[1] Then the people of Israel set out, and encamped in the plains of Moab
beyond the Jordan at Jericho. [2] And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that
Israel had done to the Amorites. [3] And Moab was in great dread of the
people, because they were many; Moab was overcome with fear of the people
of Israel. [4] And Moab said to the elders of Mid'ian, "This horde will now
lick up all that is round about us, as the ox licks up the grass of the
field." So Balak the son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time, [5]
sent messengers to Balaam the son of Be'or at Pethor, which is near the
River, in the land of Amaw to call him, saying, "Behold, a people has come
out of Egypt; they cover the face of the earth, and they are dwelling
opposite me. [6] Come now, curse this people for me, since they are too
mighty for me; perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them from
the land; for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you
curse is cursed." [7] So the elders of Moab and the elders of Mid'ian
departed with the fees for divination in their hand; and they came to
Balaam, and gave him Balak's message. [8] And he said to them, "Lodge here
this night, and I will bring back word to you, as the LORD speaks to me";
so the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam. [9] 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 to me, saying, [11] `Behold, a people
has come out of Egypt, and it covers the face of the earth; now come, curse
them for me; perhaps I shall be able to fight against them and drive them
out.'" [12] God said to Balaam, "You shall not go with them; you shall not
curse the people, for they are blessed." [13] So Balaam rose in the
morning, and said to the princes of Balak, "Go to your own land; for the
LORD has refused to let me go with you." [14] So the princes of Moab rose
and went to Balak, and said, "Balaam refuses to come with us." [15] Once
again Balak sent princes, more in number and more honorable than they. [16]
And they came to Balaam and said to him, "Thus says Balak the son of
Zippor: `Let nothing hinder you from coming to me; [17] for I will surely
do you great honor, and whatever you say to me I will do; come, curse this
people for me.'" [18] But Balaam answered and said to the servants of
Balak, "Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I
could not go beyond the command of the LORD my God, to do less or more.
[19] Pray, now, tarry here this night also, that I may know what more the
LORD will say to me." [20] And God came to Balaam at night and said to him,
"If the men have come to call you, rise, go with them; but only what I bid
you, that shall you do." [21] So Balaam rose in the morning, and saddled
his ass, and went with the princes of Moab. [22] But God's anger was
kindled because he went; and the angel of the LORD took his stand in the
way as his adversary. Now he was riding on the ass, and his two servants
were with him. [23] And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the
road, with a drawn sword in his hand; and the ass turned aside out of the
road, and went into the field; and Balaam struck the ass, to turn her into
the road. [24] Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow path between
the vineyards, with a wall on either side. [25] And when the ass saw the
angel of the LORD, she pushed against the wall, and pressed Balaam's foot
against the wall; so he struck her again. [26] Then the angel of the LORD
went ahead, and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn
either to the right or to the left. [27] When the ass saw the angel of the
LORD, she lay down under Balaam; and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he
struck the ass with his staff. [28] Then the LORD opened the mouth of the
ass, and she said to Balaam, "What have I done to you, that you have struck
me these three times?" [29] And Balaam said to the ass, "Because you have
made sport of me. I wish I had a sword in my hand, for then I would kill
you." [30] And the ass said to Balaam, "Am I not your ass, upon which you
have ridden all your life long to this day? Was I ever accustomed to do so
to you?" And he said, "No." [31] Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam,
and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, with his drawn sword
in his hand; and he bowed his head, and fell on his face. [32] And the
angel of the LORD said to him, "Why have you struck your ass these three
times? Behold, I have come forth to withstand you, because your way is
perverse before me; [33] and the ass saw me, and turned aside before me
these three times. If she had not turned aside from me, surely just now I
would have slain you and let her live." [34] Then Balaam said to the angel
of the LORD, "I have sinned, for I did not know that thou didst stand in
the road against me. Now therefore, if it is evil in thy sight, I will go
back again." [35] And the angel of the LORD said to Balaam, "Go with the
men; but only the word which I bid you, that shall you speak." So Balaam
went on with the princes of Balak. [36] When Balak heard that Balaam had
come, he went out to meet him at the city of Moab, on the boundary formed
by the Arnon, at the extremity of the boundary. [37] And Balak said to
Balaam, "Did I not send to you to call you? Why did you not come to me? Am
I not able to honor you?" [38] Balaam said to Balak, "Lo, I have come to
you! Have I now any power at all to speak anything? The word that God puts
in my mouth, that must I speak." [39] Then Balaam went with Balak, and they
came to Kir'iath-hu'zoth. [40] And Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep, and
sent to Balaam and to the princes who were with him. [41] And on the morrow
Balak took Balaam and brought him up to Bamoth-ba'al; and from there he saw
the nearest of the people.
