 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 again.

^{35 Ref} And the angel of Jehovah 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.

^{36 Ref} And when Balak heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him unto the City of Moab, which is on the border of the Arnon, which is in the utmost part of the border.

^{37 Ref} And 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 honor?

^{38 Ref} And Balaam said unto Balak, Lo, I am come unto thee: have I now any power at all to speak anything? the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak.

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

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

^{41 Ref} And it came to pass in the morning, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal; and he saw from thence the utmost part of the people.

^{1 Ref} The children of Israel traveled, and encamped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan at Jericho.

^{2 Ref} Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.

^{3 Ref} Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel.

^{4 Ref} Moab said to the elders of Midian, Now will this multitude lick up all that is round about us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field. Balak the son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time.

^{5 Ref} He sent messengers to 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 surface of the earth, and they abide over against me.

^{6 Ref} Please come now therefore curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me: peradventure I shall prevail, that we may strike 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 Ref} 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 Ref} He said to them, Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as Yahweh shall speak to me: and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam.

^{9 Ref} God came to Balaam, and said, What men are these with you?

¹⁰ Balaam said to God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent to me, [saying],

¹¹ Behold, the people that is come out of Egypt, it covers the surface of the earth: now, come curse me them; peradventure I shall be able to fight against them, and shall drive them out.

^{12 Ref} God said to Balaam, You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people; for they are blessed.

^{13 Ref} Balaam rose up in the morning, and said to the princes of Balak, Get you into your land; for Yahweh refuses to give me leave to go with you.

^{14 Ref} The princes of Moab rose up, and they went to Balak, and said, Balaam refuses to come with us.

^{15 Ref} Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honorable than they.

¹⁶ 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 Ref} for I will promote you to very great honor, and whatever you say to me I will do. Please come therefore, and curse this people for me.

^{18 Ref} Balaam answered the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I can't go beyond the word of Yahweh my God, to do less or more.

^{19 Ref} Now therefore, please wait also here this night, that I may know what Yahweh will speak to me more.

^{20 Ref} God came to Balaam at night, and said to him, If the men are come to call you, rise up, go with them; but only the word which I speak to you, that shall you do.

^{21 Ref} Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.

^{22 Ref} God's anger was kindled because he went; and the angel of Yahweh placed himself in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him.

^{23 Ref} The donkey saw the angel of Yahweh 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: and Balaam struck the donkey, to turn her into the way.

²⁴ Then the angel of Yahweh stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side.

^{25 Ref} The donkey saw the angel of Yahweh, and she thrust herself to the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall: and he struck her again.

^{26 Ref} The angel of Yahweh went further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.

^{27 Ref} The donkey saw the angel of Yahweh, and she lay down under Balaam: and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he struck the donkey with his staff.

^{28 Ref} Yahweh 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 Ref} Balaam said to the donkey, Because you have mocked me, I would there were a sword in my hand, for now I had killed you.

^{30 Ref} The donkey said to Balaam, Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life long to this day? was I ever wont to do so to you? and he said, No.

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

^{32 Ref} The angel of Yahweh said to him, Why have you struck your donkey these three times? behold, I am come forth for an adversary, because your way is perverse before me:

^{33 Ref} and the donkey saw me, and turned aside before me these three times: unless she had turned aside from me, surely now I had even slain you, and saved her alive.

^{34 Ref} Balaam said to the angel of Yahweh, I have sinned; for I didn't know that you stood in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease you, I will get me back again.

^{35 Ref} The angel of Yahweh 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 Ref} When Balak heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him to the City of Moab, which is on the border of the Arnon, which is in the utmost part of the border.

^{37 Ref} Balak said to Balaam, Didn't I earnestly send to you to call you? why didn't you come to me? am I not able indeed to promote you to honor?

^{38 Ref} Balaam said to Balak, Behold, I have come to you: have I now any power at all to speak anything? the word that God puts in my mouth, that shall I speak.

³⁹ Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath Huzoth.

^{40 Ref} Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes who were with him.

^{41 Ref} It happened in the morning, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal; and he saw from there the utmost part of the people.